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

Explore the serene beauty of Takayama and the timeless charm of Shirakawa-go, where local culture and delicious cuisine come alive. Journey through Tokyo's bustling streets and discover the art of Kintsugi, finding beauty in imperfections. Enjoy the magic of cultural exchanges and heartfelt moments with local artisans, while embracing mindfulness and spontaneity in travel. The warmth of Japanese hospitality creates unforgettable memories, making this adventure more than just a trip—it's a transformative experience.

831 · Disneyland at 70: Walt’s Vision, Origins, Secrets, and Stories from the Park - From the ArchivesCelebrate 70 years of Disneyland with a deep dive into hidden stories, surprising history, and unforgettable secrets from Walt’s original park.In this special WDW Radio Archive episode, I'm joined by the late, great Jim Korkis as we explore the surprising origins of Doritos and churros, the story of Walt's lost Holidayland, unusual Main Street shops, and hidden details in Tomorrowland mosaics (yes, really).From snoring bears and the Wizard of Bras to personal memories and overlooked moments, we peel back the layers of the Happiest Place on Earth. It’s a tribute to Disneyland at 70 - and to Jim’s incredible legacy of storytelling, research, and passion for preserving Disney history.🙋🏻‍♀️ Is Japan on your travel bucket list?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit Japan and maybe Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea? 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 | YouTube | LinkedIn 🎧 Explore More:- WDWRadio.com - Blog, archives, podcasts, and more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

Join Becky Mankin, a Disney vacation planning expert, along with Lisa Donato-Glassmer and Kenneth Johnson, seasoned travelers, as they recount their unforgettable Adventures by Disney trip to Japan. They share the beauty of Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Tokyo, highlighting delicious food, cultural immersion, and the warmth of Japanese hospitality. The trio reflects on the emotional connections they made and the surprising joys of travel, even discussing the quirks of advanced Japanese toilets. If Japan isn't on your bucket list yet, it definitely will be after listening!

829 · Celebrate Happy: A Complete Guide to Disneyland’s 70th AnniversarySomething special is happening at Disneyland… It’s turning 70, and the year-long Celebrate Happy party is packed with magic, surprises, returning favorites, and history in the making. Join me and theme park journalist Carlye Wisel as we unlock what’s new, what’s back, and why you need to visit - from "Paint the Night" and "World of Color Happiness" to Duffy’s return, MagicBand+ secrets, incredible merchandise, interactive activities (and free souvenirs!), more than 70 new food items, the first-ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic, and much more!🙋🏻‍♀️ What part of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary are YOU most excited about?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit Disneyland for the 70th? 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 more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

828 · Disney’s Abu Dhabi Theme Park: A Whole New World UnveiledDisney just announced a bold new theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi – and it could change everything. In this episode, we explore the Disney Abu Dhabi theme park announcement from every angle – cultural, creative, and corporate. We also have a thoughtful conversation about some of the questions and concerns this move has raised. Discover why Disney chose Abu Dhabi, what the “authentically Disney, distinctly Emirati” vision means, and how this expansion could shape the future of Imagineering, Disney’s global parks, and Bob Iger’s legacy.🙋🏻‍♀️ How do you feel about Disney expanding to Abu Dhabi?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park... or anywhere in 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 more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

827 · Build Your Star Wars Movie Memorabilia MuseumThe ultimate Star Wars collector’s wish list - no budget, no limits, just dreams!This week, in honor of May the 4th, we’re heading to a galaxy far, far away… and diving into a fun, nerdy, and personal conversation, as we explore a galaxy of imagination and nostalgia and build our "Star Wars Movie Memorabilia Museum."We’re not talking about toys or collectibles from the parks - we’re talking about the actual props, costumes, and iconic items from the Star Wars movies that we wish we could own. The ones that captured our imaginations, sparked our fandom, and still make us feel like kids again.But this isn’t just about stuff. It’s about stories. About why these things matter - to me, and to you. Because Star Wars isn’t just a series of films. It’s part of our lives. Our memories. Our connections with the people we share them with.So in this episode, I invite you to imagine your own dream Star Wars memorabilia museum… and come with us as we build ours.Whether you're a lifelong fan or discovering Star Wars for the first time, this is a celebration of the stories, symbols, and stuff that connect us… from a galaxy far, far away.🙋🏻‍♀️ What's the one piece of Star Wars movie memorabilia that you would want in YOUR museum collection?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park... or anywhere in 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 more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

