Tales From The Mouse House Ep...87

Welcome to Episode 87 of Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast!! As we promised you earlier in the year, we’ll be doing more ‘out of the norm’ episodes, you know, to spice things up a bit! So, on this go ‘round, we’ve got something SPECIAL for you.

DCA of yesteryear 

On February 8th, Disney California Adventure celebrated it’s 13th birthday! Wow, seems just like yesterday we saw the “OPENING SOON” commercials on TV! Well, over the last 13 years, California Adventure has gone through quite a few changes - some great, some...well, let’s just leave that one alone. Disney California Adventure has introduced us to some terrific things (like CORN DOGS), and has reinvented itself recently to include a trip through Walt Disney’s history, as well as incorporate an animated world into our own. All these things add up to one great adventure! So, in honor of their 13th birthday, we thought we’d share some of our favorite Disney California Adventure photos with you, set to music, in this latest VIDEO PODCAST EXTRAVAGANZA! (cue impressive music here)

Hey, if YOU'RE in need of a great travel agent, why not give our sponsor, Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations a holler! I bet he can make YOUR vacation a MAGICAL one! Visit Randy at www.randyc-mouseearvacations.com. NOW is the time to book your 2014 Disney adventure! 

Disney California Adventure TODAY!

YEP! Cars Land has arrived in the REAL world!

As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 87, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

Thanks for making US a part of your Disney Experience, and remember...
"Make It A Mickey Day!"

                                          ~~ Al, Joyce and Kate (the pup)

2013 D23 Expo Coverage...

Hey gang, episode 76 of Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast featured our good friend Faye Crane who graciously covered the 2013 Disney D23 Expo for Tales. As you may remember, we were granted ONE Press Credential for the Expo, but with our current situation were not able to make the trip. So, in our stead, Faye did a terrific job of covering this awesome Disney Fan Event! And as an added bonus, Faye wrote a detailed blog for you! Enjoy...

Disney D23 Expo 2013

by Faye Crane

Well, this year is the first time I was able to use/have a Press Pass. And that was a little exciting at first. I was wondering what I might be able to see and do with it more than the usual public. I mean, the Expo is always fun, but I was very curious how much more I was going to be able to do this year, because of the pass. 

Faye Crane

On Friday morning, the first thing that I was able to do, because of the Press Pass, was to be able to have a sneak peek at the Phineas and Ferb Waffle-inator Challenge and to catch a glimpse of the upcoming double-length episode that is a cross-over between Phineas & Ferb and the Marvel Universe.  It is called Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel and its premise is that the Marvel Super Heroes have lost their powers and they need the help of Phineas and Ferb to get them back. There we were able to talk with, get pictures with, and meet the voices of several of the stars—such as Vincent Martella, Alyson Stoner, Dan Povenmire, Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, Adrian Pasdar (I personally liked him as Nathan Petrelli on Heroes), Drake Bell, Fred Tatasciore, Roger Graig Smith, Bumper Robinson and Laura Bailey. That was fun, and yummy. Yes they served us breakfast. Well, waffles of course!

From there I got in line, I thought, to get what was called a StagePass. It is very much like the FastPass in the parks. The only catch was that you could get one during a segment of time (which was from 11am to 3pm or from 3pm to 6pm). These passes were good for Stage 23 and Stage 28. Those StagePasses were not good for any other sessions. So I went all the way up to Stage 23, and then had to be redirected down to the show floor and that was the only time Friday that I was there. There I got my StagePass for “Undiscovered Disneyland.” I went back upstairs to Stage 23 and was able to get in for my session of the morning, “Behind the Scenes of Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins”. That was so much fun. It was presented by Dave Smith, founder and Chief Archivist Emeritus of the Walt Disney Archives. He is so much fun! There I learned about how Walt found the stories of Mary Poppins (it was a bed time story for his daughters), and that it was Roy O. Disney who managed to convince the infamous P.L. Travers to come on board, not Walt (who tried for 20 years).  One of the things that convinced P.L. Travers to seal the deal was that Walt gave her final say-so with the script…though they didn’t always stick to what she said.

Mickey Mouse and Friend

For example, she was very against the American term, “The cat got your tongue”. She demanded that it was to be taken out, and at the time the writers (song and script) did so. But if you pay attention to some parts of the movie, it didn’t stay out. 

