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This week on The Mickeyphile Podcast, we’re leaving Walt Disney World behind and heading down Florida’s Atlantic coast for a stay at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.

On our way to sail aboard the Disney Destiny from Port Everglades, we spent one night at Vero Beach in an Inn – Standard View room. Then, after the cruise, we came back for another night — this time in an Inn – Ocean View room. That gave us the perfect opportunity to compare the two and answer the big question: Is the Ocean View worth the upgrade?

We talk about both rooms and their views, the resort itself, the beach, pool and recreation options, activities around the property, and what makes Vero Beach feel very different from a typical Walt Disney World resort.

We also share our experience having dinner at Wind & Waves Grill, explore some of the other dining options around the resort, and discuss whether Disney’s Vero Beach Resort makes sense as a destination of its own — or as a stop before or after a Disney cruise from South Florida.

Plus, we’ve got some Disney news, including Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, and new details surrounding Disney Lakeshore Lodge.

And there’s a little Mickeyphile breaking news of our own along the way.

In this episode:

• Disney’s Vero Beach Resort review
• Inn Standard View vs. Inn Ocean View
• Is the Ocean View upgrade worth it?
• Resort rooms, grounds and amenities
• Beach and pool areas
• Recreation and resort activities
• Dinner at Wind & Waves Grill
• Using Vero Beach before or after a Port Everglades cruise
• Disney Cruise Line news
• Disney Vacation Club and Disney Lakeshore Lodge news
• And a little personal Disney news from Scott

Whether you’re a Disney Vacation Club member, planning a Florida beach getaway, considering your first stay at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, or looking for somewhere to extend your vacation before or after a Disney cruise, we’ll tell you what we liked, what surprised us, and whether we’d do it again.

The Mickeyphile Podcast
Disney Parks, Disney Cruises, and Everything in Between.

Hosted by Scott and Karen.

Follow The Mickeyphile Podcast:
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Sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by Royal Escapes Travel Co. Whether your next Disney vacation takes you to the parks, the beach, or out to sea, their travel advisors can help you plan every stop along the way.

Theme Music: “Cân Ddelwedd” by Scott Daves © 2026.

The Mickeyphile Podcast is an unofficial Disney fan podcast and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Walt Disney Company.

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Episode 263 – Solo at Walt Disney World: Staying Safe & Traveling Smart

This week on The Mickeyphile Podcast, Scott and Karen are catching up on the latest news and refurbishment updates from around Walt Disney World before being joined by their friend Samantha Carpin for an important conversation about solo travel — particularly for women visiting Walt Disney World on their own.

Samantha frequently travels to Disney solo, and on a recent trip she experienced a situation that made her genuinely concerned for her safety. She joins us to share what happened, how Disney Cast Members responded, and what she learned from the experience.

We talk about staying aware of your surroundings even inside the “Disney bubble,” recognizing when something just doesn’t feel right, finding a Cast Member or other safe person when you’re uncomfortable, personal safety alarms, and some of the precautions Samantha takes while traveling alone.

We also talk about getting from Orlando International Airport to Walt Disney World using rideshare services, sharing trip information with someone you trust, monitoring your route, and some of the safety tools available through rideshare apps.

Walt Disney World News

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will close for refurbishment beginning November 2, with Disney currently indicating a reopening sometime in December.

• The Walt Disney World Railroad will be closed for refurbishment from September 28 through October 29.

• Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at Disney Springs is closing September 13, with questions remaining about what comes next for the location.

• Grand Floridian Café officially returns for dinner beginning November 2.

• Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course reopens October 23 following work on the course and greens.

DVC News

• The former Jellyrolls location at Disney’s BoardWalk is becoming The Hurly-Burly, with an October 1, 2026 opening planned and family-friendly activities during the afternoon.

• Disney’s Lakeshore Lodge is scheduled to open July 1, 2027.

• Cash reservations begin October 6, 2026 for Disney Vacation Club Members, October 7 for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, and October 8 for the general public.

• Disney Vacation Club Members will also have an opportunity to experience a special First Wave Preview before the resort officially opens.

Our Main Topic: Solo Travel & Safety

Samantha shares the story of realizing someone may have been following her from Disney’s Hollywood Studios back to her resort and what she did once she became concerned.

We discuss trusting your instincts, going directly to a Cast Member when something seems wrong, keeping your head out of your phone and staying aware of who is around you, personal alarms and other practical safety precautions, traveling alone without allowing fear to ruin the experience, and why being inside Walt Disney World doesn’t mean you should completely let your guard down.

Samantha also shares her approach to Uber rides between the airport and Walt Disney World, including letting someone know when she gets into and out of the vehicle, using available safety and recording features, monitoring the route in the app, and taking advantage of options such as requesting a female driver when available.

It’s not about being afraid to travel alone — it’s about being prepared, being aware, and knowing what to do if something doesn’t feel right.

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Theme Music: “Cân Ddelwedd” by Scott Daves © 2026

And as always…

Stay in the dang boats!

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D23 2026 is in the books, and this week on The Mickeyphile Podcast, we're looking at the good, the bad, and the occasionally very awkward from Disney's biggest fan weekend.

We watched D23 from Walt Disney World and came away with plenty to talk about. Disney brought portions of the event to Disney+ this year, but with dozens of panels happening throughout the weekend, why did fans at home get to see so few of them? We talk about the streaming experience, what Disney got right, and why an event billed as the ultimate Disney fan event still felt surprisingly difficult to follow from home.

Then we get into the panels themselves.

The 35th Anniversary of Beauty and the Beast was easily one of the highlights. Alan Menken, Susan Egan, Paige O'Hara and members of the film's creative team looked back at the making of an animated classic, the Broadway production, Howard Ashman's incredible influence, and some fascinating behind-the-scenes footage from the original recording sessions. This is Disney celebrating its history at its best.

We also watched the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 3 panel. We're fans of the series—or at least we were before we forgot to watch Season 2—so did the new season presentation convince us that it's time to catch up? We talk about what worked, some strange panel questions, a few production miscues, and why Percy Jackson might be exactly the kind of newer franchise D23 needs to embrace.

And then there's the big one: Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase.

Neil Patrick Harris hosted an evening filled with Parks announcements, musical performances, celebrity appearances…and a few moments that didn't exactly appear to go according to plan.

We break down the Walt Disney World news, including:

• Figment and Dreamfinder returning to Journey Into Imagination
• Disney finally promising to fix the Yeti at Expedition Everest
• New details for Villains Land
• More information about the Cars expansion at Magic Kingdom
• Monstropolis coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios
• Tropical Americas and the new Indiana Jones attraction
• Updates coming to Spaceship Earth
• Carousel of Progress and its new voices
• New Disney Cruise Line ships
• The return of The Imagineering Story
• And a whole lot of projects we've heard about before…without nearly enough dates

There was plenty to be excited about. But after years of hearing about some of these projects, did Disney actually give fans enough new information?

Plus, Sheryl Crow, Beck, Gloria Gaynor, Disney on Broadway, Neil Patrick Harris channeling the Carousel of Progress, some questionable wardrobe choices, and a presentation that occasionally left us wondering whether anyone had rehearsed.

So after three days of D23, are we actually more excited about the future of Disney than we were before it started?

Join Scott and Karen for Episode 262 of The Mickeyphile Podcast as we talk about what D23 2026 got right, what it got wrong, and what we're still waiting for Disney to tell us.

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Theme song: “Cân Ddelwedd”
Written and performed by Scott Daves
© 2026 Scott Daves

And remember…Stay in the dang boats!