Disney At Work Podcast

As the holidays are upon us, it's a perfect time to celebrate Christmas at Disneyland. Even though the park will be closed for the first time in 65 years over this yuletide season, Jim Korkis joins us as we take the time to remember the traditions of the "Happiest Place on Earth". We talk about Babes in Toyland wooden soldiers, of the first Candlelight Processionals and of the Star on top of the Mighty Matterhorn. We find out about the parades, the carolers and the holiday decor. Join us as we celebrate Walt Disney and cherish the heritage of this time of year at the original Disney theme park. And be sure to check out our Patreon Page where we offer more Jim Korkis stories from Walt Disney World at Christmas time.

Disney provided an Investor Day presentation and many announcements were made by the company during this time. We'll look at these announcements coming from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, National Geographic and LucasFilm. Over 100 titles were announced, and we did our best to capture them. While many will go to theater, much of what was discussed is coming to Disney+. Still, Hulu, ESPN and Star were also showcased.  Also, make sure you check out our new Patreon program where you can get access to exclusive podcasts, videos and interactive apps! 

We're here at Epcot to dive into the Festival of the Holidays. Last time we were at Epcot, we had a sneak peek at the decorations, here we go into many of the holiday offerings and entertainment. We also check out a number of construction activities going on at Guardians of the Galaxy, Play Pavilion and Space 220. We also check out the new Mobile Checkout program being tested at MouseGears. So join us for this festive look at the holidays around Epcot! Also, make sure you check out our new Patreon program where you can get access to exclusive podcasts, videos and interactive apps! 

Breaking News! Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street restaurants at the Disneyland Resort will be re-closed due to the pandemic. COVID-19 has impacted nearly every operation at Disney with very few exceptions. With Disneyland Resort still not opening to the public, Hong Kong Disneyland & Disneyland Paris have again closed their doors due to the pandemic. The Disney Cruise Lines have pushed back their reopening dates in what will become a year since they closed. The studio operations at Disney have had major executive cuts, while a rapper gets arrested for punching a Cast Member after making COVID jokes. All this and more Disney News on Parade. With furloughs, layoffs and homelessness, take a look at our Patreon Group where you not only receive exclusive interactive Disney experiences, but 100% of proceeds over the next three months go to help those most in need. Learn more at Patreon.

The week after Thanksgiving is one of the best weeks to be visiting Walt Disney World. It's a special week for my wife and I as we visited the Magic Kingdom 32 years ago this week! I reminisce about that as we check out all things at the park from the newly painted entrance sign, to the Ticket and Transporation Center, to the monorail and though all the lands of the Magic Kingdom. We check on Christmas Cavalcades, holiday foods, construction and Tron and so much more. From the Tomorrowland Terrace we also talk about our new Patreon group, what it offers you, and how you can help out those in need this season. Join us for this podcast, and be sure to check out its sister video on our YouTube channel, J. Jeff Kober. This is the podcast for getting into the spirit of the Holidays! Join us!

With layoffs at Disney announced last month, last week and today, we look at the reality that many former Disney Cast Members may have to look for work elsewhere. If you're an employer, that may mean good news for you, as we talk about the reasons why you should hire a former Disney Cast Member. With that, we share the kinds of discussions you should host with a former Disney Cast Member to assess their work experience and to see if they are truly a right-fit for your organization. And what if you can't hire a former Disney Cast Member? We offer a new program where you can help support those furloughed and laid off who really need support, while getting some unique Disney-based offerings for you to enjoy. Please visit our Patreon Page to Join!

In the context of this pandemic and this holiday time of year, we are offering a new program where you have not only the opportunity to give to those in need, but to also receive. Join us as we introduce our new Patreon program, intended to give you new insights to all things Disney whether its work or play. In return, you have an opportunity to help benefit those in need during this time of year when many are facing uncertainty and difficulty. I am truly excited to share this new opportunity with you and look forward to creating new experiences that you will enjoy whether at home or at the Disney parks. Join us for new opportunities to share and enjoy this holiday season and beyond! Visit our Patreon page, Disney at Work and Play to Join!  

