I am always looking for a way to keep the Disney Magic alive between trips. One of the best ways I have found is to follow a Disney Podcast. I am going to take a few moments to talk about two of my favorites. While I am only touching on two, there are many more that I listen to and hope talk about a little more in a future blog post.
WDW Radio Show
If you are a true passionate fan of everything Walt Disney World, then you must have heard of Lou Mongello. I don’t know of a single person who tries harder or does more to bring everyone closer to the magic of Walt Disney World than Lou.
My first encounter with Lou Mongello was through his trivia book (The Walt Disney World Trivia Book). My wife came home with his first edition, and I picked it up right away. It not only has the trivia questions with multiple choice answers, but the answer pages also offer a brief description or background along with the answer. It is the perfect way to learn more and get a little closer to Disney World. My wife and I used to sit up in bed and ask each other the questions to see who could get more correct. I think I read his book about a dozen times so far.
I stumbled across his podcast before I even knew what they were or had an iPod. I installed iTunes, grabbed a recent one and was in immediate awe. When you are such huge fans of Disney World as we are, you often find yourselves in the minority among family and close friends. It is hard to find someone with that same passion. Listening to Lou’s podcast each week was like a weekly phone call from a friend and all you do is sit around and talk about Disney World! I eagerly await each Sunday for a new episode.
Some of his topics include his famous top ten lists with Tim Foster, the Wayback machine, were he talks about some of our favorite attractions, and incredible interviews such as Julie Andrews, Richard Sherman and various Imagineers. He will often answer emails, play messages left on his voicemail, and somehow is always on top of the latest news and rumors on the parks. One thing that is always a constant is his incredible enthusiasm for Walt Disney World.
In June 2009, on our family vacation to WDW, Lou held a ‘Meet of the Month’ at MGM Studios during Star Wars Weekends. I can honestly say I have met some famous celebrities and sporting figures, but none of them even closely compared to meeting Lou. He was so incredibly gracious, and took time to speak with everyone and take pictures. He even gave my youngest daughter a free WDW Radio t-shirt because he was so impressed with the t-shirt she had made. It was and still is one of the highlights of that Disney vacation. Lou now has a meet each month at various locations throughout Disney World.
On top of his award-winning podcast, Lou is editor of Celebrations Magazine, along with Tim Foster. If you have not yet ordered a copy, stop what you are doing and go now. I have not yet found anything that compares to the work that they put into this magazine. Each issue has over 80 pages of amazing articles and full color pictures of Walt Disney World, and includes a Featured Ride, Featured Resort, and Featured Movie. They are currently printing issue 12. I will talk much more about it in a future blog post. You can find it at www.celebrationspress.com
Last 5 WDW Radio Show podcast episode titles:
178: “The Walt Disney World that almost never was, Listener Fact or Fiction, and more”
177: “Captain EO returns, Listener Email and more”
176: “Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel”
175: “Top ten things to do with your dad in Walt Disney World”
174: “Wayback Machine – Time Keeper”
Some of my personal favorite episodes:
173: “24 hour Live broadcast recap roundtable”
164: “Top ten ride vehicles; celebrating the legacy of the Adventurers Club”
135: “Richard Sherman Interview, Ultimate Disney Dream with Justin Muchoney”
96: “Top ten sentimental moments in Walt Disney World”
95: “Cast Members – one of the 7 wonders of WDW”
Some more information and links for WDW Radio and Lou Mongello
Host: Lou Mongello
Website: www.wdwradio.com
Website contains Lou’s latest blog posts, links to his audio and video podcasts, a forum to connect with others, and a link to shop for some of his amazing work, such as his trivia and audio guides.
Podcast: The WDW Radio Show
(New episodes Sunday evenings)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wdwradio
Twitter: www.twitter.com/loumongello
Email: lou@wdwradio.com
Celebrations Magazine: www.celebrationspress.com
Be Our Guest Podcast
After searching iTunes a few months ago for some more Disney related podcasts, I came upon the Be Our Guest Podcast. The very first episode I listened to, I was hooked! The Be Our Guest Podcast team has two episodes each week, one on Mondays, and one on Fridays. Monday is usually devoted to an interview with a family or individuals about their latest trip to Walt Disney World. Fridays are a roundtable forum with the team about various topics regarding Walt Disney World. Listening to the group, you feel like you are sitting alongside them talking about your favorite resort, ride, or just why you really love Disney so much.
I also discovered his other amazing outlet for Walt Disney magic: Magical Mouse Radio. It is a station on the widely popular Live365 website, and plays Disney Audio 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I have personally not found a Live365 station that has a better selection of Walt Disney Park audio than this one. If you need to get that much closer to Disney at anytime during your day, run to that site, and see what I mean. www.magicalmouseradio.com
Last 5 BeOurGuest podcast episode titles:
246: “Stacey Aswad” (Stacey is the host of Walt Disney Resort TV)
245: “ ‘Yehaa’ Bob Jackson and Len Testa”
244: “Taking Babies to Walt Disney World”
243: “DVC, Wilderness Lodge, Pop Century, and Great Meals”
242: “Disney’s Contemporary Resort”
Some of my personal favorite episodes:
277: “Disney Obsessions”
206: “Where to be inspired at Walt Disney World”
174: “Sentimental Journey to Walt Disney World”
143: “Debbie’s move to Orlando”
112: “Little things we love at WDW”
241: “Carl and Ellie of TheRelocatedTourist.com” (Thanks again Mike!!)
