Monday, April 20, 2009

Disney Podcasts 101 for Idiots



My students have always looked at me oddly, as I'm too old to be considered their peers but younger than their average professor. When they see me with the earbuds in and sauntering into the classroom before boring them to tears with economics lectures that they will soon forget, they jokingly like to play "what's on Mush's iPod", where they try to guess what I'm listening to.

Despite the fact that I've got a wide selection of music on the 16G Nano (5th generation, for those geeks who were about to ask), they've never correctly guessed what it is I'm currently listening to. Why? Because 80% of the time, I'm not listening to music; rather, it's a good ole podcast blasting in my ears and causing irreparable harm to my long-term hearing ability. My students' next question is always "which ones do you listen to?" Their reaction is always the same mix of "really?" and "I'm sorry I asked" when I tell them that most of them are Disney-related.

One of my alter egos had me as a moderator for a now-extinct Disney World BBS (Lodgeboards...LOVED that site), and I provided updates about Disney World to the masses (okay, it wasn't a large board, but large boards don't necessarily equate to better boards). The best way that I find information is to check out websites, listen to podcasts, and (just recently) receive tweets from Twitter (I'm cemushr over there if you want to follow me!). Occasionally, I'll be asked what podcasts I listen to. Because of this (for the 10 or so readers of this blog), I figured I'd give you some of the ones I frequent in case you might be interested in subscribing to them (yes, all are available via iTunes). I'm also (slowly) working on adding other podcasts and providing a short synopsis of each one so that you can be better-informed. While I may say a certain podcast is the "Best…", there are not any actual awards to be handed out (I'm not tenured, and I've got kids), nor am I slighting any who may not be listed (it's mostly because I probably haven't found 75% of the Disney-related podcasts out there).

Note that this list will be edited as more podcasts are discovered! The level of detail should not be used as an indication of how "good" a podcast is…it's more an indication of how well I know the podcast more than anything. If a podcaster would like to have their cast added (and I haven't found you yet), just let me know via a comment, and I'll add you in!

Soooooooooooo…without further ado, here we go!



TRIP PLANNING & REPORT PODCASTS
This section is where many people get introduced to podcasting...they're planning a trip for the first time and want to get as much information as possible.



  • Be Our Guest is a podcast that has trip-planning episodes twice a week. Mondays include trip reports from listeners in audio format, and Fridays usually revolve around a panel discussion on the Walt Disney World experience. Episodes are hosted by Mike, Rikki, Pam, and Debbie and average around 30-40 minutes.















  • If you're looking for the Keys to the Kingdom, then head on over to the Keys to the Kingdom podcast. Kingdom Trips travel agents Mary and Jason True, along with co-host Karin Worth, release a couple of shows every month with trip planning advice for all things Disney-related (including DVC, DCL, WDW, Disneyland, and more). As Jason is outnumbered, he is often humorously on the defensive in most shows!























  • Next in the travel category is the Mouse Travel Tips podcast. hosted by the creators of wdwautism.com, Rachel Pilgrim (with the occasional cameo by hubbie Ray), Mouse Travel Tips is a 15-20 minute show released about every week with tips, a showcase of a particular Disney attraction/area, and interesting tidbits about Disney.  This is one of the few "enhanced" podcasts, where pictures pop up during the discussion that are pertinent to what's being talked about...nice touch!























  • Up next is the Travelears podcast. Travelears is a good source for those planning trips to a Disney theme park as its lineup of hosts include a couple living near Disneyland, former cast members, one from Canada, one from Australia, a WDW aficionado, and a DVC member.
















