Episode 509: This week on Traveling with the Mouse, we’re shaking things up and letting spontaneity take the wheel. Sometimes the best Disney trips are the ones where you don’t over plan every second, and that’s exactly what we’re diving into.

A Tale of Two Trips

We’ve got two very different adventures on the horizon, and each comes with its own approach:

Jon’s Walt Disney World Trip – Jon is keeping things budget-friendly while also testing out some of the “underdogs” of Disney dining. You know those restaurants that always seem to get roasted in reviews? Jon wants to find out if they’re really that bad—or if maybe they deserve a little redemption. Consider it his very own “Disney Food MythBusters.”

Adam’s Disneyland Trip – On the other side of the country, Adam is taking the no-plan plan. That means going with the flow, making decisions on the fly, and embracing a relaxed Disneyland experience. Sometimes the magic is found in the moments you didn’t script out weeks in advance.

Spontaneity in the Parks

We chat about the balance between planning and winging it. With Lightning Lane systems, dining reservations, and virtual queues, Disney can often feel like a military operation. But there’s still plenty of room for unplanned surprises—the kind

Spontaneity, Strategy, and the Beak & Barrel

Episode 508: Walt Disney Comes to the Carousel of Progress Disney confirmed that a Walt Disney animatronic will be added to the Carousel of Progress. Guests will get to see their very own version of Walt inside this classic attraction. Alongside that, we also got a big tease that some or all of the Carousel’s scenes may be changing. Could we be in for a modern overhaul? Or even brand-new show scenes to reflect the future as Walt once envisioned it?

Dinosaur’s Extinction Date

The closure of Dinosaur at Disney’s Animal Kingdom finally has an official date. The attraction will close to make way for a brand-new Indiana Jones ride. Will the ride system stay the same, or will we get a whole new experience? Either way, fans of Dinosaur should make their plans to ride it one last time before it goes extinct for good.

Cinderella Castle Returns to Classic Colors

Magic Kingdom’s centerpiece, Cinderella Castle, will soon be returning to its pre-50th Anniversary paint scheme. Gone will be the rose-gold and blue makeover, with the castle returning to its timeless look. While some will miss the anniversary flair, many fans have been longing for the castle’s classic palette to shine again.

TRON Gets a

Walt is Coming to Walt Disney World

Episode 507: This week’s episode is jam-packed with Disney news. It seems like the past week has been an avalanche of updates, concept art, and announcements about projects both in progress and on the horizon. Let’s dive into some of the biggest stories we’re covering in Episode 507 of Traveling with the Mouse.

Zootopia 3D Show Gets an Opening Date at Animal Kingdom

Disney has finally given us an opening date for the all-new Zootopia 3D show coming to Animal Kingdom. November 7th is an earlier opening date than we expected but with the release of Zootopia 2 in theaters later that month it makes perfect sense. We discuss the timing, and whether it will bring much-needed energy to Animal Kingdom.

Big Thunder Mountain’s New Concept Art and Backstory

Hang on to your hats and glasses, because Big Thunder Mountain is about to dig deeper into its backstory. Disney released new concept art along with a fleshed-out narrative for the classic attraction. We break down what the updates mean, how much will actually change in the guest experience, and how this retelling fits into Disney’s growing trend of “story-forward” refurbishments.

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Becomes Muppets Mayhem

We all know that soon Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is losing Aerosmith and gaining…the

Big Thunder Backstory, Muppets Rock, and Zootopia Moves In

Episode 506: In this episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we put on our accountant hats (don’t worry, they’ve got Mickey ears) and dive deep into Disney’s pricing strategy over the years. Resort hotels have always been a core part of the Walt Disney World experience, but just how much more expensive are they now compared to when the doors first opened in the early 1970s?

We track down standard room rates from the Polynesian and Contemporary all the way back to 1972, adjust them for inflation, and compare them to today’s 2025 rack rates. The results might surprise you… or maybe they won’t. (Spoiler: Disney’s prices have definitely outpaced inflation, especially at the Deluxe resorts.) Moderates and Values tell a slightly different story, but either way, the price of staying on property has changed dramatically in real terms.

And while we’re crunching numbers, we also take a look at the cost of seasonal events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Party tickets that used to be a budget-friendly add-on are now a serious investment. We compare today’s prices to past years and ask: at what point does spooky season at the Magic Kingdom start scaring away wallets more than ghosts?

It wouldn’t be Traveling with the Mouse without a healthy dose of Disney news:

The Beak and Barrel reservation launch at Magic Kingdom… let’s just say it didn’t go according to plan. We talk through what went wrong

Disney Hotel Prices vs. Inflation

Episode 505: In this week’s episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we catch up on some of the latest Disney news and dive into the numbers from Disney’s Q3 earnings report. The headline? Parks revenue is up 9% this quarter, thanks largely to an increase in guest spending and the excitement surrounding Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship.

But the biggest buzz in the parks right now is happening over at Magic Kingdom, where The Beak and the Barrel pirate-themed lounge is just weeks away from opening. We now have the full menu and pricing, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from a swashbuckling hideaway themed cocktails, tropical bites, and just enough Disney magic to make you feel like you’ve stepped into an adventure on the high seas. We share some of our favorite-sounding items from the menu and discuss whether this will become the next must-visit spot for parkgoers looking to relax with a drink and a view.

