Driving to Disneyland

What's better than Spooky Morning?  Spooky Morning the week of Christmas!  Kristen regales Catherine with the story of Phantom Manor, Disneyland Paris' version of the Haunted Mansion. Other topics include the billboard boobs of Las Vegas, Kirk Cameron's version of sex ed, and new car sounds from Catherine's new ride.

Kristen and Catherine get ahold of the Timestone and travel to a magical reality two weeks in the future of the last episode.  In their new future, strangers buy you cookies and macaroons melt in your hands, while you ~MaRVeL~ at the wonders of Rogers the Musical.  The gals try new foods at San Fransokyo in DCA, and Catherine is so charmed by Kristen's Editing Song that it makes the final cut of the episode.  Magic abounds!

Catherine and Kristen hit the parks on one of the hottest days of the year!  From water rides to water bottles that spray you in the face like a wayward feline, the gals cover ways to stay cool at the parks.  Also covering: initial thoughts about the Haunted Mansion movie, Rogers the Musical, fabulous eats at San Fransokyo Square, and more. 

It's the Aftermagic!  Kristen and Catherine dole (whip) out the scoop on cheap eats, souvenirs and experiences at this cheap budget-friendly Aftermagic.  What was overpriced?! What was just right?!  And did they overspend?!! Tune in to find out.

The gals are back in action! A lot of life has happened - and Disney still looms large in the hearts and minds of your favorite park pals.  In this budget-friendly episode, Kristen and Catherine cover all the cheapest snacks, souvenirs and thrills at Disneyland, as well as how in the world their friendship has survived without the miracle of podcasting.  Join us to learn some secrets!

A lot of life has happened!  Catherine and Kristen are on their way to Disneyland after a rendezvous at Jim Henson Studios. 

Kristen and Catherine wander the lands of the Food and Wine Festival at California Adventure and discover some strange and wonderful concoctions.  We just have one thing to say: NOT EVERYTHING GOES WITH PEANUT BUTTER.

Catherine and Kristen head back to DCA, this time via... TRAM! They're aiming to try all the tasty treats at the Food and Wine festival and, of course, saunter and snack.  

Happy Not-So-Scary Halloween!  Kristen and Catherine head to Oogie Boogie bash and talk about the newest trends in Zombie movies adored by 7-year-olds, under boob, oral surgery and other scary stories.  Join us for a weird and wild trip to Oogie Boogie!

Catherine and Kristen are back at the parks!  Listen in to find out what you need to know about WEB Slingers, the brand-new Avenger's campus, and what it takes to hork down a goo-filled cake while sitting and admiring a hot Captain America.  No ride spoilers were given in the making of this episode - except during a few specific minutes where we outline the ability to skip 'em.  Grab a giant candy bar from the Pym Test Kitchen and join along!

It's Lemon, everybody! Catherine and Kristen hit the road to DLR again, this time for a day at California Adventure! Avengers Campus, ahoy! The anticipation is high as we failed at our 7am boarding pass attempt for Spider-Man: Webslingers. Will noon bring salvation…dare we say a vengeance? Join us in the car for the excitement, the eggs in a bag, and some bonus history as Kristen tells us a lil about DCA in honor of it's 20th year!

Get all the secrets, frustrations, joys and tirades about what it's like to go to Disneyland right now.  Kristen and Catherine dish about what on earth we're all supposed to do with these new ways of doing things, even as they continually change (every. single. day.).  Welcome to Disneyland!

Hang on tight, Brad-of-being-married-to-Catherine-fame is driving like a maniac to get the girls to Disneyland!  After 450 long days, Kristen and Catherine get to drive to the D! It's Bwad's first time at Batuu, complete with a ride on Rise of the Resistance.  Tune in and find out all about why you should be keeping TP in your car, adventures in the world of unpeeled eggs, why the girls will be spending time in an assortment of graveyards, and enjoy them figuring out how to podcast again.

Disneyland is back and so is Driving to Disneyland!  Kristen and Catherine cover bucket hats, the fact that cotton candy is basically made in a particle accelerator, and pop sensation Hoku - you know, the usual.  They also discuss plans for their imminent trip back to the motherland - we're headed to Disneyland!  

Welcome to Disneyland!  Today we're joined by Marvel and Disney gurus Loni Clark (@lonicatherinec) and Ricky Trann (@robodenim) to talk about Wandavision, their favorite places in Disneyland (and WDW!), and what Valentines day looks like when you haven't seen your significant other in a year.  This episode has it all - Love Island-style games, video games, X-men crossovers, and why it's so terrifying to actually get to the character part of a meet-and-greet.  There's a lot of sweating involved. 

