Disney At Work Podcast

Some of the greatest gems in Disney's theme parks are not so easily seen or known. A term given to these treasures is "sleeper" attractions. We talk about what this term means, share an example from Epcot's Cranium Command, and then set sail across the globe to see examples of great "sleeper" attractions in Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Shanghai Disney, and Tokyo Disney Resort. You may have never heard about these attractions before, but once you become familiar with them, you may never want to visit these parks without checking them out.

The Walt Disney Company held it's quarterly call for the first quarter. We take an in-depth look at the announcements and references made for its theme parks and beyond. We look specifically at The Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and all parks globally. We not only share what was stated during the quarterly call, but what has been shared by leaders elsewhere. More importantly we give further insight to those announcements, and then talk about what hasn't been shared. It's a full podcast with much insights as to how Disney is coping during this pandemic in the theme parks. All of it lends itself to the question, when do you want to go back to Disney?  

There is an architectural expression that "form follows function". But in our recent stay at Disney's Boardwalk & Villas, we found that the unique form that creates Boardwalk's turn-of-century charm can sometimes stand in the way or at least make one forget that function does really matter. We'll look at different elements of a stay, from arrival and check in, to rooms themselves. We'll explore restaurants, shopping and entertainment along the boardwalk. And we'll look at transportation issues, meetings & conventions, and its position inside the entire Walt Disney World complex. Join us as we review Disney's Boardwalk Resort & Villas.

We are long overdue for an update at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and despite a little rain, it was a great time to be in the park. We check out what's happening in Pandora, and then passing through Africa, we talk of the good news and bad news of Festival of the Lion King returning this summer. What does it mean for all Walt Disney World shows? From there we try out what may be the best counter service cheeseburger in the Walt Disney World parks (Hint: It isn't a restaurant ran by Disney) and then we head through Dinoland to discuss changes going on there. Did you know that Disneyland originally had real alligators? We'll talk about all that, as well as my observations as Disney handled a difficult guest who wasn't willing to keep his facial covering on. All this and so much more in this update at Disney's Animal Kingdom for February 6th, 2021!

We stroll the Magic Kingdom on a beautiful, sunny, but cool day. The crowds are soft but the park looks great. We check out all the lands of the park, and we look at not one, but three character cavalcades as they flow through the park. We talk about changes to the Jungle Cruise, and construction on Tron. We discuss rumors and headline bating around the PeopleMover and The Hall of Presidents. We also check out the menu at the Tomorrowland Terrance, to include an amazing Minnie Mouse chocolate lava cookie. All this and more on this park update for January 30th, 2021.

Classic attractions at Disney like the World Famous Jungle Cruise are nothing to take for "granite" especially when others consider it to be sandstone. Disney has announced changes to the Jungle Cruise at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. These changes breathe new life into this venerable and popular attraction, while at the same time being thoughtful and respectful and more inclusive. We look at the announcements made, and the context behind all of it. We also throw in our thoughts as to what's still missing in these announcements.

Aye, Matey, Welcome Aboard! This be Disney at Plays and I'm your host, Captain Jeff Kober. We be sailing the Seven Seas today looking at Pirates of the Caribbean the world over. Only we're not just looking at the rides themselves, we are looking at the entire lands in which they are placed in. We're taking a look at theming, entertainment, dining, shopping, additional attractions and so much more. This is a Disney comparison podcast, and we are going to share with you insights from Pirates of the Caribbean as seen from five different Magic Kingdom-style theme parks. So steady as she goes! There be fierce comparisons ahead! For more Pirate treasure, please join our Disney Wayfinder Society where you'll find interactive maps, guides, media and more. It's the best Patreon group you'll ever join! Find us here to learn more!

We have a big update from Epcot as the gates to the new section of France where the Ratatouille attraction will be has now opened. With the ride waiting to open shortly, we check out the path leading to this new corner of Epcot. We also find Elsa making outdoor meet 'n' greet experiences in Norway. Lots of discoveries are made as we visit the Epcot International Festival of the Arts to include testing out the kiosk at Japan. A new barge appears in World Showcase Lagoon for HarmoniUS, and we set sail on the Gran Fiesta Tour to find Donald Duck, whose animatronic is not in a good place. All this and more as we check out Epcot at Walt Disney World in this Disney at Play podcast. 

We are promptly at Disney's Hollywood Studios at its official opening time of 9:00 am to check out the park. We usually suggest getting earlier, but we decide to see what the park is like right at opening. Our first hour we are able to do Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway as well as Rise of the Resistance. We check out the construction on the new Toy Story Barbecue Restaurant, and look at new merchandise in Mickey's of Hollywood. All this and much more in this Disney at Play podcast as we enjoy a morning at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World.

If there weren't enough major announcements coming out of Disney Parks this week, it has now been announced that Disneyland is ending its annual pass program. We'll study the announcement, study the response that has been made by Disneyland fans, look at the ramifications of this announcement as well as the solutions for moving forward. I'll also share my personal experience with Disneyland's annual pass and how it's been a part of my life since the 1980's.

Walt Disney World made two major announcements that affect not only guests staying on property but also annual pass holders. It was announced that Disney's Magical Express providing complimentary airport transportation to and from The Walt Disney World Resort will be discontinued in 2022. Also announced was Early Theme Park Entry that will replace Extra Magic Hours that provided exclusive resort entry into the parks at designated times both before and after you enter the park. John and Lori Scali join me as we look carefully at both of these announcements, and discuss their implications. Moreover, we'll look at how these events speak to the way you provide your customer experience.

