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Imagination Skyway (formerly Imagineer Podcast) is positive, welcoming, family-friendly Disney® fan community celebrating the magical worlds of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and beyond. Disclaimers:
© 2023 - Imagination Skyway | Imagination Skyway is in no way part of, endorsed or authorized by, or affiliated with the Walt Disney Company or its affiliates.

26/06/2024

May you grow up to be righteous.
May you grow up to be true.
May you always know the truth.
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous.
Stand upright and be strong.
May you stay forever young.
🎶 Forever Young

16/06/2024

🏒 The Pixar magic is strong with Inside Out 2! I’m so glad we took Maggie to see this one in theaters because she really enjoyed seeing it on the big screen as much as we did, and this is a movie I cannot wait to come to Disney+.

I put this film on the Pixar A-list because it checks off many boxes:

⭐️ A creative premise (in this case, a meaningful expansion to an existing creative premise).
🎥 A great story that both children and adults can enjoy, full of heart and humor.
🥹 Emotional moments (my eyes got misty twice).
🎶 A beautiful musical score.
🧠 Motifs that help us grapple with major life moments (in this case, our own emotions, especially in times of growth and change).

While the plot for this film didn’t quite have the same level of profound realization as its predecessor (remember what Joy discovered about the true value of Sadness?) and thus was more predictable, it still was incredibly emotionally gratifying and very enjoyable to watch. And despite Disgust and Fear getting new voices with this sequel, I found it was handled as smoothly as similar Pixar recasts (e.g. Slinky Dog).

🍅 With a 92% critic score and 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes opening weekend, I must say these scores are warranted. I can’t wait to see it again!

25/05/2024

🎹 So saddened to hear about the passing of Richard M. Sherman, announced by Disney just a few moments ago. Richard and his brother Robert wrote some of the most iconic songs of all time, and I’ll be spending the weekend listening to some old favorites in his memory.

“Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman, half of the Academy Award®-winning songwriting team of the Sherman Brothers (with his late brother, Disney Legend Robert B. Sherman), passed away Saturday, May 25, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills, due to age-related illness. He was 95 years old. One of the most prolific composer-lyricists in the history of family entertainment, and a key member of Walt Disney’s inner circle of creative talents, Richard garnered nine Academy Award nominations (winning two Oscars® for his work on the 1964 classic Mary Poppins), won three GRAMMY® Awards, and received 24 gold and platinum albums over the course of his 65 year career. His career ran the gamut from the early days of rock n’ roll (with such hits as “You’re Sixteen”) and television to Broadway and Hollywood.“ - Walt Disney Company

What song by Richard Sherman has brought you the most joy?

04/05/2024

✨ be with you, always! I’m back at Walt Disney World for the weekend and excited to try something I’ve wanted to experience since 2019. Stay tuned for all the fun this weekend.

What’s your favorite Star Wars experience at the Disney Parks?

03/05/2024

📱 How much time do we actually need to spend on our screens at Walt Disney World? I have always argued it’s less than we probably think. Swipe through to take a look at my two-day experiment (notes below).

On Saturday, we visited two theme parks (Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT) and did not purchase Genie+ for the day. Total time spent on My Disney Experience amounted to 19 minutes, or less than 90 seconds every hour. Most of this time was spent downloading PhotoPass photos, mobile ordering food, checking wait times, and checking in for our lunch reservation. I spent more time on Instagram (posting stories) and my camera (taking photos) that day. The time spent mobile ordering while in line for an attraction also saved us time that would have otherwise been spent waiting in a quick-service line. I definitely got those 19 minutes back.

On Sunday, we visited one theme park (Magic Kingdom) and used the app for the same functions in addition to purchasing and using Genie+. Throughout the day, we spent 40 minutes on My Disney Experience, an average of about 3 minutes every hour. Nevertheless, the additional 1.5 minutes every hour (compared to Saturday) helped us snag a total of 12 Lightning Lanes, saving us a combined ~4.5 hours that day based on standby wait times when we entered each queue. Factoring in how much we paid for Genie+ that day, it cost our family a total $6 per hour saved per person.

My argument still stands. You can go to Walt Disney World and spend minimal time on your phone if you really want to. You can also ramp up your screen time and do more. It’s all a matter of your preferences! For comparison, let me know how much time you spent on your phone yesterday (assuming you weren’t at a Disney Park).