Sometimes you gotta reach beyond the 101 Dalmatians from the movie and get yourself some off-brand ones.  Kristen and Catherine play spin-the-wheel with Disney movies and talk about their experiences, revel in rich and varied reactions to Fox and the Hound, wonder at the marvel of Disney World's new Krispy Kreme Grilled Cheese, and are joined by friend of the pod @Lindseyruffles.  Toot Toot Beep Beep!

This episode, Catherine and Kristen gathered on zoom to squee about the news of Disneyland becoming a vaccination sight, and sigh about the loss of Annual Passes. Kristen brought expert efficiency and rhyming to the episode by suggesting this week’s topics: Vax Chat, Pass Chat, Tat Chat, Math Chat, Dad Chat, Pad Chat, and of course Rat Chat. Grab a cat and a mat and step into the podcast!

It's Chreestmas time again!  And all the other holidays we love so much.  Join Catherine and Kristen on a sentimental journey through the Disney toys they got for Christmas as kids, how to celebrate the holidays right this very weird year, and some badass grandmas and historical ladies.  We also cover the recent Disney announcements (SPOILER: it's a sh*t-ton of sequels) including Disenchanted, the Hocus Pocus sequel, and don't worry they threw in some reboots as well.  We round it all out with some Disney Holiday treats... enjoy and we'll see ya next year!

The girls hold a variety of stuffed Dumbos and bring big sleepover energy to the newest episode of Driving to Disneyland!  Secrets are divulged, including a mother's zipper-hoarding, a stuffie pilfered from a small child, and really great new info on a Spoonful of Sugar (and the song Julie Andrews kicked out of Mary Poppins).  

It's the most controversial Thanksgiving of them all!  Kristen and Catherine reach into the depths of Disney's history with Native cultures - what they got right and what they got woefully wrong.  Kristen teaches us about the Native American village at Disneyland and the folks who felt it was like home, we're haunted by a mysterious lumberjack, and find our way to mistaking a Puritan for a famous footballer.  If you learn nothing else from this episode, you'll learn how to properly be guilted into complementing the chef at a Thanksgiving dinner. 

Kristen and Catherine sat down for a chat with former Imagineer Chris Eng, who we lovingly nicknamed the Ben Wyatt of Disneyland! We talked in depth about the building of Batuu, the development and financial side of the parks and company, gushed over his beautiful name tag plaque, and generally felt feelings about how much we love Disney. This one’s good for the head and the heart.

Welcome back to the Spookiest Morning of them all - the one where you can't leave the house!  Catherine and Kristen play a madcap version of Spooky Mad Libs, dive into the spookiest costumes our followers sent us, and play Guess the Plot of Halloweentown!  In short: it's very spooky.  Enjoy!

This time on Driving to Disneyland, we get JUICY!  It's a return to our roots with the time-honored tradition of having one fun-to-say word guide our Disney dive.  From the one Disney party that got so crazy that Walt never spoke of it again... to Demi Lovato's broken engagement to a twitter-crazed starf***er, we have well and truly GONE there.  Tune in for the JUICIEST Disney dish of all!

Kristen's wine cooler, pilfered from Mom, is no match for the Fresca-and-Vodka soaked bonanza that takes place on this episode with special guests the Steamboat Willies!  On this episode, you'll discover what it takes to cry in French, how best to schedule your Disney World trip if you can guarantee a hangover will be involved, who's a Murderino, and how to handle an adoring public who can't get over the fact that you're not in a throuple.  The Steamboat Willies tell us what it's like to be Driving to Disney World, and exactly what the cue is to pull out your extra Mickey crispies for the ride home.  Plus, we finally settle the great Dole Whip controversy - is vanilla or pineapple better?!

Suit up for a good time with Catherine, Kristen, and our special guest, Sandra Saad, voice of Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) in the new game, Marvel’s Avengers! We talk overzealous stationary purchases, Mocap suits, working with heroes, matching childhood sweaters, the ups and downs of Disney’s Aladdin, and briefly try our hand at being an unboxing podcast. Sandra even gives us our first triple tat!

