The Backside Of Water - A Disneyland History Podcast

The Back Side Of Water Podcast
  • 4.8 (538)
  • History

A podcast that delves into the rich history, awesome stories, and fascinating details behind your favorite Disneyland Attractions.

  1. 3d ago

    Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

    Jump to lightspeed with the latest episode of Backside of Water as we take a deep dive into the creation of one of Disney’s most ambitious attractions: Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. From the earliest plans for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge to the challenge of bringing the most famous ship in the galaxy to life, we explore the story, technology, and Imagineering magic behind the attraction that lets guests take the controls of the Falcon themselves. Discover how Disney and Lucasfilm collaborated to create an interactive experience where every flight is different and the incredible engineering required to make thousands of smugglers a day feel like they’re really flying through hyperspace. Whether you're a Star Wars superfan, a theme park enthusiast, or just curious about how Disney builds immersive worlds, this episode is packed with behind-the-scenes stories from a galaxy far, far away. We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Daniel Martin

    54 min

  2. Apr 18

    Galaxy's Edge III

    Step into a galaxy far, far away as hosts Alex Stewart and Freddy Martin explore one of the most innovative storytelling frontiers in modern theme parks: immersive retail experiences at Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. In this episode, we break down how Disney has redefined shopping by transforming it into fully interactive, story-driven environments. From Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities and Savi’s Workshop Handbuilt Lightsabers to Mubo's Droid Depot, we analyze how each retail space functions as an extension of the Star Wars universe—blending narrative, design, and guest participation into unforgettable moments. Whether you’re a theme park enthusiast, Disney fan, Imagineering geek, or experiential design professional, this episode dives deep into how Galaxy’s Edge sets a new standard for immersive storytelling in retail. We also discuss what these innovations mean for the future of themed entertainment, brand engagement, and in-world commerce. 🔍 In this episode: What makes Galaxy’s Edge retail so immersive and unique How Disney uses storytelling to drive guest interaction and purchases The role of cast members, theming, and world-building in retail spaces Why immersive retail is the future of experiential design We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Daniel Martin

    59 min

  3. 12/23/2025

    The Backside of Water Holiday Fireside Chat Episode!

    Happy holidays, everyone!! On this episode, we take a break from exploring Galaxy's Edge to do a little something different from the regular BSOW holiday antics. On this episode, we ditch the scripts and instead choose to chat about our favorite gift this year: You, our BSOW listeners, fans, and friends. It hit us like a ton of Mandalorian Beskar bricks this week about just how grateful we are to have listeners and friends that we do (thanks to this podcast) and we wanted to devote an entire episode focused on gratitude.We also wanted to take some time to be intentional about what to expect in our forthcoming final season of the current iteration of The Backside of Water. We talk about what we plan to happen once we reach the end of Main Street U.S.A. and beyond. So for those of you out there who are ride or dies with us, that will be a (hopefully) very meaningful part of this episode.As always, thank you for everything, without you listeners this show would be two dads yelling into the abyss!! We wish you and yours the most happy, bright, and blessed holiday season and we look forward to a year of happy surprises, bittersweet endings, and a whole lot of tangents!!!We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Daniel Martin

    1h 41m

  4. 05/16/2025

    Oga's Cantina

    The adventure continues as Alex Stewart and Freddy Martin discuss the history of one of the most amazing hives of scum and villainy within the spires of Batuu, Oga's Cantina! Any fans of blue sky Imagineering concepts won't want to miss this episode.We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Daniel Martin

    59 min

  5. 03/01/2025

    Meet Up With Freddy Martin at Disneyland This Weekend!

    It's a Mini-Meetup with Freddy Martin at Disneyland, this Sunday March 2nd at 3:30pm!Meet Freddy Martin at Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland to shake hands, take pictures, and share stories of Adventure with other fans of the Backside of Water Podcast. It also happens to be Adventureland Day at the park that day. Adventureland Day is a fun, dress-up day at Disneyland where explorers of all ages follow clues on a park-wide treasure hunt you'll never forget. To participate in Adventureland Day, text ADVENTURELANDDAY to to (833) 340-0035 for schedule and treasure hunt details.  Follow Freddy on Instagram @skipperfreddy for more info.  See you at Disneyland!

    4 min

  6. 12/12/2024

    A Star Wars Holiday Special

    'Tis the season for Fredd and Al to crash a Life Day celebration in Batuu! On this episode, Alex Stewart and Freddy Martin stroll through the marketplace while discussing the strange, bizarre, but downright charming history of The Star Wars Holiday Special. If you've seen the Star Wars Holiday Special, this episode will give you a deeper appreciation for this Star Wars/Holiday themed train wreck! And if you haven't watched the Holiday Special before, well, hopefully this episode inspires you to do just that! From all of us on The Backside of Water, Happy Holidays!We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Alex Stewart

    39 min

  7. 11/26/2024

    Galaxy's Edge: Part II (Featuring former Disney Imagineer Kevin Blakeney)

    Ooooooh, is this episode a doozy!! Alex and Freddy have the absolute pleasure of having former Disney Imagineer Kevin Blakeney with them on the broadcast from Batuu!! Kevin worked as an Imagineer on so many aspects of the creation of Galaxy's Edge that they are too numerous to list! Trust us when we say that this episode is a master class from Kevin on how Galaxy's Edge was created and how you as a guest can best enjoy the artistry and craftsmanship that went into creating this amazing immersive masterpiece! We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Alex Stewart

    1h 28m

  8. 10/24/2024

    Galaxy's Edge: Part I

    Join us as we discuss the exciting origins of the newest land in Disneyland! In this episode we discuss the early history of Galaxy's Edge, how Bob Iger and crew brought this Star Wars themed land to Disneyland in the first place. Along the way, we also discuss some insane history around what was planned for the backside of the Rivers Of America. This is a super-sized Backside of Water episode you won't want to miss!We Have Merch!!Buy: WED Enterprises Inspired BSOW T-ShirtCheck Out Our Other Podcast: Did You Know DisneyOur Star Wars Themed Podcast: The Smuggler's DispatchFollow Us On Instagram: @the_backside_of_waterJoin Our Facebook Group: The Backside of WaterProduction CreditsDirected By: Alex StewartWritten By: Alex StewartSound Design and Editing By: Alex Stewart

    1h 35m
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4.8
out of 5
538 Ratings

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A podcast that delves into the rich history, awesome stories, and fascinating details behind your favorite Disneyland Attractions.

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