  • The WDW Today podcast. BEST OVERALL PODCAST!!! I started listening to this one around episode 110, and I've heard every one since then. Hosted by Matt Hochberg, owner of studioscentral.com, Mike Newell, owner of mouseworldradio, Mike Scopa, a blogger at allears.net, Len Testa, co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and mastermind behind touringplans.com, and, recently added, Annette Owens, travel agent with Mousefantravel, each episode of this podcast is at just about a perfect amount of time…15-20 minutes, which, coincidentally, is my commute to work. What makes this podcast work so well is the interaction among the hosts. They know each other well enough that there is a lot of good-natured ribbing with each other that, if you've followed the podcast long enough, makes the dialogue always interesting and, at times, outright hilarious. Episode 414 has to be one of the funniest episodes they've done, where they chronicle trying to eat or drink one item native to every country pavilion in a short time-span. I swear I'll never walk through Canada again the same way. Every Wednesday is "Listener Questions" day, where they answer as many questions as they can in the show's time. The problem is that they are so popular that they can't keep caught up with the timeliness of the questions…quite often you'll hear a pause when reading a question about an upcoming trip and then a "Welcome back" after realizing the trip had alreay been taken. They do have a monthly live show to help answer questions for those who need answers in less than six months. This podcast tells it like it is without sugar-coating it. They aren't part of the "Disney Haters" crowd (nowhere near it), and they aren't part of the "Disney Can Do No Wrong" crowd (nowhere near it)…I think they're right down the middle in terms of their analysis of Disney, which I think is probably the most accurate. This is one of only a couple of podcasts that I listen to religiously and am actually caught up with.  I actually had a question answered on Episode 603 (sorry, Matt) Subscribe HERE.







    • VIDEO PODCASTS
    These are podcasts that take you through the parks using video cameras to bring you the attractions as though you were right there with them.

    • Above the Firehouse is classified as a combination audio/video podcast. It includes ride-thrus of attractions, interviews, friend meets, etc. This podcast is put together by Tony with occasional additions by "Jason in San Diego".


    • At The Main Street Cinema is run by Greg McNaughten. This one shows ride-thrus, night-time shows, meet-ups, and more. It includes both WDW and DL.



    • 'Sup? This next podcast features one of the two well-known "Lou's" in the Disney podcasting realm. Beyond Main Street is up next, hosted by Lou Moulton. This show has a long history, with 65+ shows under its belt (this was the first vidcast that I downloaded, several years ago). BMSLou gives his perspective of Disneyana via multiple avenues. The video shows often include video footage and/or excellent pictures of the primary item being discussed. Also in this feed is the "In Your Ears Experience", which, as you can imagine, is audio only. Occasionally you might be treated to some serenading from Sexy Rexy in an IYEE segment. Very Cool!



    • The Big D in HD. This one is shot in high-definition (in case you couldn't figure that one out). The HD feed is obviously amazing quality, but the file sizes are, as expected, huge and too much for my measly iPod. Still, I like to check out the videos on the laptop. While I have never checked it out, The Big D offers a standard definition feed. It's primarily Disneyland-based.


    • If you want HD video of the east coast park, look no further than Mouse Magic HD. Paul hosts this weekly podcast with shots from all around the world, from attractions to shows to fireworks to...you name it!



    • One of the newer video casts out there is Disney's Park Hoppin' Party. This is hosted by two broadcasting powerhouses from the Sacramento/Chico area. "Electric" Mike Kelly is a long-time veteran of the entertainment industry, including stints as a morning radio host and musician. He owns his own recording studio. "Kiltboy" is the other host, though he also answers to Steve Micheals. Steve is a morning host for Chico's Oldies 102.1 during the week and shares Mike's love for Disneyland.
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    • Magic City Mayhem. is done by Mikey the Errand Boy and gives around ten-minute short videos of the playground we all know as Orlando. It's not ALL Disney World, but there's a lot of video there from the Disney Theme Parks.



