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A Look Back at 2023

• Scott & Karen • Episode 173

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Mickeyphile Podcast Episode 173 - A Look Back at 2023

In news this week, Genie+ prices hit new highs, the temperature hits some more lows approaching the New Year, and there are changes to beloved offerings from Disney Cruise and Disney World.  Then, we’ll take a look back at the year that was 2023 at Walt Disney World.  On episode 173 of The Mickeyphile Podcast.

 

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Music: “Cân thema (Mickeyphile Podcast Theme)” copyright Scott Daves 2023 

 


 

 

Genie Plus Prices and Disney World Updates

Speaker 1

In news this week Genie Plus prices hit new highs , the temperatures hit some more lows approaching the new year and there's changes to beloved offerings from Disney crews in Disney World . Then we'll take a look back at the year that was 2023 at Walt Disney World , on episode 73 of the Mickey Faw podcast .

Speaker 2

And welcome back for the last episode of 2023 , Karen .

Speaker 1

I know Where's the year gone .

Speaker 2

Right down the toilet I don't know where .

Speaker 1

What ? No , it's just it's . I don't know how is it the end of December already ? I mean , a year ago we were getting on the Starcruiser .

Speaker 2

That is true . Let me clarify . The toilet statement is that I'm in a hotel room in Naples . Okay , literally right as I started talking , the toilet in the bathroom ran , because it has been like for the last two nights . Really annoying .

Speaker 1

Say anything to him .

Speaker 2

And what am I going to say ? So anyway , yeah , it just happened to , so all I could come up with was right down the toilet .

Speaker 1

Okay .

Speaker 2

So , before we go much further , I'm Scott , and with me is my lovely wife Karen . One more time .

Speaker 1

Hello everybody , how are ?

Speaker 2

you , so I hope everyone had a good Christmas .

Speaker 1

Yes , I hope everybody did . Got lots of cool stuff , mm-hmm , or gave lots of cool stuff . One of the two .

Speaker 2

You know we didn't unwrap a single present other than the game we played Saturday night . Sunday night .

Speaker 1

Oh , that's true , Not one . And we didn't even unwrap it , it was everybody else did . It was games we had at our little game and we just started playing .

Speaker 2

Why we said we unwrapped the presents we ended up with .

Speaker 1

Oh , we did unwrap presents .

Speaker 2

Yeah .

Speaker 1

But you're right , we didn't . We handed out a bunch of Saved , a bunch of trees . Yes , Well , we did hand them out for your family on Christmas day .

Speaker 2

Yeah , which was Monday , and feels really weird .

Speaker 1

Yeah , but most of the stuff was in bags anyways , that is true .

Speaker 2

Yeah , so New Year is upon us , it is nigh .

Speaker 1

I know and can you believe , a year ago we were running around the Star Cruiser .

Speaker 2

Yeah , today , right , we did 28 food Today .

Speaker 1

Yeah , yeah , I mean at this time last year we were and in the news Well coming up ?

Speaker 2

Yes , Not in news later in the episode .

Speaker 1

We'll reference it , we're in . We couldn't do it again . I know that we were in the bar going . We are in danger , we have to go . Rebecca was saying we're in danger .

Speaker 2

I'm pretty sure by now we were probably getting ready for dinner .

Speaker 1

Yeah , actually we were .

Speaker 2

We're a little late recording this week . We are Too many holidays and family stuff and other such nonsense traveling .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

My job . I was pretty sure I was going to be back in time for breakfast this morning I ended up being reading Get done till four o'clock , yeah , fun .

Speaker 1

Fun day . Yeah , that was a lot of fun .

Speaker 2

Yeah , it's cold down here already .

Speaker 1

It feels a lot colder than it is right now .

Speaker 2

The sun finally came out like three o'clock .

Speaker 1

Yeah , it's been a while and it's gone back away . I think we're going to get more . I think we're getting more rain , for some reason .

Speaker 2

You guys could . It was weirdly kind of coming from the south , yeah Southwest actually , but anyway , that's what's going on .

Speaker 1

Yeah , that's the exciting part that is our life . Yeah .

Speaker 2

So we were going to . There's a little bit of news , not a ton , because it's the week between Christmas and New Year's .

Speaker 1

Yeah , and very little happens .

Speaker 2

Yeah , and because very few people are working .

