WDW Radio: Your Guide to the Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise and More Disney Magic!

Lou Mongello - Disney Expert
  • 4.8 (124)
  • Places & Travel
  • Updated Weekly

WDW Radio is the award-winning Disney podcast that brings the magic of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Marvel, and Star Wars to life. Since 2005, hosted by Lou Mongello – Disney expert, author, speaker, and Podcast Hall of Fame inductee – has been your trusted guide through the parks and beyond. Each week, tune in for Disney news, vacation planning tips, interviews, trivia, deep dives into Disney history, attraction and dining reviews, hidden park secrets, and more. From first-timer visitors to lifelong fans, this family-friendly podcast shares the tips, stories, secrets, and insights to help you plan smarter, experience more, and feel the magic like never before. Voted Best Travel Podcast 9 years in a row, WDW Radio also features a blog, videos, live shows, community meetups, group cruises, and special Disney fan events around the world. WDW Radio has welcomed legendary guests including Julie Andrews, Tony Baxter, Marty Sklar, Alan Menken, Richard Sherman, Paige O’Hara, Jodi Benson, Kevin Feige, Ashley Eckstein, and countless Imagineers, Cast Members, actors, producers, and creators who bring Disney magic to life. Explore Lou’s books (Walt Disney World Trivia, The Disney Interviews, 102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World) and virtual Audio Tours at WDWRadio.com. Lou is also the founder of the Dream Team Project, which has raised more than $550,000 to grant wishes for children to visit Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Start listening now to discover the stories, secrets, and magic that make the Disney Parks, Cruise Line, Marvel, and Star Wars truly unforgettable. 🎙️ Learn more at WDWRadio.com ✨ Lou Mongello is an acclaimed keynote speaker and founder of Momentum – a transformative platform of events, coaching, courses, content, and community. He provides creators and entrepreneurs with practical guidance and inspiration to help turn passion into profession, build an audience with purpose, and grow a meaningful, sustainable business. As a speaker, Lou shares powerful business and leadership lessons from the Disney Parks and Walt Disney himself, helping organizations improve storytelling, customer experience, company culture, and innovation through unforgettable, actionable presentations. 🔗 Discover more at LouMongello.com

  1. 1d ago

    870 · 10 Reasons to Visit Shanghai Disneyland... and Why This Trip Changed Me

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

    1h 32m

  2. Jun 8

    869 · How Disney Magic Changed Baseball - Jesse Cole and the Savannah Bananas

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

    43 min

  3. Jun 2

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

    868 · Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress: History, Debate & What's Next The Carousel of Progress reimagining announcement sparked one of the most passionate Disney fan conversations in recent memory. Some fans are excited. Others are heartbroken. Many are somewhere in between. And all of it makes complete sense - because this attraction isn't just a show. For a lot of us, it's a memory. A person. A moment that lives somewhere deep. But before you land on how you feel, there's a story you need to hear. One that starts not with the announcement - but in the 1950s, with Walt Disney himself, and an idea that never made it off the drawing board. Because when you understand where Carousel of Progress actually came from, and how many times it has already changed, what Disney just announced looks like something very different. In Episode 868, we trace the complete history - from Edison Square to the 1964 World's Fair to every revision across six decades - and into every detail of what is coming in 2027. The new scenes. The Walt Disney animatronic. The off-planet finale drawn from John Hench's original concept art. The fan reaction breakdown. And the case, built on Walt's own words, for why the carousel moving again after 30 years might be exactly what he always intended. 📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391 ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com 📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book! - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership. 🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame. Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!

    1h 25m

  4. May 25

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

    867 · Walt Disney World Just Got Major Upgrades - and This Summer Is the Best Time to Visit This might quietly be one of the biggest overall summer upgrades Walt Disney World has had in years. Not because of one giant new land - but because every park, every age group, and nearly every type of guest got meaningful, real enhancements at the exact same time. After being invited by Disney to their Summer Fun Fest media event, Lou Mongello goes far beyond the headlines in WDW Radio Episode 867. At one point during the event, he sat in a room with Disney leadership - park operations, Imagineering, and the facility asset management team (the most important team at Walt Disney World that most guests have never heard of) - for a candid conversation about how Disney actually makes decisions, processes guest feedback, and thinks about the future of the parks. That context changes everything that comes after it. Buzz Lightyear. Big Thunder Mountain. The Muppets. Mandalorian and Grogu. Bluey. Every park, something real - and a full conversation with a Walt Disney Imagineering Story Lead about how Disney decides what to change, what to keep, and why it all matters. Plus: why the connection between films, streaming, and parks is stronger than it has ever been. And why now - right now - is the best time to visit Walt Disney World in 2026. 📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391 ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com 📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book! - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership. 🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame. Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!

