Disney Podcast Show Updates, June 30th, 2009

I promise I'll get back to my normal schedule soon, folks. We had a last minute trip scheduled for this past weekend to meet up with some friends that we haven't seen for a long time. I was so looking forward to a quick update, too (silly me). With the delay in getting to the updates, coupled with the death of Michael Jackson (which led to a couple special "tribute" episodes) and a couple of delays in podcast downloads on iTunes, there are still a decent number of updates on here. I'm adding a couple more new Disney-related podcasts, the Running to Disney and the Mortis Matinee podcasts, which should appear in the master list soon.

If you are interested in listening to any of these episodes, I have links to subscribe for most of these shows in my post HERE.

As always, please note that this again is not a comprehensive list of the Disney Podcasts that are out there. Mike Hamilton has created Disneypodcastdirectory.net, which he periodically updates with new podcasts and removes dead casts. He also has the automated RSS (historical) feeds of the podcasts. This is more of a cross-section of what is currently being talked about…perhaps something may sound interesting, and you'll subscribe to listen to that topic.

Any and all comments are welcomed! Also, if you know of another podcast that fits here, let me know.

• The Adventures of a Teenage Disney Geek
  
  • 6/28/09 – Episode 55, Auntie Lo! Auntie Lo! I was waiting for this audio from Westfest. I joined the Disney Podcast Network forums not long after I started listening to podcasts, but time constraints have kept me from being anything more than a rare lurker over on the forums. One of the fun times I did have, however, was interacting with "Lorien", who is known by nearly everyone on the DPN. I was on her island early on though (page 13 of the forums) and took over bartending duties a bit on pages 18 and 20). This audio is from Auntie Lo's Fantasy Isle de Lorien at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail Playground. No "goat goat goat"s or monkeys were hurt in this episode, though Liana got some collateral damage. Time: 1:07:36
    
• All About the Mouse
  
  • 6/26/09 – Episode 115, Bryan and Jonathon do some news and the Roll Call before bringing on Deb Wills for a really good discussion on Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge, both pros and cons. Jonathon brings up a great idea for the official sandwich of Bay Lake Towers…the B.L.T.! This episode marks the beginning of round 2 of the Disney Feud! Steve from the Muppetcast battles Those Darn Cats (I'm still mad at them for Don't Stop Believin'). The winner runs the category to make it to Round 3 against either the Disney Dudes or Communicore. Another Mouse Call takes place (poor Katie). Time: 1:50:42
    
• Be our Guest
  
  • 6/25/09 – Episode 136, First, I need to offer kudos to Mike for doing this podcast a mere two hours after being released from the E.R. for a kidney stone (I cringe just writing that). In this show, Pam describes the new Bay Lake Towers and Kidani Village DVC properties. After listening to AATM above and then this, Pam's really making it hard for me to not crunch the numbers for 160 points to own at Kidani (we went to the Doorway to Dreams store up in Chicago and saw the Bay Lake Model…we got the incentives, and it's REALLY tempting). Time 29:46.
    
  • 6/28/09 – Episode 127, Rikki takes over the host chair to interview the normal host, Mike, who was surprised by his wife recently with a trip to Marceline, MO, which, as Disney fans know, was Walt's childhood town. This is a "don't miss" episode as he goes in-depth on chats with the owner of the B&B that they stayed at. Despite them being die-hard Cardinals fans, I have to applaud this one. (die-hard Cubs fan here, btw). Time: 52:21
    
• Communicore Online
  
  • 6/21/09, Shane is recording this on the road, so Lester won't be able to give the news (for the most part), so that leaves the host to take the duties. Shane talks a bit about the passports that you can purchase as you experience the World Showcase at Epcot. Foolish Mortals are welcomed to listen to the on-ride audio of a favorite Magic Kingdom attraction. He ends the show with a neat monologue about the mindset of Walt Disney and how he overcame adversity, and how Shane tries to apply it to his real life. Time: 23:12.
    
• Disney Dudes
  
  • 6/25/98 – Show 18.5, in remembrance of Michael Jackson's death, the Dudes present a full version of Captain EO. Time: 21:40
    
  • 6/27/09 – Show 19, Oh boy…words are hard to describe this one. I'll admit that I caught only a few minutes of last week's show in the interest of time. Had I known exactly what was going to happen, I would have listened to the whole thing (and been permanently scarred in the process). In this show, Wayne continues to get his Star Wars education as they delve into Swamp Kermit and more in The Empire Strikes Back. I will never be able to watch that show in the same way again. Only the Disney Dudes could pull this one off in such a funny way. Time: 1:20:31
    
• The Disney Pincast
  
  • 6/26/09 – Episode 66, After news and pin updates, Tom and John have 2 weeks of releases for Disney pins to make room for the M.O.P. episode coming up. Dan Kidwell is IPLS member #48, who provides his pin information. Time: 1:31:20
    
• The Disney, Indiana Podcast
  
  • 6/28/09 – Episode 25 <---- In honor their silver episode, Tracey and Scott take us back to the 25^th anniversary of Walt Disney World. The hosts look back at their first Disney trip back in 1996, in the time of the Pepto Bismol Castle. They give a good retrospective of some of the extinct entertainment in Epcot. Their "break" provides some good commercials and audio from that time frame. Afterwards, they continue their examination of the Epcot Storytellers during the holiday season. In this episode, they look at Father Christmas, from the United Kingdom pavilion (audio included). They then return with their Magic Kingdom perspective from 1996. Scott brings up a good question in here…why wasn't Jessica Rabbit a face character that walked around the parks?! They call in to see what Mortis has showing at the cinema…for those keeping track, I think the score is Mortis: 2, Scott: 0. They wrap up the show with highlights from their most recent trip to Disney World. Mush's note: AWESOME audio of the Dapper Dans at the beginning of the show…I could listen to them for hours. Thanks for that audio, Scott and Tracey! Time: 1:22:44
    
• Inside the Magic
  
  • 6/28/09 – Episode 221, News and the Tip of the Day start the show. Ricky then talks about the Hall of Presidents after attending the passholder preview and includes the video (listed below) and audio. Skipper Ben recounts a story back when he was a Cast Member and saw Michael Jackson in the parks. According to Ben, Jackson often did sort of his own "Make a Wish" trips for families with sick children, and he got to witness one of these events at the Virgin Megastore. Ricky ends the show with a little-known version of "When You Wish Upon a Star", sung by none other than the King of Pop himself (also appearing on the Mouseguest podcast). Time: 59:24
    
  • 6/28/09 – Video Supplement to Episode 221, a small snippet of the newly-refurbed Hall of Presidents. Time: 3:06
    
• Magical Definition
  
  • 6/28/09 – In this episode, Nathan and Jim first talk about the demise of Stitch's Surprise Celebration with a take different than what most are saying as to why it closed. They then describe some of the decisions that go into the construction of a Disney attraction, with the focus primarily on construction over at Disney's California Adventure. Time 28:57.
    
• Micecast
  
  • 6/27/09 – Greg, Mike, and Shaft (eventually) discuss war stories of working for security at Disneyland. Before that, they get into a little bit of politics, a little bit of Walt Disney's ideology, a little bit of Tropic Thunder and Walk Hard, and a little bit of a lot more. They also discuss changes to the Disney parks and peoples' expectations, and more. Time: 2:18:32
    
• Mortis Matinee
  
  • 6/28/09 – Episode 11, Fresh from their move to Key West but still in a hotel (gotta love the military) the Mortis clan reviews Treasure Island…definitely one of the movies on my "to see" list. After the review of the movie, Scott provides a report of their recent trip to Disney World. Also in this show is in-park audio of Pirates of the Caribbean. Time: 42:45
    
• Mouse Droppings
  
  • 6/29/09 – Episode 7, Seussland is dropped into this show. Where they are at, you probably know. The Disney fans will likely revolt…how dare Matt upset Walt's large, faithful cult! "The Other Park" is the place they are at, where they willingly meet a cat with a hat. This show features Matt, Jenn, Chris, and John…you'll just have to guess what rides they are on. OKAY!!! They rode "The Cat in the Hat", and the Train in the Sky they rode after that. This whole show is strewn with such silly rhyme...before you listen, grab tequila and lime. Oh, in case you want to know the show's time, this episode clocks in at twenty, oh-nine.
    