826 · How Disney Brings Star Wars to Life: Reveals and Stories from Star Wars Celebration JapanHave you ever dreamed of living your own Star Wars story?This week, I take you inside Star Wars Celebration Japan for a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney Parks and Lucasfilm are transforming the way we experience Star Wars - and reveal new stories, secrets, and adventures you need to know about.Join me for exclusive interviews with leaders from Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment, exciting updates to Galaxy's Edge, new droids, and the future of Star Wars storytelling in the parks.Plus, I host a live panel at Star Wars Celebration Japan all about how you can live your own Star Wars story - and how emotional, immersive storytelling is changing Disney Parks forever.Whether you're a lifelong Star Wars fan or just love Disney's magic of storytelling, this is one journey to a galaxy far, far away you won't want to miss.🙋🏻‍♀️ What's the one thing you would love to experience in Galaxy's Edge to make your Star Wars dreams come true?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park... or anywhere in 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 more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

825 · The Top Ten Things We Love About the Japan Pavilion in EPCOT - From the ArchivesKonnichiwa, my friend! As this episode is released, I’m on my way to Tokyo to host a panel at Star Wars Celebration about Living Your Star Wars Story in the Disney Parks!So, in the spirit of sushi, samurai, sake, and Star Wars, we're reaching back into the WDW Radio archives for a listener favorite: The Top Ten Things We Love About the Japan Pavilion in EPCOT.No, not the country (although I am heading back soon for our WDW Radio Adventures by Disney trip to Japan!) - but the incredible World Showcase pavilion that captures Japan’s beauty, culture, cuisine, and yes... the gift shops.Originally recorded in 2016 (how was that 9 years ago?!), this episode is a nostalgic journey through one of EPCOT’s most beloved pavilions. From the serene gardens to Mitsukoshi’s Pokémon overload, it’s a celebration of all things Japan... but in the Walt Disney World park.And be sure to follow me on Instagram @LouMongello for content from Star Wars Celebration, Tokyo Disneyland, and DisneySea all week long. Yes... it’s for research. 😉.🙋🏻‍♀️ What’s YOUR favorite part of the Japan pavilion… and why?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park... or anywhere in 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 more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

824 · My 5 Favorite Outdoor Queues in Walt Disney World (That Are Worth the Wait)This week, we’re stepping into the sunshine - and into the story - as I share my 5 favorite outdoor queues in Walt Disney World. These aren’t just lines… they’re immersive experiences filled with storytelling, hidden details, and atmosphere that make the wait part of the magic. Whether you’ve walked them a hundred times or never taken a closer look, this episode will help you see (and hear) them in a whole new way.🙋🏻‍♀️ What’s YOUR favorite outdoor queue in Walt Disney World… and why?📣 Comment in the WDW Radio Clubhouse or 📞 Call the Voicemail: 407-900-9391✈️ Looking to visit a Disney Park... or anywhere in 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 more- WDW Radio Nation - Support the show and unlock rewards- WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesday nights- Events & 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!

823 · The Savory 16: A Bracket-Style Showdown for the 2025 EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival This week, we’re doing something fun, fresh… and flavorful, as we taste and debate 16 of the newest savory dishes from this year’s EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival. It’s a bracket-style showdown we’re calling: The Savory 16! We taste-tested everything, made our notes, and brought our appetites and opinions as we decided what moved on, what got eliminated, and which dish deserves the crown as this year’s Flavor of the Festival. And there were surprises, upsets, blowouts, and buzzer beaters. 🙋🏻‍♀️ What is your favorite item at this year's Festival... or the one you want to try most after listening this week? Share your thoughts in the WDW Radio Clubhouse at WDWRadio.com/Clubhouse, or call the voicemail at 407-900-9391 (WDW1) with a question, comment or hello from the parks! ❓ Answer this week's trivia question for a chance to WIN a Disney prize package! 📧 Subscribe to our free newsletter and get a FREE copy of my 102 Things To Do at Least Once in Walt Disney World book at WDWRadio.com/Subscribe 👍🏻 Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and WDW Radio on YouTube 🌐 WDWRadio.com - Visit the site and blog 🎁 WDWRadioNATION - Get monthly rewards, and help support the show 📺 WDWRadioLIVE.com - Watch and chat LIVE Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET 📅 Events - Disney meets, events, cruises, and more! 🌟 LouMongello.com - Are you a 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 can help you build your business brand, including how to leverage lessons from Disney on customer service, experience, and leadership.   THANK YOU for listening and your support by voting WDW Radio Best Travel Podcast for 9 consecutive years, for your support in affording me the opportunity to be indcuted into the ⭐️ Podcast Hall of Fame, and, of course, for listening! Please be sure to tune in next week, and help spread the word about the show! But for now... sit back, relax, and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio show!