12/04/2024

💫 Walt Disney Studios Park is becoming Disney Adventure World, marking “a transformation that involves the overhaul of more than 90% of Walt Disney Studios Park since its debut in 2002.” The name will take effect when World of Frozen opens.

Along with the name change, Disneyland Paris announced:

• The park entrance will be reimagined “with crafted décor that pays homage to historic movie theaters in Hollywood and the entertainment industry as a whole.”

• Adventure Way will be this park’s new Main Street, taking guests into the various realms of the park.

• Raiponce Tangled Spin will be a new attraction coming to Adventure Way. There will also be a new restaurant and lounge in this part of the park.

• Two new shows will debut later this year, an “ultra-colorful, pop-rock face-off” called Alice & the Queen of Hearts: Back to Wonderland, and a nighttime Marvel Avengers Campus show on the Worldwide Engineering Brigade building.

🎧 Get all the details in our latest 10-minute Imagination Skyway News episode on your favorite podcast app.

What are your thoughts on these changes?

05/04/2024

🚦Test Track will be temporarily closing June 17 to make way for its reimagining at EPCOT. As announced at Destination D23, the new version of the attraction will incorporate elements from Test Track’s predecessor, World of Motion. Which version of Test Track has been your favorite so far? 🚗

03/04/2024

While no official news has been announced about a potential Avatar experience coming to Disneyland, Disney did show off some Imagineering concept work for what might be included as part of the Disneyland Forward initiative.

It’s worth noting part of the reason this news is not official is because the proposal still needs to be approved by the Anaheim City Council, with the final vote taking place later this month.

Zooming in to this concept art, I’m noticing some exciting ideas. If a full Avatar land does make its way to Disneyland (assuming Disneyland Forward is approved by Anaheim), what would you hope to see?

03/04/2024

Just announced at the official Walt Disney Company Annual Meeting of Shareholders:

✅ Shareholders have voted to keep all 12 Disney board members, including Bob Iger.
❌ Opposing nominees from Trian Partners (including Nelson Peltz and Jay Rasulo) have been voted down by shareholders.
❌ Opposing nominees from Blackwell Capital have been voted down by shareholders.

An independent third party will be certifying the results in the coming days which will be included in the formal SEC report.

24/03/2024

🗳️ There’s a major Disney shareholder vote taking place now through April 3, and while I posted a bonus podcast episode about this (now on Patreon), I felt it was important to widen the reach of this message. Here’s everything you need to know in one post. The fact that this post is so frank, when most of you know me as being typically optimistic but fair, I hope will speak volumes.

📊 Activist investor (the new name for “corporate raider”) Nelson Peltz is seeking board seats at Disney. He has directly cited his core goal is to raise the value of the company for shareholders, trying to win the hearts of Disney fans and investors alike.

✅ Some are viewing this as voting for or against Bob Iger. That’s not what this is at all. This is voting for or against the future of Disney. Should the door be opened for Peltz, he will not “restore the magic”. He will destroy the magic, turning Disney into a company designed solely to make him and his company richer (he’s achieved a net worth of $1.7 billion in part by doing this to other companies).

✊ Those with some of the most complicated relationships with Iger, including Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and Roy Disney’s grandchildren (Walt’s too) have publicly and emphatically declared support for the existing board and for Iger. I’ve screenshotted their statements in this post.

🙏 Whether you love Iger, long for the Eisner days, or wish Walt were still around, the message is clear… if you’re a Disney fan, this isn’t about agreeing with the decisions Iger has made. This is about safeguarding the future of the brand you love and giving it a chance to continue to make magic. If you own shares and have yet to vote, I urge you to vote YES for every Disney-recommended board member and NO for every contesting activist investor. It’s what I’ve done already (go to VoteDisney.com for more info).

(The views in this post are my own, expressed as a lifelong Disney fan, historian, podcaster, former Cast Member, shareholder, Disney Vacation Club Member, and annual passholder… someone with corporate experience and education who wants to help the magic thrive for me and my family and all those who identify as Disney fans).

28/02/2024

👶🏻 Baby Krul coming summer 2024! We’re so excited to announce that our Imagination Skyway family is expanding this year with another baby girl. Maggie can’t wait to be a big sister, and Joanna and I are thrilled to soon be a family of four.