I also learned that Julie Andrews was not Walt’s original choice for Mary Poppins. It was Mary Margaret. But Walt soon was convinced that Julie would be a good fit after seeing her on Broadway in Camelot.  She accepted the role of Mary Poppins only if she didn’t get the role she really wanted, the role that ended up going to Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. At the Academy Awards that year, Julie won Best Actress and not Audrey Hepburn. Julie was not given the role in My Fair Lady because the studio thought that they should have someone with more stage performance experience. Boy, I bet they were hitting themselves over that one.

I thought that “Undiscovered Disneyland” was fun, and the ones that were presenting it were Tony Baxter and Josh Shipley. They showed a lot of old-time film footage of how Disneyland used to be. In fact, they found so much that they renamed it “Rediscovered Disneyland”. That was fun, but I had to leave before it was done, because my Press Pass allowed me in on two of the sessions that afternoon that I don’t think I would have been able to get in otherwise. One of them was starting before this one ended (though “Rediscovered Disneyland” was running a bit late anyway.) 

That one was “Dave Bossert Remembers Roy E. Disney with Roy P. Disney”. This session was interesting.

Roy Disney

We got to “meet” Roy E. Disney both professionally and personally. He apparently didn’t start off working for the family business. He was originally with another studio as a page boy. After that job dissolved, he then went on and applied as the assistant film editor within the Disney Company. He was the one who pursued the Cal Arts dream after Walt passed away, though he was not an artist by trade, but more of a story teller. Throughout the years he moved though different positions, some with ease and some not so much. I learned here that he loved to fly and he started doing so at the age of 16. He also loved the Animal Kingdom and that Fantasia was his favorite movie. I also learn that thanks to his passion for the family business that he himself is the one that pulled it out of the red a couple of times to keep it going.

Disney Imagineering Legend Marty Sklar was the next and last session I went to that day. He has been at the opening of all 11 properties for the Disney Company and has been the only Imaginer to do so. As much as I wanted to hear about his experiences being Walt Disney’s literary right hand man, his monotone voice lost me so quick. I had a hard time tracking with what he was saying. Though I do know that he has written a book, and he was very proud of it. It is titled Dream It! Do It!

Bright (well, rather it was overcast, but you get the idea) and early Saturday we showed up and I had to get in line right away for the D23 Arena. That line was so long, and I really didn’t think I was that far back. There was a worker right in front of me who was telling the people in front of me that he had so far counted off 2,000, and I was thinking sweet, I get to go into the Arena, not the overflow (the overflow was new this year, and increased the number of people who got to see the Arena presentations by quite a bit). Which is good, because I was told the night before that the Press Pass would not get me any special privileges or special entry into it. Boy, could that worker not be any more off. I did end up going into the overflow. I was in line to see the “Let the Adventures Begin: Live Action at the Walt Disney Studios.” It was so worth it.

Cos-Players

I got to see clips from the upcoming Marvel, Disney, and Muppets movies. And all promise to be really good (with the exception of maybe one)! I would have to say that I am looking forward to all of the Marvel movies! They didn’t have a whole lot to show for Iron Man 3, but Captain America: Winter Soldier, Thor 2, and Averages 2 all look really cool and exciting!! And that is saying something from a girl who doesn’t read a whole lot of comics. The one movie that really stood out to me that I want to really see is Maleficent! That is due to come out July 2014, my birthday month! The clips from that movie gave me goose bumps! It comes from the Maleficent’s point of view and how she got where she is when we see her in Sleeping Beauty. That looks really good! Angela Jolie then came out and talked a little bit about her role (Maleficent), the movie, and the making of the movie. The Muppets movie looks to really good, that is if you like the Muppets anyway! The villain looks like he is Kermit’s evil twin and he has an accent, so it was kind of funny to watch. I hate to say it, but the two movies that I’m not very impressed with are Tomorrowland and Saving Mr. Banks. Which makes me sad, because I love mysteries so I would have to be more intrigued with Tomorrowland (especially if they maybe presented it differently). If anything I was turned off from it.  And as for Saving Mr. Banks, I was turned off from it, because as much as I love Tom Hanks, he doesn’t do Walt Disney very well. His phony accent seemed just that that and doesn’t settle well with me. 

YIKES! She's NOT Under The Sea!!

