Magic Kingdom

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268: Our Pitch for “The Amazing Race: Walt Disney World Edition”

With the recent return of The Amazing Race, which is currently airing its 33rd season on CBS, we thought it would be fun to dream up a season of the show that took place entirely on Walt Disney World property. We asked Dan Heaton, host of The Tomorrow Society podcast and fellow fan of the CBS reality show, to help us come up with ideas for challenges teams would have to complete if The Amazing Race were to have a Walt Disney World-themed season. Come join the fun as we share the wacky tasks, challenging obstacles, and Disney-themed escapades we’d love to see teams face throughout the parks and resorts (48:56). (Listener discretion advised. The discussion might cause a desire to binge old seasons of the now 20-year-old reality show.)

Also on this episode, Dan and Derek compete in a game of Something Rotten, in which they must guess which of two Disney films has a lower score on Rotten Tomatoes (29:25). Plus, Derek gives a full report on his experience running the 10K and the half marathon during this year’s Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (1:00).

On your marks. Get set. Let’s race!

Be sure to find Dan online and let him know you enjoyed hearing him on the show!

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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266: Mad Q Party + A runDisney Deep Dive With Brooke McDonald

Our favorite Disney questionnaire is BACK! This week, special guest Brooke McDonald joins us to answer ten random questions on topics such as Epcot food booths, WDW Christmas decorations we wish we could take home, ideas for future “Olaf Presents” shorts, and more!

Plus, Brooke gives us the lowdown on the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend that took place earlier this month. As Derek prepares for his first runDisney event in 2022, Brooke shares tips, stories, and exciting details of what to expect from a runDisney race. If you’re a runDisney connoisseur, if you’ve ever considered participating in a runDisney event, or even if you’ve never heard of runDisney before now, this runDisney deep dive is for you!

A huge thank you to Brooke for joining us this week! Be sure to find her online and let her know you enjoyed hearing her on the show: Twitter: @BrookeGMcDonald | Instagram: @brookegmcdonald

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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265: 50 Years, 50 Milestones – Part 2 (1996-2020)

Last week, to honor The World’s Most Magical Celebration, we highlighted 25 of the biggest moments that brought the vacation kingdom to where it is today, one for each year from 1971-1995. This week we are BACK to wrap up the list and pay tribute to one major milestone from each of Walt Disney World’s most recent 25 years, 1996-2020, and discuss why the impact of each moment is still felt today.

Also on this week’s show, guest Jennifer Lapsker helps us honor the Harmony Barber Shop on its 50th anniversary. We discuss the location’s history, and Jen shares about her personal experience taking her son for his first haircut at the Main Street, U.S.A. location.

In another edition of Armchair Imagineering, we share our ideas for “Fab 50” gold statues that would have directly honored Walt Disney World, rather than characters from the films. See which iconic attractions, characters, and landmarks we think should have made the cut, as well as ones that we know Disney would NEVER make.

Be sure to find Jennifer online and let her know you enjoyed hearing her on the show! Twitter: @JLap64 | Instagram: @jlap64

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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264: 50 Years, 50 Milestones

Now that The World’s Most Magical Celebration has officially kicked off, we’re taking time to pay tribute to Walt Disney World in our own way: by celebrating the biggest moments that brought the vacation kingdom to where it is today. Join us as we highlight one major milestone from each of Walt Disney World’s 50 years and discuss why the impact of that moment is still felt today.

Also on this episode, friend and Disney Buzz cohost J.T. Landry helps us report on all of the celebrations, new fireworks, and biggest happenings that took place at the Walt Disney World Resort the week of October 1, where the three of us were on the scene. Plus, we continue our Countdown to the 50th by showcasing one of WDW’s opening-day hotels, Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Here’s how you can find J.T. online and let him know you enjoyed hearing him on the show:

Podcast: The Disney Buzz | Instagram: @jtishere | @disbuzz

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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261: The Future of Disney Vacations

Will Walt Disney World ever see a nighttime parade again? Will Disney Genie+ be embraced by guests as a worthy replacement for FastPass? How much longer will we have to wait for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind?

On this episode we take a broader look at Walt Disney World to talk about which areas of the parks have not yet gone back to the way they were before the resort closed in 2020—and whether or not we think they ever will. Tune in as we share our thoughts on Genie+, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, the future of daytime entertainment, and more (33:01)!

As we continue to count down to the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, we shine a spotlight on the opening-day attraction The Hall of Presidents and share a list of ten facts about the classic show (2:44). Plus, we put on our poets’ hats with another edition of MADsterpiece Theater (30:28). Come join the fun!

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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258: Sitcoms at the Disney Parks – Part 2

The show must go on, as they say. And that is why we are BACK this week to close out our two-part series on the ABC sitcoms that filmed episodes at the Disney Parks. This week we kick things off with the 1998 episode of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch that coincided with the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and we make our way all the way to 2019, when The Goldbergs spoofed National Lampoon’s Vacation with an episode that followed the family on their cross-country trip to Disneyland in the late 80s. Join us as we talk about the best hidden gems, the most magical moments, and the most laughable, that-would-never-happen goofs from shows like Modern Family, Black-ish, and more!

