エピソード

  • 873 · Your Disney Questions + Our Disneyland Halloween Special Events

    873 · Your Disney Questions + Our Disneyland Halloween Special Events
    2026/07/14

    873 · Your Disney Questions + Our Disneyland Halloween Special Events

    What would you bring back if you could restore any extinct Disney attraction exactly as it was? What is the weirdest piece of Disney merchandise you own? What's really next for Tomorrowland? Where should you go if want to visit the Disney Park in Asia? What is the TRUTH behind the Tomorrowland film's famous 1952 mystery blueprint? And what is happening this October at Disneyland that you don't want to miss?

    This week, I opened up the inbox and share details about our WDW Radio Haunts and Heroes Week at Disneyland happening October 27-29, 2026. We're talking Oogie Boogie Bash VIP access, a private Marvel-themed breakfast inside Disney California Adventure before it opens to the public, and a remarkable experience. Tickets are limited. Spots are already moving. You need to know about this now.



    📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391

    ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com

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    - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

    🎧 Explore More:
    • WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more
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    • WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights
    • Events & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!
    • LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.

    🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.

    Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    1 時間 5 分
  • 872 · Why Disney Changed the Rules… and a D23 Tease

    872 · Why Disney Changed the Rules… and a D23 Tease
    2026/07/06

    872 · Why Disney Changed the Rules… and a D23 Tease

    This week I am doing something I almost never do.

    I am taking a piece of my Wednesday night live show and turning it into an episode, because you have been asking me about it... a lot.

    There is a new Disney Springs transportation rule, and online, people are melting down. So let me pull up a chair and really talk with you about what changed, why I think it happened, and why so much of it comes back to the guest experience.

    And here is why I wanted to bring this to the podcast. What I share today is not just about this one rule. I think it applies to so many decisions Disney has made, and will make, and once you see it through that lens, a lot of things start to make more sense.

    Along the way I will also take us back to a place a lot of us still miss, the Adventurers Club, and why it really closed. I will share my thoughts on the new Pirates of the Caribbean animatronic, why a place like Level 99 made me so happy, a little bit on choosing the good... and yes, a tease about what is coming from WDW Radio at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.



    📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391

    ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com

    📬 Stay Connected:

    - Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!

    - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

    🎧 Explore More:
    • WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more
    • WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards
    • WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights
    • Events & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!
    • LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.

    🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.

    Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    59 分
  • 871 · The Most Surprising Hotel Near Walt Disney World: My ette Hotel Review

    871 · The Most Surprising Hotel Near Walt Disney World: My ette Hotel Review
    2026/06/30

    871 · The Most Surprising Hotel Near Walt Disney World: My ette Hotel Review

    One of the most exclusive hotel awards on the planet - harder to earn than a Michelin star, given to less than 1% of hotels worldwide - belongs to a boutique property sitting just one mile from Disney's Animal Kingdom. Yet most Disney fans have never heard of it.

    Lou Mongello has stayed at virtually every Disney resort and countless hotels around the world, always believing that where you stay shapes the entire tone of a vacation. So when he was invited to experience ette Hotel, he wasn't quite sure what to expect.

    What he discovered surprised him.

    In WDW Radio #871, Lou shares his complete, honest review of ette Hotel - from the beautifully designed rooms and Michelin Key recognition to hospitality that echoes the Disney philosophy of "everything speaks." He also dives into one of the best meals he's had in a very long time at Salt & The Cellar, and why the restaurant alone may be worth the trip. Plus, what makes this property different, who it's perfect for, and why it may be one of Central Florida's most overlooked luxury experiences.

    If you've ever wondered whether stepping outside the Disney bubble could actually enhance your Walt Disney World vacation, this episode might surprise you as much as the hotel surprised Lou.



    📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391

    ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com

    📬 Stay Connected:

    - Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!

    - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

    🎧 Explore More:
    • WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more
    • WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards
    • WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights
    • Events & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!
    • LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.

    🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.

    Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    52 分
  • 870 · 10 Reasons to Visit Shanghai Disneyland... and Why This Trip Changed Me

    870 · 10 Reasons to Visit Shanghai Disneyland... and Why This Trip Changed Me
    2026/06/23
    870 · 10 Reasons to Visit Shanghai Disneyland... and Why This Trip Changed MeChina is a long way to go for a theme park... but Shanghai Disneyland is not a theme park. It is a destination that happens to have a Disney castle at its center.Lou Mongello had the privilege of being invited by Disney for Shanghai Disneyland's 10th anniversary celebration, with time alongside the Imagineering team who built it. In this episode, he gives you 10 reasons to visit Shanghai Disneyland, and why right now, during its 10th anniversary, is the perfect time to go.Here is what you will hear:The one design decision that makes Shanghai unlike any Disney park you have ever set foot in, and why it disorients you in the best possible wayThe only place on Earth you can walk through Zootopia, a land so detailed that guests line up just to photograph the lamppostsWhy the tallest Disney castle in the world is something you go inside, not just photograph, plus the anniversary-only shows playing on it right nowThe trackless boat ride that fans who have been to every Disney park call their single favorite attraction, periodThe one land where Disney hands you the controls, and the climb that Lou says sends you back down a different personThe stunt show with a real, raging tornado on stage, performed more than 10,000 times with live performers inside itThe snacks worth flying for, the Cast culture built from scratch, and the brand-new Spider-Man land rising right now with its coaster track already complete!and much more!And stay with me to the end, because this is the part I did not see coming. This trip did not just give me new things to talk about. It genuinely, fundamentally changed the way I think about Disney parks, not just what I think about them, but how. I am going to explain exactly how, and why, and why it might just change the way you see them too.Whether Shanghai is already on your bucket list or you have never once considered it, this one might change your mind.📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!- Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    1 時間 32 分
  • 869 · How Disney Magic Changed Baseball - Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas

    869 · How Disney Magic Changed Baseball - Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas
    2026/06/08
    869 · How Disney Magic Changed Baseball - Jesse Cole and the Savannah BananasWhat happens when someone takes Walt Disney's philosophy and applies it far beyond Disney?In this episode, I sit down with Jesse Cole, founder of the Savannah Bananas and creator of Banana Ball, during their sold-out appearance at Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports. What began as a conversation about baseball quickly became something much deeper.Jesse shares how Disney shaped him as a child, the unforgettable Typhoon Lagoon experience that still influences his leadership today, and why Walt Disney's principles of innovation, storytelling, attention to detail, and relentless "plussing" have become foundational to Banana Ball's explosive success. We also hear from Disney Sports Vice President Adam Ball about why Banana Ball and Disney make such a natural fit.This conversation isn't about baseball.It's about creating unforgettable experiences, embracing criticism, taking bold risks, building culture, and putting people first.Whether you're a Disney fan, entrepreneur, creator, leader, or someone pursuing a dream, the lessons in this episode are powerful, practical, and deeply inspiring.In this episode you'll discover:How Disney influenced Jesse Cole's visionThe surprising connection between Walt Disney and Banana BallWhy fan-first thinking changes everythingThe importance of "plussing" every experienceLessons in leadership, innovation, and resilienceWhy criticism may be a sign you're doing something meaningfulJesse Cole - InstagramThe Savannah Bananas - Instagram - YouTube📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!- Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    43 分
  • 868 · Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress: History, Debate & What's Next

    868 · Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress: History, Debate & What's Next
    2026/06/02

    868 · Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress: History, Debate & What's Next

    The Carousel of Progress reimagining announcement sparked one of the most passionate Disney fan conversations in recent memory.

    Some fans are excited. Others are heartbroken. Many are somewhere in between.

