This Happy Podcast

The first trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has been released and Paul and Matt share their instant reactions to what they saw. Hold on to your potatoes! 

Our hosts got on the microphones quickly after hearing the news about Bob Iger and Bob Chapek. Hear their first reactions to this exciting news!

What's missing from the Disney Parks? As the theme park industry emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic and looks toward the future, our hosts reflect on how we think Disney can stay on top as an industry leader.

Even the happiest and most magical places on Earth sometimes have mechanical problems. Nobody wants it to happen, but when it does, how can you make the best of the situation? Our cohosts discuss in this week's episode!

Hamilton vs. Burr, Tesla vs. Edison, Yankees vs. Red Sox, Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World? There are many in the Disney online community that love to debate which of the stateside Disney Parks is better, but the reality is that picking between them is like picking your favorite child - you love them equally, but differently. In this week's episode, the fellas wade into this discussion through the prism of recent trips to both, plus a discussion on Lightning Lane and even a big personal announcement from one of our hosts!

A recent CBS Mornings story on a couple that is auctioning off their prized Disney Park memorabilia collection got us thinking: what attraction relic do we covet? Join us and find out on This Happy Podcast.   Watch the CBS Mornings story and share your thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mScnmZ2ZwQA

Lines are a right of passage at Walt Disney World, and some pay good money to skip them. But what if Lightning Lane and Genie+ were down for the day - what would you wait for anyway? We discuss this week on This Happy Podcast!

Imagine, you get to the gate of a Disney park, excited to begin a day of joy and wonder, and you realize that you forgot your ticket (or never had one to begin with!) Sounds like the start of a nightmare, right? Never fear! Even if you can't cross the precipice of a Disney Park, there are places on Disney property where you can go to "stay in the magic." Our hosts reflect on where they go when they don't have a park pass in this week's episode!

It wasn't an easy week to be a Disney fan or employee, but those employees are the difference makers for many people. Today on This Happy Podcast, we focus on the cast members who go above and beyond and make magic happen at the Parks.

It is a time of anticipation. The Disney Parks Empire has introduced the latest weapon in its resort arsenal, the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser.   In a base outside Disney's Hollywood Studios, the two-night vacation adventure has been the source of curiosity for years.   After years of secrecy, the newly-unveiled Halcyon Legacy promises to immerse guests in the sequel trilogy world and surround them with Rey, Kylo Ren, Chewbacca and a host of scum and villainy.   The fate of the Starcruiser is now in the hands of the people… and the Force. Join us for our discussion.

Many people go to Disney Parks to get away from the problems of every day life, if only for a few days. But as we know from experience, though joyful in nearly every way, not many people would say a Disney vacation is "restful." Where do you go to catch a break from the hustle and bustle in the parks? Join us as our hosts answer that question, reflect (and disagree) on the impact of Encanto, and more on this week's episode!

Disney attractions are full of moments that inspire childlike wonder and amazement, but has anything ever taken your breath away? Our cohosts talk about the moments that a Disney Park left our jaws on the floor. But first, we spend an awful lot of time talking about Bruno. Join us for this week's episode!

2022 is an important year for the Walt Disney Company, as we see new offerings debut in Parks, Streaming, and at the Box Office, as well as a return of some old classics still on pause due to the pandemic. This week, the fellas talk about what they are most looking forward to in 2022 and why that answer is clearly Kenobi on Disney+.

Pirates of the Caribbean. The Haunted Mansion. Country Bear Jamboree. Jungle Cruise. Each of these attractions has a movie based on them, with varying degrees of success. What should be next? Our hosts explore their ideas for new Disney movies based on Parks attraction in this week's episode!

Paul, Matt and John share their favorite mementos from Disney Parks and the - surprisingly! - emotional stories behind them. Join them for a great discussion and find your own keepsakes as well!

'Tis the season! This week, we're discussing the holiday overlays. Some might know of the popular Disney's Haunted Mansion gets an overlay during the Halloween and Christmas/Holiday seasons. Jack Skellington and his friends from Nightmare Before Christmas take over a bona fide classic. But… is it a good thing? We discuss beloved attractions getting overlays this week on This Happy Podcast.