So, as soon as I was done with that session I came out of the overflow, and went and found my husband, had lunch, and then we got back in line for the Legends Ceremony. The Legends this year were Tony Baxter, Collin Campbell, Dick Clark, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Jobs, Glen Keane, and Ed Wynn. I was proud to say that I knew six of the names and roughly what they were known for, so that made it exciting and in some ways, it kind of felt personal. Both Bob Iger and Tom Bergeron were giving the inductions and the back stories of those who being presented with the awards. I won’t say that I got emotional over really much of it, but I felt touched by some in a deep way.

A Concert For The Ages

The line for the event of the weekend, Richard Sherman and Alan Menken: The Disney Songbook, was starting to fill up long before we got out of the Legends Ceremony. So we got right back in line again. That concert was so very cool. I was more raised during Alan Menken’s time, but nonetheless I was felt like I was back in time, during a simpler time, and just able to relax. It was fun! And yes Alan has a much better singing voice than Richard, but Richard had his music memorized and so, I think, he was able to relax a lot more of his segment of the concert. It was easy to tell that both of these men have a passion for music and they love what they did for Disney.

On Sunday, I was only able to get into three as well. The first one was “Secrets of the Lost Chords.” Here Randy Thornton, who is a Disney music historian, was able to give some insight about how and why some music that has been created over the years and then never used, along with some extra story lines or plots that were brought about with those songs. Such as a song that was supposedly between the butler and the maid in 101 Dalmatians was uncovered that would turned the plot of the movie completely around. It was titled “How Much You Mean to Me/Court Me Slowly”; let’s just say that it was a courting relationship where both parties weren’t being entirely truthful about the reason why they were in the relationship to begin with (greed is such mean and deceiving thing). And there was going to be a song with the story line from Cinderella about a dress that her mother wore. So as you can see, just with these two examples it would have turned the movies all around. Randy would first play the original recording of the song with the very basic instrumentation and then he has gone back though, found the sheet music, hired some singers, given the music to a full orchestra, and let them perform the music the way that it was originally supposed to be. It was awesome! To hear the music, the back stories, and everything else, wow!

Early Autopia - Walt Had A Special Car!

The next workshop had to do with talking with different women in different roles all around Pixar. There was a director, a producer, and three animators. They talked about what they do, what they did before Pixar, how they got into Pixar, the roles that women can play in Pixar, and where they see them going. Very good, and very worth it! I just wish I was able to sit up closer to the front. I was able to learn a lot. (Such as if you really want some thing, go after it, even if it takes 46 times to get there. One of the women had 46 interviews, before she was able to get hired on by Pixar.) 

“Leave ‘em Laughing” was the last session I went to and that was where the Imagineers Dave Fisher, Joe Lanzisero, Kevin Rafferty, Jason Surrell, and George Scibner were all were discussing humor and  how it has been used in movies and throughout the parks. Such as the fact, that an Imaginer, at Walt’s insistence, went to the park shortly after it opened and check it out. Marc Davis went down to the park and rode the Jungle Cruise (not the Pirates of the Caribbean, like I first thought and said on the podcast). At that time the Jungle Cruise was just an educational boat ride, and was not funny at all. Marc went back to Walt and told him that it needed something. It needed to be funny, or else it wouldn’t fly. Walt took his advice and soon started putting humor in that ride (in different ways, i.e. the men going up the pole with the rhino right below them, or the line of the gorillas finally getting the jeep to turn over) as well as many others throughout the park and movies to come. These Imaginers especially had fun in creating Toontown, and it was fun to hear them crack each other and themselves up with the different humor slides that they had planted.

The Infamous Hatbox Ghost

I also got to see countless people dress up in various costumes, throughout the three days, countless imaginers taking time to explain a concept to a guest, a child or adult alike look in awe at the dream or story of what the Disney company is glad to show us in whatever concept they have (i.e. painting, a statue, a drawing). It is kind of breathtaking to try to take in impact that one man can have long after he is gone.

Overall, I had a really good time and I’m very glad that I got to go. The imagination, the creativity, the stories, and most importantly the people behind the Disney company is shown much appreciation many times in the people that the come to these Expos who show up in their own costumes, their own stores, and loyalty to attending the different sessions, workshops, ceremonies, show floor, and concerts. Thanks to Al and Joyce I was able to.