Speaker 1

Exactly .

Speaker 2

And then we're going to look back at what happened at Disney World this week or this year I mean this year , yeah , so that's what we're doing .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 2

See how long it lasts .

Speaker 1

Exactly All right .

Speaker 2

If you got news , let's hear it .

Speaker 1

I got some news , so cold weather is coming again to Florida and Blizzard Beach is closing today , thursday the 28th through New Year's , and is scheduled to reopen on Monday , january 1st , so it's supposed to be cold .

Speaker 2

Yeah , so I'm 160 miles south of Temple Terrace , mm-hmm . About 200 miles south of Disney .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

And it's supposed to be in the 40s tomorrow when I get up here .

Speaker 1

Yes , the high . I'm looking at Disney Springs 50s . The high is on the first , which is going to be 68 . It has new . It has the 30th in the lower 40s . New Year's Eve is in the mid 40s .

Speaker 2

Yeah .

Speaker 1

So good thing we're going to be going to those dance parties , because otherwise we're going to stay warm .

Speaker 2

Yeah , yeah . That and drinking on drinking rounds and our friends all coming in from out of state are going to be like what's going on in Florida .

Speaker 1

I know Well , Alex and Andrew already sent me pictures of snow in Wisconsin . Oh well , yeah for sure , and there's really not much snow . It was just like a it's , but it was accumulating . He goes . Current weather just shows me the parking lot .

Speaker 2

Well , we had I don't know about an inch and a half of rain this morning .

Speaker 1

Yeah , I don't know what that equates to in snow . Yeah , I'm not sure . But yeah , I've already got fire . I've already got the logs set up in the fireplace . With the going to be cold , I get you to be proud of me . I already pre did it .

Speaker 2

Yeah , very cool , yeah , oh . So here you go . On average , 13 inches of snow equals one inch of rain in the U ? S .

Speaker 1

Okay .

Speaker 2

Although it can vary from two inches for sleet to nearly 50 inches for very dry , powdery snow under certain conditions .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 2

So that means we had like 18 inches of snow today in Naples .

Speaker 1

Yeah , that's exactly what it means . At least it feels like it , yeah , because it's a lot heavier . Much more dense . There we go , okay . Um , genie plus prices continue on a record high . Christmas Day , magic Kingdom and multiple parks were $39 for the day . Yeah , and then Genie plus sold out for Hollywood Studios on the 27th of December , and it's the first time Hollywood Studios has ever sold out for Genie plus .

Speaker 2

Has first time anything to Magic Kingdom ? I think right .

Speaker 1

Yeah , I think , I think so .

Speaker 2

I think , yeah .

Disney Updates and Changes

Speaker 2

I know , for I don't know Like what was going on Hollywood Studios yesterday .

Speaker 1

I don't know . That's the part that was very weird , like what was going on studios . Just maybe people are working their days around that they're doing Hollywood , then they're doing animal today , then they're doing magic and then they're doing Understand you know doing different days in different parks . Right , but I'm just wondering if maybe everyone got there for the New Year's and decided to do Hollywood yesterday . Oh , oh .

Speaker 2

Remember , like a year and a half ago , everybody was like , oh , this Genie plus thing is stupid . Who's going to pay for it ?

Speaker 1

I don't know . I'd pick anybody IRL , no matter what brand . And here we are $39 . All right , and Festival of Fantasy Parade and Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade are changing their performance schedule for January 2024 . The Festival of Fantasy Parade is only going to perform one time a day . Currently they perform twice and currently they are at noon and three , and then they're only going to be doing 3 pm performances in January .

Speaker 2

Right .

Speaker 1

Then the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade is now going to be performing twice a day at 10.30 and 11.45 am .

Speaker 2

There you go . I'm trying to understand why that would be , and I can't come up with a reason .

Speaker 1

I don't know . Yeah , yeah , it's just this way they give morning people , they get the Cavalcade , and then the afternoon people get the parade . I don't know , yeah , I don't know . I can't answer that . I don't know if you've ever been to the store the art of shaving at Disney Springs . Have you been there ? You've been near it ? Have you ever been gone in there at all ?

Speaker 2

I've been to the one at International Mall in Tampa , oh okay .

Speaker 1

Well , the one at Disney Springs is permanently closing its doors . They've been there for eight years .