Our family visits Epcot on a cold but sunny start to its annual International Festival of the Arts. We check out the new fountain outside Spaceship earth, plus construction on Innoventions West and Guardians of the Galaxy, which is taking over the Universe of Energy. Then its on to Epcot's Taste of International Festival of the Arts, where we check out activities, booths, food, entertainment and more. Plus we take a look at the new barge for HarmoniUS and its moving arm being tested for the first time. There's lots to see and do during this Epcot festival, join us as we canvas the entire park.

As we experience difficult and heavy news and current events, I think the timing of this podcast is really needed. Jacob and Jonah bring our fourth Kingdom for Kids podcast focusing on Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. These boys have done a wonderful job of articulating their love of this park, and their coverage is both fun and insightful. This podcast is a spoonful of sugar for swallowing the medicine of these hard times. Take a break and enjoy this podcast! It's a podcast by kids for kids, but if you're a kid at heart, you'll love this park review.

Our previous podcast spoke of so many things happening in 2021 across Disney Parks globally, that we didn't have time to do justice to the Disney Cruise Line. While things are moving at a glacial pace compared to the reopening of the parks, they are moving notwithstanding. We look at a number of video presentations done to include new TV spots, a new announcement of the Cinderella statue on the Disney Wish, plus Port Canaveral explanations of what it will take to get ships in operation again. We will also take a look at some fantastic improvements that have been done to Terminal 8, DCL's terminal. So join David Zanolla and Myself as we share some interesting insights about what is happening on the Disney Cruise Line. Images and video from our podcast can be found on our Disney at Play Post. Be sure to catch our previous podcast as well that talks about all of the attractions coming to Disney Parks in 2021. Make sure you check out our Patreon group for more Disney magic and insights.

Despite all of the challenges that the pandemic is bringing on, Walt Disney Attractions is still moving forward with many projects and new attractions. We visit all of the possibilities for 2021 as we go through all of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Parks globally. We'll look at re-opening dates, resuming pre-covid attractions, entertainment & other offerings, new attractions and offerings, and of course, the advent of Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary. Join David Zanolla and I as we bring in the new year with good news of good things to come! Make sure you visit the post with this podcast at DisneyatPlay.com. And be sure to visit our Patreon page where we have exclusive magic just for you.

It's the first Monday between Christmas and New Years and we're off to the Magic Kingdom to check out the crowds. We'll visit each land of the park and check out all of the holiday happenings. We'll check on construction going on in the park to include Tron Lightcycle Coaster and a completed exterior to "it's a small world". We see some interesting ways that guests are being moved through other attraction and even restaurant spaces as they queue up in a socially distanced way for their favorite attractions. Finally, we end up at Town's Square with a large gathering of Disney Princesses, the Dapper Dans, and then finally some castle lighting projections. There's so much on this new park update. Join us! And be sure to check out our Patreon Page where we have exclusive offerings for you!

Disney is busy trying to do what it can do to address theme parks around the world re-opening during this Pandemic, while trying to open up the new attractions it previously announced. Yet a new challenge arises with DinoLand. Not only has the Primeval Whirl been shut down for good, but Universal's Islands of Adventure is about to put a new spin on all things Dinosaur with its new Jurassic World VelociCoaster. Dinoland needs a fix. A big one would be nice, but not necessarily feasible given the current situation we are in. Still, a shorter, more feasible fix could not only serve to brighten up the space, but keep people in the park longer, and spending more. We look at the endangered situation Dinoland, and at three short-term/low-cost options for addressing its plight. You can find our post with photos describing much of what we share on Disney at Play.

Crowds have gathered for this holiday time of year, and so during this week of Christmas, we thought we'd share with you what's going on at Disney's Hollywood Studios. From boarding groups to extended queues to restaurants that are re-opening. Plus some interesting merchandise popping up and selling out. We offer you all the happenings here at the Studios in Walt Disney World. Be sure to check out our podcasts throughout the holidays. We work while others play, so there are more podcasts to come during this holiday season! Also, be sure to join our Patreon group for exciting and exclusive podcasts, videos, interactive apps and more! 

Part of what makes Disney posts and podcasts so much fun is that we get to play armchair quarterback. In that role, we all have our opinions strong and otherwise about movies, shows, characters and attractions found throughout Disney. But sometimes it's more than differing preferences. Sometimes it's an ongoing pessimistic rant of what is wrong with Disney. In that role they can sound not too unlike those critics who found Walt Disney himself to be crazy and foolish about ideas he tried to launch. The term for that has been Disney's Folly. And like the judges of old, we find those who really do the same thing. We'll look at five recent Disney attractions bloggers and podcasters have ranted and criticized at one time or another. And since this is a Disney at Work podcast/post, we'll talk about what that looks like when others fail to believe in what you are trying to achieve. For exclusive Disney interactivity and more, join us on Patreon.  

We head to Epcot's Festival of the Holidays at Walt Disney World to check out all things at the park and to experience the Cookie Stroll. Along the way we not only sampled five different cookies, but had a chance to see the Jammitors, Joyful and The Voices of Liberty (we provide you their big music number at the very end of the podcast). We check out some construction going on, particularly the new statue/fountain up front and the new enormous barge for HarmoniUs. Moreover, we simply enjoy the beauty of the holidays and the park this time of year. Come join us as my daughter and I stroll around Epcot. Later we visit The Coral Reef at The Living Seas for Dinner. Join us on Patreon for a review of what was a terrific dining experience!