Disney Insights

As we enter 2026 we continue our celebration of Disneyland's 70th anniversary with a look at Mickey's Toon Town. One of the newer places on the map, this little corner beyond Fantasyland is filled with whimsy and charm. We share with you how the concept came about, due in large part to three major influences of that time--Including Snoopy! We look at the original Toon Town and compare it to how it looks today, to include the addition of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Train. It's the same attraction as the one at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but it isn't because of an amazing queue. We'll talk all about that, and other little details of this town built on celluloid. Join us during Disneyland's 70th anniversary where we celebrate Mickey's Toon Town!

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Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

I have to admit that this year has flown by quickly. Full of highlights, but still Spring became summer, and summer went right into Thanksgiving, and the next thing you knew the year was closing. On many levels I have enjoyed the parks perhaps more days in the year than in previous years. Unless I'm out of town I'm there once a week at least, but lately, I've found myself easily there 2-3 days out of seven. And it's been wonderful. Just during the Christmas season we have had some really wonderful visits. We'll discuss new attractions that have emerged in 2025, as well as moments I have had cherishing the final days of attractions that have now parted. Among all this I'll share my favorite moment of the entire year. Then we'll look forward to the new year. I don't believe Disney has yet to disclose all that is happening in the parks in 2026, but there's a solid start to the first half so far. We'll look at each incoming experience, and then focus in on what will be the most important announcement to happen in 2026. Finally we have an announcement that sets the stage for Disney Insights in the upcoming year! So join us as we celebrate 2025 and anticipate all to come in 2026!

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Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

Seasons Greetings! Happy Holidays! This has been a wonderful year in many ways, but it has also been a year of tremendous lost to myself and many who knew Judy Perry Daley. Judy was the first female manager in operations at Walt Disney World, and had a tremendous work experience, hosting presidents and princesses, rock stars and movie stars. She truly was one of the most remarkable leaders of Walt Disney World. Together my friend Joseph Gardner, and my long time friend and my business partner Mark David Jones meet with Danni Mikler, who was Judi's best friend at Walt Disney World. She shares her journey with Judi, where you will learn more of Guest Relations in those early days, talks of managing Candlelight Processional, and of the challenges of opening Epcot with Dick Nunis. Did you know there was no centralized reservation, World-Key system in the first months of Epcot? How about the Epcot circus or President Reagan's Inaugural Parade through World Showcase? We talk about all of these crazy events and Judi's leadership in it. I then conclude by sharing the remarks I made at her life celebration service. Judy was truly one of the best leaders at Walt Disney World, was a dear friend and mentor, and I promise this is one of the most important podcasts I have ever shared. Join us as we share the life of Judy Perry Daley: Walt Disney World's VIP.

As this is a special podcast, please visit the show notes below for announcements and other promotional mentions. I want to focus simply on this podcast. And please understand that much of this is recorded at Steakhouse 71--in fact we closed out their lunch service. So despite using some good mikes there was more banter nearby than I had hoped. And please understand that this is one of my longest podcasts, but I felt that it should be as one whole.

Without further ado, allow me to turn the mike largely over to Danni Mikler, who'll share some details of her career as they intertwined with her long-time friendship with Judi.

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Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

Bright Suns! Throughout this year we have celebrated Disneyland's 70th Anniversary by looking at the nine lands of the park. And as the celebration continues in Anaheim, we continue our celebration here on Disney Insights. Today we look at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. This is perfect because this land especially references the last three film series in the larger trilogy. This week Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out ten years ago into the movie theaters. So much of that film and the two others that fall after it tie into the Black Spire Outpost of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. We're going to relive the opening of this themed land at Disneyland, talk about the similarities and differences to its twin at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and then share with you my top 7 Easter egg-style references to Star Wars within this land. Join us as we celebrate Star Wars Galaxy's Edge on Disneyland's 70th anniversary.

_______________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

Everyone knows that the minute Halloween is over the Disney Parks ready themselves for the Christmas holidays. Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom seem to up and ready overnight, and in the first week or so of November we were able to see the joy of these parks during this time of year. Epcot, on the other hand, waits patiently until its International Food & Wine Festival is over. Then it readies everything for the holidays right before Thanksgiving.

Last week I had the chance to spend not one day, not two days, but three days at Epcot, and was re-immersed in how truly fun this approach to holidays around the world really is. This podcast serves to relive many of those experiences, and to consider some previous podcasts where we highlighted this park during the midst of Covid. Then we turn the podcast over to the music of the park, where we have provided musical enjoyment while you make last minute seasonal preparations. So join us for the 2025 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays.