• Mouse Guest
  
  • 6/27/09 – Episode 205, there's a LOT in this show. They start off with a talk about the news of the New Holiday Inn coming to the WDW property. Then they discuss the upcoming Tim Burton film, Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, and Helena Bonham Carter. A short talk about the passing of Michael Jackson follows, and then gives Jackson's version of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (also in the Inside the Magic podcast). The crew then debates the pros and cons of doing Walt Disney World in different seasons. Mouse Guest Celebrations is up next and the Final 4 of the Disney Villains follows, with the evil queen battling Maleficent and Captain Hook against Ursula. The winners? Well, ya gotta listen (about 45:30 in). The final matchup is set…head out to mouseguest.com/tournament to vote! The Princess Protection Program is the next topic of discussion. For those without tweens in the household, it's a movie that premiered on the Disney Channel, starring Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez. The Mouse Guest Mailbag is the final segment, including some controversy from last week's Pleasure Island mulligan. Time: 1:36:44
    
• MouseStation
  
  • 6/24/09 – Episode 322, Mark goes solo with a hoarse voice and decides to save it for the next show by giving Steven Ng the featured topic spotlight. Steven has three interviews in this show that he recorded at NFFC several months ago, and they include: Jim "Jiminy" Presley, who recorded a near-identical version of what a live showing of The Main Street Electrical Parade would sound like; Eddie Carroll, better known as the voice of Jiminy Cricket (and a well-known Jack Benny impersonator); and Kendra Trahan, author of the Disneyland Detective and Disney California Adventure Detective books and book illustrator Brian McKim, former Disney animator and son of Disney Legend Sam McKim.
    Time: 40:24
    
  • 6/29/09 – Episode 323, It's short-subject day! After the tip of the week, they do the featured attraction, which is the Backlot Tour at DHS. Port Orleans Riverside and French Quarter are in the spotlight for this week's review. Andrew recaps the MousePlanet.com updates of the week, and the show wraps with lots of listener feedback on this show. Time: 43:01
    
• Netcot
  
  • 6/26/09 – Episode 143, Van suspends the show he was going to release and record a tribute to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. He also includes a news segment, including the Hong Kong Disney park expansion, and anticipated anticipations of an anticipated announcement. In the tribute, Van gives a Top 7 facts about Captain EO and how Jackson impacted the Disney Company. He wraps up the show with audio from Captain EO. Time: 35:18
    
• Running to Disney
  
  • 6/26/09 – Episode 24, in his goal of completing every Disney long-distance run, newcomer (to this list) Gordon Harvey recaps his first and second 10K races that he participated in recently, both in Alabama (Gadsden and Clanton). In this show, he brings up some of the pitfalls that he discovered and lessons that he has learned after running his first full marathon, half marathon, and 10K races. For anyone who is interested in distance running, Disney-related or otherwise, you'll definitely want to add this podcast to your list of downloads. Time: 1:09:32
    
• WDW Radio Show
  
  • 6/28/09 – Episode 125, Lou brings Beci back to help with the unending list of e-mail that the show gets. Following that, Tim (insert appropriate pun here) Foster joins Lou for another Top Ten…this time, in honor of the surface-of-the-sun heat that is a Florida summer, they list the top "ten" places to get wet at Walt Disney World (clown-haters, beware). Listener feedback ends the show. Time: 1:27:44
    
• WDW Today
  
  • 6/24/09 – Episode 582, It's Wednesday, and that means one thing for the WDW Today crew, LISTENER QUESTIONS! Hosts for this show are Matt, Len, Scopa, and the Fabulous Annette. Time: 1:54 (initially), then 31:00 (to the end)
    
  • 6/26/09 – Episode 583, Sam Gennawey joins Len, Scopa, Newell, and Matt. Sam is an urban planner and gives a unique view of the "arrival" experience at each of the theme parks. Time: 24:42.
    
  • 6/29/09 – Episode 584, With the 4^th of July coming up, Hochberg, Mike, Mike, and Testa (I felt bad for Scopa and Newell, who are never called 'Mike') discuss what to expect at Walt Disney World, how to tour, and what to avoid. Time: 18:02.
    
• A Window to the Magic
  
  • 6/28/09 – Show 199.5 (?), in preparation for Show 200, to be recorded at the Friends of the Magic Meet, Paul steps aside to let Magic Joe provide audio from his Disneyland memories. Joe reminisces back to 1971 as he walks through the Disneyland park to a special spot. Time: 57:03
    
• Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod
  
  • 6/24/09 – Episode 37, Not being a Miley Cyrus fan, I started listening to this episode, entitled "Hannah Hangs Up" without a lot of expectations. Big mistake. I really found myself intrigued by Aaron's discussion, which revolved more around the topic of interviewing and the expectations revolving around it and less around Cyrus herself. This one is a really interesting episode! Time: 45:06
    
  • 6/27/09 – Episode 38, Aaron reflects on Michael Jackson's impact on Disney and on his life. Time: 1:08:16

WDW 10-Year Anniversary Trip, Day 4, Part 3: Around the World With the Big One

Part 2 is located HERE


We exited the ride, and headed over to the restroom area for Sheri. Brian and I head over to Sunshine Seasons and grab a couple of bottled waters (found out the keys worked again magically as I used snack credits for it). Brian asked if we had ever done the Behind the Seeds tour around Living with the Land. I said someday we'll probably hit it. "Wanna do it now? There's a tour leaving in a few minutes, and sign up is right here!"

Sheri comes out, and she's okay with it. So we sign up. As has been most of the afternoon, we had a war of the wallet (fighting to see who could get the wallet out first to pay for it!). Brian won this one. They had discounts. I had a AAA card and a Disney Visa card, and Brian had an AP (I think). We jokingly tried to convince the CM for a 45% discount (all 3 discounts applied at once). About 2 minutes later, Bethany comes out, and we're on our way! I won't go into detail and ruin the entire tour for those who want to do it sometime, but I would HIGHLY recommend it! I think I became the annoying kid in class that asked questions all the time, but she tolerated me pretty well (better than wifey usually does). She couldn't help but wonder why there was a person in the group named "Bris," though.

We got into the greenhouse, and displays/examples were really good in there. While it's neat to see things growing in there, it's easy to forget that the stuff in the ground is being grown in sand. Bethany talked about how they start the seedlings out and what they are transplanted into. She pulls out this little box and says that it all goes in here. "This is really durable…in fact, you could stand on it, and it could hold your weight." Some folks didn't believe her, so she hopped on it.

This picture was taken right as she said "Boy I'm glad that actually worked!"


The hydroponics area was really neat! She showed how they can grow vegetables entirely in water with the mixture of the right fertilizer. She handed out a paper to everyone who was interested in how to set one up at home. Sheri hands it to me and tells me to hold it up.

Bethany looks at Sheri as she's taking the picture of the handout and says, "I….can….give…you another one….if…you ….want?"

Yep, I was gonna tease her on that the rest of the day.

We went into another section of the greenhouse...Brian was selected to release ladybugs into the greenhouse to help control the aphid population.

This is the punchline to one of the funniest jokes I've ever heard, and Brian pulled the delivery off perfectly!

"THE" tomato tree:

I love how bananas and pineapples grow.

Towards the end, Bethany offers to give out awards. We encourage Brian to get one for his superior effort at letting ladybugs go:

We also got one for being able to sniff out herbs and spices fairly accurately.

We headed back to the entrance as the tour ended and thanked Bethany for the information.

Our ADRs were about 40 minutes away for dinner at San Angel. Brian was going to head back into the park to see the F&G festival some more, so we said our goodbyes. It was great to see you again Brisully! Until next time, bud!


We stopped at the Kodak place under Spaceship Earth to grab our photo from the Visa meet-n-greet and made our way over to Mexico.

We were seated a little early, and the meal topped Rose and Crown! It was beautiful in there…dark, but not too dark. The mariachi band started up as we got our appetizers and played for a good 15 minutes. The table behind me had a child with a "protein spill", as the mother (a former CM) put it. I had the Plato Mexicano, and Sheri had something else…HEY! She didn't put it in her journal, and I was busy eating my food! I had a taste of it, and it was awesome, but I couldn't remember it. She'll read this, slap me, and tell me what it was in a bit. I'll get back to you. Oh, and she'll want to make sure I include how I put my foot in my mouth about the cilantro in the ceviche appetizer. I mentioned how well it tasted, even though I didn't eat it all (wanted room for the main course and dessert). I commented on how, even though a lot of people don't associate cilantro with Mexican food, it worked really well (at the restaurant I worked at back in my undergrad years, I could have sworn I heard it was used primarily in Italian dishes).


The CM, without blinking, was exceptionally nice and mentioned in a very professional way that cilantro was used in a wide variety of Mexican dishes.

She leaves, and Sheri proceeds to call me a moron for the next ten minutes.

We gave her an extra $10 tip (above the 18% already given to her from the DDP), especially since the folks at the table next to us left her with a $5 tip on a significant bill. She was awesome as she took the time to get to know us a little and talk a little bit about where she was from (can she teach the servers at Mama Melrose's on how to do that without forgetting the rest of your tables?).

