WDW Radio: Your Guide to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise and More Disney Magic!

883 · Disney In or Out? Do We Agree on Disney Parks, Movies and Food?

Is The Magic of Disney Animation a bigger addition to Walt Disney World than Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind? Should the original Star Wars saga ever be remade with a new cast? And can a Disneyland churro really settle an argument about which coast has the better snacks?

This week, I invite you to join me and some of our friends around the virtual table for another round of Disney In or Out? I give them (and you) a statement, we e...

882 · Marvel in Disney Parks: Behind the Magic with Brian Crosby

How does Marvel come to life in Disney Parks... and what does a little boy meeting Peter Pan have to do with it? This week, I sit down with Marvel Studios' Brian Crosby at the WDW Radio booth at D23 for a conversation about turning the characters we love into places, adventures, and memories we can experience for ourselves.

Brian spent ten years as an Imagineer before joining Marvel, and he shares the thought behind experiences that stretch from Hong Kong Disneyland to Tokyo and b...

881 · The Magic of Disney Animation: An E-Ticket Without a Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios

The Magic of Disney Animation gives Disney’s Hollywood Studios a new way to explore how the movies we love are made. But I kept coming back to a bigger question: what makes a place feel like a studio when the movies are no longer being made there?

This week, join me as we discover what’s inside, which details deserve a closer look, and why different people in your family might love completely different parts of the same experience. We’ll conn...

880 · Tasting Disney History: The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook

What if you could taste your way through Disney Parks history?

This week, I’m joined by theme park and travel journalist Carly Caramanna, co-author with Julie Tremaine of The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook: 60+ Nostalgic Recipes and Stories of Yesteryear. And while “cookbook” is in the title, this conversation becomes something much bigger: a journey through Disneyland and Walt Disney World history using food as our time machine.

Carly shares how discovering a 1981 Walt Disney World dining guide eventually led to the book, why the...

879 · Return to Progress City: Imagining Walt Disney’s City of Tomorrow

What if the most interesting thing about Walt Disney’s Progress City isn’t that it was never built, but that it was never really finished?

Recorded live at the WDW Radio booth at D23, former Walt Disney Imagineering President Bob Weis and artist, architect, and former Imagineer Eric Robison join me to explore Eric’s extraordinary new book, Return to Progress City.

What begins with Walt’s original vision for EPCOT becomes something much bigger: a conversation about imagination, architecture, storytelling, technology...

878 · D23 Disney Parks Announcements: Sightlines Into Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy

The loudest cheers at D23 weren't necessarily for what Disney was building next. They were for what Disney was willing to bring back, repair, and finally acknowledge.

In a presentation built on a little faith, trust, and pixie dust, Disney asked fans to believe in an ambitious future, but this time it also showed its work. Models, progress, priorities, restorations, and even the things Disney chose to address directly revealed a much bigger story than any single attraction announcement.

In WDW Radio # 878, we l...

877 · Disney Worldbuilders Interview with Leslie Iwerks

Disney Worldbuilders asks a question most of us have never thought to ask... where does a Disney world actually begin?

Not the land. Not the ride. The moment before any of it existed, when it was still just a feeling inside one person's head.

This week I sit down with Leslie Iwerks, director of The Imagineering Story and Disneyland Handcrafted, to talk about her ambitious new documentary. Disney Worldbuilders brings together Bob Iger, Josh D'Amaro, James Cameron, Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Pete Docter, Jennifer Lee, a...

Two years ago, Disney made us nearly 50 promises at D23 Expo 2024. This year, they have to keep them.

So what will Disney actually reveal at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event?

I'm going park by park, resort by resort, and all the way around the world with my predictions for the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase. Villains Land. Piston Peak. Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. Space Mountain and Tomorrowland. Journey Into Imagination. Spaceship Earth. Monstropolis. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Tropical Americas. Expedition Everest. Avengers Campus. Pandora at Disney California Adventure. Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland Paris, Shanghai...