Note that music only begins at 37:45.

 

___________________________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

Disney has announced that Disney Adventure World is opening in Paris on March 29^th, 2026. This is one of Disney’s biggest remakes of a theme park, one that has had troubled origins and is now just emerging into its own. This park, opened in 2002 as Walt Disney Studios Paris, was hardly a shadow of its sister, Disneyland Paris, and it has gone through decades of struggle to get to this point. With some 2 billion euros invested, it now transforms into a much bigger footprint with some 90% of the original park completely reimagined. This transformation is huge with new lands, attractions, dining, shows and technology. And it’s only the beginning as more construction points toward more offerings to follow.

________________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

Last week we took a look at the original Disney Magic Cruise ship and shared our four night experience from Port Canaveral to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Day 3 of that experience was visiting Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. There is so much to talk about here that I chose to use it as a separate podcast. We had a review from David Zanolla last year, but everything at that time was brand new and really just getting underway. This was an opportunity to see it about a year and a half later, and for me, I was surprised by how much our family really enjoyed this. From arrival to the beach; from lunch to Junkanoo, we'll share it all. And we'll talk a little about how it compares to my vacation from my vacation home--Disney's Castaway Cay. Join us as we visit and review Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.

____________________________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to book a really good 5 day/4 night Disney Cruise Line deal that ultimately led to a remarkably great experience on The original Disney Magic. It's a trip where we left from Port Canaveral, visited Nassau and the new Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, and then disembarked after a day at sea in San Juan Puerto Rico. Our experience gave us great insights to new experiences as well as provided us a chance to revisit the original Disney Cruise Line ship. While we are saving Lookout Cay for our next podcast, there is still a lot to share about this trip, and it will give you some insights not only about this itinerary, but booking late, and about what it's like to come back to the original Disney Magic. Oh, and we're dealing with a grown autistic son--so yeah it's kind of a crazy trip. That said, climb aboard as we head on a Disney Magic Voyage with San Juan Puerto Rico.

________________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

No parcel of land at Disneyland has had more title changes than this little wedge of Disneyland. It's perhaps the smallest land in Disneyland, but it has a history that goes back to nearly the beginning. And it's a history few know much about. Most know it as Bayou Country today, and many know it as Critter Country, home to Splash Mountain. But before that it was Bear Country, and before that it went for some time not as Indian Country but as the Indian Village. We look at all four eras which include many well-known attractions, shops and eateries. As part of our 70th anniversary celebration join us as we head into the back country to experience this very special corner of Disneyland. You'll learn some things you may never have known about the Happiest Place on Earth.

________________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!

As 2025 comes to hurling toward an end a new attraction arrives at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Zootopia Better Zoogether is now in the Tree of Life Theater and offers something new for this park which begs for more guests. And at a great time to do so, as this time of year is the best time of year to visit the park, which is free of heat, humidity and exhaustion. The new show replaces "It's Tough to Be a Bug" which premiered with the park, and was based on "It's a Bug's Life", the second film created by Pixar after Toy Story. This new show is based on Zootopia and Zootopia 2 and brings you into the dynamic world of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. We look at the origins, then experience the show during early previews, where we walk the queue indoor and out. Then it's on to see the show where we offer a spoil-free synopsis, with a comparison of what works and what doesn't. Beyond this, we look at what could be next for Zootopia and for Disney's Animal Kingdom. Join us for this New Zoo Review--Coming right at you!

________________________________________________________

Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe.

DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts.

Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others.

My newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, Volume I 1923-1973, The Walt & Roy Disney Years is available! 

Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. 

Also, for those examining other business benchmarks beyond Disney, check out Lead with Your Customer: Transform Culture and Brand Into World-Class Excellence.

________________________________________________________

Check out Zanolla Travel to book your next vacation!

David & Leah Zanolla

ZanollaTravel.com
Owner/Agents
(309) 863-5469

_________________________________________________________

Performance Journeys

This podcast and post is provided by J. Jeff Kober and Performance Journeys, which celebrates more than 20 years as a training and development group bringing best in business ideas through books, keynotes, workshops, seminars and online tools to help you take your organization to the next level.

Want a Keynote Speaker? More than just nice stories, I offer proven insight and solutions having worked in the trench.

Need Consulting? I’ve worked for decades across the public, private and non-profit arena. 

Need Support? We offer so many classroom, online, and other resources to help you improve your customer service delivery, leadership excellence, and employee engagement.

Contact us today, and let us help you on your Performance Journey!