We left the restaurant and tried to walk on to the Gran Fiesta. The CM there tells us to stand off to the side for a minute. We thought we were in trouble or something.

The next boat fills, and they're off. Then she tells us to get in the next boat and to enjoy the ride by ourselves. The Anniversary pins! She wished us a happy anniversary as we coasted by.

Awwwwwwwww

The ride was cute…not as it'sasmallworld-y as I recalled el Rio de Tiempo being. We enjoyed the ride…loved having the boat to ourselves.

We hopped out of Mexico and made our way to Norway. Let me start by saying that the rumor of the total hotness of the female CMs there is completely and unequivocally TRUE!!!! Sheri even commented on the one at the snack stand outside. I did the requisite pic in a Viking helmet…tried to match RMD's stance in his pic in the hat…was close but not exact.

Over to China next. It seemed like both Norway and China were being overrun by high schoolers that were being typical unchaperoned high schoolers. We saw the warrior room and the rotunda in the temple.

The decision now was to figure out where to watch Illuminations. We walked past Italy where we watched it with the DD crew and the Badelves crew, but it was roped off for a special function. I heard that the bridge near the International Gateway was a good spot, so we walked over to there. I could tell Sheri had her mind on other things. Usually it's me that's getting a little melancholy this part of the vacation (we're past the half-way point and we'll be heading back soon), but I found a way to counter that (I think of every morning as "it's our first day here"…it moves the mid-point of our vacation later and later). Sheri was missing the kids.

We get to the bridge, and I hand Sheri the phone to call her folks. Unfortunately, the kids were at my folks' place today (crazy chain of events changed who was watching them a bit). Still, her folks wanted to gab.

Illuminations started, and I finally see the inferno barge in action!

I think I am going to get raked over the coals here, but I think I prefer Wishes to Illuminations (and I prefer Disneyland's fireworks to Wishes). The ending to the Christmas Illuminations was something to behold!!! The regular Illuminations, however…I like the first barrage and the finale. Perhaps it's the A.D.D., but the parts with the fountains slow it down too much for me, and I just don't appreciate the significance of the globe (yet…in time I might). I guess I don't get the symbolism of everything yet. The last time, I was worried about Aaron. This time, I could tell Sheri wasn't there.

It's over, and Sheri wants to head out immediately. I convinced her to stay back and let the hordes of folks go first, and, while waiting, we can call the boys. Of course, Aaron doesn't say much to her (talks my ear off, though). I would have been fine with the other way around. Eric had a couple meltdowns over the past day or two, and I think she started feeling guilty again about leaving them for so long.

We started working our way back while still talking to my step-mother (storms had rolled through central Illinois the previous day, and my father pulled a VERY long shift repairing power lines, so he was crashed in bed). We get to the bus stops, but they were bringing busses from every direction. They actually had 3 stacked next to each other for the Pop! We were back to the resort in no time.

Disney Podcast Show Updates, June 24th, 2009

Hi there, folks. As I mentioned in a previous post, last week was a crazy week. In my so-called real-world life, I teach economics, and last week was my Hell week. I finished up 2 four-week classes, got finals graded, and submitted the final grades last week. At the same time, I started a second four-week online class last week. To make things even more interesting, I am the departmental advisor for the incoming freshmen orientation program. Further complicating matters is the fact that I'm also working on writing my dissertation and am a week behind on an update for that. Oh, and we had 2 cars in the shop, AND my wife and I headed out for a short vacation to celebrate our anniversary last Wednesday to Branson. As much as I like doing this, the podcasts took a back-seat for a few days.

Never fear, however…today's list is going to be huge. Also, I've added the WEDWay Radio, Magic City Mayhem, and Mouse Comedy podcasts to the list. This brings the list to 38, if I counted correctly. Mouse Droppings and Extinct Attractions also have their first updates on here. Considering there are 55 updates here, there are a couple of updates where I simply give the description of the show provided by the hosts (not enough time to listen to full episodes). I don't think I missed any updates, but if I did, it was purely accidental.

If you are interested in listening to any of these episodes (with the exception of a couple new ones, which I still need to get in the list), I have links to subscribe for most of these shows in my post HERE.

As always, please note that this again is not a comprehensive list of the Disney Podcasts that are out there. Mike Hamilton has created Disneypodcastdirectory.net, which he periodically updates with new podcasts and removes dead casts. He also has the automated RSS (historical) feeds of the podcasts. This is more of a cross-section of what is currently being talked about…perhaps something may sound interesting, and you'll subscribe to listen to that topic.

Any and all comments are welcomed! Also, if you know of another podcast that fits here, let me know.

• The Adventures of a Teenage Disney Geek
  
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 53, This is one of those times where, as I updated these, I realized that I simply won't be able to listen to all of them as there are just too many. Keegan has always done a great job with the show descriptions on iTunes, so I'll be pasting over his take on the show for this week. "*THIS SHOW WELL-DESERVANT OF A PG-13 RATING**Headphones suggested*Hey everyone! On this show, join me, the rest of the Dysfunctional SuperFamily, Will and Shannon from the Magic Never Ends podcast (and occasional interjections by the Princess Peanut), and Matt the Esquire from the Mouse Droppings podcast as we discuss Disney-Pixar's new movie Up, that we saw earlier that day. Approximately 50 minutes into the show, we then change our topic of discussion to Disneyland and Westfest. This is a marathon show so hold on tight, but it's obvious that we all had an incredible amount of fun recording this show and we hope you'll have just as much fun listening! Enjoy!" Time: 2:00:50
    
  • 6/20/09 – Episode 54, Again…I'll let Keegan's excellent description fill in here, though I'll again mention that he does absolutely great with the sound quality! "*Headphones Recommended**Rated PG-13 for Crazy Westfester Fun* Hey everyone! This week (yes, I said this week! I'm weekly again!), relive some awesome Westfest memories with me as we go back to Disneyland for both the Wet 'n' Wild Ride Splash Mountain Meet and the Disney Geeks the Rescue meet at Mike and Sulley to the Rescue in DCA. A LOT of special guests join us on this episode, so I do not mention anyone for fear of forgetting them. Come along with me and experience the overwhelming and amazing experience known as Westfest through my eyes! Enjoy!" Time: 1:27:10
    
• All About the Mouse
  
  • 6/19/09 – Episode 114, Jonathon and Bryan go through the news and get into the AllAboutTheMouseketeer Roll Call before the final game of the first round of the Disney Feud ensues. Disney Moms '08 battled the Main Street Scrappers, with the scrappers scrapping out a win (oh like you didn't see that one coming). They then go through mountains of e-mails…do yourself a favor and listen to a touching one about 1:23:05 into it (proving that I DID listen to this one all the way through, or at least 1:23:05 into it). They end the show as always with the outtakes from the show...one of my favorite segments! Time: 1:42:20
    
• Be our Guest
  
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 133, A special guest is on today's show. Nashville native and BOG listener Patrick was fortunate enough to win some money on Fox's Don't Forget the Lyrics (his winnings absolutely blew away my winnings on Millionaire…Congrats!). After Patrick won, guess what he did? HE WAS GOING TO DISNEY WORLD! He provides a good trip report on his recent trip funded by some of his winnings in this show. Time: 59:30
    
  • 6/18/09 – Episode 134, Mike, Rikki, Pam, and Debbie are all here to discuss things to do with Dad at Disney World for Father's Day. Debbie announces her surprise ADRs that Pam made for her upcoming trip (every meal at the Sci-Fi LOL). In line with that is a discussion on the new online dining reservation system that has recently opened up to everyone, both pros and cons. Pam, being a travel planner, provides some interesting perspective on this. Time: 39:20
    
  • 6/22/09 – Episode 135, The BOG crew is joined by Jodi and Margaret of the 2009 Disney Moms Panel to talk about what being on the panel entails! Time: 29:39
    
• Character Breakfast
  
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 72, Sorcerer, Jeff, Fantasmic, Imagine, and Pluto are back on your MP3 player, this time with guest Greg from Imagineering My Way, At the Main Street Cinema, and Micecast. Yeah, that's how I started the last update, but they're adding a segment on security at Disney parks with Greg that was taped for the last episode but cut for time. Jeff starts off with news from the Disney company. The Crystal Palace is the restaurant review for this show. No monorail station this time, unfortunately. Also included in this show is an intellectual conversation on Must-Do table service restaurants in the parks. The show again wraps up with listener questions. Time: 1:35:27
    
• Communicore Online
  
  • 6/14/09, SHANE'S BACK!!!!! Real-life constraints have kept Shane and Lester away from the microphone for a couple of months, but a new episode is now available for download. Shane starts off with Lester bringing you the news as only he can. Following that is the "ears to the ground" segment, where we get to hear audio from one of my favorite attractions in Fantasyland, Mickey's Philharmagic. The show wraps up with listener feedback. Time: 27:18.
    