You're VERY welcome Faye, we're glad that we were able to assign the Press Credential to you! And thank YOU for doing such a wonderful job of covering this event!  - Al & Joyce

Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast...Episode 77

Welcome to Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast episode 77!! A special edition!!

On this special (and LONG) episode, we share the second part of our 2013 Disney D23 Expo that was recently held in Anaheim, California. On this episode, Randy Crane (you know Randy, he’s are AWESOME podcast sponsor!) shares his adventures at the Expo! 

Awesome Sponsor AND Author, Randy Crane

Don’t forget about the brand new trivia contest we launched that is, well, awesome! We received a terrific gift of Disney Magic from our great friend and listener Ben G. and his family! Let’s just say, THIS giveaway is one of the best...if not THE best we’ve offered. So, be sure to tune in for details on how you can win this GREAT prize!

Hey, if YOU'RE in need of a great travel agent, why not give our sponsor, Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations a holler! I bet he can make YOUR vacation a MAGICAL one! Visit Randy at www.randyc-mouseearvacations.com. NOW is the time to book your 2015 Disney D23 Expo adventure! 


As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 77, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!


Thanks for making us part of your Disney experience and remember…

"Make It A Mickey Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast...Episode 75

Welcome to Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast, Episode 75 (really...not like last time), our Video tribute to the Disney D23 Expo! 

2011 Disney D23 Expo!

On this video episode, we share some highlights from the 2011 Disney D23 Fan Expo in Anaheim, California! We figured since the 2013 Expo was in full swing, AND since we couldn’t attend, we’d share some of the fun times we had at the last Expo to happen in California. We had a lot of fun, and yep, we were TIRED at the end of every day. But...FUN. 

History Of The Disneyland Hotel

One of the panels we went to, and include a small bit of it in this episode, was the Amazing Vault Discovery! A History of the Disneyland Hotel. This was an AWESOME presentation to say the least. We were shown some never before seen video of the grand opening of the Disneyland Hotel, which was broadcast on television! We saw cool things like the shopping mall inside, the comfy beds AND...the GIANT 13 inch televisions in EVERY ROOM! Now, we do have the complete presentation (which was about an hour long!) on video. Just check out Minnie MouseCast 11 for that. 

John Lassiter announcing the Pixar Stamps

Although we couldn't get into every panel we wanted to during the 2011 D23 Expo, we did see quite a few. It was awesome getting a sneak peak at Disney's Prep and Landing Christmas special, and seeing John Lassiter presented with the official Pixar U.S. Postage Stamp series. We were even given one of the pre-release stamps! LOVE SWAG!! 

Great friends and authors, Nancy Rodrigue and David Smith

Joyce, Al and Lisa Robertson

We were granted one press credential for the 2013 Disney D23 Expo, but unfortunately we were not in a position to make the trip (if you follow us at all you all know about our "life" upheaval back in March of this year). BUT...we WERE able to transfer our credentials to the wife of our awesome sponsor Randy Crane, Faye, who is covering the Expo for Tales From The Mouse House! She's been feeding us daily summaries, and will be writing up a complete Expo Rundown for us soon. AND, lucky YOU, she'll be joining us on an upcoming episode to discuss all the wonderfully magical experiences she had! So..be sure to stay tuned for that! 

Fun Cosplayers

AWESOME! Autographed Pirates Of The Caribbean Art!

Pirates Of The Caribbean Attraction - with a twist!

Hey, if YOU'RE in need of a great travel agent, why not give our sponsor, Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations a holler! I bet he can make YOUR vacation a MAGICAL one! Visit Randy at www.randyc-mouseearvacations.com. NOW is the time to book your 2015 Disney D23 Expo adventure! 

Joyce and Jeffrey Epstein the D23 Geek!

As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 75, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

TRON!! Enough said!

Thanks for making us part of your Disney experience and remember…

"Make It A Mickey Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Tales From The Mouse House...Episode 70

Welcome to Tales From The Mouse House Disneyland Podcast...Episode 70! Yeah, we know...it’s been awhile since we’ve done a “regular” audio episode, but hey, life’s been kind of crazy for us, what with unemployment...recording audiobooks, computer systems acting wonky! Oh well, here we are!

On this episode, we chat about Mother’s Day 2013, what’s going on around our house and even launch an impromptu contest...you’ll have to listen in to find out the details! In our Attraction Review, Joyce covers an iconic Disneyland Attraction that illicits oohs and ahhs from everyone who sees it, and in Food Reviews Al covers a new classy place that puts the class in...well, class! 