875 · The runDisney Companion: Your Race Day Guide from Fantasy to Finish Line

Before sunrise at Walt Disney World, thousands of people round the bend toward Cinderella Castle and fall in love with running in a way most guests never will. That is runDisney - and whether you are eyeing your very first 5K or chasing your next Dopey, there has never been one book to take you from registration to the finish line. Until now.

In WDW Radio #875, Lou Mongello sits down with Lisa DiNoto Glassner, founder of The Castle Run, to talk about her b...

874 · The Walt Disney World Time Capsule - What Would You Put in the Box?

It is 2076. Someone digs up a sealed time capsule in Walt Disney World. What did we choose to leave them?

This week on WDW Radio, we build a Walt Disney World time capsule - a snapshot of the parks exactly as they exist in 2026. And there is one rule attached to it that changes every single answer.

One attraction. One resort. One song. One snack. One smell. One sound. One price. More than a dozen categories in all, spanning M...

873 · Your Disney Questions + Our Disneyland Halloween Special Events

What would you bring back if you could restore any extinct Disney attraction exactly as it was? What is the weirdest piece of Disney merchandise you own? What's really next for Tomorrowland? Where should you go if want to visit the Disney Park in Asia? What is the TRUTH behind the Tomorrowland film's famous 1952 mystery blueprint? And what is happening this October at Disneyland that you don't want to miss?

This week, I opened up the inbox and share details about our WDW Radio Haunts and Heroes W...

872 · Why Disney Changed the Rules… and a D23 Tease

This week I am doing something I almost never do.

I am taking a piece of my Wednesday night live show and turning it into an episode, because you have been asking me about it... a lot.

There is a new Disney Springs transportation rule, and online, people are melting down. So let me pull up a chair and really talk with you about what changed, why I think it happened, and why so much of it comes back to the guest experience.

A...

871 · The Most Surprising Hotel Near Walt Disney World: My ette Hotel Review

One of the most exclusive hotel awards on the planet - harder to earn than a Michelin star, given to less than 1% of hotels worldwide - belongs to a boutique property sitting just one mile from Disney's Animal Kingdom. Yet most Disney fans have never heard of it.

Lou Mongello has stayed at virtually every Disney resort and countless hotels around the world, always believing that where you stay shapes the entire tone of a vacation. So when he was invited to experience e...

870 · 10 Reasons to Visit Shanghai Disneyland... and Why This Trip Changed Me

China is a long way to go for a theme park... but Shanghai Disneyland is not a theme park. It is a destination that happens to have a Disney castle at its center.

Lou Mongello had the privilege of being invited by Disney for Shanghai Disneyland's 10th anniversary celebration, with time alongside the Imagineering team who built it. In this episode, he gives you 10 reasons to visit Shanghai Disneyland, and why right now, during its 10th anniversary, is the perfect time to go.

869 · How Disney Magic Changed Baseball - Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas

What happens when someone takes Walt Disney's philosophy and applies it far beyond Disney?

In this episode, I sit down with Jesse Cole, founder of the Savannah Bananas and creator of Banana Ball, during their sold-out appearance at Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports. What began as a conversation about baseball quickly became something much deeper.

Jesse shares how Disney shaped him as a child, the unforgettable Typhoon Lagoon experience that still influences his leadership today, and why Walt D...

868 · Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress: History, Debate & What's Next

The Carousel of Progress reimagining announcement sparked one of the most passionate Disney fan conversations in recent memory.

Some fans are excited. Others are heartbroken. Many are somewhere in between.

And all of it makes complete sense - because this attraction isn't just a show. For a lot of us, it's a memory. A person. A moment that lives somewhere deep.

But before you land on how you feel, there's a story you need to hear. One that starts not with the a...

867 · Walt Disney World Just Got Major Upgrades - and This Summer Is the Best Time to Visit

This might quietly be one of the biggest overall summer upgrades Walt Disney World has had in years.