    AUDIO-ONLY PODCASTS
    WAIT A MINUTE!!!!! Aren't all the other podcasts classified as audio-only if they aren't video? By audio-only, I'm talking about audio from the theme parks. Yes, you read that right…these folks walk around the parks collecting audio for us to hear. Often, these podcasters use binaural microphones, which create stereo sound and, since they are placed right next to the ears when they are recording, we would hear exactly what they hear if we were right next to them. As cheesy as it sounds, you find yourself listening and remembering when you last heard those sounds. The commentary on these can be downright funny, if you get their sense of humor.
    • The one that started it all is the TrappedOnVacation podcast, hosted by "Earl", an anonymous cast member at WDW who, with his "bleepin' wife" (so-called because everything out of her mouth would have to be bleeped out to stay under a PG-13 rating) quite often have friends down to play in the theme-park capital of the world. It's not always a WDW park that they go to in their episodes, either, so you won't get overkill. For you Adventurer's Club fans, he has a string of several episodes in late 2008 paying homage to the now-closed attraction at Pleasure Island. Since I never had the opportunity to witness the A.C. myself, I loved listening to these episodes to see what I missed. A.C. fans will LOVE downloading these shows.


    • Next in line for this category is an off-shoot of Trapped. "Jeff from Houston" started taking some audio for Earl out in Anaheim, and he ultimately branched off to create the Meandering Mouse podcast. Jeff brings you audio from the theme parks all over the world and, using some witty sarcasm, presents the audio in a way that only he can. His "Saul" character has been known to nearly cause auto accidents to those hearing it for the first time (from laughing so hard). The audio quality that Jeff brings is sometimes unparalleled, where the "headphones strongly recommended" tag is included in nearly every episode to ensure you get the best experience. Subscribe HERE.


    • An interesting "perspective" audio podcast is The Adventures of a Teenage Disney Geek. Keegan records himself and his dysfunctional "SuperFamily" (including the ever-lovable Madison, Keegan's younger sister) all over the Disney Parks. Keegan is still a teenager yet he puts out some really good quality programming here! Subscribe HERE.




    • Completely flying in the face of the comprehensive podcasts (listed below), Matt gives us a bunch of Mouse Droppings. In what has to be one of the best play on words, the Mouse Droppings podcast simply "drops in" audio into your MP3 player every couple weeks instead of giving shows with periodic segments (and, no, you don't need to sanizite your iPod afterwards, though you may want to clean your earbuds once in a while). The description of the podcast mentions that video may also be included in the episodes. Currently, the website has Quicktime slideshows that go with the audio on the podcasts.







    • The smooth-voiced Paul Barrie hosts the Window to the Magic podcast, along with wife and fellow podcaster Tairy Rich. Most of the audio tends to come from Disneyland, and the production is done very well! I really like the sense of humor on this one…the April Fool's episodes are hilarious once you realize the slant they are going with. Main Feed: HD Video Feed: "Patrick-Hurd-Only" Shows:

    COMPREHENSIVE/PERSPECTIVE PODCASTS:
    Many of these podcasts (but not all) usually start off with similar formats, which include sections on news and rumors. The differences among these podcasts lie in the remainder of the episodes. Some do interviews, others do skits. Some go really in-depth on attractions, while others perform reviews of the various things to do. Many of these are what I call "Perspective" podcasts, where the hosts inject their views into the discussion.
    • The All About the Mouse podcast was hosted by Bryan Ripper and Jonathon Dichter and was really user-friendly. They have their own fan club (the "AllAbouttheMouseketeers") whose members occasionally have the chance to win prizes. Their primary focus was Walt Disney World; however, they also discussed news pertaining to the Disney Company in general. This one is a weekly update.   FINAL SHOW: 07/31/2010
    • Betamouse is one of the newest podcasts for 2010 and features a powerhouse lineup of hosts. Henry Work, creator of the Lines application for touringplans.com, Disney lover and tech-geek Jeff Chaney, WEDWay Radio Podcast co-host Nate Parrish, Dizcollect founder Scott Barrett, and "Kidani" Katie Siloac form the roundtable for this show. On here, they provide weekly shows on the technology surrounding and/or running Disney. The shows last around 30-40 minutes.