There is an incredible history of Disney Dads with two daughters (in modern times: Bandit Heeler from Bluey and King Agnarr from Frozen). Most notably, Walt Disney had two daughters, and his inspiration for creating Disneyland famously began when he would bring Diane and Sharon to Griffith Park to ride the carousel. I’m so humbled and proud to be a and am seriously looking forward to magic ahead.

If you’re interested in a photo announcement session like this one, definitely consider reserving a Capture Your Moment PhotoPass session. This is the third time we’ve done it and all three times have been incredible!

Stay tuned for more baby girl updates. 🥰

27/02/2024

🚠 To those who’ve just joined us, welcome aboard. My name is Matt and I’m the founder and host of Imagination Skyway, established in 2017 as Imagineer Podcast.

If you’re new here, I want to introduce who I am and how Imagination Skyway can bring you some magic at home or at the parks.

🙋‍♂️ About Matt: I’m a proud Disney Dad, Disney Vacation Club Member, Walt Disney World Annual Passholder, D23 Gold Member, former Disney Cast Member, and lifelong Disney fan and historian. With more days visiting Walt Disney World and Disneyland than I can count, my mission is to spread joy and optimism with Disney magic as a catalyst to happiness.

🎙️ About Imagination Skyway: our podcast features long-form (45+ min) biweekly episodes with a wide breadth of evergreen Disney subjects, everything from interview with Imagineers and Disney Legends to discussions about our favorite Disney music, tips for having a more enjoyable Disney experience, and [our most popular] deep-dive conversations about our favorite Disney attractions. Find Imagination Skyway wherever you listen to podcasts.

🗞️ About Imagination Skyway News: our newest podcast offers short-form (5 min) episodes that provide the latest Disney news with a balanced, long-term approach, all with a realistic and minimally biased lens that aims to inform, not to persuade. These episodes are published as needed, whenever news drops, and our goal is to offer the most trustworthy source of Disney news you can find, one delivered with respect for Disney fans. You can find this second show wherever you listen to podcasts.

🌐 Those who have been a part of this group for a while will tell you there’s something a little different about what we do, a unique formula that isn’t quite what you’ll find in another Disney community, and I sincerely hope you enjoy your grand circle tour aboard Imagination Skyway.

If you’ve listened to the podcast, let me know your favorite episode or memory of the show so far.

13/02/2024

🐸 Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is opening SUMMER 2024 at Walt Disney World and later this year at Disneyland.

Disney announced some exciting news this morning just in time for Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Tiana’s brand new attraction is opening at Magic Kingdom Park this summer. Walt Disney Imagineering shared an early look at Tiana’s animatronic figure in action and she looks incredible!

Reprising their roles from the film, Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Jennifer Lewis, and Michael Leon Wooley have each contributed their voices for the attraction.

When will be your first trip “down the bayou” at Walt Disney World or Disneyland?

09/02/2024

🎙️ Introducing a BRAND NEW offering | Imagination Skyway News Podcast. This is my second podcast series and is a spin-off of the Imagination Skyway content you already know and love. Here’s what you can expect and how it’s different.

Imagination Skyway News is a family-friendly news podcast for Disney fans who just want the facts without the speculation, clickbait, or hyperbolic opinions. We provide news updates with a balanced, long-term view of the company and the industry at large, taking a well-rounded approach that aims to inform, not to persuade.

While Imagination Skyway offers biweekly episodes that dive into Disney fandom (the past and present), Imagination Skyway News has no regular cadence or set length. We’ll provide news as it becomes available and create episodes that are only as long as they need to be in order to share the most recent updates.

My inspiration for starting Imagination Skyway News is similar to my motivation for starting Imagination Skyway itself. I’m simply looking to create a show I personally would want to listen too. I’m the kind of Disney fan who just wants to hear the news. If you’re like me, this show is for you.

You can subscribe to the show now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, and Podbean. More services are coming soon, or you can listen on the Imagination Skyway website under the Disney News dropdown (a direct link is on Instagram, too). I already have a trailer and 2 episodes published.

Candidly, this new show will also include programmatic ads to help sponsor our content. You can subscribe on our Patreon page at a new $3.99/mo tier to enjoy ad-free episodes and bonus content. Existing Imagination Skyway Patreon subscribers are getting all of this at no additional cost (it’s live with your membership now).