We close out the episode with a bit of speculation about the Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom. What will it be called? Which villains will take center stage? And will it lean more spooky, epic, or even elegant in tone? We toss around possible land names with the help of artificial intelligence.

Disney’s Q3 Earnings, Pirate Lounges, and Villains Land Speculation

Episode 504: Let’s hop in our time-traveling monorail, crank up some radio Disney, and set the dial to the decade of slap bracelets, VHS tapes, and Disney dollars… because Traveling with the Mouse, we’re heading back to the 1990s (aka the Disney Decade) and reliving all the things that made it pure magic.

Michael Eisner declared the 1990s would be Disney’s “Disney Decade” and in this episode we are focusing on what we loved about Walt Disney World in the 90’s. We saw some new parks open up like Blizzard Beach and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney opening new parks at Walt Disney World is something that hasn’t happened since the 1990’s. Disney integrated the success of their animated films and the Disney Afternoon cartoons into the parks in some interesting ways.

It wasn’t just about the new rides or the hit movies. It was the feeling that Disney was firing on all cylinders across the board. Animation, theme parks, music, and merchandise!

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Back to the 90’s – The Golden Age of Disney Magic

Episode 503: Adam returns from his latest trip to Walt Disney World with fresh, first-hand impressions of two brand-new additions: the long-awaited Disney Starlight nighttime parade and the newly reimagined Test Track. Did they live up to the hype? Did Adam cry during the parade?

Disney Starlight is the newest nighttime parade to debut at Magic Kingdom. This dazzling spectacle combines elements of classic nighttime parades with modern tech and fresh character appearances. Does this parade get two thumbs up?

Test Track, which has gone full retro-futuristic in the newest version. Disney and Chevrolet have leaned hard into the legacy of World of Motion, and the results are a nostalgic dream for EPCOT Center fans!

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Disney Starlight and Test Track: A Sparkling New Era

Episode 502: In this week’s episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we get our glow on as we dive headfirst into the dazzling world of Disney’s nighttime parades! With the debut of Disney Starlight lighting up the skies, we couldn’t resist the chance to flip the switch and illuminate the rich history of these after-dark spectacles. From the retro charm of the Main Street Electrical Parade to the emotional majesty of SpectroMagic, and now the fresh energy of Disney Starlight, we’re ranking the brightest of the bunch.

You know we’re going to gush about SpectroMagic which is our sentimental favorite. But we also discuss other great parades like Paint the Night – Disneyland’s high-tech masterpiece with a killer EDM beat. Dreamlights – Tokyo Disneyland’s longer, flashier take on Electrical Parade and of course the OG the original Main Street Electrical Parade!



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The Glowing History of Disney’s Nighttime Parades

Episode 501: In this week’s episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we’re celebrating Disney milestones, peeking behind the construction walls, and asking the real question: Does the new Walt Disney animatronic actually look like Walt?

Disneyland is celebrating its 70th anniversary this week, and to mark the occasion, the spotlight is on a brand-new Walt Disney audio-animatronic set to debut in a new show at the Main Street Theater. It’s a bold move by Disney but will it deliver? We share our thoughts on the design of this brand new show that is sure to get a lot of attention.

Meanwhile, over in Florida, we’ve got our ears to the tracks. Recent permits and backstage construction photos show a possible Walt Disney World Railroad expansion, or at least some form of reconfiguration of the current layout. Also on deck: Disney Starlight, the brand-new nighttime parade coming to Magic Kingdom next week. We look at new images of the lead float and see if it adds to our anticipation of the new nighttime spectacular.

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Walt the Animatronic

This week’s episode is a special one, folks. Episode 500. That’s right five hundred episodes of Disney banter, ride breakdowns, trip reports, armchair imagineering, and more Magical opinions than any one podcast probably needs.

We start this milestone episode by hopping in our time-traveling Doombuggy and heading all the way back to Episode 1. Yep, remember when we nervously hit record in 2017 and started talking about what drew us to Disney in the first place? Back when FastPass+ was still a thing and we all couldn’t wait for Galaxy’s Edge to open? Good times.

But, we couldn’t just celebrate the past we had to speculate wildly about the future too. So what will we be talking about in another 500 episodes?

Will there be a 5th Gate or at least blue sky concept art for one?

Will Spaceship Earth finally get that long-promised update?

Will Figment finally get a new ride?

Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or just hopped on for the ride recently, we’re so grateful you’re part of this community. Here’s to another 500 episodes filled with magic, mayhem, and Mickey pretzels.

Thank you!

The post

Episode 500 – A Look Back, A Look Ahead, and the Magic in Between

Welcome to "Traveling with the Mouse," your weekly journey into the heart of the Walt Disney World experience! Join hosts Jon, Jason, and Adam as they embark on a magical podcast adventure that celebrates all things Disney. Our episodes unfold with captivating discussions about the latest news, fascinating rumors, and insider tips about the beloved theme park.