Some more information and links for the Be Our Guest Podcast:
Host: Mike Rahlman
Co-Hosts: Pam Forrester, Rikki Niblett, Debbie
Website: www.beourguestpodcast.com
Website contains the team’s latest podcasts posts and links to their message forum, and chat room.
Podcast: The Be Our Guest Podcast
(New episodes Mondays and Fridays)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=37042345739
Twitter: Mike: www.twitter.com/beourguestmike
Rikki: www.twitter.com/RikkiNibs
Email: mike@beourguestpodcast.com
Blog: www.adisneyworldafterall.com (Rikki’s blog)
Live365 station: www.magicalmouseradio.com
There are so many more Disney related podcasts out there. One thing that I have been more and more amazed at these past few years is the ever-increasing amount of people who want to share their love for Disney. While I could not mention all of the available podcasts if I wanted to, one thing I can do is really encourage you all to make sure you take a moment to thank the ones that you listen to. Just knowing what it takes to keep up a simple blog, I can’t imagine the work that it takes to put out a very high quality podcast, and do it every week. So make sure this week you take a moment to send the hosts of whatever podcast you listen to a note and thank them for the hard work they do to bring us all closer to the Disney Magic.
What Disney Podcasts do you listen to? Drop a comment and let us know which ones, and why you enjoy them. I don’t know how I would make it between trips without them!
~ Carl
After hearing your interview on BOGP, I was hooked, too! They are such a fun group.
I also searched for more after hearing BOGP because I needed more more more Disney magic, and found WDW Radio Show and I love it too! I’m going to definitely go back and listen to your favorite episodes of each.
This is truly a coincidental blog as I just updated my iPod for the week with my Disney “must haves” for the work week ahead; although I do still wait to add Lou on Monday morning. I have many favourites that get me through the week. I agree with WDW Radio and BOGP; listening to both from their beginnings (and having been a huge fan of Lou’s since the days of the long-gone and fondly remembered MouseTunes podcast). Which brings me to the podcast of Lou’s former partner, Nathan Rose, the Magical Definition podcast. If you’re a fan of Jim Hill, he co-hosts this informative show.
I love a great WDW News Today podcast as Tom Corless and his group entertain and inform. For a show with a little “zing”, I enjoy the Disney Dudes. Wayne and Trace have a very unpredictable format, but this show is strictly ‘Adults only’. And my favourite new podcast, not yet on iTunes, is Your Mousecast at http://www.yourmousecast.com; a British show.
Hmmm. Maybe I’ll just catch one of these right now.
~Mark.
I started listening to Disney podcasts when they first started just over five years ago. I drive a lot for work, and I always have my Disney podcasts to listen to. I update the iPod early Monday morning and then work my way through all of the episodes.
One issue I run into is that I subscribed to so many that it is hard to stay up-to-date. I took a week off for vacation in April, then didn’t have any appointments the following week, and ever since have had about 50 episodes to try to get caught-up on.
I have about 20 Disney podcasts I am subscribed to right now. There are a few podcasts that I stopped listening to, and a few that I have just started to listen to, like Be Our Guest.
Lou truly is amazing and I hope to get the opportunity to meet him some day.
°o° Brian
I wanted to give an honorable mention to the DIS Podcast. I have enjoyed them a great deal, but I fell in love with them when Bob was on the show. I was a regular listener when he passed away, and it really affected me. I feel like a piece of that show is gone, and altho I think they do a great job, it will never be what it used to be.
Ellie
Carl
Wow… what can I say? I cannot express how incredibly humbled and grateful I am for such a wonderful post, and your comments about my show and me personally.
I certainly remember meeting you and your wonderful family at the Studios a while back (and yes – I loved the shirt!)
I love your Top 5 lists, too!
I hope to have the pleasure of seeing and thanking you all again in Walt Disney World soon!!!
Lou
P.S. I love the Mike, Pam and Rikki from BOGP, too! Thanks for including me in such great company!
I love BOGP but I haven’t heard WDW Radio Show. I’m adding it to my iPod as we speak! Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi Guys,
Mark V. Pointed out that our podcast “Your MouseCast” wasn’t on iTunes yet. That was true, but I am glad to announce we are there now.
AL
Al:
I just added you to my iTunes list this AM.
~Mark.
I love Be Our Guest Podcast, it’s one that I have to have on my iPhone (although I’m about a month behind on shows right now thanks to our new addition to the family). I also listen to WDW Today, Mouse Travel Tips, Betamouse, & The Magic Never Ends. I use to have a lot more but as I couldn’t keep up with all of them I whittled them down to these few. Once I catch up on them I may add a few more (first one will most likely be WDW Radio, but the length kinda scares me, lol!).
I occasionally listen to The Adventures of a Teenage Disney Geek, but the length of show makes me put it as the last one I catch up on.