WDW Radio: Your Guide to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise and More Disney Magic!

847 · Top Ten Reasons You Need to Cruise on Disney Destiny Join me this week for the ultimate Disney Destiny review, as we share our Top Ten Reasons Why You Need to Cruise on the Disney Destiny. We take you inside Disney Cruise Line’s newest Wish-class ship and reveal everything we discovered on board. From the heroes and villains theme to the immersive storytelling, characters, dining, and unexpe...

846 · Mary Poppins: Untold Stories and the Making of a Disney Classic Mary Poppins is practically perfect, but the process behind it was emotional, unpredictable, and filled with incredible stories that most fans have never been told. There are very few "perfect" movies in this world: Jaws ... The Shawshank Redemption. .. The Shining ... Back to the Future ... and from Disney, there is only one on...

845 · Cotino – What It’s Really Like Inside Disney’s First Storyliving Community What if Disney built a place you could actually live? This week, I take you inside Cotino , Disney’s first Storyliving by Disney community... and share what I discovered as one of the first people invited to explore it. I didn’t know what to expect… but what Cotino revealed about Storyliving truly surprised me. In thi...

👻 What if Disney made Halloween at Walt Disney World even spookier? This week, Lou Mongello shares his five original, story-driven Disney Halloween ideas that could transform the parks with new attractions, experiences, and eerie overlays - all filled with that perfect mix of nostalgia, storytelling, and Disney magic. From haunted celebrations of extinct attractions to imaginative new Halloween e...

Is EPCOT the best full-day Walt Disney World park? Should Genie+ be eliminated? Who is the greatest Disney villain of all time? This week on WDW Radio, Lou Mongello hosts another round of In or Out . It is the fun, fast-paced Disney fan debate segment where we tackle the big and small questions about Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disney movies, and beyond. From replacing Pirate Night on D...

842 · Disney Adults: Fandom, Identity, and the Magic of Never Growing Up What does it really mean to be a Disney Adult? I sit down with AJ Wolfe - founder of Disney Food Blog and author of the new book Disney Adults - to explore one of Disney fandom’s most passionate and misunderstood communities. Together, we unpack: Why Disney Adults face stereotypes, criticism, and double standards How Disney s...

The biggest Disney fan event of the year, D23’s Destination D23 2025 , delivered history and heritage, stories and surprises, parks and people, performances and passion. Over three unforgettable days at Walt Disney World , Disney fans came together to celebrate the past, present, and future of the magic we love. This week on WDW Radio , we recap the 23 biggest takeaways from Destination D23 2025 -...

840 · Disney Destiny Shipyard Tour: Behind the Curtain of Disney Cruise Line’s Boldest Ship  Join me for an exclusive Disney Destiny Shipyard Tour inside Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, where the newest Disney Cruise Line ship is coming to life. I take you behind the scenes to step aboard the Destiny during construction, explore first looks at venues like the Haunted Mansion Parlor, Doctor Str...

839 · Disney Q&A: Cruise Rankings, Solo Park Tips, Disneyland Food & Hidden Secrets This week, Lou opens up the inbox for a fun, fast-paced episode filled with listener questions - from planning the ultimate solo day at Walt Disney World, to why Disneyland’s food might just outshine Epcot’s, to a ranking of every Disney Cruise Line ship. He also reveals a hidden Easter egg in Journey Into...

838 · Walt Disney Imagineering Chief Creative Officer Bruce Vaughn on the Future of the Disney Parks What happens when you sit down with the head of Walt Disney Imagineering… and just hit record? In this exclusive, unscripted conversation , Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Imagineering , shares stories, insights, and opens up for a behind-the-scenes look at the future of the Dis...

837 · Walt Disney Imagineering Tour: Behind the Scenes Where Disney Magic Is Made What if you could get a guided tour through the heart of Walt Disney Imagineering - the place where Disney dreams aren’t just imagined, but engineered, designed, and brought to life? I was honored with the rare opportunity to step inside the hallowed halls of Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, California... and th...

836 · Inside Imagineering: Zsolt Hormay on Sculpting Stories in Disney Parks Do you ever walk through the Disney Parks and say, "How did they do that?" or better yet, "WHO helped bring these incredible places and spaces to life?" I was recently invited into the hallowed halls of Walt Disney Imagineering to discover the answers to those questions, and will have a full recap of what (and who) I saw,...

