332, Walt Disney World the New Normal

Welcome to the show notes for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast, show number 332, for Sunday 13th September 2020. If you want to listen, whilst reading these notes, just click the player below or alternatively find us on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher Radio, or any good podcast catching apps.

Coming up on this week's show, we are joined by the wonderful Len Testa of TouringPlans to talk through trip planning strategies for Walt Disney World in these Covid times we are living in. 

Len has spent the majority of the Summer months at Walt Disney World, which is unusual for him, but great news for us as we get to hear first hand just what being there is like at the moment.

Len Testa from Touring Plans

From dining experiences to appreciating new queuing systems to ways to tackle the parks. Listener Anthony is visiting Walt Disney World at the end of September and Len is able to provide some great tips on how to get the best out of his time there.

That is about it for this week and we hope you have enjoyed reading this blog, as well as listening to the podcast. You can find us @DisDreamGirls on Instagram and Twitter. We have the Disney Dream Girls page on Facebook as well as the Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family.   

If you wish to support us financially and keep the show advert free please visit us at Patreon and there you can find out the benefits of doing so, including exclusive additional podcasts!

That's it for this week, thank you for reading and listening to our Disney musings.

Lots of love

Michelle & Jayne xxx

331 News, Disney History and Favourite WDW Rides

Welcome to the show notes for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast, show number 331, for Sunday 6th September 2020. If you want to listen, whilst reading these notes, just click the player below or alternatively find us on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher Radio, or any good podcast catching apps.

So this show has quite a bit of news in it and then we moved on to a history segment before finishing off the show talking a little bit about our favourite Disney attractions. 

Felix Salten
Disney used stories from the likes of Hans Christian Anderson and P L Travers to create his versions in the media of film. But if I mention Felix Salten to you - would you be able to guess the book he wrote that so many of us hold dear to our hearts?

Photo Credit - Wien Museum

On 6th September in 1869 in Austria-Hungary, Felix Salten was born and the family shortly after relocated to Vienna. Around the age of 16, he began work for an insurance agency but also wrote reviews and poems. He became known within the 'Young Vienna' movement and some of his stories were published. 

In 1923 Bambi was published (being translated into English in 1928). Five years later he sold the rights for $1000 to American director Sidney Franklin, who in turn eventually sold them to the Walt Disney Studios. 

Theme Park Closures
16th March 2020, Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris closed. This got me thinking to when else the park had closed. I was surprised that Disneyland had close on three prior occasions (Day of Mourning after the assassination of JFK, Northridge Earthquake, and September 11th).  

Disneyland Closed due to 9/11 Photo Credit Laughingplace.com

However, I hadn't realised what Walt Disney World had closed so many times and that these closures were mainly due to Hurricanes (Floyd in September 1999; Charley, Frances, and Jeanne in August/September 2004; Matthew in October 2016; Irma in 2017 and Dorian in 2019). Additionally, Walt Disney World closed due to September 11th. 

Some Disney News

Olu Mel character takes to the stage in Shanghai Disneyland for A Month with Duffy and Friends. 

Photo Credit WDW News Today

Super cool foam beverage cups, designed by Jeff Granito have arrived in the parks. 

The start of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railroad has begun in Disneyland with the fixing of massive steel beams. 

Nighttime offerings will be starting in Tokyo Disneyland.

Favourite Things
We then got down to discussing favourite attractions and why they pulled so much on our heartstrings - especially when there's so much choice! Jayne shared three of her favourites and the reasons why she loves them so much.

That is about it for this week and we hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as well as listening to the podcast. You can find us @DisDreamGirls on Instagram and Twitter. We have the Disney Dream Girls page on Facebook as well as the Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family.  

If you wish to support us financially and keep the show advert free, visit us at https://www.patreon.com/DisneyDreamGirls and there you can find out the benefits of doing so including exclusive additional podcasts! Whilst mentioning Patreon, we have released a special show reviewing one of Michelle's favourite attractions so why not check it out! 

That's it for this week, thank you for reading and listening to our Disney musings. 
Lots of love 
Michelle and Jayne xxx

330 Disney Dream Girls Theme Park Chat

Welcome to the show notes for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast, show number 330, for Sunday 30th August 2020. If you want to listen, whilst reading these notes, just click the player below or alternatively find us on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher Radio, or any good podcast catching apps.
On this week's show, Michelle and Jayne re-cap their summer, celebrate a much loved Disney character, and look ahead to Autumn in the Disney parks. 