• Disney Dudes
  
  • 6/20/98 – Show 18, Trace brings a guest for story time. Anthony (Trace's good friend and fellow Disney geek) is around to talk about the link with Star Wars and Disney. Ultimately, they end up educating Wayne on A New Hope. Time: 1:17:54
    
• The Disney Pincast
  
  • 6/12/09 – Episode 64, Chris Young is in the crosshairs as IPLS Member # 46. John and Rick also update you with the latest pin releases in the Disney community as well as information on upcoming pin trading meet-ups. Time: 2:29:35
    
  • 6/19/09 – Episode 65, This episode includes a Disney Pin Investigation segment. as well as a good primer for those thinking of starting up the pin obsession with a discussion on Pin-Trading and E-bay. Answering the IPLS survey this time is member #47, Michael Knak. Note: the Epcot pin celebration is coming up in the next few days, and, as of the recording of this show, the Pin Festival is currently going on at Disneyland. Throw in the upcoming D23 Expo, and it's a crazy summer for the pin fans. John covers the releases…well, the WDW releases, anyways. Tom is going to cover releases over at Disney Store Europe. Release information for Disneyland and the Soda Fountain and Studio Store are also included in the list of updates. Also, there's a RSC! For you non-listeners, that's random selection contest. Time: 1:44:20
    
• Disney Tidbits
  
  • 6/12/09 – Episode 49, The tidbits for this show look at the history and the storyline behind one of the Magic Kingdom's most beloved rides, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Included is audio of the attraction. Time: 14:52
    
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 50!!! Tairy is doing this episode with a flair. Actually, this is more like episode 49.95, as it leads up to the gala 50^th episode, the Show of a Million Tidbits! Lisa, a very familiar voice from somewhere else, guests to help out Tairy in "planning" for show #50. Confused yet? Some of the ideas that are thrown around on here is outright scary (in a good way). Time: 14:28
    
  • 6/19/09 – EPISODE 50!!! (well, 50.5, actually). Lisa joins Tairy as they reminisce over the history of the show. Time: 14:40
    
• The Disney, Indiana Podcast
  
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 24, Buzy gets to take a vacation this week as Scott and Tracey meet up with the Mortis of "The Mortis Matinee" podcast. In this episode, Scott is held against his will on it's a small world, mostly by a tween girl. They recorded the show before their WDW trip to be aired the day they get back; sufficed to say, they haven't had time to put much together. So sit, back, relax, and enjoy some Disney music from WWED (okay, Buzy didn't get the vacation he was hoping for). Time: 57:12
    
• Extinct Attractions
  
  • 6/16/09, WAIT A MINUTE!!!! I hear about the Extinct Attractions podcast and find out that it has changed its name to Theme Parks 360! I finally find it on iTunes and start updating it, only to find that THEY'VE CHANGED THE NAME BACK TO EXTINCT ATTRACTIONS!!!!!!! After getting Brian off the couch, they start the show. David, Liana, and Deb host the live chat with around twenty members in the chat room. The chatroom is in full revolt for the hosts not doing a show last week but quickly forgives everyone. News, trivia, and overall fun follow, including park audio and a good discussion on the new, modified version of the Main Street Electrical Parade over in Anaheim. The moral of the story: never change the name of a popular podcast and website, and never get married! Much of the transcript from the chatroom is posted on the Extinct Attractions Podcast group page over on Facebook. Time: 1:28:41
    
  • 6/21/09, Video extra. Dave O'Neal posts a video promotion that he shot for Disney earlier this year where he goes behind the scenes (sort of) in the making of Pirates Online. I was laughing for almost the entire short…great job, Dave! Time: 2:31
    
  • 6/23/09, Live from the 405, David refuses to neglect his duty as host and calls in from the highway despite having to work late (talk about dedication!). They celebrate Liana's one-year anniversary on the podcast. We think Liana has started a trend as they talk a little bit about NFFC's possible name change. Time: 55:56
    
• Imagineering My Way
  
  • 6/21/09 – Episode 43, Greg has several segments packed into this show…all revolving around Epcot. He starts off with a trip in the time machine to check out Communicore. Following the time machine is a report card of Impressions de France (where you can actually sit to watch it). Next up requires hard hats as Greg hops on the IMW bulldozer to demolish the Circle of Life attraction in the Land pavilion. The last segment brings the Disney Dopplegangers to light as Greg compares O Canada '82 to O Canada '07. As a side note, I absolutely love the ads in this show where the folks from Tiki Bar TV are used. (I've been following Tiki Bar TV longer than any of the Disney podcasts!) Time: 44:16
    
• Inside the Magic
  
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 219, After the news, this show is filled with audio. In honor of the 50^th anniversary of the Matterhorn, we get a ride through of the Anaheim classic. Following that is audio from the Disneyland monorail and the 20,000 Leagues Sub attractions, also celebrating their 50^th anniversaries this year. Skipper Ben goes old-school on the listeners and gives audio from the old walk-through portion of the Backlot Tour. Mark and Jay are also here with a backstage look at how they put on the fireworks shows (really interesting stuff here!). Time: 1:15:30
    
  • 6/21/09 – Episode 220, The trip around the world leads off the show as always. The tip of the day revolves around the hot topic of waterproofing your shoes/socks. Ricky then switches gears and gives some binaural audio from MK where a listener, who is a band director, got to march his band through the park. With Transformers being the big talk around the water coolers (when they're not talking about John and Kate), a merchandise review of Transformer Mickey by Scott is included in this show. Skipper Ben starts off a top 5 in the worst way with Stitch's SuperSonic Shutdown. In honor of Father's Day, Ben gives listener tips on WDW with younger children. Listener feedback ends the show. Time: 1:05:46
    
  • 6/21/09 – Video Supplement to Episode 220 of the marching band that Dale led. Time: 2:09
    
• Magic City Mayhem
  
  • 6/14/09, Over in DHS during a Star Wars Weekend, Mike experiences a Francis Floot sighting! This video is of Francis doing some really quick improve in the way only he can do it! Time: 8:30
    
• Magic Never Ends
  
  • 6/15/09 – Episode 63, Will and Shannon are still dealing with real-life issues (thanks to a water heater that decided to crap out on them), so they didn't have a whole lot of time to get this show made. They provide more audio from the Westfest experience and go back to the discussion with Keegan (Teenage Disney Geek) without his family and Matt (Mouse Droppings). A programming note: they're planning on future episodes on traveling with an infant. Time: 1:08:35
    
• Magical Definition
  
  • 6/21/09 – Nathan and Jim skipped a week due to personal issues, but they're back this week. The topic of this episode is the Box Office and Disney this summer. Included is a look at how well Up is doing and what to expect with Bruckheimer's G-Force. Time: 22:28
    
• Micecast
  
  • 6/20/09 – Greg and Mike are your hosts in this replay of a show that aired August 19, 2006. The topic (initially) is "Disney Dads", but tangents abound. Time: 1:35:24
    
• Mouse Comedy
  
  • 6/21/09 – show 55, This is my first show with Jonathon and Tairy, and I've decided that the podcast is staying on the iPod! In the news section, your fearless hosts discuss news items such as: "You've just faked your own abduction. What are you going to do now? I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!! (and get fired in the process)"; and "Cluelessness about 'Robobama' in the Hall of Presidents". Jonathon and Tairy discuss their three wishes that they would use if they had them for Walt Disney World (and beyond). Time: 1:23:40
    
• Mouse Droppings
  
  • 6/10/09 – Episode 5, Listen to what happens when you cram too many Disney Freaks on a ride vehicle on POTC at Disneyland. This one is appropriately dubbed "The Pirate Shuffle". I'm still laughing at many of these folks when they rode "Living With the Land" back at Mousefest a couple of years ago…this one is along the same lines, with a little physical education included! Rough Seas, eh? This episode is absolutely hilarious! One of PG-13 rating for potential language. Time: 27:57
    
  • 6/23/09 – Episode 6, Matt drops in a talk about the Kim Possible Experience. His country for this episode is the Rose and Crown Pub (where he got a Black and Tan to make the game more interesting) at the United Kingdom. And, yes, I'll agree with the host that she has really nice abs. Time: 35:15
    
