Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever #40: An Incredible evening at Pixar from June 11, 2018.

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Dave and Becky traveled to Emeryville in 2018 to see a Super VIP screening of "The Incredibles 2" at the Pixar Animation Studio and Mousetalgia reports from the event. Women in Animation (WIA) hosted an exclusive screening of the new film at Pixar, and Dave and Becky were able to attend. During the event, attendees were able to meet and speak with female animators, artists and filmmakers involved with the production. We discuss the Pixar campus, stories about Brad Bird, the techniques of modern computer animation, the status of women in the field of animation, and finally offer a spoiler-free glimpse at the new installment in the Incredibles franchise. Bonus: a spoiler-free review of "Bao," the short presented before Incredibles 2. Plus - Pirate Redd joins the the Pirates of the Caribbean; John Lasseter will be leaving the Walt Disney Company; Solo box office disappoints; and more.

No. 39: A conversation with Disney Legend Alice Davis (on the '64 World's Fair) from December 15, 2014

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Disney and the World's Fair - Disney Legend Alice Davis talks to Jeff about attending the 1964 World's Fair, and she shares some personal recollections of her time visiting the Fair with Walt Disney and her husband Marc Davis, one of Walt Disney's "Nine Old Men." We also discuss the Walt Disney Family Museum's second recent presentation of "Walt Disney: A Giant at the World's Fair," and recap some of the memorable moments from that event. Also - Jeff shares an update on his customized Captain America action figure, and we discuss buying annual passes to Disneyland when you aren't a local - the perks, pitfalls, and possibilities. Plus, our dream corporate sponsors for Disney attractions: Taco Bell, an Audio-Animatronic Oprah, Hawaiian Airlines, Tesla - the possibilities are limitless!
 

No. 38: Fred Frees on his father, Ghost Host Paul Frees; Halloween records from October 29, 2012.

Discover the spooktacular talents of Paul Frees, the voice of the Ghost Host, on this Halloween Emporium from 2012! Mousetalgia talks to Fred Frees, the son of Paul Frees, who tells stories about the life of the legendary "Man of 1000 Voices." We also discuss various haunting Disneyland records, and unveil a rare Walt Disney Productions acetate of eerie sound effects. Also, Kristen delivers a top-ten list of Disney Halloween songs, and Jeff reports on a Walt Disney Family Museum-hosted panel of legendary stop-motion animators. Plus - an exclusive report from an Art of Frankenweenie panel discussion, Haunted Mansion moments - and more!

No. 37: Legacy Award-winning Disneyland Cast Member Jim Lowman from May 7, 2018

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In this classic episode, Mousetalgia welcomes Spirit and Legacy Awards-winning cast member Jim Lowman to the show to talk about his half century of working at Disneyland Park. Jim shares fascinating bits of history, including the Haunted Mansion's grand opening at Club 33, bringing the Churro to Disneyland, meeting the love of his life at the Tahitian Terrace, and seeing Walt Disney himself in Disneyland. Jim opened the Bengal BBQ (and created the menu with his family recipes), was a sous chef at Club 33, witnessed Cary Grant's private Candlelight Processional performance, opened Big Thunder Ranch, and gives us a first-hand account of Liz Taylor's big 60th birthday bash at Disneyland. Plus - Jeff reviews a "foodoir," Kristen shares a Bengal BBQ recipe, Becky talks wine, Dave talks Muppets - and more!

Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever No. 36: MouseCon; Disneyland Paris's crisis response from Nov. 23, 2022

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This week, Mousetalgia takes you behind the scenes at MouseCon 2015, the first annual Northern California Disney fan convention. We share some exclusive conversations with the special guests - Tommy Kirk on Walt Disney, Floyd Norman on WED and the origins of the Haunted Mansion, and C. Andrew Nelson on putting on the mask of Sith Lord Vader - plus we collect some thoughts from fans at the convention. Then, Dave and Becky report on Disneyland Paris, and offer their first-hand account of Disney's response to the recent terror crisis, and how the cast members and guests responded to the confusing, chaotic events. We also present part one of Mousetalgia's review of the Disneyland Paris resort by discussing the various hotels and lodging options available, and next week we'll follow up with a report on the attractions, dining, and holiday celebrations at the resort. Plus - a surprising Paris/Orlando/Anaheim price comparison, and a listener report from a preview screening of The Good Dinosaur on the Pixar campus.