835 · "In or Out?" - Trilogies, Overlays, Lounges, Live-Action, Leadership & More! Are you In or Out? Is the Indiana Jones trilogy really Disney’s best? Should Tower of Terror get a Halloween overlay? And is Josh D’Amaro the future CEO of Disney? That is just the beginning! This week, we dive into bold opinions and big questions about the parks, movies, cruise line, lounges, and leadership. Fr...

834 · Ultimate Guide to Indiana Jones in the Disney Parks What if there was an Indiana Jones land so ambitious it could’ve changed the Disney Parks forever? Or that Indy once shared the stage with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Mark Hamill himself… for one night only? And what if Indiana Jones has a rich, decades-long history in the Disney Parks - with attractions, shows, and experiences aroun...

833 · The Boy Who Became Tom Sawyer – Disney Legend Tom Nabbe - From the Archives He was just 12 years old when he pitched himself to Walt Disney to become Tom Sawyer… and Walt said, “I’ll think about it.” In this From the Archives episode of WDW Radio, I sit down with Disney Legend Tom Nabbe , the boy who went from selling newspapers outside Disneyland on opening day to becoming the real-life Tom...

832 · Adventures by Disney Japan Recap: Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Tokyo & Kintsugi - Part 2 Every step through Japan tells a story - and this week, I want to share ours. From centuries-old villages to hidden antique shops, we went looking for adventure... and found something even more meaningful.  Japan continues to unfold its magic in Part 2 of our Adventures by Disney to Japan recap,...

831 · Disneyland at 70: Walt’s Vision, Origins, Secrets, and Stories from the Park - From the Archives Celebrate 70 years of Disneyland with a deep dive into hidden stories, surprising history, and unforgettable secrets from Walt’s original park. In this special WDW Radio Archive episode, I'm joined by the late, great Jim Korkis as we explore the surprising origins of Doritos and churros, the stor...

830 · Adventures by Disney Japan Recap: Stories & Highlights - Part 1 Japan is truly unlike anywhere else in the world. And this week, I want to take you there - not with a guidebook, but through the memories, moments, and magic we experienced together on our recent WDW Radio Adventures by Disney Journey to Japan group trip. Join me and some of the friends (who are really more like family) from ou...

829 · Celebrate Happy: A Complete Guide to Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary Something special is happening at Disneyland … It’s turning 70, and the year-long Celebrate Happy party is packed with magic, surprises, returning favorites, and history in the making. Join me and theme park journalist Carlye Wisel as we unlock what’s new, what’s back, and why you need to visit - from "Paint the Night" a...

828 · Disney’s Abu Dhabi Theme Park: A Whole New World Unveiled Disney just announced a bold new theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi – and it could change everything . In this episode, we explore the Disney Abu Dhabi theme park announcement from every angle – cultural, creative, and corporate. We also have a thoughtful conversation about some of the questions and concerns this move has raised. Disc...

827 · Build Your Star Wars Movie Memorabilia Museum The ultimate Star Wars collector’s wish list - no budget, no limits, just dreams! This week, in honor of May the 4th, we’re heading to a galaxy far, far away… and diving into a fun, nerdy, and personal conversation, as we explore a galaxy of imagination and nostalgia and build our "Star Wars Movie Memorabilia Museum." We’re not talking about toys...

826 · How Disney Brings Star Wars to Life: Reveals and Stories from Star Wars Celebration Japan Have you ever dreamed of living your own Star Wars story? This week, I take you inside Star Wars Celebration Japan for a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney Parks and Lucasfilm are transforming the way we experience Star Wars - and reveal new stories, secrets, and adventures you need to know about. Joi...

825 · The Top Ten Things We Love About the Japan Pavilion in EPCOT - From the Archives Konnichiwa, my friend! As this episode is released, I’m on my way to Tokyo to host a panel at Star Wars Celebration about Living Your Star Wars Story in the Disney Parks! So, in the spirit of sushi, samurai, sake, and Star Wars, we're reaching back into the WDW Radio archives for a listener favorite: The To...

824 · My 5 Favorite Outdoor Queues in Walt Disney World (That Are Worth the Wait) This week, we’re stepping into the sunshine - and into the story - as I share my 5 favorite outdoor queues in Walt Disney World. These aren’t just lines… they’re immersive experiences filled with storytelling, hidden details, and atmosphere that make the wait part of the magic. Whether you’ve walked them a hundred ti...

823 · The Savory 16: A Bracket-Style Showdown for the 2025 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival This week, we’re doing something fun, fresh… and flavorful, as we taste and debate 16 of the newest savory dishes from this year’s EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. It’s a bracket-style showdown we’re calling: The Savory 16! We taste-tested everything, made our notes, and brought our appetites and opinions as...