Photo credit Mitchell Taylor

On the 30th August 1936, the very first cartoon strip solely devoted to Donald Duck was published in newspapers. So to celebrate this, Michelle quizzed Jayne about her Donald Duck knowledge. So look below to see how you would do on these questions?

1. What is Donald's full name?
2. What year was the character Donald Duck created?
3. What was the name of the feature cited as being Donald's first appearance? 
4. Can you name any of the voice talents who have provided the voice of Donald Duck? 
5. Can you name any of Donald's relatives?

Photo credit Mitchell Taylor

We have posted the answers at the bottom of these show notes!

It is fairly easy to find Donald at Walt Disney World and he can be found in Mexico (EPCOT), Dinoland USA (Animal Kingdom), Silly Sideshow (Magic Kingdom), and at the entrance to Disney Hollywood Studios. 

At the Disneyland Resort, he can be found around Main Street (Disneyland Park) or around Buena Vista Street (DCA). 

Over in Disneyland Paris, he can be found around the hub area or either in Fantasyland or Adventureland. For the Studios, he is usually in the Production Courtyard. 
Our next feature reviewed the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris offerings for the Halloween season.   

Disneyland Paris

The season starts on the 26th of September and runs through to the 1st of November.  There will be no soirees to attend; early park closings; no parades and no fireworks.  But there will be lots of villains out and about and characters in their spooky finery. 

What we are excited about is the food and drink offerings - it sure looks like Disney is upping their game for this season and we can not wait to report back on these. 

Walt Disney World

This year, the season starts on the 15th of September and will run until 31st October. As with Paris, the experience will be very much paired back but Main Street USA will be decorated and there will be an abundance of treats and merchandise to tempt you. 

The big news is costumes - during this time guests are going to be allowed to attend the parks in costumes (something previously reserved for the Halloween party). However, guests must abide by the costume rules of Disney and of course - wear a face mask. 

We are incredibly fortunate as many listeners have already let us know that they will be travelling to the parks during this time and we can not wait to see their pictures and hear their trip reports.  

That is about it for this week and we hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as well as listening to the podcast. You can find us @DisDreamGirls on Instagram and Twitter. We have the Disney Dream Girls page on Facebook as well as the Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family.   

If you wish to support us financially and keep the show advert free, visit us at https://www.patreon.com/DisneyDreamGirls and there you can find out the benefits of doing so including exclusive additional podcasts!

Answers
1. Donald Fauntleroy Duck
2. 1934
3. The Wise Little Hen
4. Clarence Nash, Tony Anselmo, and Daniel Ross.
5.Scrooge McDuck (uncle), Ludwig Von Drake (uncle), Della Duck (sister), Huey, Duwey, and Louie (nephews), Duck family (paternal family) and Drake family (maternal family).

329 Disney Memories

Welcome to the show notes for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast, show number 329, for Sunday 23rd August 2020. If you want to listen, whilst reading these notes, just click the player below or alternatively find us on iTunes, Libsyn, Stitcher Radio, or any good podcast catching apps.
On this week's show, Michelle chats with our podcasting friends - Kat and Lewis from Dis Down Under - to share memories of past trips and also what we are missing the most.

A lot of our memories go back to 2018 and our bumper WDW and Disney Cruise Line trip.

A favourite memory for Michelle and Kat was when they tried on dresses at the Disney dress shop. 

But another was our night at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, where Captain America, Snow White, and Cinderella met up and rode Space Mountain!

Then, Kat and Lewis go around the world of Disney and talk about what they would be doing in each park if they were there right now.

That is about it for this week's show notes and we hope you enjoyed listening in. We would really appreciate it if you would share the show with your Disney loving friends via social media and those all-important links are below.   

You can find us @DisDreamGirls on Instagram and Twitter. We have the Disney Dream Girls page on Facebook as well as the Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family. 
If you wish to support us financially and keep the show advert free, visit us at https://www.patreon.com/DisneyDreamGirls and there you can find out the benefits of doing so including exclusive additional podcasts!

You can find our friends at Dis Down Under and all of their amazing other shows by visiting: https://thegentlemenofpopculture.com/