If you want to support our mission to share the latest Disney news with a balanced, long-term approach, please do what you can to subscribe, listen to, and share this brand new podcast.

See ya real soon! 🐭

08/02/2024

🐭 Bob Iger shared some exciting updates in today’s First Quarter Earnings Call, adding to a big week for Disney news. Here are just a few of the many highlights:

🕹️ Disney is collaborating on new games and entertainment with Epic Games (makers of Fortnite) and will acquire a $1.5 billion stake in the gaming company.

🌀 Moana 2 is coming to theaters November 27, 2024. “After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.”

🦊 Zootopia 2 is coming to theaters November 26, 2025. Frozen 3 and Toy Story 5 will both be coming to theaters in 2026.

🎸 Taylor Swift The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) will be exclusively streaming on Disney+ starting March 15 with “cardigan” and four additional acoustic songs.

🏈 Disney will be partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox to create a new sports streaming service launching this fall.

📊 Across the board, earnings outperformed expectations, with adjusted earnings reaching $1.22 per share vs an expected $0.99. Disney is increasing dividends for shareholders by 50%.

Reflecting on this quarter, Iger stated, “As we build for the future, the steps we are taking today lend themselves to solidifying Disney’s place as the preeminent creator of global content. Looking at the renewed strength of all of our businesses this quarter – from Sports, to Entertainment, to Experiences – we believe the stage is now set for significant growth and success, including ample opportunity to increase shareholder returns as our earnings and free cash flow continue to grow.”

01/02/2024

🌎 I’m not a Universal guy, but I predict Epic Universe will elevate the Central Florida attraction experience. Now if only Universal would create more attractions for those like me who are prone to motion sickness, perhaps I’d visit a bit more often (as a decades-long Harry Potter fan, it pains me that the only major attractions are strong inducers of motion sickness).

If you want my full prediction for how Epic Universe might impact Walt Disney World, head to patreon.com/imaginationskyway for a free bonus episode (just tap on the “Free Samples” Collection).

What are your thoughts and predictions about Epic Universe?

17/12/2023

🎄 Off for the holidays! Taking time these last two weeks of the year to recharge, reflect, and gear up for an incredible year ahead. We’ve already recorded the first episode for 2024 and it might be one of our best yet (make sure you’re subscribed to the show so you don’t miss it).

2023 had some incredible moments, too, including:
• Officially becoming Disney Vacation Club Members.
• Maggie’s first trip to Disneyland.
• My first time staying at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa.
• My first time staying in a one bedroom villa.
• Maggie’s first Very Merry Christmas Party.
• My first Oogie Boogie Bash and Disney Jollywood Nights (opening night).
• My first press invite to Destination D23 (a goal I set in 2019 and a humbling experience).
• Taking Maggie to see her first Disney On Ice and Disney movie experience (Wish).
• My first Delta One experience (so worth saving air miles for little splurges like these, at least for me).
• My first time reaching Delta Gold Medallion status.
• An interview with Muppet performer Dave Goelz.

This just barely scratches the surface and covers only the Disney/travel highlights. I’m humbled and grateful for 2023 and am looking forward to the work and the optimism that will make 2024 even more rewarding.

I’m also incredibly grateful for all of you. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year. See you in 2024!

What are you most looking forward to in 2024? 🎁

18/11/2023

🥳 Happy 95th birthday Mickey & Minnie! Your Disney 100 outfits felt like the perfect way to get a birthday portrait. Here’s to another year of being our family’s favorite! 🐭

14/11/2023

🎄 I attended the opening night of Disney Jollywood Nights (paid for my own ticket), and I definitely would and absolutely plan to come back again. Here are the reasons why, some things I would recommend for improvement, and some things to consider:

Reasons I enjoyed this event:

🎷 The live music and performances add a dynamic energy that cannot be conveyed even through video, like watching a wedding reception on an Instagram story.

🎢 The attractions had no wait (except 20 minutes for Slinky Dog Dash and 15 for Toy Story Mania). Batuu was completely empty and for me worth the price of admission alone.

🧁 There were over 60 unique food and drink items available for purchase.