    And all of it makes complete sense - because this attraction isn't just a show. For a lot of us, it's a memory. A person. A moment that lives somewhere deep.

    But before you land on how you feel, there's a story you need to hear. One that starts not with the announcement - but in the 1950s, with Walt Disney himself, and an idea that never made it off the drawing board. Because when you understand where Carousel of Progress actually came from, and how many times it has already changed, what Disney just announced looks like something very different.

    In Episode 868, we trace the complete history - from Edison Square to the 1964 World's Fair to every revision across six decades - and into every detail of what is coming in 2027. The new scenes. The Walt Disney animatronic. The off-planet finale drawn from John Hench's original concept art. The fan reaction breakdown. And the case, built on Walt's own words, for why the carousel moving again after 30 years might be exactly what he always intended.



    📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391

    ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com

    📬 Stay Connected:

    - Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!

    - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

    🎧 Explore More:
    • WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more
    • WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards
    • WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights
    • Events & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!
    • LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.

    🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.

    Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    1 時間 25 分
  • 867 · Walt Disney World Just Got Major Upgrades - and This Summer Is the Best Time to Visit

    867 · Walt Disney World Just Got Major Upgrades - and This Summer Is the Best Time to Visit
    2026/05/25

    867 · Walt Disney World Just Got Major Upgrades - and This Summer Is the Best Time to Visit

    This might quietly be one of the biggest overall summer upgrades Walt Disney World has had in years.

    Not because of one giant new land - but because every park, every age group, and nearly every type of guest got meaningful, real enhancements at the exact same time.

    After being invited by Disney to their Summer Fun Fest media event, Lou Mongello goes far beyond the headlines in WDW Radio Episode 867.

    At one point during the event, he sat in a room with Disney leadership - park operations, Imagineering, and the facility asset management team (the most important team at Walt Disney World that most guests have never heard of) - for a candid conversation about how Disney actually makes decisions, processes guest feedback, and thinks about the future of the parks.

    That context changes everything that comes after it.

    Buzz Lightyear. Big Thunder Mountain. The Muppets. Mandalorian and Grogu. Bluey. Every park, something real - and a full conversation with a Walt Disney Imagineering Story Lead about how Disney decides what to change, what to keep, and why it all matters.

    Plus: why the connection between films, streaming, and parks is stronger than it has ever been. And why now - right now - is the best time to visit Walt Disney World in 2026.



    📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391

    ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com

    📬 Stay Connected:

    - Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!

    - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

    🎧 Explore More:
    • WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more
    • WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards
    • WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights
    • Events & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!
    • LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.

    🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.

    Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    2 時間 3 分
  • 866 · The Best Food at Walt Disney World Isn't Where You Think It Is

    866 · The Best Food at Walt Disney World Isn't Where You Think It Is
    2026/05/18

    866 · The Best Food at Walt Disney World Isn't Where You Think It Is

    The best food at Walt Disney World isn't where you think it is.

    In WDW Radio # 866, Lou Mongello spends a full day eating his way through Disney's Animal Kingdom - stop by stop, bite by bite - and makes the case that this is Walt Disney World's most extraordinary culinary destination.

    Colombian arepas and globally inspired rice bowls. Viral desserts and hidden gems. Drinks in Pandora - The World of Avatar developed with James Cameron's team. Nomad Lounge. Tiffins at 10 years. And a full conversation with Chef Greg Hannon, Culinary Director of Disney's Animal Kingdom, about authenticity, storytelling through food, the future of Tropical Americas, and what his perfect food day in the park looks like.

    This is Disney's Animal Kingdom like you have never tasted it before.

    Plus, I'll have a very special announcement to share with you at the end of the show... but here's a not-so-subtle hint



    📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391

    ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com

    📬 Stay Connected:

    - Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book!

    - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

    🎧 Explore More:
    • WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more
    • WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards
    • WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights
    • Events & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!
    • LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.

    🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame.

    Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!
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    1 時間 34 分