• Mouseguest
  
  • 6/13/09 – Episode 203, After the traditional Mouseguest news and celebrations segments, the crew plays "Stump Eric". Afterwards is the long-awaited announcement of the Final 4 in the Disney Villains tournament. Malificent will battle the Evil Queen (I think Scar got robbed), and Captain Hook will face off in an aquatic escapade against Ursula. I'm rooting for Hook, but all Ursula has to do is throw a croc (reptile or shoe…you decide), and Hook will probably cave in. A mellow rendition of a tune from Dumbo is the song request today. Oh, and ABORT ABORT ABORT!!! No more e-mailing Cathy about the D23 Expo!!! Time: 51:35
    
  • 6/20/09 – Episode 204, I'd like to take a mulligan for this week…pause…pause…Cathy, are you with us?. Eric, Cathy, and Dan take mulligans for Disney movies, Disney parks, and personal Disney experiences. Before they get to this, they discuss the online dining ressies topic as well as a song for the Disney Dads out there (great song choice!). The Mouseguest request is Simple and Clean from the Kingdom Hearts video game. Time: 1:23:31
    
• MouseStation
  
  • 6/15/09 – Episode 319, Again, in order to get this thing posted before 2010, I am going to let Mark and Mike's show description tell you what's on this episode (as well as the other episodes in this week's update). Heck, y'all may like their descriptions better than mine anyways! "Goofy's Kitchen, the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade, cinnamon-roasted almonds and more in this week's collection of short subjects." Time: 46:49
    
  • 6/17/09 – Episode 320, "Mark and Mike choose their top three ride vehicles for two more of Walt Disney World's parks". Time: 25:59
    
  • 6/22/09 – Episode 321, "The California Grill, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, listener Top 3s and more in this week's collection of short subjects." Time: 36:20
    
• Netcot
  
  • 6/19/09 – Episode 142, Van opens with some iPhone "love" and then gets into news from around the world. Speaking of love, he has a Top 7 for those romantics (complete with music). He "finally" gets to the feature for this episode, which is up in the air…it's Soarin. After going over the queue and some trivia, he provides the ride audio, which I honestly could listen to over and over, in fact, I can actually smell pine as I type this and listen to the poor dude falling over the hill trying to ski. Time: 27:34
    
• Northern Mouse
  
  • 6/13/09 – Episode 46, Grab your pudgie pie maker! The Canadians are out with their first campfire chat where they go over news, listener mails, and a discussion of Pixar's Up. A new segment is introduced in this episode on preparing for the 2010 Disney World Marathon. Time: 37:23
    
• Those Darn Cats
  
  • 6/16/09 – Episode 57, This is a continuation of the Adam Goodger interview from Episode 55 on Disney from a British perspective. Time: 37:17
    
  • 6/23/09 – Episode 58, Lisa and Jennifer start off with Listen to the Lan….I mean Listen to the Lou. I initially thought they were going to pay homage to my blog with their next song, but it always seems to go back to Mongello (I'm listening to this at 2 am on Wednesday and trying hard not to laugh as I hear the lyrics). In honor of Donald's 75^th birthday, they discuss Donald in depth. Time: 26:24
    
• Trapped on Vacation
  
  • 6/21/09 – Episode 122, Oh…My…God…If you haven't listened to the Mouse Droppings episode, then this will all be new. If you have heard that episode, then you'll get another listen to some of the funniest audio in recent Disney Podcast history. Two words are all that need to be said: Pirate Shuffle! Earl starts recording a little after Matt does, but he still gets most of the best part. After the insanity on Pirates, Earl takes us back to Florida for some audio from a parade at MK during Gay Days. Time: 43:01
    
• WDW News Today
  
  • 6/16/09 – Episode 98, Tom and the crew edge ever-closer to the cherished episode 100. The last "segment" ever for WDWNT is a roundtable discussion on where the most "magical" place on Walt Disney World is located. Afterwards, they decide to throw in one more roundtable (it's the last one…cut 'em some slack!). The last last roundtable is the favorite snacks at WDW. After that…guess what? The last last last roundtable discussion focuses on the heated "Fastpass vs. Standby" debate for attractions (it's the longest last roundtable and has some really good back-and-forth discussion). Time: 1:21:06
    
  • 6/21/09 – Episode 99, They're inching ever-so-close to the magical 100^th episode. For this one, I'm going to let the description on iTunes tell you what's on here: "To kick off episode 99, we have your Walt Disney World Resort News and Rumor Report. In this latest report, we will be discussing the unexpected end of a fairly new Magic Kingdom show, the unexpected replacement for the Virgin Megastore at Downtown Disney, and the expected debut of the online restaurant reservation system for Walt Disney World table-service restaurants. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom's Delta Dreamflight attraction, we present audio from the now extinct omnimover, as well as a special opening and closing to this week's show that we hope you'll enjoy." Time: 59:29
    
• WDW Radio Show
  
  • 6/14/09 – Episode 123, Lou starts off his show in his usual form with Disney News. Jim Korkis is back in this episode with another DSI: Disney Scene Investigation! In this segment, Jim and Lou look at one of the icons at the Downtown Disney area, Fulton's Crab House. In its former life, however, it was known as the Empress Lily. Beci Mahnken joins Lou to help reduce the overfilled mail bag. Lou wraps up the show with the winners from last week's "Name That Attraction" show voice mail. Time: 2:09:15
    
  • 6/18/09 – Video Extra, Lou examines a shop in one of his favorite World Showcase pavilions, Italy…the Mask Shop (I'm willing to bet that most of you just walk by without even knowing that store's there!). Lou interviews Giorgio Lurcotta, who provides some little-known facts about the store, the history of the masks, and the masks themselves. Time: 6:29
    
  • 6/21/09 – Video Extra, Robert Olszewski is Lou's guest in this short video, recorded in the Art of Disney store in DTD. Robert is a well-known miniature artist who has created many artifacts that many of you probably own and display in your house. Time: 6:49
    
  • 6/22/09 – Episode 124, I feel absolutely terrible doing this, but I haven't had a chance to listen to this one yet and will have to use Lou's introduction (in his show description). "We'll start off this week's show with some news and a trip to the Walt Disney World rumor mill, where some old rumors have surfaced again, but look as though they may be closer to reality than rumor. Planning for a Walt Disney World vacation is one of the most important and fun elements for an enjoyable trip. And when traveling to Disney with a large group or family, it can afford everyone opportunities to make incredible memories together. So this week, I'm joined on a roundtable by three brothers and sisters who have planned vacations with a large group, as we discuss the logistics and experiences, and offer advice to others thinking about similar vacations. And whether your family is big or small, close or distant, I think you'll find this segment both interesting and valuable. I'll have another "Where In The World?" audio contest this week, where I'll ask you to once again identify sound clips from Walt Disney World for a chance to win a prize package." Time: 1:32:43
    
• WDW Today
  
  • 6/15/09 – Episode 578, Matt and Scopa listen to some interesting new research released by Len on when to call for advance reservations on dining at particular restaurants. Some unexpected findings are reported in this episode. Time: 15:16
    
  • 6/17/09 – Episode 579, Matt, Len Tester, and Newell work on taking care of the huge pile of listener questions. Believe it or not, RADP and Prodigy take over much of the episode. Grab a toga and head on over to the Delta House for a podcast party. Jumping around naked in your room is optional. Please use the Unofficial Guide to help clean up any spills. Time: 32:48
    
  • 6/19/09 – Episode 580, Matt is joined by Newell and Len (back to Testa after the last episode) to play Name That Tune! After hearing music, they discuss the attraction a little. I actually ran a "Name That Attraction" game over at Lodgeboards, and I totally sucked on this episode. Good luck! Time: 17:03
    
  • 6/21/09 – Live Show #33 posting from May of 2009. Additionally, there is a download for a European Live Show that was broadcast on MouseWorld Radio on 4/19/09. #33 Time: 2:11:13; European Live Show Time: 1:45:41
    
  • 6/22/09 – Episode 581, Deb Koma from Allears.net joins Matt, Mike, and Mike to talk about the new TreeHouse Villas. Time: 22:22
    
• WEDWay Radio
  
  • 6/12/09 – Episode 18, in this show, your hosts, Matt and Nate take us to Tomorrowland in a RetroMagic look at the extinct ExtraTerrorestrial Alien Encounter attraction and give an in-depth discussion on it. Time: 42:16
    
  • 6/23/09 – Episode 19, Matt and Nate snuck this one in just before I was going to post this, but I wanted to include it for all to read about. In this episode, the hosts get to interview Disney Legend Ron Logan, who is responsible for some of the best live attractions in the theme parks. This is a must-listen for the true Disney fans. Time: 40:39. I was going to give the interview award to Lou for having Jim Korkis on, but Disney Legend trumps historian any day (though I hope Mr. Korkis gets legend status someday).
    