    2h 3m

  5. May 18

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

    866 · The Best Food at Walt Disney World Isn't Where You Think It Is The best food at Walt Disney World isn't where you think it is. In WDW Radio # 866, Lou Mongello spends a full day eating his way through Disney's Animal Kingdom - stop by stop, bite by bite - and makes the case that this is Walt Disney World's most extraordinary culinary destination. Colombian arepas and globally inspired rice bowls. Viral desserts and hidden gems. Drinks in Pandora - The World of Avatar developed with James Cameron's team. Nomad Lounge. Tiffins at 10 years. And a full conversation with Chef Greg Hannon, Culinary Director of Disney's Animal Kingdom, about authenticity, storytelling through food, the future of Tropical Americas, and what his perfect food day in the park looks like. This is Disney's Animal Kingdom like you have never tasted it before. Plus, I'll have a very special announcement to share with you at the end of the show... but here's a not-so-subtle hint 📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391 ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com 📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book! - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership. 🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame. Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!

    1h 34m

  6. May 11

    865 · When Wishes Assemble: The Story of Disney and Make-A-Wish

    865 · When Wishes Assemble: The Story of Disney and Make-A-Wish 45 years. 175,000 wishes. One out of every two Make-A-Wish wishes granted in America is a Disney wish. The Disney Make-A-Wish partnership is about far more than theme park vacations. Every single hour, somewhere in the world, Disney helps grant a wish for a child battling a critical illness - creating moments of hope, joy, strength, and healing for families who need it most. In this very personal episode, Lou shares the extraordinary history of Disney and Make-A-Wish, from the very first Disneyland wish in 1981 to the incredible “Wishes Assemble” event at Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure, featuring Anthony Mackie, MrBeast, Mark Rober, Paul Bettany, and 40 remarkable children and their families. Along the way, he explores the emotional impact of wish granting, the medical research behind why wishes matter, and why this cause has become such an important part of the WDW Radio community for more than 20 years. You’ll hear stories about wish kids meeting their heroes, Disney Cast Members who once received wishes themselves, and how the WDW Radio Dream Team Project has helped raise more than $550,000 to help grant wishes for children and families through Make-A-Wish. If you’ve ever wondered what Disney magic truly means, this episode may change the way you see it forever. 📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391 ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com 📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book! - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership. 🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame. Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!

    51 min

  7. May 4

    864 · What Does It Actually Take to Lead Disney? Chairman Thomas Mazloum - His First Interview

    864 · What Does It Actually Take to Lead Disney? Chairman Thomas Mazloum - His First Interview What does it really take to lead Disney at a global scale... while still making every single guest feel like they matter? In this episode, Lou Mongello sits down with Thomas Mazloum in his first interview since stepping into his new role as Chairman of Disney Experiences - overseeing 12 theme parks, 57 resort hotels, Disney Cruise Line, Imagineering, and more than 180,000 Cast Members around the world. Recorded live during a special Make-A-Wish event at Disneyland, this is a rare, candid, and deeply personal conversation about Disney leadership and guest experience... and why scale doesn’t change what matters most. Thomas shares his own Make-A-Wish story, the emotional impact of granting wishes, and the responsibility that comes with being chosen by families during some of the most important moments in their lives. He also reveals his three guiding pillars - trust, quality, and simplicity - and how they shape every decision across Disney parks, resorts, and experiences worldwide. From the future of Disney Cruise Line and global expansion, to the philosophy behind Disneyland Forward, to what Walt Disney still means to him every single day... this conversation goes far beyond strategy. It’s about people, purpose, and creating a “perfect Disney day” for every guest. This is a very real conversation with one of the most thoughtful, people-first leaders in the company’s history. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why Disney leadership starts with trustHow guest experience drives every decisionThe role of Cast Members in creating magicWhy scale doesn’t change what truly mattersWhat’s next for Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line If you care about where Disney is going... and why... this episode is for you. 📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391 ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com 📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book! - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership. 🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame. Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!