Not because of one giant new land - but because every park, every age group, and nearly every type of guest got meaningful, real enhancements at the exact same time.

After being invited by Disney to their Summer Fun Fest media event, Lou Mongello goes far beyond the headlines in WDW Radio Episode 867.

At one point d...

866 · The Best Food at Walt Disney World Isn't Where You Think It Is

The best food at Walt Disney World isn't where you think it is.

In WDW Radio # 866, Lou Mongello spends a full day eating his way through Disney's Animal Kingdom - stop by stop, bite by bite - and makes the case that this is Walt Disney World's most extraordinary culinary destination.

Colombian arepas and globally inspired rice bowls. Viral desserts and hidden gems. Drinks in Pandora - The World of Avatar developed with James Cameron's team. Nomad Lounge. Tiffins at 10 y...

865 · When Wishes Assemble: The Story of Disney and Make-A-Wish

45 years. 175,000 wishes. One out of every two Make-A-Wish wishes granted in America is a Disney wish.

The Disney Make-A-Wish partnership is about far more than theme park vacations. Every single hour, somewhere in the world, Disney helps grant a wish for a child battling a critical illness - creating moments of hope, joy, strength, and healing for families who need it most.

In this very personal episode, Lou shares the extraordinary history of Disney and Make-A-Wish, from the very first Disneyland wish in 1981 to t...

864 · What Does It Actually Take to Lead Disney? Chairman Thomas Mazloum - His First Interview

What does it really take to lead Disney at a global scale... while still making every single guest feel like they matter?

In this episode, Lou Mongello sits down with Thomas Mazloum in his first interview since stepping into his new role as Chairman of Disney Experiences - overseeing 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Imagineering, and more than 180,000 Cast Members around the world.

Recorded live during a special Make-A-Wish event at Disneyland, this is a rare, c...

863 · 10 Disney Adventure Cruise Surprises (What You Need to Know)

What are the biggest Disney Adventure cruise surprises - and what should you know before you go?

After sailing back-to-back voyages aboard the brand-new Disney Adventure from Singapore, I can tell you this… I thought I knew what to expect. I didn’t. Not even close.

In this episode, we break down 10 things that genuinely surprised us - from the scale and design to the food, entertainment, cultural differences, and what makes this ship unlike anything Disney has ever built.

We explore:

862 · The Happiest Factory on Earth: Disneyland, Automation, and the Future of Theme Parks

What if the magic of Disneyland isn't just what you see - but how it all works?

In Episode 862, Lou Mongello sits down with Roland Betancourt - Guggenheim Fellow, UC Irvine Professor of Art History, and author of Disneyland and the Rise of Automation - for a conversation that might just completely change the way you experience every Disney attraction, every land, and every sound in the parks.

They explore how a churro rolling through a conveyor belt oven became t...

861 · Daredevil Born Again Season 2: Spoiler-Free Review

Is this the Marvel show that changes everything?

What stood out after watching Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 wasn’t what I expected - and having seen the full season early thanks to Marvel Studios screeners, I couldn’t wait to talk about it.

In this spoiler-free Daredevil Born Again Season 2 review, I’m sharing what stayed with me most… and why this one feels different in a way that’s hard to ignore.

This episode was recorded during this week’s WDW Radio LIVE show, where we open...

860 · Inside World of Frozen Disneyland Paris - Disney Adventure World

Disney Adventure World and World of Frozen may represent the biggest shift in Disney Parks design we’ve seen in years... and you can feel it from the very first step.

Something felt different the moment we stepped onto Adventure Way.

Before the gates even opened to the public, Lou Mongello was invited inside Disney Adventure World - the bold $2.3 billion transformation of Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris - for an exclusive preview of World of Frozen.

And what he...

859 · EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Sweet 16 Bracket-Style Tournament

What happens when you take the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival Sweet 16 desserts, and put them into a bracket-style tournament, recorded LIVE at the Festival?