🥂 The vintage vibe added to the glitz and glamor of Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Things that can improve the event:

🥃 Some food lines were very long (not all). I expect Disney will course correct on the most popular locations.

🍪 A complimentary snack or beverage at select locations would increase the value of the ticket, and I’d be willing to spend a few more dollars on the ticket because of the time savings.

Things to keep in mind:

👶 I saw some kids having a great time, but this experience is really geared to adults.

💚 Never judge an event by opening night. Opening night for anything always has shortcomings. I expect this event will continually improve over time.

⏰ It’s impossible to see and do it all. Know your priorities, and know how long you’re willing to wait for select offerings. Pivot when needed and you’ll have a great time!

Overall, I really did enjoy this event and look forward to coming back next year.

02/11/2023

✈️ Maggie is not even two but by her second birthday she’ll have already flown over 22,000 miles. Frequent travel was one of the best gifts my parents gave me as a kid, and it’s a gift I hope Joanna and I continue to provide for Maggie. And she’s really getting the hang of air travel (on this last trip when we landed and the plane parked at the gate she told us, “all done!”).

In addition to the obvious (family time), travel has so many benefits for children, including building cultural empathy, adaptability, linguistic skills, and open-minded learning. We’ve witnessed this firsthand. Every time we travel, we see Maggie’s learning take a leap forward, unlocking a new milestone.

There are many benefits for adults, too, including reducing stress (says the guy who gets flight anxiety, but it’s true), enhancing creativity, increasing happiness, and improving your health overall.

Consider this an update to my “take the trip” mantra first declared in August 2022. Over a year later, I believe it more than ever. Travel with your kids not just to build family memories but also to invest in their social and intellectual development (and your health, too). It’s certainly not the only way to do so, but it affords some incredible family memories along the way.

If you could hop on a plane with your family anywhere right now, all expenses paid, where would you go?

16/10/2023

🐭 [Spoiler Warning] In the new Disney Animated Short “Once Upon A Studio”, there’s a scene where Mickey comes across a photo of Walt Disney in the halls of the animation building. He takes a reflective moment to look up at Walt, and suddenly you hear an instrumental piano version of “Feed The Birds”. We learned a little secret at a sneak peak at Destination D23 that makes this moment even more special.

Many Disney fans might know that “Feed The Birds” was one of Walt’s favorite songs. On Friday afternoons, he would call Richard & Robert Sherman (who wrote the song) into his office and ask for Richard to play it for him on the piano in his office, sometimes just with a look. After Walt passed, Richard continued to visit Walt’s office piano and play it for him. But the story doesn’t end there.

For “Once Upon A Studio”, Directors Trent Correy () and Dan Abraham () asked Richard to help with this scene. The instrumental version you hear in the short is the sound of Richard Sherman playing “Feed The Birds” once again in Walt’s office on that same piano, specifically recorded for this special 100th anniversary feature.

This short is a love letter to Disney fans. It’s riddled with secrets and Easter eggs, and it’s my favorite Disney short to date, certainly the most meaningful!

If you’ve seen this Disney Short, what was your favorite moment?

13/10/2023

❄️ This is not concept art. This is a real photo from World of Frozen opening at Hong Kong Disneyland on November 20. Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs will be one of the attractions opening with this new land. Photo is courtesy of Disney.

Would you travel to Hong Kong Disneyland to visit this new land?

11/10/2023

🎉 All-day park hopping is coming back to Walt Disney World! Disney Parks just announced this morning that beginning January 9, 2024, you will once again be able to park hop any time of day and won’t have to wait until 2pm to do so. This applies to both Annual Passes and day tickets. What is your park hopping strategy with all-day park hopping available? ✨

08/10/2023

✨ Tomorrow is never guaranteed, which is why today it’s important to do everything you can to create happiness, love, and fulfillment… and it helps to do some good for the world, too. May this week be your best week ever. 🙏

(Share this with someone who needs to hear this message, even if it’s not a direct share of this post but just conveying the message itself).

30/09/2023

🧑‍🎄 I know we’re still in Halloween mode, but just a friendly reminder that now is the time to be booking holiday travel to Disney if you haven’t done so already! And Disney is offering some incredible deals for the holidays this year, including up to 25% off resort stays (up to 35% off for annual passholders). It’s getting me so excited for our upcoming holiday stay hosted by .

