Category Archives: In General

Disney Character Surprise

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Disney Character SurpriseOnce again, please welcome back guest poster Nick from Disney Musings!

Disney Character Surprise

In January of 2011, Barbie and I were with our friends Kandi and John at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We were just leaving the park for the afternoon, when Barbie asked a Cast Member to see her pins. Barbie spotted a Stitch pin and asked to trade. As the Cast Member was handing her the pin, she asked if she liked Stitch. Barbie said he was her favorite, to which the CM responded “Follow me.”

We all followed her to a little cul-de-sac by Guest Services, where she asked us to wait a moment. A couple of minutes later, Stitch peeked out from behind a corner! But the surprise didn’t end there. As Stitch walked out, he was followed by Donald Duck, then Daisy Duck, Piglet, and Minnie Mouse! We had our own private meet and greet! I wish we’d gotten the wonderful Cast Member’s name, as this was really a highlight of that trip.

For more great Disney stories, reviews, history and more, be sure to follow Nick and Disney Musings in all these places:

The Dis Life Podcast with David Hodges

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The Dis Life & GoofyAs I’ve mentioned many times before, I’m addicted to and crazy about Disney podcasts.  They’re popular with Disney fans because they serve a number of purposes – they’re entertaining, they keep the Disney magic alive between vacations, they keep people informed about Disney news, and, personally, they help me feel better about my Disney obsession…there are a LOT of Disney-loving folks out there just like me and a bunch of ’em host podcasts.

Disney podcasts come in lots of forms and even focus on sub-topics.  I’m partial to ones that focus mostly on Walt Disney World and have a couple of hosts that interact well with each other.  One of the newest shows in my weekly podcast listening lineup is The Dis Life Podcast. 

The Dis Life is hosted by David Hodges and most of the time, his daughter, Dannielle.  Dave The Dis Life Podcast Hostsalso has guests from time to time and  his low-key style of Disney-speak makes for a good listen.  I discovered The Dis Life when I wrote my first post about podcasts and a reader suggested I listen to this great new father/daughter podcast team.  I took that advice and have been a loyal listener ever since.

A while back, Dave was kind enough to answer a few interview questions so we could get to know a bit more about the man behind The Dis Life…

The Dis Life eat the kitchen sink before1.  What unexpected surprises (good and/or bad) has podcasting brought you? 

When my daughter and I started this we were doing it just for our own entertainment.  We hoped for an audience, but didn’t really believe that people would listen on a regular basis.  What we actually received was so much more in the way of friendships and real connections and many loyal listeners.  It was a very welcomed unexpected surprise.

2.  Who are the top three guests you’d be most thrilled to have on your show? 

If we’re dreaming big, I would say first off Walt Disney himself, but that may be a little too big. If I were to choose people who are still alive I would like to have on the show: 

A. Joe Rohde David Hodges of The Dis Life

B. The longest employed CM who still works in the parks, not an imagineer or office worker or head cheese, but a regular worker, like a custodial worker or someone like that

C. A cruise director from any of the 4 Disney ships 

3.  What’s your Disney lucky charm – or most favorite, treasured Disney item? 

My most treasured Disney item is actually the Walt Disney biography by Bob Thomas. I am David Hodges' Favorite Disney Treasurebeyond fascinated with the life of Walt Disney. I have a lot of Disney stuff from pins to coffee cups and snow globes, but if I could only keep one item it would be this book.

4.  The one thing you love most about Disney parks?

I have thought about this many times and I think I enjoy the detail in everything the most. I have been to Disneyland and WDW so many times in my life that I still enjoy the rides, but that is not why I go. I love exploring the new areas as well as finding things that have been there forever, but I just never saw them.

5.  Best advice about podcasting you’ve ever received?

The best advice I have received was to have fun with it and be personable and authentic. When you start thinking of it as a job, paid or unpaid, the fun ends and it becomes a chore. No one like chores.

We’ve only been doing this podcast for about 7 months and I have followed all that advice. It is continuing to be fun and I have made a lot of friends in the process. 

David Hodges6.  Best advice about vacationing at a Disney park you’ve ever received – and you think everyone should know?

Take a break! I was told this long ago and I have done it both ways with trying to go from rope drop to close and also by taking breaks. My vacations that I took a break each day were more enjoyable than the one’s that I didn’t. If you think you can do it all in one day, you are mistaken and you will miss half the magic.