    42 min

  8. Apr 27

    863 · 10 Disney Adventure Cruise Surprises (What You Need to Know)

    863 · 10 Disney Adventure Cruise Surprises (What You Need to Know) What are the biggest Disney Adventure cruise surprises - and what should you know before you go? After sailing back-to-back voyages aboard the brand-new Disney Adventure from Singapore, I can tell you this… I thought I knew what to expect. I didn’t. Not even close. In this episode, we break down 10 things that genuinely surprised us - from the scale and design to the food, entertainment, cultural differences, and what makes this ship unlike anything Disney has ever built. We explore: Why this “cruise to nowhere” changes everythingWhat’s completely different from other Disney Cruise Line shipsWhat still feels comfortingly familiarThe cultural shifts that impact your experienceWhy you may need more than one sailing to do it allMy controversial hot take Whether you're planning a trip, dreaming about one, or just curious about what Disney has created halfway around the world, this episode will help you understand what makes this experience so unique. 📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391 ✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park, Disney Cruise Line, or any vacation destination around the world? Let our friends at Mouse Fan Travel help you with expert planning at no cost to you! - visit MouseFanTravel.com 📬 Stay Connected:- Subscribe for email updates + get my FREE Disney book! - Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube 🎧 Explore More:WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and moreWDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewardsWDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nightsEvents & Cruises - Join us for group trips and in-person meetups!LouMongello.com - Creator or solopreneur? Turn your passion into your profession with coaching, courses, and events, including our Momentum events in Walt Disney World. I am also a keynote speaker who shares how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership. 🙏 Thank you for listening, being part of the WDW Radio family, and helping the show be recognized as the Best Travel Podcast for nine consecutive years - and for the incredible honor of being inducted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame. Please subscribe, tell a friend, and join me again next week... and as always, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show!

    3h 17m
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Hosts & Guests

4.8
out of 5
124 Ratings

About

WDW Radio is the award-winning Disney podcast that brings the magic of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Marvel, and Star Wars to life. Since 2005, hosted by Lou Mongello – Disney expert, author, speaker, and Podcast Hall of Fame inductee – has been your trusted guide through the parks and beyond. Each week, tune in for Disney news, vacation planning tips, interviews, trivia, deep dives into Disney history, attraction and dining reviews, hidden park secrets, and more. From first-timer visitors to lifelong fans, this family-friendly podcast shares the tips, stories, secrets, and insights to help you plan smarter, experience more, and feel the magic like never before. Voted Best Travel Podcast 9 years in a row, WDW Radio also features a blog, videos, live shows, community meetups, group cruises, and special Disney fan events around the world. WDW Radio has welcomed legendary guests including Julie Andrews, Tony Baxter, Marty Sklar, Alan Menken, Richard Sherman, Paige O’Hara, Jodi Benson, Kevin Feige, Ashley Eckstein, and countless Imagineers, Cast Members, actors, producers, and creators who bring Disney magic to life. Explore Lou’s books (Walt Disney World Trivia, The Disney Interviews, 102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World) and virtual Audio Tours at WDWRadio.com. Lou is also the founder of the Dream Team Project, which has raised more than $550,000 to grant wishes for children to visit Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Start listening now to discover the stories, secrets, and magic that make the Disney Parks, Cruise Line, Marvel, and Star Wars truly unforgettable. 🎙️ Learn more at WDWRadio.com ✨ Lou Mongello is an acclaimed keynote speaker and founder of Momentum – a transformative platform of events, coaching, courses, content, and community. He provides creators and entrepreneurs with practical guidance and inspiration to help turn passion into profession, build an audience with purpose, and grow a meaningful, sustainable business. As a speaker, Lou shares powerful business and leadership lessons from the Disney Parks and Walt Disney himself, helping organizations improve storytelling, customer experience, company culture, and innovation through unforgettable, actionable presentations. 🔗 Discover more at LouMongello.com

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