Mousetalgia! - Your Disneyland Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 663: Former Imagineer Ethan Reed Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

This week, join Mousetalgia for a fascinating conversation with former Imagineer Ethan Reed. Ethan tells us his origin story which includes his childhood trips to Disneyland, his love of Donald Duck and animation, and his introduction to Walt Disney Imagineering. We also discuss his work for the company including character design work for the Duffy and Friends franchise (and the mania surrounding the Duffy bear); work on Camp Woodchuck; animating Mr. Potato Head; and his character design work for Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland. Ethan packs facts and bits of trivia into his stories, including rarely-heard information about the process of designing stories and characters for Disney's theme parks worldwide.

Ep. 662: Disneyland Resort relaxes COVID-19 restrictions Jun 27, 2021

Show notes

This week, Jeff takes his daughters to Disneyland for Father's Day, which happened to be the first weekend that the resort welcomed out of state guests back into the parks and also relaxed their mask and social distancing rules, per guidance from the state and CDC. Jeff talks about returning to the Grand Californian Hotel, and we review the pool and the hotel's restaurants, with a focus on the Napa Rose's Summer Vintner's Table Menu. Then, we discuss the current park experience, and describe what you should expect if you are considering a return to the Happiest Place on Earth.

Ep. 661: Dave Bossert on Imagineer Claude Coats Jun 20, 2021

Show notes

This week, Mousetalgia is pleased to welcome author and historian Dave Bossert back to the show to discuss his latest book, "Claude Coats: Walt Disney's Imagineer: The Making of Disneyland From Toad Hall to the Haunted Mansion and Beyond." Dave is joined on the show by retired Imagineer Alan Coats, who happens to be Claude's son and also contributed to the book. The two talk about Claude's impact on Disneyland by discussing his early career in animation, his contributions to the development of atmosphere for the many projects he worked on, and his ongoing legacy. Plus - inexpensive artwork from the production of Sleeping Beauty, Disney dad jokes, XBox and Disney+ - and more.

Ep. 660: Avengers Campus opens at Disney California Adventure Jun 13, 2021

Show notes

This week, Jeff shares stories from the grand opening of Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure on June 4. We talk about the opening day crowds and how Disney struggled to deal with the crush of visitors who hoped to visit this new land on day one, and then we discuss some of the features of the new area, including the architecture, the attractions, the souvenirs, the entertainment, and the food.

Ep. 659: Heroes & Villains - The Art of the Disney Costume at MoPop; Cruella Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

This week, Kristen takes us to the premiere of "Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume" at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, and joins D23's Jeffrey Epstein and Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, who share some behind-the-scenes stories about the development of the exhibition and discuss the value of costumes to on-screen storytelling. Then, we discuss America's return to the cinema, and we talk about getting back to community events and returning to the big screen. Finally, we review Disney's Cruella, and talk about the cast, those costumes, and the vibe of this new dark entry into the Disney Studios catalog. Plus - remembering the Monsanto House of the Future, and more.

Ep. 658: A mom's day at Disneyland May 30, 2021

Show notes

In this special episode, Kristen, Becky and special guest Jennifer share stories and tips about taking self-care trips to the park as primary caretakers. In this day-trip memoir, the panelists discuss snacking, shopping, touring Galaxy's Edge, the state of the park, friend trips vs. solo trips, and the art of taking a moment for yourself in the midst of family pressures and a worldwide pandemic.

Ep. 657: Disneyland '55er Bob D'Arcy May 23, 2021

Show notes

This week, Mousetalgia speaks with Disneyland '55 alum Bob D'Arcy, who Walt called "the kid." Bob watched Disneyland being built and became the first Disneyland tour guide. In our exclusive interview, Bob talks about his first duties as a tour guide, some of his other tasks at the park, and some of his interactions with celebrities visiting the park and Walt himself. He also talks about his love affair with Judy "Slue Foot Sue" Marsh, who performed the role during the Golden Horseshoe's first year of operation. Plus - we discuss re-imagining the Space Mountain soundtrack, and share some big news: Hayley Mills' memoir is now on pre-sale! (Tip: In this episode, we suggested you try bn.com to place an order for a signed copy, but they are already sold out. However, Books-a-Million just launched a pre-sale for signed copies on their website, and as of this episode's publication, there are still copies available. Good luck!)

Ep. 656: The return to Disneyland, part 2 May 16, 2021

Show notes

This week, Team Mousetalgia continues their coverage of Disneyland's reopening with a number of topics, including how to choose which park to start your Disneyland day, and changes to the overall experience of the park and some specific attractions, including Haunted Mansion, Adventureland, and Snow White's Enchanted Wish. We also share our top tips for visiting the parks in the near future, and discuss what you will experience if you choose to shop in the parks, and what to expect at the end of the day.

Ep. 655: The return to Disneyland May 09, 2021

Show notes

Disneyland has reopened after being closed for over 400 days. From our own emotions about re-entering the park, to the interactions with Cast Members, to the different atmosphere in the park and the very limited food options - touring Disneyland is a very different experience in the era of COVID-19. In part one of a special two-part report, Team Mousetalgia discusses our return to Anaheim and how our expectations met reality as we embraced the new tone of the Disneyland experience.

Ep. 654: May the Fourth, listener email May 02, 2021

Show notes

Celebrate Star Wars with Team Mousetalgia on May the Fourth and all week long with some announcements from a galaxy far, far away, including new book releases, Star Wars VR news, Rogue One storyboard revelations, new LEGO releases - and the story of how Obi Wan Kenobi broke Jeff's heart. Then, it's on to the listener email inbox. Today's topics include: A discussion of Imagineer Jim Sarno, the magic of Disneyland, retired characters at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, returning to the annual passholder vibe - yay or nay?, remembering Cicely Rigdon, taking babies to Disneyland, and more. Plus: revisting the Haunted Mansion's stretching room, and our thoughts about re-imagining that challenging scene.

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