The Disney resorts are filled with holiday magic during this season, each offering unique decor and even a holiday music loop to match the theme of the resort (everything from classical holiday music at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa to Swahili versions of your holiday favorites at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge).

What’s your favorite resort to visit during the holiday season? 🎄

19/09/2023

🐭 Disney will spend $60 billion over the next 10 years specifically in Disney Parks investments, doubling capital expenditures. This figure includes domestic and international parks as well as Disney Cruise Line and was formally announced by The Walt Disney Company this morning.

These investments will focus on three pillars: stories, scale, and fans.

Stories: “Today, as Disney considers future growth opportunities, there is a deep well of stories that have yet to be fully explored in its theme parks.”

Scale: “Disney Parks has over 1,000 acres of land for possible future development to expand theme park space across its existing sites – the equivalent of about seven new Disneyland Parks.”

Fans: “As Disney expands its footprint and offerings, not only will the company be able to reach more of its existing fans, but it will create new fans and loyal consumers.”

What park investments are you hoping to see over the next decade?

16/09/2023

🎄 We’re headed home for the holidays! We just snagged a quick little weekend trip to visit Walt Disney World during the holiday season for the first time in 4 years (how has it been that long?), and I cannot wait to take Maggie with us for her first Disney holiday!

On this trip, I’ll be taking you with me [virtually] to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (with Joanna and Maggie) and the first ever Disney Jollywood Nights (solo)! I’m also very very excited about where we’re staying. It’ll be a split stay at two of my favorite resorts (any guesses where?).

What do you love most about the holiday season at Disney? ❄️

13/09/2023

😍 My favorite Disney Parks concept art from this weekend’s event at Walt Disney World. Details and explanations are below.

1️⃣ Imagineers are planning to reimagine DinoLand U.S.A. into a land referred to as “Tropical Americas”. Drawing inspiration from the northern part of South America, stretching up into Central America, Imagineers are considering new experiences inspired by Encanto and Indiana Jones.

2️⃣ The ride vehicle for the third future attraction coming to Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park combines elements of Tony Stark’s time-suits with Xandarian jump points and Wakandan technology, capable of jumping between worlds and realities with portal technology and flight capabilities.

3️⃣ Test Track will be reimagined at EPCOT, reaching back into history for inspiration from World of Motion (the original attraction that Test Track replaced). It will carry forward the same spirit of optimism. Imagineering will once again partner with Chevrolet on this transformation.

4️⃣ A Pirates of the Caribbean-themed lounge is coming to Walt Disney World as part of an Adventureland expansion. The original barker bird from the attraction will be returning for this experience.

5️⃣ A new show based on Zootopia is being developed for the Tree of Life theater at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The current concept has guests visiting various biomes seen briefly in the film, traveling alongside Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, among other characters.

Which of these five pieces of Disney concept art look most intriguing to you?

11/09/2023

🐭 That’s a wrap on from Walt Disney World. I want to extend a special thank you to for inviting me to attend this weekend’s events as media. It was not just a dream come true but also an absolute pleasure to share the experience with all of you! Here are my favorite moments from this weekend (in no particular order):

1️⃣ Hearing all the exciting updates. Our future trips with Maggie are looking bright (so much so that we’re planning to add on Disney Vacation Club points in the next year).

2️⃣ Getting a sneak peak of Once Upon A Studio, the latest short debuting for the 100th anniversary very soon.

3️⃣ Getting to see 10 minutes of Wish film coming to theaters November 22. The footage we saw has me very excited to watch this movie with Maggie.

4️⃣ Attending the Down the Rabbit hole presentation where we were the first ever to hear an unreleased Sherman Brothers song written for Maelstrom called The Fjords of Norway.

5️⃣ Getting a preview of Journey of Water Inspired by Moana. I spent a total of an hour there this weekend and cannot wait to go back with Maggie and Joanna!

6️⃣ Hearing the talk about the future of EPCOT. You all know how long I have been studying Imagineering and I am very impressed with the way they’re thinking about the future of the park.

7️⃣ Hearing so many voices of favorite Disney characters sing, discuss their roles, and even have some fun reading Disney Parks scripts.

8️⃣ Meeting so many of you! One of the best parts of a D23 event is making new friends and reconnecting with familiar faces.