    • Character Breakfast is a bi-weekly production that comes from the Sorcerer Radio crew. Its focus is Disney World and has a menagerie of podcasters, including "Sorcerer", who leads the crew and does the "rant of the week" section, "Imagine", who along with her husband, "Pluto", runs a segment called the Monorail Station, and "Jeff", who gives the news. Other segments of the show include music reviews, storytime, and restaurant reviews. Oh, and if you’re interested in a live Disney music show, check out the TikiRoomMorningShow every weekday from 8-9 Eastern over on Sorcerer Radio (link above) for Chris's morning show. He takes requests, and srsounds even has a chat that goes along with the show.


    • The Communicore Online podcast is a weekly perspective podcast of Shane Roberts. It's a shorter podcast for being comprehensive (30 minutes) and includes such segments as Hidden Mickeys, news with Lester Daye, Between my Ears (Shane's take on Disney topics), photo ops, rehabs/closures, Ears to the Ground (park audio), and more.


    • The DISCAST podcast is up next, featuring a somewhat more technical slant at the Disny parks. Hosted by Marc Silverman and former Cast Member Kyle Duffield, these podcasts run around 10-20 minutes.


    • For the next podcast, we're jumping across the pond to visit The Disney Brit podcast. Hailing as the only podcast based in the United Kingdom, this podcast provides news, trivia contests, interviews, and more, including one of the only places to provide focus and audio on Disneyland Paris. Hosted by Adam Goodger, DisneyBrit offers both a normal and an enhanced version of the show. Subscribe HERE.


    • Labeling themselves as the "garage band" of Disney podcasts, the Disney Dudes podcast brings you "Disney with an Edge!" This is one of the newer podcasts out there and is working on the segments to be included in its episodes. As they are so new, I don't know a lot about them, so I'm drawing from their web site. Wayne is no stranger to the Disney podcast world as he formerly was on the Mickey Room Podcast. Trace, married to Lisa from the Those Darn Cats podcast, was relatively new to podcasting but jumped into the Disney Podcasting Nation and hasn't looked back. Some know him as 999Ghosts or the guy with the blue goatee. His Disney "Street cred"  is that he is the Dallas/Fort Worth NFFC Chapter President.


    • This next one is about as comprehensive in one particular topic as I've ever seen…PIN TRADING! The Disney Pincast is hosted by John Rick, founder of the Central Jersey Disney Pin Traders. While I'm not a pin trader myself, I have friends who are, and I know how much they love this obsession. They discuss pin news, information on trading meets, upcoming releases, and more! This is another weekly podcast and has both a standard download as well as an enhanced .m4a download, which some MP3 players can handle and allow chapter perusal.  The neat thing about the enhanced shows are that they often include pics of the pins they are discussing. Warning: this podcast can be a rather long one.


    • Just across the state line from me is the location of the next podcast. It's Disney, Indiana, where the population is just 2: Tracey and Scott. This is another bi-weekly podcast and is easily one of my favorite shows. This podcast discusses books, movies, music, theme parks, video games, and whatever else in the "Disneyverse" they'd like to talk about. Episodes run around an hour. Aside from just the general fun, I think a lot of the allure of the show comes from the amount of research they do for the shows.  Included in most episodes is the Mortis, from the Mortis Matinee (listed below).  Most every episode also includes a musical interlude by the local DJ in Disney, Indiana...Buzzy. 
    • The Disney Royal Ladies podcast is the next one in the list. "Horizon" and Kathy, a Mother and daughter team, bring you their show every week or two...they've got an interesting format. Most shows have the usual news, rumors, and tips, but they also occasionally bring on interviews of people that are from the Disney realm.  Last Show: 02/12/2010

    • The Disney Tidbits podcast is brought to you by Tairy Rich of Little Red's Riding Hood.  Tairy is married to Paul Barrie of the WTTM podcast.  Each week, you get a short but in-depth knowledge base of a particular topic of Disneyana. Subscribe HERE.