• A Window to the Magic
  
  • 6/14/09 – Show 199, Paul gives a long-time listener favorite game…Where In the World? He starts at the Esplanade at the Disneyland resort and provides over 50 minutes of audio. You, as the listener, are supposed to try to guess where he is at as he goes through the park/parks. Time: 1:00:27
    
• Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod
  
  • 6/16/09 – Episode 35, Aaron continues his Top 20 list of DHS favorites from Episode 34. Several surprises are in store for the list as he again considers everything fair game (not just attractions). Time: 1:12:00
    
  • 6/19/09 – Episode 36, This is a special episode in honor of Father's Day. Initially, Aaron was going to rebroadcast episode 13, where he gave his Top Ten "Disney Dads" list. Upon listening to it however, he realized that he's progressed a LOT in his broadcasting abilities since that show and refused to re-air it. Aaron provides an audio montage of his top Dads as well as of his honorable mention list of those who almost made it and of "new" Dads introduced to us since the original episode aired back in 2006 (and some he just plain missed!). He just gives the audio, so he makes it sort of a game where you can try to identify the Dads throughout the audio. Time, 25:56
    

Gotta Wait

For those 5 or 6 people who are eagerly awaiting this week's installment of What's On the Disney Podcasts, you'll have to wait just a bit longer. I thought I'd be able to throw together something on Wednesday, but I discovered that, despite my best lobbying efforts to add 5 more hours to the day, there are still only 24 hours.

Thanks to a recent posting by DisneyDean over on his MyDisneyBlog, I'll be adding three more previously-unknown-to-me podcasts to the lists of updates in the next week or two. The Magic City Mayhem, WEDway Radio, and Mouse Comedy podcasts are now being downloaded to my ever-suffering 4G Nano (which I think I hear screaming every time I sync it up), and I'll start providing updates as they come in.


Look for a rather large update of episodes on Monday or Tuesday. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend a couple reduced-insanity days with my wife on vacation (the boys are hanging out and bonding with the grandparents)!


Chris

WDW 10-Year Anniversary, Day 4, Part 2: Around the World With the Big One

Day 4, Part 1 is located HERE.

We head back over the bridge to the Gateway and grab a bench. About 3 or 4 minutes later, up strolls Brian! We do the hellos and figure out the first task at hand…LUNCH! Now, his birthday is tomorrow, so wherever we eat has to serve beer. The obvious place to sit down and have a beer is at the U.K. Since our DDP probably wasn't gonna work anyway, we didn't care if it was a counter service or a table service. The Rose and Crown, it is then! I didn't know where the check-in was, but we had a WDW veteran with us, and he steered us to the podium outside. It looks like they'll be able to fit us in. They gave us a pager that was finishing up its test buzz and told us to bring it up when it buzzed. Brian and I were on the same wavelength as we both mentioned that it was buzzing now and would like to be seated. "The second time it buzzes!!!"

The world showcase players were performing about 25 feet to our left, so we started walking towards them. We only got about 4 feet away…

Buzz.

The guy at the podium had this…well, you know what type of grin he had on his face as he basked in the knowledge that he got us.


We were seated, and we ordered the half-yards of Bass Ale:

You should have seen the eyes on the folks sitting nearby when they brought those babies out! Sheri wussed out and ordered an iced tea (she had to sacrifice the lack of Splenda and used the blue stuff I think). She had a taste of mine and concluded that it tasted like beer and that she didn't like it. It's the United Kingdom…what else but order the fish and chips (all three of us)! We gabbed and enjoyed the beautiful weather (seated outside) as we waited for the food. Bris mentioned that Glo posted on the Lodge that she was in an accident the previous day and had to go to the hospital…sore, but okay (whew).

The food was brought out by a girl with an awesome Irish accent. The last place we ate at (Mama Melrose's) left a bad taste in my mouth (literally and figuratively). I took a look at the fish and immediately wondered just how big that fish started out as…holy cow that was a lot of fish! Then I dunked it in tartar sauce and took a bite.

That may have been the best fried fish I have ever tasted!

As we finished up, Brian was nice to me and gave me some sound advice on drinking from the half-yard – beware of the bubbles near the bottom where the container flares out. Otherwise I would have covered myself in beer. We paid and decided to pay France a visit and try out one of those Grey Goose Citron lemonade slushes that Pat recommended (or the Grey Goose Slushie, as we called it).


Photo courtesy of "The Big One", which is what all the Lodgers gave as a nickname for Brian's huge camera.

PixiePat…I love you! Awesome beverage! Brian got one, and Sheri and I started out splitting one.

Until we got to Japan.

Then Sheri got a plum wine.

…and I was left to finish said slushie thingy off by myself.

About 6 minutes later, we were in Germany, and you can't pass Germany without a beer. We downed our slushie thingys, and I got in line for some Franziskaner:

Oh, and Sheri had inhaled the plum wine (best she's had) and got a sweet white wine:



We didn't even realize that we were kind of doing a modified version of "Drinking Around the World" until about now. Sheri, starting to feel the effects a bit, announced that she had to "break the seal" (I was floored that she said that), so we stopped at Norway so I could check out to see if the rumors about the hotties there was tru…..ummm…I mean, to see if the female gendered Norwegian cast members were as attractive as rumored. We didn't see any, in part because Norway was crazy because today (May 17th) is Constitution Day (a national holiday in Norway). The Norwegian flag was everywhere…they took pride in it there, you could tell. Brian and I sat on a rock ledge and talked while we waited for Sheri. I stowed our camera, and Brian put his camera down to do some re-arranging with all that he was carrying.

As we talked about good spots to view Illuminations, Sheri returns from the seal breakage. We got up and headed over to Mexico, where Brian introduced us to the fiesta margarita. One for him and one for Sheri (I was still finishing up the German bier)



Picture stolen from the net.

Hey, since we're all here, let's go into Mexico and see how the wait is at the new boat ride. Can we take booze in the temple? SURE! "It's Mexican liquor" Brian rationalizes. He and Sheri start up the stairs, and I start pouting at the bottom of the stairs…I had German booze. "Just tell 'em it's Dos Equis," retorts Bris.

I smile and start heading up with Brian stops suddenly and freezes. He looks around and looks at what he was carrying.

Sheri and I realize it at about the same time what the problem was.


WHERE IS HIS CAMERA??????????!!!!!!!!!!

He asks Sheri to hold the bag he was hauling and starts jogging over back to Norway. I make sure Sheri is okay with holding everything, and I follow him in trail, scanning the crowds walking towards me for someone who may have picked it up.

About 45 seconds later, I see him walking back with a "thumbs-up" and a look of utmost relief on his face. It was right where he left it when we were talking.

He shows Sheri The Big One as we approach, and you could see the relief on her face too (get your minds out of the gutter, folks!). He pretty much downed half of his margarita in one gulp (how he did NOT get a brain freeze, I'll never know!). "I have NEVER done that before…now I know what it's like to lose a kid!"

Whew.

Time to go into the Temple and chill for a bit. We walk in and are promptly turned away from the Gran Fiesta ride with the booze. I mentioned that we could look at the casa they have set up here.

Sheri and Brian both look at me as though I had drank a half-yard of beer, a slushie thingy, another beer, and part of a margarita in the past 40 minutes.

"No, I'm serious! It was on Deb Wills' site!!! Here, let me ask this hot Latina CM in the gift shop!"

She (the hot Latina CM in the gift shop) also looks at me as though I just drank a keg.

FYI, I didn't make this up!!! Casa Mexicana…it has 2 levels! Honest! It is supposed to be RIGHT WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY STANDING!!!!!

I accept defeat, and we make our way back out. Hey! We have Soarin' fastpasses, and, of course, they just expired. I know that there have been reports that say CMs will still let you use them, but I didn't feel like taking the chance. I should have given them to someone to use a while ago. Still, we can do the standby line still. Everyone agrees, and we start heading over to The Land. Brian sees a CM with a pin board, and his Pavlovian instincts kick in. He follows her and looks over the board. I couldn't get my camera out fast enough because he was heading back within a minute. I ask him if we can stop by Innoventions West to see if they have the Visa photo thing going. They do! We told Brian he could come in too, but he decided to stay out and check out the video games they had out there.

Sheri and I both think back to the first day of our last trip (with Aaron) where we were worried about Aaron and the characters. When he let go of our hand and sprinted to Goofy and Minnie, we knew he would be fine and that those pics alone were worth the trip in itself. We head in and see Pluto standing there! As we turn around for the Photopass guy, we notice Mickey hiding behind a short fence. He runs out and joins the pics. The boys would have melted into a gelatinous goo had they been here to see that.