How many D23 events have you been to, and what will be your next one?

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Videos

🎥 Channeling 1990s MGM vibes.

🎶 “Your mind defines what enters through your nose.”

I’m looking forward to my next trip through the bayou!

🐸 I was thrilled to *hop* down to Walt Disney World for a quick weekend trip and experience Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for the first time thanks to a D23 Gold Member event (which followed an enjoyable, separate ticketed event for D23 Members to watch The Princess and the Frog at Disney Springs). Both events were a LOT of fun). Opportunities like these are a few of the reasons I love being a D23 Gold Member (please note my participation in both events was purchased, not gifted). The attraction formally opens to the public on June 28, and while there has been a lot of online chatter analyzing the ride from videos, I can tell you that the ride has a very different feeling in person (like anything else at Disney, not much can properly be conveyed through video). Every D23 Gold Member present had a joyful reaction coming off the ride, and while we did collectively discuss our praises and desired improvements to the experience, this group of Disney fans seemed to feel mutually excited to have this attraction up and running. If you’ve been able to attend a preview for the attraction, let me know your thoughts after riding this in person. If you haven’t ridden the attraction yet, when will be your first time riding at Walt Disney World or Disneyland?

🚤 The nostalgic ferry sounds make this video even more magical.

🚝 Welcome aboard the TTA Blue Line!

🏰 My first podcast episode (2017) and still one of the most popular was a comparison of Disneyland Park to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Despite being based on similar park models, the two parks feel quite different from one another, and still no matter how often I visit Magic Kingdom I long for trips to Disneyland. If you’ve been to both, what do you find to be the best parts of each?

What’s your favorite time of day to ride water attractions like Kali River Rapids at Disney?

Which versions of Carousel of Progress have you experienced at the Magic Kingdom?

📚 I’ve been collecting books about Walt Disney Imagineering for 25 years (of course most of the ones featured in this Reel are younger than that). Here is where I get a lot of my information about Disney Parks!

🚝 What’s your favorite monorail color?

🏔️ Sound plays such an important role in our lives, which is why the filmmakers pay such careful attention to the music and sound effects you hear in a movie and why Imagineers put so much detail into the sound of the environments around the parks. The combined sounds of the chirping birds, the distant wind, the echoing train whistle, the creaking railroad, and Nepali instruments tell the story of a foreboding legend in a beautiful natural landscape. Which park has your favorite sound design?

Imagineers transition guests from one land to the next using audio and visual cues, and this is one of my favorite classic examples. What’s your favorite transition from one land to the next at the Disney Parks?

🏰 Similar ramps exist at EPCOT (on either side of Spaceship Earth) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom (the Oasis). When we first enter the park full of energy, we are more inclined (pun intended) to have the strength to make it up and into the center of the park. At the end of the day, the downward slope helps us make it through those final parts of the day.

💧 Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is filled with incredible Imagineering details, but this one might be my favorite. At the far end of the Valley of Mo’ara above the entrance to Avatar Flight of Passage is a series of waterfalls, but the one at the very top isn’t made of real water. It’s actually a spinning wheel made to look like flowing water. Why wouldn’t they just make all the waterfalls real? Well, it all goes back to forced perspective! Have you ever looked at a waterfall from far away? Like really far away? Or flown in a plane and looked down at the cars below? Everything appears to move slower when we look at something far in the distance. Even looking up at planes 35,000 feet above us, they appear to be moving slowly across the sky despite traveling at hundreds of miles per hour (apply this concept even farther to the moon, planets, and stars). The mountains surrounding the valley need to appear to be very large, which means the peaks of the mountains we’re looking at above Flight of Passage should appear to be very far away. If the Imagineers created a real waterfall (flowing water) at the top, the water would appear to be moving too quickly for it to be real, so they turned to a subtle practical illusion, creating a “slower-moving” waterfall that even in your peripheral vision makes that waterfall seem farther away. What’s your favorite Imagineering detail in Pandora – The World of Avatar?