Did we mention crowds? Wow! We were shocked by the hundreds and hundreds of guests all coming into Disney Springs via the parking lot structures. We look at all of it and what implications there were for safety and social distancing. It was the most crowded we have seen any Disney facility since re-opening. Added to that was plenty of holiday decor with a Christmas Tree Stroll staged throughout much of the area (but not all)! Plus street entertainment has returned to Disney Springs. It was almost like any normal Saturday night, except we're still in a pandemic. And this week announcements were made for a new high speed train line that will stop at Disney Springs. We'll share our hopes and doubts about that. Join my wife Kathy and I as we share our experience over this Thanksgiving weekend. Did we mention crowds? Don't forget you can see all of this and more on our YouTube channel, J. Jeff Kober. So be sure to subscribe to this podcast and our videos.

We explore all of Epcot as it is transformed for the holiday season. From the front of the park, to the Christmas tree in the center of the park and even in front of The American Adventure, we see the holidays ramping up as we visit the World Showcase pavilions like UK, France, and Germany. Even Figment has a new holiday sweater! We see new construction underway in Italy, and we discuss the status of Ratatouille in France as well as HarmoniUS, which will feature both daytime and nighttime displays. It's a great time of year to be in Epcot, so join us! And be sure to subscribe as we have big announcements coming in our next podcasts!

We visited Disney's Hollywood Studios three times over a two day period to give you a big update of all that is happening at this park during the holidays. We check out the decor both day and night and note some of the changes that have happened that accommodate the pandemic, or that are simply new. We especially take the time to visit Rise of the Resistance twice, where we check out the effectiveness of the new online boarding pass system, that permits you to get your pass at 7:00 am in the morning before the park opens. We also look at how changes to the attraction and to ride vehicles on Rise of the Resistance as well as Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is making it possible for more guests to experience this attraction each day. Be sure to check out not only our podcast, but our post and YouTube video showcasing everything we talk about in this podcast.

Walt Disney World has announced that as a part of its phased reopening, they will bring back the Park Hopper option! Starting Jan. 1, 2021, guests who purchased a ticket or annual pass with Park Hopper benefits will be able to visit more than one park per day, with some new modifications as part of our ongoing focus on health and safety. We'll look at the details of this, and their implications for day guests, resort guests and for annual pass holders. We'll look at how this might impact congestion in the parks as well as other issues.

November 18th marks Mickey Mouse's birthday (Minnie's too) and we're at Disney's Hollywood Studios to celebrate. We go from corner to corner of the park looking for all of the different ways Mickey is celebrated. From the parking lot to Cast Members at Galaxy's Edge, we check on all things Mickey. Make sure you check out our companion video on YouTube where you can see all of this happening as well. Happy Birthday Mickey & Minnie!

Two events occurred this last week that gives us important insights as to how the Disney parks are doing world-wide. Last week Disney CEO shared insights and fielded questions around the previous quarterly report. Then, this week Josh D'Amaro, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products provided a state-the-parks address at IAAPA in a virtual conference presentation. From new construction, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, one-of-a-kind ride vehicles to once-in-a-life-time anniversaries, every park has something going on. That plus other announcements provide us a very big Disney News on Parade edition for this week. We'll cover it all, plus offer insights you can't get anywhere else. So join us for this major worldwide Disney Parks update. And check out our post on DisneyatWork.com for not only photos, videos and links, but souvenirs in the form of lessons that you can take back to your own organization.

We hit the trail at Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World to see the park both during the day and night. Beginning and ending at the Christmas Tree in the front of the park, it's a chance to check out all of the holiday decorations found in Discovery Island, DinoLand, Asia, Africa, and Pandora: The World of Avatar. We not only check out the decorations but holiday foods currently offered and other happenings at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Check out our ideas for the best menu ideas at Sat'uli Canteen, the re-opening of the Harambe Market, anteater happenings and so much more. And be sure to check out our post at DisneyatPlay.com for additional photos, videos and links.