    • A former Disneyland Cast member, "Greg", leads a perspective podcast called Imagineering My Way. Though a photographer by trade, he has a strong background in architecture and a strong love of Disney. In this podcast, he takes a critical look at what the Disney corporation has done in its theme parks, and he provides insight on why they may have done it as well as how it potentially could have been otherwise done. Yes, it is opinionated, but it is definitely thought-provoking with the content included. Segments of the show include a report card on attractions/hotels/restaurants, a "bulldozer" segment, DIY Imagineering, a time machine, and more.


    • Let's Talk About Disney. No, really…that's the name of the next podcast! Nashville natives Mike, Cindy, and Jana have a unique setup for their podcast. They carry on an online chat with their forum members as they do the podcast, and, as they start discussing topics, they work in the chat responses and reply to them. They are a monthly podcast, and they seriously talk about whatever topics their listeners (or they) come up with. It's definitely perspective in nature, and they like to have a good time bantering with each other. One regular segment that they do in their episodes is a segment on characters.  Last Show: 02/12/2010 Subscribe HERE.


    • Ricky Brigante provides a really good in-depth presentation of what's going on in his Inside the Magic podcast. It's actually kind of funny in that, as I'm finishing this list up, I got a tweet announcing Ricky's update to his blog, where he lists the podcasts that he still listens to. I almost hit "Delete" on this file for fear of everyone thinking that I was just copying off of him, but I decided that A) he probably has several hundred readers, none who read my blog; B) I had already typed up quite a bit and nearly suffered a conversion disorder when I reached for "Delete"; and C) they are very different lists. There actually is only one podcast overlap (WTTM, in the previous section), and I'm providing more of a "what's out there" list, since I'm guessing most of my handful of readers don't listen to podcasts very much. ANYWAYS (A.D.D. hitting again)…Inside the Magic is labeled as the first "Orlando-based Disney podcast" and one of the first Disney-related podcasts created. Like All About the Mouse above, it's a weekly release.

    • Starting the fully-populated lists of podcasts-that-start-with-'M' is Mr. Frank's Wild Ride Disney fanatic Frank Rogers is joined by Disney Mom's Panelist Margaret Fries and fellow Disney Fanatic Heather (aka DisneyBigSis in the "Twitterverse". This show is a part of the WDWNT network of shows and releases 1-2 episodes a month, each lasting 1-1.5 hours. Interviews, current events, some unique comedy bites (Mousterpiece Theatre, for example) and some really good transition music make up the bulk of this show.
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    • Hosted by Jim Hill of jimhillmedia.com and Nathan Rose of magicalmountain.net (home of Shandy the Sugar Glider), the Magical Definition podcast take you on a magical journey into Disney World. Since Jim Hill's one of the hosts, there has to be a rumor segment, along with news, interviews, and more, including a segment rather unique to this podcast: tips on photography in the parks.


    • Will and Shannon are two married Disney fans who came up with the Magic Never Ends podcast. Their iTunes description is perfect: "We are two Disney lovers that believe that the Disney Magic Never Ends. Whether at the Disney parks. Listening to Disney music. Watching a Disney movie or a Disney Channel show. There's magic everywhere! Are you willing to embrace it? What you will hear on our podcast is what we are. We act silly. We have fun. And we never ever take ourselves seriously. Our goal is to share our love for all things Disney with the world. You many not find everything we share of interest. All we ask is for you to keep an open mind. Listen to us. Laugh with us. Disagree with us. Just remember it's all about the fun…and the Magic of Disney." Subscribe HERE.


