The WDW Radio Show - Your Walt Disney World Information Station Lou Mongello - Disney Expert, Host, Author, and Speaker

This week’s show is one that I have literally waited years to record and share with you, as we embark on a magical journey through the best of the best from Disney Parks around the globe! From dining to resorts to attractions, shows, and spectaculars, we share your ultimate guide to the most unforgettable (and overlooked) experiences the Disney Parks around the world have to offer!

- What is the best dining experience from any Disney Park around the world, or which would you like to experience most?

This week, we explore the surprising and significant impact of some lesser-known Disney movies and how they have influenced the Disney theme park experience. We share some insights and perspectives on how these Disney animated and live-action films have contributed to, and in some ways transformed, the magic of the Disney Parks

- Which of the lesser-known Disney films mentioned in this episode (or one of your own) do you believe had the most influential impact on the theme parks and why?

To celebrate Mickey Mouse’s birthday on November 18, I will take what Walt Disney said to heart and not lose sight of one thing… “that it was all started by a mouse.” This week, we’ll remember just that, as I have two segments from the WDW Radio that both involve Mickey Mouse.

First, we’ll venture into Magic Kingdom, and explore not an attraction, land, shop or show, but a single location. In fact, a single statute. In our DSI: Disney Scene Investigation, Jim Korkis and I look at the history and story behind the iconic Partners statue of Walt and Mickey.

The legacy of and bond between Walt and Mickey goes far beyond one of simply artist and creation. In fact, Walt actually lent his voice to his most famous work. Over the years, Walt passed that torch to other men who became the voice of Mickey, and this week, I want to share my conversation with Bret Iwan, the man who eighty years after Mickey spoke his first words on screen, took over that role of a lifetime. We talk about his personal story of becoming the voice of Mickey, the legacy, and the future.

- What is your favorite personal memory of Mickey Mouse? Was it on TV? In a Disney Park? A piece of merchandise?

I just attended the first ever Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the new, after-hours holiday event, and I am joined by fellow attendees this week to share our full guide to the party, including what you need to know before you go. In this very thorough discussion, we also recap the entire evening, and share our insights, reviews, and recommendations, including how to decide if this party is right for you.

And because I want you to experience Disney Jollywood Nights for yourself, I’m going to have a very special giveaway! Find out how you can enter for a chance to win two tickets to the event, and join us for our WDW Radio Night at Jollywood Nights!

Then stay tuned for remarkable offers and opportunities to help children through our Dream Team Project and Make-A-Wish Foundation!

As part of our celebration of the Disney 100 year anniversary, it’s only appropriate that this week I go way back into the Archives for an interview with Disney Legend Dave Smith, the founder of the Walt Disney Archives. 13 years ago, I was at work and literally had to lock myself in a closet at my office to interview Dave, who I had known for some time. His name is, and always will be, synonymous with Disney history. From founding the Walt Disney Archives in 1970, to authoring numerous books, Dave Smith’s 40 year career with the company afforded him the opportunity to help preserve the magic that began with Walt himself. Dave and I discuss his career, including not just his role in the creation and legacy of the Archives, but its challenges, personal highlights, changes and his future, as he prepares to retire from this “temporary” job that lasted four decades. It’s a fascinating conversation not just about the Archives, but the person who made it a reality, and was the guardian of Disney’s most treasured memories. Dave sadly passed away in 2019 leaving behind a treasure trove of Disney lore for generations to come.

- If you could visit the Walt Disney Archives, what is the one item from Disney history you would like to see?

Join me as we continue our magical trip down memory lane, diving deep into the Top Ten moments and incredible individuals who truly made a mark on the Disney legacy, and shaped the happiest company on earth.