Yeah, life HAS been quite messy for us lately, I'm still without "real work", despite submitting dozens of resumes. But, while we're in "limbo" with that, we're still moving forward with the Voice Acting/Narration company, Storyteller Productions. Currently I (Al) have 5 books in production, one completed and awaiting approval from audible.com and one on the digital shelves ready for your purchase. If you'd like details on any of these titles, you can visit us at www.storytellerpodcasts.com and just navigate to the voice over page. Oh, and we have a Facebook business page now too, just search for Storyteller Productions. 

As always, If you’d like to send in comments for the show, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, leave us voicemail on the Hotline at 304-TALES23, leave us feedback in iTunes or leave comments for us on our Twitter account @talespodcast. Heck, you can even find us on FaceBook, just search for Tales From The House House - Disneyland podcast! If you'd like to listen to the show, you can find it on iTunes, on our podcast site at talescast.com, the direct episode link: Episode 70, or on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

AND, we're listed on Stitcher Radio now! Just visit www.stitcher.com and search for Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast!

Thanks for making us part of your Disney experience and remember…
"Make It A Mickey Day!" ~~ Al & Joyce

Pixie Tales...Story Telling, Through Music

The lyrics to a song can often tell a story or convey the message that one could not put in words.  When I listen to Disney Movie Soundtracks or Disneyland Resort Music it brings back some memories. 

Today I was listening to Pandora and Phil Collins’ you’ll be in my heart, from the Tarzan soundtrack was playing and I thought of the story Tim O’Day told at the D23 Expo.  The story took place shortly after 9/11 attack and he was walking through the Park and saw a crying women sitting in Town Square.  He stopped to talk to her and she shared that the world was in such turmoil, there was so much sadness because of what happened, that she felt she had to be here in Disneyland, had to be in a place that was built for HAPPINESS. Walt will always be with us and bring his magic to the Park.

Always...
I'll be with you
I'll be there for you always
Always and always
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
Just look over your shoulder
I'll be there always

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies and the Chorus of “Be Our Guest” always reminds me of how I feel when I hear the “chirp” as my entry to the Happiest Place on Earth is granted.  “Be our guest! Be our guest! get your worries off your chest....How could anyone be gloomy or depressed?  This describes how I feel when I see the Disneyland Train Depot, the berm and the plaque that reads, “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.”  Walt built Disneyland so children and parents could have fun together.

At the young age of 4, I had my first Disneyland experience and from that moment on my life was immersed in everything Disney.  I loved Mickey Mouse, the Mickey Mouse Club, and could not wait for our next trip to Disneyland. Growing up in Indiana, we traveled as often as we could; however, when Disney World opened in 1971 we visited and due to the close proximity it was more affordable for a family of 6 to visit.  Either way, as Ariel from the Little Mermaid Movie sings, Disneyland and Disney World are most definitely “Part of My World” and I visited often until I graduated from HIgh school.  

I wanna be where the people are
I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'
Walking around on those - what do you call 'em?
Oh - feet!
Flippin' your fins, you don't get too far
Legs are required for jumping, dancing
Strolling along down a - what's that word again?
Street
Up where they walk, up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wanderin' free - wish I could be
Part of that world

Even after high school, Disney was a huge part of my life even though I was not able to visit the Park. Believe it or not, I spent a quarter of a century away from any Disney Resort Park. I kept dreaming that one day I would be able to return and share the magic of the Park with my Husband, Al. In 2007, that dream came true and I share my Happy Place with the love of my life to makes me the Happiest person in the world.  

A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for, you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling thru
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
the dream that you wish will come true

No matter how old I get, I will always be a child at heart and when I visit the place Walt built for you and me, I will always respect and honor him.  His Dedication Day speech has been etched in my memory and Disneyland will always be a source of joy and inspiration to me. I want to share my love for Disney with everyone so they can experience the magic and happiness that I cannot express in words alone.  I hope you enjoyed this story through music. I will leave you with one last thing..Disney, you will always have a friend in me.

And as the years go by
Boys, our friendship will never die
You're gonna see
It's our destiny
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me

Happiest Blog on Earth - Quirks...