We head back out and find Brian saving the world with either Nemo, the Incredibles, or Buzz and Woody (couldn't remember). We hop in the standby line which still went pretty quickly. We talked about a lot of different things, ranging from family to Cruises. We made our way through, and Brian asked if we could get center section, middle of the top row. "All ya gotta do is ask", he said. We watched Patrick Kronkburton one final time and headed in.

We are sooooo glad he asked. While the other times we rode it were great, not having feet dangling above you and being in the very center of the screen was perfection!

Part 3 is located HERE

Disney Podcast Show Updates: June 12th, 2009

GOOOOOOOODDDDDDD AFFFFFFFTTTTERRNNOOOOOONNNN everyone! As I went through the shows today, I discovered a couple more podcasts that I'll start updating as new episodes come out. In the next couple days, I'll be adding them to the main list of Disney podcasts (Theme Parks 360 and Mouse Droppings). On a programming note (if you could actually call what I do "programming"), I'll be heading out for much of next week, so I may do a quick update on Wednesday (the 17^th) for those shows with new episodes and then save the rest for the following week.

If you are interested in listening to any of these episodes, I have links to subscribe for most of these shows in my post HERE.

As always, please note that this again is not a comprehensive list of the Disney Podcasts that are out there. Mike Hamilton has created Disneypodcastdirectory.net, which he periodically updates with new podcasts and removes dead casts. He also has the automated RSS (historical) feeds of the podcasts. This is more of a cross-section of what is currently being talked about…perhaps something may sound interesting, and you'll subscribe to listen to that topic.

Any and all comments are welcomed! Also, if you know of another podcast that fits here, let me know.

• All About the Mouse
  
  • 6/12/09 – Episode 113, Another packed episode here, starting with Bryan recounting his recent WDW trip. Also, there's news and the roll call as well, followed by Liana from Theme Parks 360 vs. 4 survivors from the 16 members of the current Disney Mom's Panel in the Disney Feud (I say "survived" because they had to duke it out to see who got to be on the show). There's even more, including the show outtakes at the end. Time: 1:44:30
    
• At the Main Street Cinema
  
  • 6/8/09 – Show 19, Greg's coming to us from the Golden Horseshoe Saloon at Disneyland to bring us Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, in great quality video. Time: 13:21
    
• Be our Guest
  
  • 6/8/2009 – Episode 131, BOG Forum members Katie and Ed from the Hickory State call in and provide a trip report on their last-minute (and I do mean last-minute…they decided to take the trip less than a week before arriving) during Star Wars Weekend. They describe some of the events during SWW and give some love to Matt Hochberg and Mike Newell from the WDW Today podcast (Matt put together a special dinner inside DHS for fans of studioscentral and gives all those in attendance a special guest surprise). Some audio from the parks is also in here, including a little Yeeha Bob, some Splash Mountain, and some HM. Time: 47:03
    
  • 6/11/09 – Episode 132, Pam (Queen of the Surprise ADR planner) joins Mike and Deb and special guest Bret Caldwell (aka DonaldDuckDad on Twitter and more popularly known as the first Dad on the Disney Mom's Panel) for a really thought-provoking discussion on all the new technology and its effect on the Disney experience. From cell phones to twittering to blogging to photos to…it's discussed. Time: 39:21
    
• Disney Dudes
  
  • 6/5/98 – Show 17, Wayne and Trace are joined by Liana of the Theme Parks 360 podcast (yes, I've started downloading that one too and will have their next show in here!) And Doug (Dug?), a member from the DPN (Disney Podcast Network), to discuss the recent WestFest '09 event out at Disneyland. I love the WestFest tradition of the "DF hats" (you'll have to listen to understand). Liana and Doug also take the time to discuss specific meet-ups by the various WestFest members, and a short debate ensues about the link between Disney and the "mile-high club". I've never met anyone from the DPN, but their influence has rubbed off on me as my wife always stares at me pointing and yelling "GOAT GOAT GOAT" on Big Thunder (thanks, folks). The Dudes are bummed about not making it to this year's WestFest, so they'll be redoubling their efforts to make it next year. Time: 1:22:23
    
• Inside the Magic
  
  • 6/7/09, Episode 218, In a long-running but little-enforced programming decision, Skipper Ben assumes his role as ITM co-host. Much of the show is devoted to news and comments. One of the highlights includes a very interesting discussion on the bet between the Presidents of Disneyland and Walt Disney World on the NBA finals (L.A. Lakers and Orlando Magic), where the loser will wear the winning team's colors (including a specially-designed Mickey Ears hat) down Main Street U.S.A. in their own park. The discussion turns to a "what might have been" had Disney built a stadium for the Magic to play on WDW property. Ben promises to provide a full review of "Pooh's Heffalump Movie" in the next episode. Listener feedback wraps up the show. Time: 1:37:51
    
• Magic Never Ends
  
  • 6/10/09 – Episode 62, After an update to the MNE family, Will and Shannon bring on Keegan (Teenage Disney Geek), LFFG ("Lightning Fast Fat guy" aka Keegan's Dad) and Matt from a new podcast called Mouse Dropping (yes, I'll be downloading it and including it on here) to discuss Up! Yes, they go off-topic with lots of inside jokes, but they're friends, so you have to expect that! The show ends with what I consider to be a near-impossible task of ranking the Pixar movies from best to worst. Time: 1:38:38
    
• Magical Definition
  
  • 6/909 – Jim is back from a Licensing Expo and, as Disney is huge with its licensing, has news from the Disney corporation on this front, which could be an indicator of future plans of the company. Time: 28:00
    
• Meandering Mouse
  
  • 6/9/09 – Episode 95, Jeff and his friend Joel meet up in Paris for their trip to DLP. This marks Jeff's 10^th Disney park (of 11) and Joel's 11^th (yes, that means he's got Disney Park Bingo). This show tops last show's record of in length by a couple of minutes. In-park audio is included throughout. Time: 3:14:16
    
• Micecast
  
  • 6/11/09 – They start off with good intentions going through e-mail and doing Mousebusters (think Mythbusters with a Disney twist). The first e-mail revolves around eating at the parks. The next question deals with "if you were able to…", Mike, Greg, and Shaft debate what park to close, followed by "best kept secrets". The good intentions don't last the whole show, however, though, as an e-mail request wonders where all the swearing has gone and is concerned that the podcast has gone family-friendly. Let's just say that the rating of this show changes a little over an hour into it as they finish answering questions. Time: 2:07:05
    
• Mouseguest
  
  • 6/6/09 – Episode 202, The Mouseguest hosts start off episode 202 with news, including the almost-unbridled excitement of tween show renewals and talk of attending the D23 Expo (e-mail Cathy for more info and tell her to go). Other segments include getting caught up on celebrations and listener audio requests. (e-mail Cathy) Time: 1:03:16
    
• MouseStation
  
  • 6/8/09 – Episode 317, Mike and Mark's short subject show for the week. Topics include good non-crowded viewing locations for Wishes, Animal Kingdom's Oasis, and a review of the Disney's Pop Century resort. Andrew Rich does his weekly highlight of the MousePlanet web updates, and listener feedback ends the show. Time: 39:30
    
  • 6/10/09 – Episode 318, Today's topic revolves around Mike and Mark listing their favorite ride vehicles at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. Time 26:42
    
• Original D
  
  • 6/6/09 – Episode 6, Sixes are wild here, as Ryan releases his sixth episode on 6/6. In this show, Ryan goes through the news, including some talk about a sneak peek of DL's new fireworks show and some updates to construction going on around the parks. Time: 12:59.
    