You get delicious chaos.

After the success of last year’s Savory 16, we’re doing it again. But this time we’re diving into the sweetest side of EPCOT’s most beautiful festival. From nostalgic cereal milk shakes to fruit sushi, funnel cakes, frozen cobblers, and unexpected surprises, 16 desserts go head-to-head across World Showcase to determine one champion.

I am joined...

857 · 50+ Disney Cruise Line Insider Hacks | The Ultimate Guide

What if your next Disney cruise already had upgrades built right in... and you just did not know where to look?

Recorded LIVE aboard the Disney Magic, Lou Mongello is joined by cruise expert and Mouse Fan Travel’s Beci Mahnken to reveal 50+ Disney Cruise Line insider hacks that experienced cruisers use to sail smarter, avoid crowds, and unlock hidden experiences most guests never discover.

Together, they break down the ultimate insider playbook.

We cover:

857 · Top Ten Extinct Walt Disney World Experiences We'd Bring Back

Some of the most powerful memories you have from Walt Disney World probably aren’t tied to a single attraction.

They’re tied to something else.

This week, in Episode 857, we’re counting down our Top Ten Extinct Walt Disney World Experiences We’d Bring Back. No rides allowed. No $2 ticket books. Just the details, the atmosphere, the in-between moments that quietly changed how the parks felt.

These weren’t headliners.

They weren’t rope drop priorities.

But somehow…...

856 · I Just Got Off a Call With Disney’s New CEO, Josh D’Amaro...

Disney just named only its ninth CEO in more than 100 years, and days later, I found myself on a video call with Disney’s new CEO, Josh D’Amaro.

In this episode, I share what that on-the-record conversation revealed about Josh’s leadership style, his Josh D’Amaro Disney CEO leadership vision, and his commitment to remaining accessible to fans and Cast Members even as his role expands. We talk about why so many people feel a personal connection to Josh, and how that...

855 · Tony Baxter, Figment, and the Art of Imagination at Disney

How did Figment become one of the most beloved and enduring symbols in Disney Parks history?

Disney Legend Tony Baxter reflects on Figment, imagination, and creative legacy in a rare conversation recorded at EPCOT’s International Festival of the Arts. Joined by Michael Young, CEO of Disney Fine Art, this episode explores how Disney art and storytelling connect generations of fans.

Tony Baxter is one of the most influential creative leaders in Disney theme park history. Over his decades at Walt Disney Imagineering, he...

What if there was no right or wrong answer…only where you stand?

854 · Disney In or Out - Pick a Side on These Disney Debates

In this episode of Disney In or Out, we have a fast-paced, passionate conversation about the Disney topics fans love to debate.

From Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge and Magic Kingdom attractions to Marvel after Avengers Endgame, we explore the Disney debates fans care about most and why they strike such an emotional chord.

This is Disney In or Out at its best - thoughtful, fun, nosta...

853 · Disneyland Handcrafted Review and Interview with Leslie Iwerks

Disneyland has been analyzed and celebrated for decades. But Disneyland Handcrafted shows us something far more rare. How the park was actually built.

This week, I sit down with Academy Award nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks for a deep conversation about her new documentary, Disneyland Handcrafted, followed by my review and thoughtful discussion with Adam Bankhurst from IGN after attending the world premiere on the Walt Disney Studios lot.

We talk about unseen archival footage, Walt, the pressure of building Disneyland in less than a year, a...

852 · The State of the Disney Parks: What 2025 Changed and Why 2026 Matters

If you had to describe Disney in 2025 and what it means for 2026, what word would you choose?

2025 wasn’t a year defined by massive new attractions. Instead, it was a year of movement, transition, and emotional goodbyes. Lands closed. Atmospheres shifted. Comfort gave way to construction. And for many fans, it felt like Disney was asking us to trust what comes next.