I thought I’d like to share with you some of my, well, quirkiest quirks in this installment! Joyce and I’ve been listening to the Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson on audio book for the last couple of weeks, as we travel back and forth to work, and hearing some of the more intimate details of the Apple wunderkind has made me reflect on my own life and, well, quirks. I know, weird. But hey, that’s what massively, incredibly creative people do!

I started to think back to when Joyce and I started the Tales From The Mouse House – Disneyland podcast, almost two years ago now. Early on we decided that we wanted our podcast to be something special, not just a “product”. Please don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with folks who monetize their podcasts, blogs, websites, etc, but I felt that would not be right for what we wanted to accomplish. I feel that we shouldn’t be profiting off of the Happiest Place on Earth at all. Disneyland is the result of many hard working folks, and I have no right to make money off of someone else’s work.  In fact, the decision to seek a financial sponsor wasn’t easy! I was afraid that by having someone help us with the financial requirements of the podcast (web hosting costs, maintaining recording equipment, contest prize give away goodies, things like that), some people may get the idea that Joyce and I are profiting off the show. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! So, when Randy Crane answered our call for a sponsor,  and we found out what a true Disney spirit he is, we were elated to have him as our sponsor.

 Anyway, from the beginning, we’ve adopted this protective approach to the podcast and everything involved with it. We’re usually pretty careful with what we post out on the social networking sites, not because we have no opinions, but because we feel that by doing a Disneyland podcast, we in essence are representing Disney. That’s not to say that we’ll only post pro-Disney stuff. Nope. That’s not my style. BUT…I REFUSE to post anything, especially negative, unless it’s been fully confirmed, and then we present it in a non-partial way.

We also try to separate ourselves from those who claim to be true Disneyland and Disney fans, yet continually bash or admonish Disney for things that they (the “fans”) may not like or agree with. Of course, if someone doesn’t like something Disney does, (like say, a certain parade down Main Street U.S.A. that should have been thought through a little more…) they certainly have the right to discuss their dislike…but do it in a way that’s positive, not negative. I mean, be constructive in your criticism, don’t just bash.  If you’re going to call yourself a true Disney fan…be one.

That leads me to our podcast itself. Now, again, when we started planning out our podcast, we wanted it to be something special. At the time, there really weren’t many Disneyland Resort specific podcasts out there. There were many that encompassed the entire Disney Theme Park world, many dedicated to Disney in general but I think there were only two (if that many) that were dedicated solely to the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. And, being that this was the only Park I had visited, we thought it best to concentrate on what we knew. A wise podcast mentor once told me, record what you’re passionate about. Well, I was passionate about Disneyland and my wife! What better to record than a podcast dedicated to all the wonderful, magical and HAPPY times I spent at Disneyland with my soul mate?

Now, there are a lot of Disneyland Resort podcasts out there for you to choose from, which means that what we attempted to get out there must have worked. Others took notice and decided to share THEIR love as well. So, our podcast may not have the best content in the podcasting world but it does have something all the others don’t: Al and Joyce’s view and passion! And bottom line, that’s why we started this podcast. Certainly not for the fame and fortune because really, there’s none of that. In fact, we put in just about as much time researching, writing, editing, recording, editing, more editing and publishing this podcast that we put in on our day jobs! But we wanted to share our love and our passion and our BELIEF in the Magic of Disneyland.  