    • Micecast is up next, featuring Greg from the aforementioned Imagineering My Way podcast, Mike, another former Disneyland Cast Member, and Shaft (whose nickname changes quite often, depending on the mood of the other hosts). They pull no punches in their discussion of all things Disney-related. Make sure the kids aren't listening, because they seriously tell it like it is (they willingly give themselves a PG-13 rating). Put the kids to bed, grab a six-pack, and tune in! Like IMW, it's opinionated, but they give you an interesting and sometimes really funny take (if you get their sense of humor…I was in the military, so I get it) on whatever they're talking about. For many, it's a love-it or hate-it podcast. Subscribe HERE.


    • The Mortis Matinee is the next podcast up for the list. The Mortis family, led by Scott and Briget. They get together with their two daughters, Kaity and Athena, to review vintage (mostly) Disney movies. This podcast presents a unique slant and is really good for parents who are trying to decide if a particular movie may be good for the family or not. The shows usually follow a monthly release schedule. Subscribe HERE.


    • Get ready to look at Disney with a funny slant with this next podcast. The Mouse Comedy podcast features Jonathan Walker paired up with Little Red (aka Tairy from the Disney Tidbits podcast) and looks at the more lighthearted side of what happens in the Disney theme parks. Episodes are released every other week or so. Subscribe HERE.


    • Up next is the Mouse Guest Weekly podcast. This is a companion to Mouseguest.com and it hosted by Eric, Cathy, and Dan. With weekly shows, this show is a potpourri of Disney-related material. Their tagline is "we discuss all things Disney", and it's really accurate. Included in their weekly episodes is a segment for listener celebrations. On top of discussions about the parks and the Disney Corporation, they also include high-quality audio and, occasionally, a video segment. If you like a little bit of everything, this could be the podcast for you!


    • Grab a martini, The Mouse Lounge podcast is up next. Gary Chambers is the bartender for the lounge, and, while you're bellying up to the bar, you'll hear about (among other things) news of the Walt Disney company, what's on TV (Disney-related, of course) and, of course, the Disney theme parks. You'll also likely hear some vintage audio in the episodes from way back. Gary took a 3-month hiatus (as soon as I started this), but he's doing shows again, so it's being included.  Some of the background interview audio that Gary on this podcast is simply stunning!


    • Mousetalgia is the next show in the lineup.  "Carpe Kingdom" is their motto, and it fits.  This one is widely regarded as one of the top Disneyland-centric podcasts out there.  Your hosts include husband-and-wife team Dave and Becky Breiland, professional story-teller Kristen Nowicki, and doombuggies.com founder Jeff Braham.  Lots of great information, as well as some great banter among the hosts, make this podcast a must-have for Disneyland fans (as well as many Disney World fans).   This show is a weekly format, with episodes typically lasting 1-1.5 hours long.


    • Continuing in the massive amount of 'M' podcasts, we have MouseStation, the companion podcast that goes with the mouseplanet.com boards. Broadcasting high in orbit above MousePlanet, they offer a show every week or so. MouseStation is hosted by former Disney cast member Mike Demopoulos and MousePlanet editor and staff columnist Mark Goldhaber. Segments include news, magical moments, tips, and listener feedback.


       
    • Rounding up the 'M' podcasts is one that has a huge following, but it's not about the mouse...it's about the Muppets!  The MuppetCast is about (yep, you guessed it!) Jim Henson's ever-popular creation of the muppets.  Hosted by Steve Swanson, this is a weekly show that lasts around an hour on average.  Segments include news, projects, interviews, audio/video and more.  If you grew up with Sesame Street (like me), Fraggle Rock (not like me), the Muppet Show (Definitely like me), or muppet movies (yep), or if you are just a fan of the viral Muppet videos (it's okay to admit it...we all are), you'll love this podcast! .

       
    • Up next is the Netcot podcast. Van is your host for this bi-weekly podcast, which usually starts off with news and includes a variety of segments, including Top 7 lists, "Van-n-Now" (how attractions have changed) and more! Most episodes end with some Disney audio. .