Join author Jim Korkis and I as we visit the Magic Kingdom and talk about some of the extinct Magic Kingdom attractions you can't find any more. We talk about major attractions such as Flight to the Moon, the Diamond Horseshoe, and RCA's Space Mountain exhibit. But we also talk about lesser known attractions such as Sword in the Stone Ceremony, Safari Club, West Center Street and the Flower Market. We end with a discussion of our favorite Magic Kingdom parades. It's all part of "Secret Stories of Extinct Walt Disney World: The World that Disappeared". For a link to this book and other photos and videos, visit us at DisneyatPlay.com.

With an U.S. election in arrears, President-elect Joe Biden appears to be heading not just toward the White House, but the Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. We offer two very different takes on changing the Hall of Presidents. We take a quick look at the history of this attraction, consider the challenges that came as a result of President Trump's addition, and then consider two possible approaches for moving forward differently on this attraction. Already the Washington Post and others have weighed in on what happens next with this attraction. While this is by no means intended to be a partisan piece in any form, it's still important that we be honest about what makes sense for this attraction as it moves forward, especially into Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary. 

A full slate of Christmas decorations are now throughout the entire Magic Kingdom. We go through the park to not only check out the holiday look, but to see what else is going on. From continued work on the exterior canopy of Tron, to attractions and offerings that are still not operating; the new "Now" feature on Disney Dining reservations that allow you to see what is available dining wise in the moment; the emptying of the Rivers of America; the arrival of Jingle Cruise and so much more! Be sure to check out our video on YouTube and also our post at DisneyatPlay.com.

The CDC allowed the ban on cruise ship suspensions to expire, but has identified standards in order to resume cruising. Most of the cruise ship industry announced a day or so later that they would not be cruising until after the first of the year. Then Disney announced that it would not provide any cruises in 2020. We look at this news, as well as explore what will a Disney cruise experience look like when it reopens. We'll explore new port embarkation procedures, possible dining changes, modifications that will be needed in kids clubs, changes to entertainment, what off shore excursions might look like as well as a visit to Castaway Cay. Will you want to be among the first to head on Disney's first cruises in 2021? What do you miss most about not being on a Disney cruise. Be sure to visit our web page at DisneyatPlay.com 

We offer a big look at what's going on at Epcot as we visit Halloween day, 2020. We check out changes to the front of the park; take a ride on Soarin'; check out the Waffle kiosk for Epcot's food & wine; Take a boat across World Showcase Lagoon to Morocco; discuss changes in management to the Morocco pavilion; enjoy a stroll through Japan; Check out the Annual Passholder store in Germany; Visit the Shanghai Disney exhibit in China; Look at hints and details of what's to come to Epcot at the Epcot Experience; and see new holiday merchandise at Mouse Gears. All this and more in this big update at Epcot. Know that we also offer a complete YouTube video of this podcast on J. Jeff Kober, as well as a post highlighting key moments, photos, links and additional videos you can't get on our site over at DisneyatPlay.com. Also be sure to check out best in business practices at our sister site, DisneyatWork.com

With all of the painful news of Disneyland's ongoing closure, it's time to celebrate something wonderful. And this time of year is the time to do that. Join us as we visit both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure to recall the magic and festivities of Halloween. We see Main Street, U.S.A. all decked out, a unique pumpkin way finding experience in the central hub; visit the pumpkin tree in Frontierland as well as a festival Dia de los Muertos. And what could be better than Nightmare Before Christmas at the Haunted Mansion. Then it's off down Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure to visit the Headless Horseman; check out Coco in Paradise Gardens Park; and take a look at the most unusual Halloween theming ever in Radiator Springs. It's a full itinerary, so join us!