So, that’s my semi-coherent entry for this blog! Hopefully I haven’t bored you to tears, or made you reach for the bottle of aspirin. If you haven’t already heard our podcast, why not hop on over to http://www.talescast.com or iTunes and check us out. We offer audio and video podcasts that help fill that gap between visits to the Happiest Place on Earth, and, if you’ve never been there…well, here’s your chance to experience the Magic! We’d love to hear from you too, you can send us an email to talespodcast@cox.net, and if you want to see if what I said about social media is true, you can follow us @talespodcast on Twitter, or “like” our FaceBook page at http://www.facebook.com/talespodcast.

~~~ Al

Pixie Tales - Once Upon A Time They Lived Happily Ever After...

 

“To all that come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America... with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

Happiness is defined in many different ways and different things bring happiness and joy to people.  My happy place is and always will be Disneyland. There is a special kind of magic that happens to me when I enter the gates of Disneyland.  It creates a kind of magic that some people understand and others just don’t get. If you have the magic in you then you can understand how it got the reputation - the happiest place on earth.

We have shared the story of Al’s first visit to Disneyland but this day also represented a sad day for me as my 19 year old son was being deployed to Iraq.  I was an emotional wreck so we made sure we would arrive on the day of his deployment.  

When I enter the gates of Disneyland I love the sights and sounds of the train station, and then Main Street USA.  There is just a joy that comes over me as I “Run” from ride to ride or just sit and absorb the details in each land.  

This is truly the happiest place on earth in my eyes and it will never lose the magic as new memories are created each time I visit..... ~~ Joyce

 

I Love Mickey! 

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Getting Ready

Wow, it's hard to believe that it's October already! I love Fall for many reasons, one of the biggest is we FINALLY have a chance at day time temperatures BELOW 100, and overnight lows far enough to start what we like to call, Fire Pit Season. We love sitting in our backyard, a cozy fire blazing in our fire pit, billions of stars above. But I think, what I love best about Fall is that it represents the anniversary of my conversion...to a Disneyland Fan! 


It was September of 2007 when Joyce and I made our first trip together to the Happiest Place On Earth. In the four years now that we've been making the trek to the Disneyland Resort, we've visited in just about every month, every season really. But by far my favorite it Fall, right around the end of September to the end of October. Truth be told, the end of October is my all time favorite because the weather is perfect and, well, it's our wedding anniversary time. So, why have I shared this with you? Because, my magical readers Joyce and I are heading off to Disneyland near the end of October to celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary! 


We thought long and hard about where we wanted to celebrate 15 wonderful years of marriage and both agreed there was only one place we wanted to be - Disneyland (ok, so it really took us about 15 seconds to decide!). Where better to celebrate the best day of my life but in my favorite place on earth, with my favorite person. Oh, and believe me, the Disneyland Resort IS the best place to celebrate anything. They go WAY above and beyond to make certain you feel special. Joyce and I have shared many things over the years, but the one thing that we share that has enabled us to spread magic to others is our love for Disneyland and Walt Disney. 


So, take it from me, if you're looking to find a place to celebrate your love, or your birthday, or that job promotion, or winning the big game...well, you get the picture, look no further than Disneyland. And if you're not sure, why not check out our latest video podcast. We've started a series we call "Through The Eyes Of The Mouse: Relaxing At The Disneyland Resort". In this series of special videos, we take you on a people watching-relaxing trip through the Disneyland Resort, and you don't even have to wear shoes! In this second of the series, we take you to Mickey's Toontown and Adventureland. If you'd like to see the first part, check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/talespodcast. And be sure to check out Tales From The Mouse House - Disneyland Podcast in iTunes, or at www.talescast.com. ~~~ Al 

Disneyland in the Fall

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Happiness...

Happiness. Now that's a pretty personal word, isn't it? Happiness could mean a million dollars to one person, and it could mean a good hair day to another. The meaning of the word is as unique to the person as the person using it. To me, happiness isn't a "feeling", it's a state of being.

Let me back up a moment. Being happy, as I'm sure everyone knows, is always in a state of flux, that is, it's never constant. For example, you could wake up in a happy mood, then after battling a fierce traffic jam, be transformed into "Mr. Grumpy Pants"! Then, someone plays the "Baby Monkey Riding On A Pig" song for you, and viola, you're in the Happiness Realm once again! So, for most of my time, I'm a pretty happy guy, but can experience my "downs" with the best of them. But...there's ALWAYS one magical thing that reaches its hand down the deep well of Grumpy Town and rescues me - Disneyland! Yep, Disneyland. The location, the idea, the thought, the photos, the sounds, well you get the picture.