I think this advice is more valuable than making budget or looking for the deals or finding shorter lines during parades and fireworks. I think it’s the key to truly enjoying your time in the parks.

7.  How did you first learn about Disney podcasts?  Was that your inspiration for starting one of your own?

I have been interested in podcasting for a long time. I didn’t really know a lot about Disney podcasts at first. I listened to a lot of self-help and business podcasts starting off. I also listened to a lot of how to podcast podcasts. 

I eventually decided that it was time to start my own podcast, but I had a few ideas on what I D Hodgeswanted to talk about. My first thought was to do a family podcast since I have a degree in psychology, I’m not a psychiatrist by any means, but I was going to talk about life and things that most people go through. More of a support podcast. That is still on my radar as well as a few other things. I eventually said I wanted to do something I was passionate about and also something I could do with my 16-year-old daughter (now 17). We spend a lot of time every year at WDW so it was a no-brainer to do a Disney podcast. This is when I started researching other Disney podcasts. This is also when I realized that there were a lot of them ranging from news to travel info to adults only. I was surprised to see how many Disney podcasts were rated “explicit”. Even though I was going to be presenting info that was already being talked about we were going to be the only father/daughter Disney podcast out there. At least I didn’t see any and still have not seen it. My thought was that people would like to hear about Disney from different age groups. I guess, to answer the question, my inspiration to start the podcast was my daughter and having an opportunity for us to do something different together.

The Dis Life Podcast is available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Follow David Hodges and The Dis Life:

Website: TheDisLife.com

Instagram: thedizlife

Twitter: @thedislife

 

Top Five Things About Being a 50 Year Old Disney Fan

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Med Cruise 2013 Camera 003It’s good to be me.  Born in 1964, I share a birthday with some of Walt Disney’s best productions.  It’s a Small World and Carousel of Progress ring a bell? We are the same age.  Old?  Heck no, we’re classics!  So, here we are in 2014…on November 16th, it’ll be official – I’ll have reached the half-century mark.  Clearly I’m comfortable with that (I’m freely admitting it right here for you to read) and it’s true what they say, you know, you’re only as old as you feel.  I feel great.  Gravity’s effects excluded, the original parts are holding up pretty well and I’m pretty low maintenance.  I exercise regularly and try to eat right.  In the marriage arena, I’m a winner!  We will reach a marital milestone this year, too – 25th anniversary’s coming up on September 9th.

So, those of you who are in your twenties or thirties who are reading this and thinking – She’sDisney Fans at 50 and 60 clearly delusional – that chick is OLD!  Go right ahead, you young whippersnappers – Believe what you will.  Sure, I have a few gray hairs and a couple of crows’ feet, but I’ve earned them!  I don’t mind being “old” – I’m seasoned, well informed, wise even.  I KNOW things now in a way I could only dream about way back when.  We’ve raised our kids (who we love more than they’ll ever know) and we did a great job with that!  They’re delightful, happy productive members of society and they love all things Disney!  What more could we ask for?

For those of you who haven’t yet reached this incredibly special and rewarding phase of life and may be concerned about what it will be like, I give you…

The Top 5 Things About Being a 50-Year-Old Disney Fan:

The Day My Disney Life Began

1. Back to Pre-Kid Status, but Smarter! We’re DINKs again (Dual Income No Kids), but now we can spend money on Disney vacations in a more sensible, guilt-free way.  The first time around we were in the super lean years – we did much more dreaming than doing (wouldn’t change a thing about that) and enjoyed Disney mostly in the form of movies, videos, toys and games.  Visits to Walt Disney World were such a treat – and difficult to manage.  Now we’ve earned our “money management” badges and make better choices day to day – resulting in better Disney vacations year to year.

2. The Many Forms of Disney Vacations!  We’ve learned to appreciate all kinds of Disney trips.  We love Disney Cruise Line and have enjoyed many different cruises of various lengths.  We’ve experienced Walt Disney World at Value, Moderate, and Deluxe- resorts, and as DVC Members.  We enjoyed every nanosecond of every Disney Walt Disney World, 1996vacation – I’ll be honest, at one time, we were seriously broke!  Staying on-property at all was a BIG DEAL!  A special, hard earned luxury.  I guess that’s why we still feel that way.  Now, though, we can slow down more and appreciate those little Disney details…incredible.