🗂️ US Congressional Record 18-USC-713 allows use of “the likeness of the great seal of the United States” thanks to Disney’s efforts to create a more realistic experience entering the lobby of the Hall of Presidents, an attraction that was Walt’s ultimate dream beyond Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (a 1964 World’s Fair attraction that first tested this concept and was later moved to Disneyland). What’s your favorite show at Magic Kingdom? 🇺🇸 #hallofpresidents #waltdisneyworld #magickingdom #disneyparks #disney #disneytrivia #disneypodcast

🌳 Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a level of detail and natural beauty that makes it incredibly unique. Having had the privilege of working at this park many years ago, it brought me such an enhanced appreciation for every element of this Walt Disney World theme park, and it’s still a place I love to visit every time I head to central Florida. Where do you go first at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? #waltdisneyworld #disneysanimalkingdom #treeoflife

😌 Which Disney Resort lobby is your favorite? #waltdisneyworld #disneyvacationclub #wdw

🇺🇸 Another big reason has to do with the massive size of the American Adventure theater, which needed to be hidden behind the structure. What’s your favorite icon in World Showcase? #epcot #imagineering #waltdisneyworld

🛎️ Disney Parks after dark take on an entirely different *dimension* of fun. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is one of those parks that is absolutely captivating when the sun goes down and the park lighting goes up, and the Hollywood Tower Hotel serves as a great example of why I love this park so much in the late evening hours. What’s your favorite Disney Park to experience after dark? #waltdisneyworld #disneyparks #towerofterror #wdw

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About the Show

Imagineer Podcast is a show and community that celebrates all things Disney®, including the Disney Parks and Resorts®, Walt Disney Studios®, Disney-Pixar®, Marvel®, Star Wars®, and other Disney properties. As an unofficial guide to all things Disney, Imagineer Podcast serves to help listeners grow a greater understanding of the Walt Disney Company® and a deeper appreciation for the company’s destinations and content. Podcast episodes explore the history and design of Disney attractions, offer tips for traveling to the Disney Parks and Resorts, and celebrate the best that the Walt Disney Company has to offer.

About the Host

Matthew Krul is a lifelong fan and historian of all things Disney (since his first trip to Walt Disney World® as an infant) and a former Cast Member of the Walt Disney Company. After working at the Disney Store® in 2006, Matt went on to complete an internship at Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2007 as part of the Disney College Program. Matt also participated in a Disney Professional Internship in 2014, working with the Marketing Strategy team at Disney Vacation Club®.

Matt now lives in the New York City area with his wife and family as a Digital Marketing Manager. As an annual passholder, he makes frequent trips to Walt Disney World and the occasional pilgrimage to Disneyland®. Matt has also visited Disneyland Paris® and has stayed at almost every Walt Disney World Resort hotel. He founded the Imagineer Podcast in 2017 to share his love for all things Disney and to inspire generations to go after their dreams. Matt’s goal is to create happiness and build a positive community of Disney fans.

About our page The Imagineer Podcast's Facebook channel focuses on connecting and engaging a community of podcast listeners. Like and follow our page for some unofficial Disney magic wherever you are, even when you're not at the parks. Our podcast and community is devoted to: - Sharing our passion for the Disney brand - Inspiring listeners to follow their dreams - Exploring the marvels of Walt Disney Imagineering® In creating a fair and constructive community, we will not tolerate: - Solicitations to buy or sell goods or services in our community - Harassment of any kind (written, verbal, or otherwise expressed) - Posts or sharing of links containing illegal or offensive content You can find links to our podcast by visiting http://imagineerpodcast.com. Disclaimers:

I’ve been a huge fan of Disney since before I can remember and am privileged to be a former Cast Member of the Walt Disney Company (and to address a common question I receive, I never worked for or with Walt Disney Imagineering). The Imagineer Podcast is a product of my sincere passion for the Disney brand. The opinions presented are completely my own and are not influenced in any way. Although I formerly worked for the company (2014 and prior), I am not currently an employee of the Walt Disney Company, nor am I compensated in any way for the content I produce (I do not receive cash, tickets, hotel stays, meals, merchandise, or any other form of payment for the content I produce). In the event that I am compensated, I will fully disclose the means of payment in the appropriate post or podcast episode. At the end of the day, I’m simply a fan just like you doing my best to spread the Disney magic. I look forward to sharing it all with you. - Matt Krul

Imagineer Podcast is in no way part of, endorsed or authorized by, or affiliated with the Walt Disney Company or its affiliates. As to Disney artwork/properties: © Disney