595 The Disney Dream Girls

Welcome to the show for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast - show number 595 for Sunday 17th May 2026.

As always, if you wish to listen right now - click the link below.On This Day In Disney History 

Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort opened on this day (17th May) in 1991 (Riverside opened on 2nd February 1992). They merged on 1st April 2001.

Also, Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa opened in 2004. This resort was the former site of the Disney Institute is now a sprawling DVC resort.

Howard Ashman - playwright, lyrist and stage director was born on this day in 1950. Mr Ashman sadly passed away in 1991. He wrote all seven songs in the original animated classic The Little Mermaid and collaborated with Alan Menken - they won three academy awared in 1989 for this project. They also had success with Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. 

Mystic Point at Hong Kong Disneyland opened on this day in 2013. 

Disney Female Imagineers

This week, we celebrate Tori Atencio McCullough - Director, Interior Designer.

What is your go to Magic Kingdom Snack?

Custom Popcorn Mix from $15.99

Mickey-Shaped Rice Cereal Treats $5.49-$6.99

Character-Theme Caramel Apples - $12.99-$15.99

Giant Mickey Sugar Cookies - $5.49-$5.99

Mickey Ear Hat Brownies - $5.99 

Photo Credit Disney Parks Blog

Over on our extended Patreon page, you will hear these topics plus a few more:

• What could be for sale at FOOD the new themed food kiosk at Rock n Roller Coaster; 
• Michelle's DLP plans. 

That's it for this week! 

We do have a Patreon Page and if you would like to drop us a $1 a month (or more) it would really help us with the running costs. This also keeps our show from having to add adverts in order to keep the show up and running. Supporters from $5 or above get additional podcast content - exclusively just for them. 

Finally, we encourage you to follow (and interact with) us on our our socials - @disdreamgirls our email address is info@disneydreamgirls.com and join us as on our Facebook Page - Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family.

594 The Disney Dream Girls

Welcome to the show for the Disney Dream Girls Podcast - show number 594 for Sunday 3rd May 2026.

As always, if you wish to listen right now - click the link below.

Julie Svendsen - Concept Show Designer

Photo Credit - WDFM 

Her father Julius was a Disney animator and he helped her to get a job as an accounting clerk at WED Enterprises in 1970. After several years of art school, and a BFA, she returned to WDI to work on the design teams for New Fantasyland at Disneyland, EPCOT, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Disneyland Paris, Disney California Adventure, The Disney Stores and Shanghai Disneyland.

Favourite project she worked on:
“I can’t say that I had any favorite projects—they were all interesting in their own way. Each was a new variety of challenges and creativity which ran the gamut from coming up with concepts for different areas of the Walt Disney World water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, to partnering with John Hench to sketch and create a montage of different Disneyland attractions for their appearance on bedspreads for the Disneyland Hotel.”

What is Svendsen’s favourite Disney Parks attraction?
“Wow, that’s a tough one. I’d say it’s a tie between Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse. But, when I was a kid, I loved the Frontierland Mine Train attraction and the Tomorrowland Flying Saucers.” 

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Here are the dates - will you be attending?

EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival

The festival dates are here - what is your favourite thing to do or eat?

That's it for this week! 

We do have a Patreon Page and if you would like to drop us a $1 a month (or more) it would really help us with the running costs. This also keeps our show from having to add adverts in order to keep the show up and running. Supporters from $5 or above get additional podcast content - exclusively just for them. 

Finally, we encourage you to follow (and interact with) us on our our socials - @disdreamgirls our email address is info@disneydreamgirls.com and join us as on our Facebook Page - Disney Dream Girls Podcast Family.