This is not simply another 2025 Disney year in revue and look ahead to or predictions for 2026.

This week, we...

851 · D23 and the Future of Disney Fandom with Michael Vargo

What is D23 today - and what will it become in the years ahead?

This week, Lou Mongello is joined by Michael Vargo, Head of Disney’s D23, for an in-depth conversation about the evolution of D23, the future of Disney fandom, and what fans can expect in 2026 and beyond. From the return of the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim to expanded global experiences, digital storytelling, milestone celebrations, and unprecedented access behind the scenes, this episode explores how D23 continues to bring Dis...

850 · Disney Q&A: Hidden Magic & Helpful Advice

What Disney question have you always wanted answered?

This week, we try something brand new as we answer a wide variety of your Disney listener questions and tips in a fresh, fun, and faster format.

We talk about the choices you face when planning your next Disney adventure. We look at Disney Cruise Line decisions like the Destiny vs. the classic ships, the things we wish Disney would bring back, the experiences we think are underrated, our favorite dining rooms at sea, the best souvenirs we h...

849 · My Five Hidden Dining Gems at Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World is packed with incredible food, but some of the very best meals hide in the places guests walk right past. This week, we’re digging into My Five Overlooked Dining Locations at Walt Disney World, including tucked away lounges, lakeside escapes, and resort restaurants that deliver amazing food without the rush or the reservation scramble.

You’ll hear why these five locations stood out, what makes them special, and how they bring value, atmosphere, and some surprisingly bold flavors. We’ll head from Disney...

848 · How to Walk Smarter and Feel Better at Walt Disney World

Long days in the Disney parks are magical… but they’re also full of walking, standing, heat, excitement, and unexpected moments that can leave you feeling drained before the fireworks even start.

This week, I’m joined by a doctor of physical therapy to talk about practical tips to help you feel better all day at Walt Disney World.

We explore simple, science-based habits you can use before, during, and even after your trip to help you feel more comfortable, confident, and energiz...

847 · Top Ten Reasons You Need to Cruise on Disney Destiny

Join me this week for the ultimate Disney Destiny review, as we share our Top Ten Reasons Why You Need to Cruise on the Disney Destiny.

We take you inside Disney Cruise Line’s newest Wish-class ship and reveal everything we discovered on board. From the heroes and villains theme to the immersive storytelling, characters, dining, and unexpected surprises, the Destiny delivered new experiences that may even be paving the way for what comes next for Disney Cruise Line.

If you want real ins...

846 · Mary Poppins: Untold Stories and the Making of a Disney Classic

Mary Poppins is practically perfect, but the process behind it was emotional, unpredictable, and filled with incredible stories that most fans have never been told.

There are very few "perfect" movies in this world: Jaws... The Shawshank Redemption... The Shining... Back to the Future... and from Disney, there is only one on this list - Mary Poppins. This week, I’m joined by author and Disney historian Todd James Pierce, whose new book Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of...

845 · Cotino – What It’s Really Like Inside Disney’s First Storyliving Community

What if Disney built a place you could actually live?

This week, I take you inside Cotino, Disney’s first Storyliving by Disney community... and share what I discovered as one of the first people invited to explore it.

I didn’t know what to expect… but what Cotino revealed about Storyliving truly surprised me. In this episode, we’ll look at what makes this place so much more than homes in the desert, how it honors Walt’s revolutionary ideas and dream for a l...

👻 What if Disney made Halloween at Walt Disney World even spookier?

This week, Lou Mongello shares his five original, story-driven Disney Halloween ideas that could transform the parks with new attractions, experiences, and eerie overlays - all filled with that perfect mix of nostalgia, storytelling, and Disney magic.

From haunted celebrations of extinct attractions to imaginative new Halloween experiences, Lou dreams up what could make the Walt Disney World Halloween season even more magical - with creative concepts that celebrate Disney’s history, innovation, and a few friendly frights along the way.

🎃 Whether you love...