3. ‘Ohana Means Family – Having “adult” (I still picture them as little) children means we can occasionally vacation without them and they’ll house-sit and dog-sit (our beloved dog, Junior, doesn’t fare well at a kennel).  We LOVE taking The Fam with us on trips, but now that we no longer have our vacations dictated by school schedules, Raymond and I can get away for some alone time.  We deserve it.

Family at Walt Disney World, 20124. The Standby Lines are GREAT!  When you remove the potential for childhood melt-downs, diaper changes, and whining – and you enjoy time alone with your family away from the stresses of everyday life, the standby lines are FUN!  We enjoy each other’s company – time stands still and we can talk…really TALK…reminisce about past happy times at Walt Disney World, contemplate the meaning of specific aspects of various Disney Imagineering marvels, have some serious Hidden-Mickey-spotting competitions – you name it.  If you love the company you’re keeping, the standby lines go by much faster and actually become happy memories in and of themselves.

5. SO Much to Look Forward To!  Okay, I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss the fun Disney things you can do with little kids.  Character meals, princess meet and greets, parades, hanging out by the pool – we DO look forward to the future when we may be fortunate enough to be blessed with grandchildren (some day…not too soon, though).  Thinking about the potential of having a child to love as your own but being able to spoil them rotten…well, that would just be about the very best thing imaginable.  Especially at Walt Disney World!!!

So, I’ll tell you again…it’s good to be me!  I’m about to be 50 and I’m proud to say it.  If you’ve been worried about being old like me, put those fears aside – I can’t find a downside here.  I’m a Disney fan who grew up with ALL the best Disney things and I still have plenty of time to experience the next 50 years of… Living a Disney Life.

Leave a comment – what will you do when YOU are a 50 year old Disney fan?

 

 

It’s a Small World, Carousel of Progress, and Me

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1964 World's Fair PlateI’m proud to say that It’s a Small World, the Carousel of Progress and I all made our debuts in 1964.  While, technically speaking, I did not attend the New York World’s Fair – my mom took me there (sort of, I was due to arrive later in the year) along with my dad, brother, and two sisters.  I’m sure the wonder and excitement of the fair exhibits helped distract my folks from the (shocking?) fact that they’d soon be starting over, welcoming a fourth child into the family when their three other children were 9, 10, and 13 – but I digress.

The fair made a big impression on my family.  My mom talked about it from time to time often over the years and my sister still has a gorgeous souvenir plate and clearly remembers experiencing It’s a Small World at the fair.  Walt Disney’s influence was huge!  Four of the fair’s exhibits had a tremendous impact on the future of Disneyland and Walt Disney World.  Today’s Disney vacations would not be the same had Walt Disney’s Imagineering wonders not had the sponsorship and presence in New York in 1964.

 “Pepsi Presents Walt Disney’s ‘It’s a Small World'” – a Salute to UNICEF and the World’s Dolls from It's a Small WorldChildren” – This boat ride around the world to the Sherman Brothers’ famous tune delighted visitors.  All the dolls had the same face and they played and sang as they promoted international unity.

In a ride design that would later become the People Mover, Ford’s Magic Skyway was designed by WED Imagineering.  Motorless Ford convertibles moved along a track and took visitors past displays depicting animatronic dinosaurs and cavemen.  So much of this exhibit would become future attractions!

The future Hall of Presidents was started with the World’s Fair’s “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” in the Illinois pavilion.  Royal Dano provided the voice for Honest Abe as he recited Mr. Lincoln’s famous speeches.

“There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” – also by the Sherman Brothers, was the theme song for General Electric’s Progressland.  Inside the Carousel of Progress, visitors followed along as the progress of electricity in the family home was demonstrated by animatronic figures.

The marvelous wonders on display at the fair had staying power!  Clearly Walt Disney thought a great deal about what he had seen and learned from the experience – Epcot Center was originally built to showcase much of the same types of attractions and exhibits as the World’s Fair, which focused on the future of technology in daily life.  The fair also had a “World Showcase” of sorts featuring many countries including Spain, Vatican City, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines, Austria, Greece, Japan, Mexico and more! The fair’s “Unisphere” looks very much like the globe we see in “Illuminations, Reflections of Earth”.

Recently, the New York Times published a great look back.  Fifty Years After the New York World’s Fair, Recalling a Vision of the Future.

Did you or your family attend the 1964 New York World’s Fair?  What memories or souvenirs do you (or they) have?