Spoiler Alert! Kristen and Catherine watched Mulan and then forgot just enough details to make this review episode entertaining. Contributing to the entertainment are necklace ripping contests to come, references to non-woke football movies, an unfortunate location choice and its modern connotations, LOVE for witch queens, and JVN-style appreciation for Catherine’s tits in that top. Toot toot beep beep!

Catherine and Kristen cover all available emotions in this episode, with sadness over mourning Chadwick Boseman, nostalgia for a very special Little Mermaid jewelry box, misty awe at hearing the real Ballad of Mulan, and of course pure mischief as we play a NEW GAME! Join in to feel the feels and hear what Catherine and Kristen have each deemed as acceptable to tattoo on their bodies forever. #cupcakes 

Disneyland may not be back, but WE are!  This pandemic may never end, but that won't stop us reporting to, about, and from (!) Disneyland.  In the season 2 premiere, Catherine and Kristen dip their toes into the Coronavirus experience at Downtown Disneyland, Kristen panic-buys too many treats at Marceline's Confectionery, and Catherine swoons for Octogenarians at the Royal Swing Big Band Ball.  Come with us on an adventure as we evaluate the ups, downs, and scaries of Disney travel 2020.  And as it turns out, too many treats is never enough.  

Kristen and Catherine get into some sticky syrup: did you know Aunt Jemima's Kitchen was a restaurant at Disneyland?  We go full history-mode in this episode, and learn the fascinating origins of the Aunt Jemima character from 1800's minstrelsy, plus we discover how she made it all the way to 1950's Disneyland... and stayed there.  And apparently we had good timing, because the times they are a-changin': Quaker Oats has just promised to change the Aunt Jemima brand once and for all. And once more for the people in the back: Black Lives Matter! :)

This is low-key our 50th episode of D2D episodes + Aftermagics!  And we couldn't have asked for a sweeter present than Pixar's new short "Out"!  We've been asking for it for 50 episodes, and we finally got it: Disney's first gay kiss!  Break out the champagne and the distant nightclub music.  Come celebrate with us and Pixar's Out!  

Catherine & Kristen talk Disney's Pixar in Real Life shorts, Disney Springs and Universal City Walk reopening, and the best games to play with your family on your Zoom calls. Also: Catherine cries a lot.  

Catherine & Kristen are back to talk about Disney Studios Short Circuit series of shorts, which you can binge on Disney+!  We even talk about snacks, baby!

In this episode of the Aftermagic, we tell you the terrible truth about Rise of the Resistance, the Disneyland Flex Pass, and what it feels like in the sun and quietly drink a beer at the heart of California Adventure. Special guest, Imagineer Meg Speer, joins us to talk Star Wars novels and more!

Visiting us in our little neon Toyota is Meg Speer: Imagineer, badass roller skater, Star Wars novel copyeditor, punk drummer and dog mom of three.  One of our favorites people and also a superstar Disney person, Meg joins us to spill the Imagineering tea on all things Baby Yoda, her favorite Star Wars secrets (sex scenes?!), and why the Padme you find in the books is way cooler than the movies. Download the episode now & leave us a fabulous review!

In this very special episode, recorded at the heart of the end of the world, Catherine & Kristen talk about what matters - Disney shorts.  Today's episode features an unpacking of Luxo Junior, Pixar's first short - and what the world of computer animation looked like in 1986.  Join us!  We're not in a car!

[In our best Angry Secret Nazi voice]: The ROCKET!  We're back for round 2 of our Rocketeer episode as we visit iconic locations all over Los Angeles that appear in the film.  Download the episode now for Newsies crossover easter eggs, a visit from two very special surprise guests, and more!

Guys!  It's our biggest insta/podcast crossover yet as we play Guess The Plot with the Rocketeer... and visit ALL the historic landmarks shown in the movie!  Catherine & Kristen take you on a historical tour of some of the biggest tourist attractions in Hollywood, like the Hollywood sign, 30's-era bars like the Brown Derby, Idle Hour & the Bulldog Cafe from the movie, and the ethereal Ennis House.  Hop over to our instagram @drivingtodisneyland to check out pictures, video and more from these iconic locations... and see exactly what the magic of the movies is all about.  Plus, we dish about Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, and some guy with a mustache that looks like Alan Alda.

Catherine and Kristen wander and eat in beautiful Toon Town, wait too long to eat at the Food & Wine Festival, and awkwardly meet their heroes.  The Snack Queens goals are finally realized with a towering twist of ice cream and chocolatey morsels from Clarabelle's.

