Connecting with Walt - A look into the history of the man behind Mickey Mouse, Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Inspired by a listener suggestion, Michael, Tom, and special guest Mary Jo talk about how Disney parks immerse guests in the storytelling by engaging their senses, sometimes without them even knowing it.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited Travel

In honor of Women's History Month, Michael shares with Tom a look at a group of artists whose contributions to Disney animation have often been overlooked.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited TravelSources:Books:Before the Animation Begins: The Art and Lives of Disney Inspirational Sketch Artists by John CanemakerWalt Disney Imagineering Legends and the Genesis of the Disney Theme Park by Jeff KurttiWalt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real by The ImagineersThe Art and Flair of Mary Blair by John CanemakerMagic Color Flair: The World of Mary Blair by John Canemaker

In this episode, Michael and Tom explore the idea that Walt Disney quietly designed Disneyland to be a classrom where people could learn without ever feeling like they were being taught.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited Travel

In this episode, Michael continues his look at Woolie Reitherman as he and Tom discuss how one of Walt's Nine Old Men stepped into a leadership role during a transitional period at The Walt Disney Studios.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited TravelSources:Books:Walt Disney's Nine Old Men & The Art of Animation by John CanemakerWalt Disney's Nine Old Men: Masters of Animation by Don HahnThe Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators by Andreas Dejas

In this episode, Michael continues his series on Walt Disney's Nine Old Men as he and Tom discuss animator, director, and producer Woolie Reitherman and his contributions to the Walt Disney Studio.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited TravelSources:Books:Walt Disney's Nine Old Men & The Art of Animation by John CanemakerWalt Disney's Nine Old Men: Masters of Animation by Don HahnThe Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators by Andreas Dejas

In this episode, Michael takes Tom on a deep dive into the Carousel of Progress, not just as an attraction, but as Walt Disney's mission statement.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited Travel

In this episode, producer/director Don Hahn joins Michael and Tom to discuss his newest book "The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney's Disneyland," the companion exhibit at the Walt Disney Family Museum, and his involvement in the Disney+ documentary "Disney Handcrafted".Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited Travel

In this special episode, Michael and Tom sit down with producer Don Hahn to discuss the life and legacy of director Roger Allers, who passed away recently. Allers co-directed Disney's The Lion King (which Hahn produced) and co-wrote the Broadway adaptation of the film.Links:Michael’s Disneyland History SegmentsImportant DIS links and more information!Connecting with Walt on TwitterDreams Unlimited Travel