    • The Canadians are also represented here in the list. The Northern Mouse podcast is updated monthly (sometimes less) with both audio and video casts. The audio podcasts include segments on news, travel tips, recipes, trip reports, and more!  Carlos De Sousa leads this band of podcasters (listen for the chats around the campfire during the non-winter months!).  Subscribe HERE.


    • Up next is the Original D podcast is hosted by Ryan and is, as of this writing, 5 episodes into his show. Shows right now are a very manageable 10-15 minutes and revolve around the park the Walt built first, Disneyland Park in Anaheim.



    • For those who are huge fans of the popular PassPorter guide books created by Dave and Jennifer Marx, the PassPorter Moms podcast is going to be a definite must to add to your list.  Jennifer, along with Passporter News editor Sara Varney, give weekly shows around 30 minutes in length about the goings-on in the Disney realm (not just WDW) and show-specific topics.
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    • With the resounding success of the hugely popular movies created by the Pixar Studios, it would seem fitting to have a podcast dedicated primarily to the goings-on with the Disney-Pixar.  Derrick Clements has filled this void with the Pixar Podcast.  Broadcasting since the summer of 2010, Derrick hosts this show, which runs usually 1-2 episodes per week.  Depending on the show content, the length of the shows can range from around 20 minutes for news to well over an hour for high-profile interviews.

    • The next one in the list has gone through a couple of different names. It is a reincarnation of an older podcast that was called the Extinct Attractions podcast. It switched to Theme Parks 360, but it has gone back to become known as the Extinct Attractions podcast. Hosted by David O'Neal, this weekly podcast airs every Tuesday evening and is streamed live before being released as a podcast. Why, you ask? Because it allows them to incorporate a live chat with their listeners as the show goes on and provides real-time interaction with their fans.  This show has gone through a few changes in the past few months (2010 was a bad year for David) - it was as of late 2010 called "This Week in Theme Parks"  As of this update in 2011, they are again the Extinct Attractions Club.  Whatever their name is, episodes can be downloaded HERE. 
    • This next one is really intriguing. It's original name was the Running to Disney podcast. Alabama resident Gordon Harvey has found a love for running, which, considering I'm a sprinter and think that you should take a car for anything longer than 800 meters, I find very interesting. When it first started, Gordon found a way to combine his passion for Disney with his passion for running. He completed his first Disney World marathon in January of '09 and plans on competing in several more distance events at WDW and other ventures (including the 2011 Goofy Challenge).  As he did this show, he found himself talking less about Disney and more about running in general.  With a lifestyle change (specifically, becoming a vegan), he decided to end the run as "Running to Disney" and start over with This Running Life in late October 2010.  Though the focus is no longer primarily Disney-based, he still brings it up on occasion in his shows, and he has a lot of Disney followers, so I decided to keep it in the list, though I likely won't update the individual shows much unless they are Disney-specific.  His podcast chronicles his preparation, events, tips, pitfalls, and more, along with living the vegan life. Long-distance runners who like Disney still love this podcast.


    • Another interesting podcast is Those Darn Cats, hosted by long-time friends Jennifer and Lisa. Another podcast rated PG-13, they got their start at the Mouseguest podcast and have since branched off to create their own show. These two do occasionally take a tangent and are waaaaaayyy off course in their discussion before you know it. In their iTunes description, their podcast is "fun, irreverent, very wacky and usually full of "whaaa????" moments!"


    • WaltCast is another niche podcast. This is usually a shorter podcast, usually running under 20 minutes. Topics covered in the shows typically revolve around news and one or two features. College sweetheart Katie Little and Shawn Bonneau are your hosts.  The allure to this show is that they have some powerhouse interviews with bigger-name Disney folks! Subscribe HERE.