Welcome to Disneyland!  Catherine & Kristen spend this ride to Disneyland discussing the worst Disney villains, the droppiest drops in the park, jewelry that unfortunately turned Maleficent's brambles into penises, and personal wins.  Here to add a little Disney joy back into your life while the parks are closed during the Coronavirus outbreak.  Marooooooooned!

Happy belated Aftermagic!  Catherine and Kristen are back... again... with Mickey crispies, very few rides, and some light, petty theft.  Also, a word to the wise: NEVER make Kristen eat a whole Wetzel's Pretzel on the tram.  It ends in bloodshed.

Toot Toot, Beep Beep everyone!  Catherine and Kristen unpack how 90s Disney movies changed over the course of the decade, and the importance of having a deep knowledge of theatrical release vs. Disney channel movies.  We also cover Lunar New Year, and yes we know it was QUITE a while ago.  But also: Newsies Forever.

DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKES WE DID trying to get on Rise of the Resistance!  There are a couple little things that could keep you from being able to get a boarding group, even if you arrive at Disneyland early enough... Kristen and Catherine tell you what you need to know. We cover the depth and breadth of human experience... from meeting old friends to teenage angst to joys and thrills... to being at the parks in the immediate aftermath of a national tragedy.  We talk the loss of Kobe Bryant, what it means for LA, and our experience of the day.  Don't miss out.

So you want to ride Rise of the Resistance in Galaxy's Edge, huh?  Well, guess what?  You can't just show up and expect your phone to work.  Or to get in on time.  Or to understand how to enter the parks.  Holy cow, it's crazy.  Listen to this episode (plus the Aftermagic!) for hacks that can make or break your ability to ride the Rise.  Welcome to Disneyland.

Welcome to Disneyland!  Kristen and Catherine zoom around the park to try every snack they could before close!  Join us for peppermint soft serve, rum drinks from California Adventure designed to warm your bones, and the elusive Firefly.  Spicy!

Everyone has decided to act CRAY this time of year, so let Catherine and Kristen serve you up some sanity with the Driving to Disneyland HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR!  You're gonna get some circus-obsessed Walt Disney history, you'll understand why our hosts have an open relationship Disney-style, and we talk holidays, whether or not they actually happen in winter. Welcome to Disneyland!

Toot toot, beep beep!  Catherine and Kristen take on the Festival of Holidays, telling you which snacks to taste and which to skip.  Christmas-tree shaped ice cream, tasty morsels and more!  Also: the girls met their style & drinking icons: the elusive Pincesses.

Kristen and Catherine singlehandedly win the war on Christmas in a special Festival of Holidays episode!  Dive into the deep cuts of Disney+, a review of Frozen 2, and find out exactly how well Catherine's brain works on only one cup of coffee.  Spoiler alert: not well. 

Kristen & Catherine are joined again by Jackie Rindlespach of @LanternPins fame!  We talk churro-rific treats, NEW vegetarian eats in Batuu, and what our bags are packed with every time we go to the parks.  You'll discover all about surviving Disneyland, one bottle of sunscreen at a time.  Seriously, Class of 1999, WEAR. SUNSCREEN.  

Catherine & Kristen are off to Lamplight Lounge for brunch with a very special guest - Jackie Rindlespach of Lantern Pins! Jackie shares the insider trading secrets of official Disneyland pins - as well as the elusive underworld of Disney-inspired merch.  Don't trade that cabbage-head Mickey pin just yet... listen in for the tricks of the trade.  Plus, you'll learn how to con your way into the parks if you forget your annual pass.  Welcome to Disneyland!

This Aftermagic is all about evil - the Mistress of Evil, that is!  Hosts Catherine Law & Kristen Henley do a deep dive into Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and yes, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS.  Come find out who the real mistress of evil is, why the bobble-headed aunties are terrifying, and exactly how much parasailing/Pandora/Sonic the Hedgehog Disney decided to include in the newest Angelina Jolie vehicle.  Plus: is this Disney's First Gay Kiss?!

The history of Disney's El Capitan theater is a long and storied one, tied to the creation of Grauman's Chinese Theater.  Hosts Catherine Law & Kristen Henley venture out to see Maleficent: Mistress of Evil and discover the hidden lair of movie paraphernalia buried in the theater's basement!  The gals discuss whether or not Michelle Pfeiffer is a tween, why Elle Fanning is actually from outer space, and how a 10-square-foot patch in front of the El Capitan is immune from the choking indignities and filth of the rest of Hollywood.  Welcome to Disneyland!