Some intellectual properties feel like they're everywhere in the parks! Which IPs do we need a break from in the Disney Parks, so that we can miss them? We have some thoughts!

This week, we're discussing intellectual properties at Disney Parks. Disney seemingly owns everything, but there are glaring holes in representation at the parks. Each of us has an opinion about what should be in the Parks more and we're going to share them.

This week, we're looking around the world, but not like we're at Epcot. We're scouring Disney Parks across the globe and talking about attractions we want to ride or experience. Share your own personal goal at thishappypodcast@gmail.com!

Boo! We're still in Halloween mode, discussing our favorite remnants of Disney Parks from the past. Perhaps it's a dearly-departed attraction or a location at a Disney resort. What do you miss? Hear our takes in the latest episode of This Happy Podcast.

This week, we're preparing for Halloween and talking about where Disney Parks actually scare us a bit. Yes, the Happiest Place on Earth can occasionally put a lump in your throat and make you fear the unknown. So, we're going to share what attractions manages to get us shaking in our boots.

This week, we're discussing what's on the horizon at Walt Disney World, with construction happening throughout the parks. Epcot is radically transforming the front end of the park, while Disney World awaits a futuristic video game roller coaster ride and Animal Kingdom has the possibility of land re-invention. Beloved resorts are changing and evolving

  This week, we're discussing where we think Walt Disney's vision lives on most at Walt Disney World as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. As it stands, there are four parks, many resorts, shopping complexes, a sports complex that has even hosted an NBA Championship. There's much to choose from and it's a far cry from the opening of an extravagant amusement park and two resort hotels 50 years.

The day is October 1, 1971. Paul, Matt, and John take us back to that fateful day when Walt Disney World opened its magical doors to the world. What would you do if you were there on opening day? In the last segment, our hosts get emotional and answer the big question: what does Walt Disney World mean to you?

Picture it: you hold the keys to the Disney Parks. There's an unlimited budget and YOU get to make all the decisions. What do you build? Our three hosts put their imagineering hats on and share their wildest and most exciting dreams for new lands in the Disney Parks. You know what they say, "if your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme!" Listen to hear our dream lands.

Every time you arrive back at your Walt Disney World resort, you're welcomed by a Cast Member back home. In this week's episode, Matt, John, and Paul talk about where home is for them at WDW. From Pop Century to the Grand Floridian, there's a home out there for everyone!

Welcome, foolish mortals to another episode of This Happy Podcast! Our three cohosts take you on the wildest ride in the wilderness as we discuss our favorite classic "E-ticket" attractions built before 1980. We take you all the way from the frontier of the western United States to the "final frontier" in this action packed episode. We hope you'll join us!

From the moment you step on Disney property, you encounter music that beautifully enhances your resort, park, land, and on-ride experience. Some of these moments are grand and spectacular, others provide a perfect relaxing experience, and still others build anticipation for a ride's big moment. What's your favorite Disney Parks music moment? We share ours in this week's episode!

It's not just the rides that make us go "wow" at the Disney Parks. Sometimes, the experiences that stick with us the most are shows, parades, or walk through attractions. Join us as we discuss our favorite "non-ride" attractions, and welcome our very first guest on the show: Sarah Jarzembowski! 

Just a spoonful of soup helps the medicine go down - at least it does according to one of us! Come for the passionate defense of soup in the Orlando heat, stay for the dragged out debate about what counts as "ice cream" in this week's episode of This Happy Podcast. We sure hope you'll join us!

Close your eyes and picture yourself at Walt Disney World. Where are you on property? What is going on? What does it smell like? What time of day is it? Why this specific place? Walt Disney World is full of happy places and happy memories, and this week, your hosts Paul, John, and Matt talk about theirs. 

To all who come to this Happy Podcast, welcome! Join our hosts Matt Palmer, John Grosso, and Paul Jarzembowski as we take our first steps into the world of Disney podcasting. This isn't your ordinary Disney podcast, though! Each week, we'll be reflecting on the magic and nostalgia of Disney Parks, and how "though each of us has our own individual stories to tell, a true adventure emerges when we bring them all together as one." Enjoy!