I'm a relative "Newbie" to the Disneyland Resort. For those who know me or have heard Joyce and me chat about this on our podcast you'll already know this. But, for the vast majority of my life I've been deprived of that awesome happiness factory called the Disneyland Resort. My very first visit to Disneyland wasn't until 2007 - at the age of 42! My darling wife finally talked me into visiting for the Halloween Season in 2007, and I've been HAPPILY hooked ever since. Disneyland represents a tremendous state of being to me that is extremely difficult to put into words. Once I walked through the Magical Gates of Disneyland for the first time, my very definition of happiness changed. No longer was it sufficient to watch my favorite movie to make me happy. No longer was it sufficient to hear my favorite song to make me happy. Oh no! Happiness moved to a whole new level.

For those of you who love Disneyland, you understand. Walking through those gates puts you in another world, another time. The worries and troubles that plague you on "the outside" just don't exist for those few magical hours you get to spend there. Walt Disney was a very insightful man. He understood that folks NEED, not just want, but NEED, to be connected with that inner child. He found a way to help folks re-connect with the child they used to be, transporting them - US - back to an age when we were happy just being...and that's exactly what happens every time I walk through the gates of Disneyland. I'm happy...being. And spending those few magical hours with the love of my life...well, the word happy just doesn't cover it.  Call it magic, call it clever marketing, it doesn't matter. The end result is the same: HAPPINESS.

The Happiest Blog On Earth - It's Almost Time!

Wow!! Oh boy!! Yikes!!! All of these are going through my mind right now! The last several months seemed to drag by at a snails pace, but all of a sudden, BAM! It’s almost time to head on out to Disneyland and the D23 Expo!! Yeah!!!

Well, we’ve been planning and prepping for so long, and of course, I’ve been looking so forward to this visit (can’t believe it’s been 8 months since our last visit!), that time seemed to slow down daily. And of course, with that greater time distance comes a lack of motivation to get the things done that need to be done. Like cleaning out the inside of the SUV; fixing the lift-gate of said SUV so we can actually PUT our luggage in it; washing our “vacation” clothes and ironing them up (yep, I iron!); making certain all the camera and audio equipment are functioning and recording our podcast to launch while we’re in Disneyland so you great friends have something to “tide you over” until we get back! Typically, all of this got put off until the last minute, so all of a sudden...we’re running out of time! But, that helps the remaining few days before the trip fly by. Right? Right!

So, as I complete my last minute chores and tasks, I can’t help but get more excited by the minute. Disneyland! I can’t wait!! So now, the final task is to put my Disneyland Trading pins on my lanyards. All 200 pins...and 14 lanyards!! Oh, and I can’t forget to pack my stuffed puppy! - Al

The Happiest Blog On Earth - Getting Ready for the D23 Expo!

Just about a year ago, Joyce told me about the D23 Expo. She was so excited about it. After all, we WERE Charter Day Members of D23! At this point, we had already decided to go to Destination D, the D23 “mini-event” held at the Disneyland Hotel September, 2010. So I said, go ahead, buy the tickets and we’ll just figure out how to get there as the time nears.

Well, Destination D was awesome. Really put me in the Disney magical mood. At the Event, they shared video and stories about the first D23 Expo, about the stars that showed up, the neat Disney things that were revealed.  So, since then, I’ve been looking forward to the D23 Expo with an anticipation rivaled by few.

But of course, I didn’t take into account that most malicious of entities - Murphy. As in the lawman? Murphy’s Law! Let me tell you, Mr. Murphy is NOT a very nice person. He’s thrown so many obstacles in our path recently that I began entertaining the notion of hiring a hit-man to rid us of Mr. Murphy! (Just kidding).

Since the beginning of this year, we’ve encountered quite a few...set backs that have attempted to throw the proverbial monkey-wrench in our plans. An unexpected yet serious physical issue that resulted in a semi-emergency surgery for me (nerve damage...tune in to episode 23 for that one), some unplanned for home related expenses (landscaping issues, etc), and a few other financial challenges. Then to top it off, we had a horribly difficult time finding a hotel that could fit our financial needs as well as offer us some amenities that we wanted. We had booked a room at a local hotel very close to the convention center where the Expo is being held, but they were less than friendly when it came to honoring an advertised special rate.

Well, long story just a tad bit longer, tonight, as I was preparing an episode of our Just Because Podcast (www.justbecausepodcast.com), I stumbled across a banner ad for a hotel called Red Lion while researching something TOTALLY unrelated to Disneyland. Fate? Devine intervention? Perhaps. Walt Disney looking out for us? I’d like to think as much. So, not only did we find a highly rated, newly renovated hotel directly across the street from the Expo, and about a 10 minute walk to the Resort, but we found one that fit all of our requirements!

Moral of this story? Believe in the Magic. While others may let you down, the Magic will never fail you. So, Joyce and I are going to the D23 Expo. Very excited. And best of all, we get to visit The Happiest Place On Earth. So Mr. Murphy, I say to you thank you for trying! But Uncle Walt has got my back! See you at the Resort!! ~~~ Al