• Those Darn Cats
  
  • 6/9/09 – Episode 56, CALL THE VET!!! The cats are dealing with Just a small-town girl earworms in this living in a LOOOOnely wo-oorld episode. This is one of the most time-appropriate episodes as I still haven't forgiven them for the Don't Stop Believing song at the end of Episode 54. (see the May 29^th Blog updates). The cats do a little research on the phenomenon (doo doo dee doo doo) of earworms. Lisa and Jennifer also have some appropriate poetry (in motion…she turned her tender eyes to me) read by Billy Collins. They then provide audio that, for normal folks, now have earworms breeding inside our mind, and, for those who are A.D.D., well, I'm just going to say that it's not pretty. This episode is full of laughter…full of tears…a world of hope…oooohh noooooooo. Time: 30:43
    
• WDW News Today
  
  • 6/5/09 – Episode 96, Tom and a full house start off the show with a fun roundtable discussion on what Disney movies they would like to see immortalized as an attraction at WDW (I like the Tron ideas). After that, they interview Adam Goodger from DisneyBrit, where he announces MouseMeets (think Mousefest across the pond at Disneyland Paris with a lot of Disney involvement) in early December. Listener feedback is the final segment. Time: 1:38:12
    
  • 6/7/09 – Episode 97, It's the last "What Were They Thinking" show, where Tom, Justin, Anthony, and Scott talk about DHS's decision to reduce the number of Fantasmic shows though the American Idol Experience goes nightly. This segment will be heading over to the Disneyland News Today Podcast (not reviewed here…just too many 'casts out there…sorry, folks). Before that segment, however, they have news and rumors. The next segment is Town Square Talk (hosted by Mayor Justin), where they take a look at the big items being discussed over on the WDWNT forums. Time: 1:23:13
    
• WDW Radio Show
  
  • 6/7/09 – Episode 122, Lou kicks off the show with Disney After Dark. A good interview with the Magic Kingdom area's head of gardening/horticulture AND the MK's head of custodial work as they discuss what goes on after the last guest has cleared the park. After this, Lou chances a new segment, where he meets up with several others for a live review of a Disney World restaurant: Mama Melrose's. The Wayback machine is fired back up, and Lou, along with Ryan Wilson of the Main Street Gazette Blog (you can decide who's Peabody and who's Sherman), head to the MK to look back at the Plaza Swan Boats. A new contest is included, with a new twist. Feedback ends the show Time: 1:36:19
    
  • 6/2/09 – Vidcast, Lou tours the 3 newest DVC resorts on site, with video and pictures of the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs, Bay Lake Tower, and Kidani Village. Time: 7:32
    
• WDW Today
  
  • 6/8/09 – Episode 575, Matt, Newell and Annette are not ze vurst to pass zis vay as they don their Viking helmets to do a "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode on Maelstrom. If you're a MST3K fan, they're true to form with the show (though I'm not sure which one is supposed to be Tom Servo). They also provide some sound reasoning as to why the price of gas has been trending up. Time 12:28.
    
  • 6/10/09 – Episode 576, It's Wednesday, which means the WDW Today crew dives into the listener mailbag for questions! Hosts for this episode are Matt, Len, and Newell and Scopa (who are both still struggling with role identities…Newell comes up with something new, while Scopa steals Newell's ideas (regular listeners are loving this!)). Matt: Elgin is pronounced EL-jin, not El-ggin…Along with vegans and Mormons, the show has probably lost the listeners from all the Chicago suburbs.
    
  • 6/12/09 – Episode 577, A must-listen-to episode for those who are new to planning for a Disney World trip. Matt, Scopa, and Len discuss when the best times to do certain necessary trip "parts" are, starting one year out. Time: 22:03
    
• Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Pod
  
  • 6/9/09 – Episode 34, Aaron's doing regular shows now (Law school tends to take up just a little bit of time throughout the year). In this show, Aaron celebrates DHS's 20-years of fun by counting down his 20 favorite items in the parks. I'm using "item" for a reason as Aaron is including anything in the park as eligible. Time: 1:06:36
    

WDW 10-Year Anniversary Trip, Day 4, Part 1: Around the World With the Big One

No alarm…getting better…made it to 7:30 this morning.

Donuts for breakfast this morning. We needed something to wash them down. I suggested the champagne, but that didn't go over too well, so I was sent to the food court to refill the mug. No hurry this morning as we're going to Epcot and have just a short bus ride over there. With the luck my snapping has been having on the transportation system, we shouldn't have to wait for a bus.

We head out to the bus stops, and, within a minute, here it comes! I made sure I had my phone charged and ready, because today we were hoping to meet up with Brisully. Also, there was a chance that Todd and Mo and the Badelves family might be heading over.

We go through the turnstiles and head through the gravestones. I felt bad because everyone there for the first time was oohing and aahing about the topiaries (as we were on Day 1). Today, though, we were like "Yeah, yeah…we've seen them, whoopee, outta the way! Please stand clear of the walkways, Por favor mantengase alejado de los senderos." We make our way to, you guessed it, SOARIN and got fastpasses.

Only the fastpasses simply wouldn't come out. What, was there some sort of limit to the number of times you could ride an attraction on a trip? Were they worried that we would become desensitized to the attraction and just think it's okay? Neither key would work for FPs. A CM comes over and forces them to spit a couple out. Then she gives us in-park tickets to use for the FP machines and suggests we go to Guest Services to see what the problem is with our keys to the world. We ran through Innoventions West first to see if the Disney Visa Character Meet was open or not (it wasn't). Then we got to Guest Services, and, the minute I walked in, I just burst out laughing. The guy working behind the desk today was none other than the EXACT same guy who, a year and a half ago, gave me my first nickname on the Lodge. It's too traumatic to mention it here, but, if you don't know about it, head over to Day 1 of the 2005 Trip Report to read about the "hat incident".

Of course, the guy is just as feisty now as he was back then!

He sees the anniversary buttons and, after hearing that it's our 10th, concludes that I must be behaving and have figured out that I should do what she tells me to do.

"Hey! Why is it always the GUY that has to behave? How do you know she isn't the one that causes the trouble?"

Sheri: "Well, DUH!"

Ornery CM at Epcot: 2

Mush: 0

He types "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" into his computer and runs my card. He then says it's demagnetized and asks if I've had it near my cell phone or anything like that. Nope, I'm fairly certain that I didn't do that (though I don't think Sheri believed me). Hey, I'm anal here! The cell phone is always in the right-hand front pocket, and the tickets and FPs and credit cards are on the left-hand side.

Ornery CM at Epcot gives us 2 temporary tickets and says they're good for the parks but not for the hotel. Or the dining plan, I guessed.

Hmmmm….2 tickets from the Soarin FP CM, and 2 tickets from the Ornery CM at Epcot. Plus our keys (which actually worked later on). I considered getting a FP for every attraction and making my own ultimate FP dream plan!

After Guest Services, we strolled over to Club Cool. This was a first for both of us. She already knew about Beverley, so I couldn't do that. Had she not, you would have been guaranteed that I would have done that to her! We wasted a few minutes there until it was time to head over to the breezeway of Innoventions East where the Jammitors (Jamminators) were to perform in a few minutes.

Loved em!

We still had some time before our FPs return times for Soarin, so we ducked into Mouse Gears for a while before heading over to the Land. We got in the final staging for the attraction, and I realized that I had Kronk's entire spiel almost memorized. This ride keeps getting better every time as we both find new things.

We head out and start making our way to the World Showcase. We're eating at San Angel tonight, so we started off with Canada. This tells us just how much we have missed in the World Showcase. You see, the first time we came down here was in March of '01. We were absolutely clueless about what this place had to offer (busy as heck and no plans). More than once I asked where all the rides were in the World Showcase. Plus, I had the luck to make it on Millionaire while down here, so my mind wasn't quite in the parks. The second time down here was with Aaron, and, being almost 3 at the time, the World Showcase would be a tremendous bore to him. While down the second time, however, we started realizing just what Epcot had to offer.

As we walked around Canada, we saw the waterfall for the first time.

Now you know just how flippin clueless we were the first time down there. All throughout the pavilions, we kept exclaiming to ourselves "how in the hell did we miss this?"

We saw O Canada and went through the store there. I resisted the urge to take pics of the moose hats as well as the maple syrup that they sold there. For you WDW Today fans, this was BEFORE the famous Snack, Sip, and Sick episode.

Just because this area is so beautiful.

The United Kingdom was next, and we sauntered into the stores there. Lots of Thomas the Tank Engine stuff there (meaning the boys would love this!). Sheri picked up what she thought was a huge football…she'd never seen a rugby ball before…then she regretted bringing it up as I started reminiscing about playing rugby in college (played both wing forward in the scrum and outside centerback). That was a friggin fun game, especially at the Academy, where there's so much daily frustration that rugby was perfect to release some of that stress!

Sorry…got to reminiscing again.

We looked for Mary Poppins, but she wasn't around. We then walked outside and ran around the maze (I won nyaaaaahhh). Just after we hopped out of the maze (did I mention that I won?), the phone rings, and it's the ringtone indicating that it's a Lodger. Brisully pops up on the caller ID (yes, for most of you, it's your screen-name in my phone). I answer it, and he mentions that he'd just left AK and was heading to Epcot now. We'll meet him at the International Gateway in around 20 minutes. As we crossed the Gateway bridge, we noticed:

Our best guess is that these are members of the evidence team for Water Bottle DNA Procurement. Dang it, we'll have to move again, and we just got the neighbors starting to like us, too! For those folks wondering what I'm smoking, it's a recurring inside joke between DaisyDebbie and us (again, refer to the 2005 report).

We still have some time to kill, so we go over to France and to the scratch and sniff perfume garden.

Sheri sniffed the perfume samples and thought they all smelled the same.

I sniffed the perfume samples and contemplated taking Sheri back to the Pop to "take the nap take the nap take the nap" (and this time actually not take the nap).

Continued...HERE