    • The WDWNT podcast (WDW News Today), like the Disney Pincast shows, offer both an enhanced and a standard download. This all-encompassing weekly show is hosted by Tom Corless, who's accompanied by several other co-hosts. Labeled as a variety show, WDW News Today suggests that you tune in weekly for a podcast filled with trip planning information, attraction history, current events, listener interaction, entertaining discussions, and plenty of comedy.


    • Next up is WEDWay Radio. Hosted by brothers Matthew and Nathan Parrish, this show gives weekly updates providing insider information, news, rumors, and overall fun at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Often, they'll take a look at how an attraction has changed over time or will reflect on older attractions. While they tested out doing enhanced episodes (which I LOVED!!!), they decided to maintain a single feed.  The traditional MP3 version can be accessed here:


    • Media correspondent and film, TV, and music critic Aaron Wallace hosts the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod, where he takes a look at Disney news and theme parks. Being a critic, he also looks at movies, animation, and all other Disney facets. The podcast took a break in late 2007 but has re-emerged with new episodes in 2009. Subscribe HERE.


    • I'm setting the next one off because I think it deserves special mention for its content. Probably the most popular comprehensive podcast (definitely one of the most in-depth ones) is The WDW Radio Show. Hosted by Lou Mongello, author of two trivia books devoted to Walt Disney World, has a weekly podcast that covers all aspects of the world. Like the Inside the Magic podcast, many podcasts start off with a news and rumors section. While these episodes are sometimes loooooooonnnnnnngggggggg (many have been known to go well over 90 minutes…to be fair, most of the comprehensive podcasts are fairly long because, well, THEY'RE COMPREHENSIVE!!), it's one I find myself pausing and resuming, because of the amazing content that he brings. I don't know who his connections are, but Lou is able to bring on guests that most would consider impossible to get. Guests have included Margaret Kerry (the original model for Tinker Bell), Disney Imagineers, Jim MacPhee (VP of Epcot) and many other notable figures in the Walt Disney legacy, Samantha Brown of The Travel Channel, Richard Sherman (of the famous Sherman Brothers), Lee Cockerell (Executive VP of Operations at WDW), and many, many more. Just as interesting as the guests he interviews are his DSI episodes, where DSI stands for "Disney Scene Investigation". The DSI episodes take you through the history of a particular attraction and give a lot of interesting in-depth knowledge on that attraction. I had the opportunity to have a chance meeting with Lou during our 10-year anniversary trip in May of 2008 (we were in the same line for popcorn while waiting for Wishes…I got mentioned in Episode 16 of the podcast a little over 54 minutes in). I found this podcast as an offshoot of its predecessor, the extinct Mousetunes podcast (which Lou was a co-host of). Mousetunes was the very first podcast I listened to, and, due to an apparent curse that follows me around, Mousetunes ceased operations within a few months of me listening to it. It's hard to top this podcast, and I can't imagine the amount of work that Lou puts into each episode. I rank this one as a close second to WDW Today.








    Posted by Mush at 5:17 PM
    Labels: ,

    6 comments:

    timberline said...

    Thanks for explaining. I can never figure out the Disney podcast world.

    April 22, 2009 at 11:22 PM
    timberline said...

    Thanks for the note about updates!

    April 27, 2009 at 7:03 AM
    Mush said...

    I appreciate the comments...I'm getting some feedback from other sources too. I'm contemplating devoting a day of the week to post synopses of new podcast episodes, which might help people decide if they want to listen to a particular podcast or not.

    April 27, 2009 at 9:04 PM
    Anonymous said...

    I would like to Introduce you to the Disney Royal Ladies Podcast!
    On FB: DisneyRoyaLadies(1L) Twitter: DisneyROYladies

    September 27, 2009 at 8:48 AM
    Anonymous said...

    WHat a great way to get your toes wet in the podcast pool. Thanks for the menu!

    April 13, 2010 at 11:41 AM
    Anonymous said...

    Please add The Disneyland Gazette the pod cast for only Disneyland. They are also on Face book and Twitter

    September 18, 2010 at 4:10 PM

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