Also on this episode, guest Blake Taylor joins us for the game “Before and After,” in which he and Jeremy compete to see who can guess the Disney-related mashup first. Plus, as part of our continuing countdown to Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary, we play a round of “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” in which we share our picks for the best and worst elements of Magic Kingdom on its opening day. It’s all happening now on The Mad Chatters Podcast. Tune in!

Be sure to find Blake online and follow his Disney projects!

Disney Podcast: Park People | Disney Instagram: @parkpeoplepod | Twitter: @blake_242

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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257: 90s Sitcoms at the Disney Parks

Has there ever been a more magical example of corporate synergy than when our favorite ABC sitcoms filmed episodes at the Disney Parks? On this week’s episode we travel back to the 90s—before DVR and streaming were part of everyone’s vocabulary—and we talk about six episodes of classic 90s sitcoms that take place in Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Join us and our guest Teri Deel as we catch up with Cory and Topanga at The Living Seas, check out Steve Urkel’s latest gadget at Innoventions, watch Danny Tanner get spit on during Aladdin’s Royal Caravan, and much more (0:31:48)!

In this week’s edition of our Countdown to the 50th, we showcase Liberty Square, a land that is unique to Magic Kingdom and that opened just five years before America’s Bicentennial (0:01:50). Plus, we show off our poetry skills in the new segment Madsterpiece Theater (0:29:00)!

If you would like to find and stream the six television episodes we discuss on this show, here is a handy list:

Blossom
“The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men”
Season 3, Episode 19

Full House
“The House Meets the Mouse”
Season 6, Episodes 23-24

Family Matters
“We’re Going to Disney World”
Season 6, Episodes 22-23

Roseanne
“We’re Going to Disney World”/”Disney World War II”
Season 8, Episodes 17-18

Step by Step
“We’re Going to Disney World”: Parts 1 & 2
Season 5, Episodes 22-23

Boy Meets World
“The Happiest Show on Earth”
Season 3, Episode 21

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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256: It’s Time for an Upgrade – 10 WDW Experiences We’d Love to See Updated or Enhanced

In light of the recent news that Jungle Cruise is about to be enhanced, we thought we’d take this opportunity to highlight other attractions and experiences at Walt Disney World that we think could use some TLC. From stale rides to dated resorts to embarrassing uses of technology, we each talk about ten areas we’d most love to see get updates and enhancements (1:02:33).

In this week’s Countdown to the 50th, we share ten facts about Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, one of three resort hotels that opened with Magic Kingdom in 1971 (0:00:50). Plus, we test our Muppets and Disney Channel knowledge in a new game (0:30:10), AND we bring back the segment Mad Chatter Jeopardy, in which we respond to dumb answers by providing even dumber questions (0:57:18). Come join the fun!

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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255: The Music of Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Join us for a musical tour of the Hollywood that never was and always will be: Disney’s Hollywood Studios! Years ago, we launched a series in which we discussed the background music and the original songs that play in each Walt Disney World park. At the time, Disney’s Hollywood Studios was mostly a construction zone, but now that the park has completed its glow-up, we figured it was high time we close out that series and talk about the background loops and original songs in areas like Sunset Boulevard, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and more!

If you missed our other “The Music of…” episodes, you can find them here:

Show 103: The Music of Magic Kingdom

Show 128: The Music of Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Show 166: The Music of Epcot

Also on this week’s show, Jonathan Harvill joins us for a round of Disney Hashtags, in which we access our most juvenile, immature inner selves with the hashtag #MiddleSchoolDisney. Plus, in our Countdown to the 50th, we highlight the WDW opening-day attraction Country Bear Jamboree.

Be sure to find Jonathan online and let him know you enjoyed hearing him on the show! Twitter: @jonathanharvill

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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253: Mad Q Party

What better way to ring in the new year than with a party?

After a long hiatus (sorry!), we are back this week with one of our favorite segments: the wacky, hypothetical Disney questionnaire we call a Mad Q Party. Join us and special guest Aaron Wallace as we pose and then answer ten questions on topics ranging from Muppet remakes of Disney films, to LEGO sets we’d like to see Disney release, to Disneyland attractions we’re going to view differently once the pandemic has ended.

Also on this week’s show, we kick off a new segment called “Countdown to the 50th,” in which we will take a closer look at groundbreaking elements of Walt Disney World that opened with the resort 50 years ago. This week we highlight Cinderella Castle by sharing ten facts about this iconic structure. Plus, Aaron joins us for a game called “The Resort Report.” Come play along and join the fun now!

Be sure to check out everything Aaron is up to and let him know you enjoyed hearing him on the podcast! Website: aaronwallaceonline.com | Latest Book: The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom 2020 | Twitter: @aaronwallace | Instagram: @aaronhwallace

If you want to interact with us online, we’d love for you to connect with us on Facebook (/madchatterspodcast), Instagram (@madchatters), and Twitter (@MadChatters). Or, send your emails to comments@madchatters.net. Thanks for listening!

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