Mousetalgia Episode 392: Composer John Debney; DCA's Food & Wine Festival from April 25, 2016

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Mousetalgia welcomes Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning composer John Debney to the show today to talk about his score for Jon Favreau's "The Jungle Book," as well as his incredible career and history with the Walt Disney Company - from his start at the studio with Buddy Baker as a mentor, to his recent collaboration with legendary songwriter Richard Sherman to work on songs for this new score. Also, Jeff discusses "The Jungle Book" and shares initial reactions to the groundbreaking film. Then, Kristen reports on Disneyland Resort's Food and Wine Festival, and discusses the variety of booths, the food options, and the best bites she encountered at the event. Finally, we return to talk about Disney's "Ghost Post" subscription experience, and Kristen describes the in-park elements of Disney's first interactive box of souvenirs as she follows the cry of the Haunted Mansion ghosts for help with their predicament. Plus - Hallmark's iffy Disneyana; a Life Magazine special on Walt Disney; new Disney Cruises announced; Disney and Record Store Day - and more!

Mousetalgia Episode 497 from April 30, 2018: Author Amy Guglielmo and Imagineer John Paul Bakshoian

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This week, Imagineer John Paul Bakshoian joins Mousetalgia to talk about the process of Disney Park Show Documentation, which involves keeping consistency at the parks between the various attractions and shows. He shared some stories from his career with "Walt's watchdog" department at WDI. Then, we talk to Amy Guglielmo, the author of "Pocket Full of Colors." Amy talks about her inspiration for the book, researching Mary Blair, and she shares some of the secrets behind the development of a children's book. Plus, Jeff talks to Time/Life, Kristen plays jazz, Becky wears a pink Stormtrooper, and Dave busts out a Haunted Mansion moment!

Welcome to a brand-new episode of Mousetalgia! Team Mousetalgia has reassembled in the midst of our "Best Ear Ever" series of episodes to bring you our report on the D23 Expo, which was held recently at the Anaheim Convention Center. Dave talks panels, Jeff talks Lorecana, Kristen talks about selling her tickets and staying home, and we all bask in the glory of another successful Expo adventure.

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Mousetalgia Episode 554: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, Galaxy's Edge from June 3, 2019

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On today's show, we offer an opening day report from Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and then Kristen finishes her six castle journey through the Disney parks with a trip to Tokyo Disneyland Resort, and talks all about the parks, the attractions and the entertainment - and the snacks! From the Venetian gondolas at Tokyo DisneySea to Country Bears singing in Japanese at Tokyo Disneyland, Kristen offers her "top three" lists from both parks, and lets you know which attractions you can skip as well. Also, Kristen dissects the resort's shopping opportunities, from the unique characters to the intriguing gashapon capsule machines. From plush Chandu Tigers at DisneySea to Disneyland Perfume at Disneyland, Kristen brings home a broad selection of souvenirs and describes what you can expect to spend your money on. Kristen also discusses the shows, the entertainment opportunities and of course - the food, including pro tips on recognizing cultural customs and establishing timelines for dining throughout the resort. From Kristen's favorite food at the resort - a fried chicken and waffle sandwich - to booking dining entertainment packages, we talk restaurants, menus, and snacking options to offer you a broad picture of eating your way through your Tokyo stay. Stay tuned next week for our comprehensive report from the opening day of Galaxy's Edge and a breakdown of the various elements of this new immersive land.

Episode 457: 2017 D23 Expo - a look back; Fantasmic! returns from July 24, 2017

It's a fantastic super-sized episode of Mousetalgia this week as we report on our travels down to Anaheim for the D23 Expo and the various goings-on at the Disneyland Resort. First, we offer trip reports from Expo weekend in the parks, and Jeff reviews the Skyline Lounge experience as well as a soft opening of the newly-renovated Fantasmic! nighttime spectacular on the Rivers of America. Then, we offer part one of our two-episode coverage of the D23 Expo, with a focus on the show floor and everything the Expo had to offer outside of the theaters and stages. We question a few of the event's new features, report on a few struggles, and then celebrate all of the incredible experiences, sights and sounds we shared over the weekend, including reports from the Music Emporium, the Archives Pirates exhibit, Center Stage, the Emporium and the show floor, and of course, that amazing model of Star Wars Land, now known as Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. Plus - Kristen describes the terror of Scrooge McDuck's Money Bin, Jeff reviews a new movie about Haunted Mansion fandom, Becky talks about the light park crowds, we have Ears to the Ground reports from the Expo - and more!