Inside the Magic

Following New Fantasyland updates and other Disney news, Jeremiah Daws joins Ricky for an extensive panel-by-panel recap of Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animated Features. Then we’re joined by head of D23 Steven Clark for an interview about all things D23, looking at the fan club’s past, present, and future including improvements planned for the 2013 D23 Expo. Read More

New Fantasyland opening dates have finally been revealed, as new exciting merchandise, special events, and research, all part of a big Disney news week. Then Skipper Ben chimes in with all the good and the bad of being a Disney Cast Member. Read More

A busy news week includes Wi-Fi Internet access added to the Magic Kingdom with plans to expand, My Disney Experience app released, more NextGen project testing coming soon, Penn and Teller headed for Halloween Horror Nights, and details of Fantasy Faire at Disneyland. Then D23 creative consultant Tim O’Day joins us to discuss the upcoming event Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animated Features at the Disneyland Hotel. Read More

News this week includes expansions of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom and the 2013 D23 Expo. Then after a year of absence from the show, Skipper Ben returns to chat with Ricky and catch up on all that’s been going on in his life in recent months as well as his thoughts on the major theme park events that have happened since he’s been away. Read More

This week we chat with Otto, Disneyland’s new automated theme park telephone guide, to see how well it responds to questions. Then we’re off to the Magic Kingdom for an update on the progress of the New Fantasyland expansion. Finally we step onto the Grid at San Diego Comic-Con to talk Tron: Uprising with stars Bruce Boxleitner and Tricia Helfer, writer-producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, director Charlie Bean, and artists Robert Valley and Alberto Mielgo, along with a few words from star Elijah Wood. Read More

This ultimate Disney report from the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con begins with an interview with Frankenweenie producer Don Hahn followed by Walt Disney Studios presentation Q and A highlights with Frankenweenie director Tim Burton, Oz the Great and Powerful director Sam Raimi, and Wreck-It Ralph director Rich Moore with stars John C Reilly and Sarah Silverman – plus a description of the world’s first look at footage from The Lone Ranger. Then we go day-by-day through Comic-Con focusing on more Disney topics (and a few others) including Tron: Uprising and Epic Mickey 2. Read More

Take a trip through the rabbit hole to explore the Mad T Party, including an interview with Disneyland entertainment show director Robin Trowbridge discussing why it replaced ElecTRONica and future plans. Then rounding out coverage of the recently-upgraded Disney California Adventure, we chat with Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, Disneyland president George Kalogridis, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs, and Meg Crofton, President of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, US and France. Finally we end up at Universal Orlando for the grand opening of Despicable Me Minion Mayhem featuring interviews with executive producer Mike West, director Chris Bailey, and actress Miranda Cosgrove. Read More

Buena Vista Street is the headlining topic this week as we take a tour of the new entrance area of Disney California Adventure from the Red Car Trolley to the Carthay Circle Theatre and Restaurant, stopping at all the stores, eateries, and taking in the details along the way. Also included are the sounds of Five and Dime and the Red Car News Boys as well as insight from the Imagineers who created it all. Read More

Cars Land: Part 2 takes us on a trip down Route 66 and through Radiator Springs at the Disneyland Resort with detailed reports of Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Flo’s V8 Cafe, the Cozy Cone Motel, and all of the shops and details along the way with more Imagineer and executive interviews. Plus, this week’s show includes reviews of the newly-opened Cars wing at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in Walt Disney World and Disney/Pixar’s new film “Brave” as well as an interview with D23’s Billy Stanek and Steven Vagnini of the Walt Disney Archives just after the conclusion of the Fanniversary event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Read More

It’s the Cars Land grand opening extravaganza from Disney California Adventure, part 1, in which we talk to Imagineers, Disneyland executives, and voice stars of Cars on the red carpet, bringing you to the opening ceremony and into Radiator Springs to talk about its creation and its biggest and best attraction, Radiator Springs Racers, including an on-ride interview. Notable names appearing on this episode include Imagineers Bob Weis, Kevin Raffery, Kathy Mangum, and Tom Morris, Disneyland president George Kalogridis, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chairman Tom Staggs, and Cars creator and director John Lasseter, as well as actors John Ratzenberger, Larry the Cable Guy, and Jenifer Lewis. In addition to all the Cars Land excitement, other topics include Disneyland’s new Glow with the Show mouse ears, newly opened areas of Storybook Circus and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort in Orlando, and much more. Read More

We begin with a spoiler-free preview report from Cars Land leading up to the coming grand opening at Disney California Adventure. Then we dive into the video game world of E3, discussing Disney’s details about Wreck-It Ralph and Epic Mickey 2. Ricky reviews the new John Carter Blu-ray release and then chats with the director and producer of Bible Storyland – The Movie about a religious theme park that never was, but was designed by Disney artists to rival Disneyland itself. Read More

After taking one last ride on Snow White’s Scary Adventures as it permanently closes at Walt Disney World, we head to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort for the grand opening celebration, including live music, several Walt Disney Imagineer interviews revealing details from the creation of its lobby, Big Blue Pool, Ink and Paint store, Landscapes of Flavor food court, and family suites as well as reviews of the hotel’s amenities and a preview of the Cars wing with Pixar’s Jay Ward and car designer Chip Foose. Read More

The Haunted Mansion gets a photo op and Disney updates The Magic, the Memories, and You projection show for summer, along with many other news stories. Then we take a trip to Disneyland for a few updates from the Carthay Circle Theatre and Restaurant, The Little Mermaid ride, Grad Nite, and the Matterhorn. But the biggest news of the week was the grand opening of Transformers The Ride 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood and this week’s show show features an extensive report from that opening including the ceremony, interviews with voice actors and the ride’s creators, as well as a binaural trip through the queue and ride itself. Read More

News of the week includes Disneyland debuting Cars-themed monorails while raising ticket prices. Then we dive into Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World as Maggie offers tips and insight into the event and Ricky reports on the new Carbon Freeze Me experience. Exactly one year after Star Tours: The Adventures Continue opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we take a look back at the past and future of the classic Star Wars attraction through interviews with Industrial Light and Magic senior visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and Walt Disney Imagineering show director Susan Dain. Read More

News this week includes details of Cars Land and Carthay Circle menus, The Avengers passes $1 billion in 2 weeks, and Walt Disney World guests will soon be frozen in carbonate. After our trip Around the World, we head to the Magic Kingdom to experience the new Merida “Brave” meet-and-greet with three baby bear cubs. Then two listeners write in with a first-hand report of Disney’s ongoing NextGen Fastpass RFID testing. Read More