Speaker 2

So first of all , it's like a super expensive , I don't know super expensive . It's like , basically , sephora for men . Okay , but you can go in there and get shaved , which I clearly am not a fan of , clearly . So now I have not ever bought anything there , okay .

Speaker 1

I wasn't sure if you'd have your own .

Speaker 2

There's a couple of chairs , you can get a shave and paid for some pretty expensive stuff . And the fact of the matter is , just take a look around walking around Disney , a lot of guys aren't shaving .

Speaker 1

True .

Speaker 2

Especially while they're on vacation . If we're being honest , yeah , but men aren't shaving like they did .

Speaker 1

You're not wrong .

Speaker 2

And you know business . Look , I mean , when you've got Harry's or Dollar Shave Club or whatever , what do you need that for ? That's true , Disney Springs rent is not cheap , so You're .

Speaker 1

You're not wrong on that one . So it's down by Oakley , right ? Yeah , I think it's like right next to Oakley , Pretty close there by Oakley yeah . Yeah , and Savannah B , and that's the one the nest that I couldn't remember . Yeah .

Speaker 2

Yeah , you know you don't like to see people close , but that's a prime primo spot . It'll sell quick and oh yeah , I'm sure Some jewelry store or candle shop or something will take it .

Speaker 1

Disney's park . Excuse me , disney Parks blog is offering downloadable New Year's New Year's people mover Disneyland in Cinderella Castle 2024 wallpapers , but they're pretty cool . I'm looking at them , looking them up , right now the people mover , one I thought was really cool . Oh , you don't like them .

Speaker 2

All right . So , first of all , it's not the Disney world , people mover .

Speaker 1

Oh , I didn't notice that Because it's got a roof , oh okay .

Speaker 2

Um , whatever I mean , if you like that art style , well , there's people who like that art style .

Speaker 1

Yeah , I know .

Speaker 2

I thought it was kind of neat .

Speaker 1

I wanted it to be photographs .

Speaker 2

Oh , not , not stuff coming and seeing the weird . You know , it's that style that looks like the end video at Spaceship Earth . Yes , you're right .

Speaker 1

That's . I was trying to think of what it looks like .

Speaker 2

And that's what it is wanting . Wanting photographs and getting that is kind of a let down , if I'm being honest . Okay , but I mean they're cool . Yeah , you know they're cool .

Speaker 1

They're cool .

Speaker 2

Available for desktop , ipad , mobile or Apple watch ?

Speaker 1

Yeah , so there you go , has a lot of options , okay , cool . Disney Cruise Line has revised their eligibility requirements for castaway club membership Effective immediately . Castaway club members must book or sale on at least one eligible cruise within five years of their last Disney voyage in order to remain their castaway club status membership .

Speaker 2

Yeah , you know , when I first saw this headline I was a little nervous , oh yeah .

Speaker 2

Well that they were going to change because typically they take stuff away from us when they change things . So I was a little nervous . But yeah , they have to take one cruise every five years to be silver . It's not really that big a deal . Right Now I wonder . I don't know , I didn't go look for the article or anything , so I don't know . Like you know , if you're gold and you don't take a cruise for six years , do you go to nothing or do you go to silver ?

Speaker 1

You go to nothing , you go to just castaway . That's it , so yeah .

Speaker 2

It's every five years . It's not like right . I think my hotel room points are only good for like two years , so yeah .

Speaker 1

There you go . I mean , I think it's fine .

Speaker 2

I mean , you know , instead of dragging people's membership status out forever , Exactly yeah , if take a cruise every five years , not a big deal .

Speaker 1

Right .

Speaker 2

If you don't go that often , then the castaway club benefits aren't going to benefit you anyway .

Speaker 1

Right Right . Imagineers use 3D printing , recycled items and presents to create enrichment activities for animals at Disney's Animal Kingdom .

Speaker 2

It's very cool . I'm just going to say that that article on the WDW news deal reads like hey , we need an article posted . We haven't posted anything in a few days .

Speaker 1

Yes , but some of the things that they're coming up with the animals is really cool . One of the things they had was a 3D printed , basically soccer ball , but it has a mechanism inside its remote control so they control , they send the ball for the cheetahs to go play . I think that's really cool .

Speaker 2

Yeah , it is very cool .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 2

I'd like to see their 3D printer . I think that's a ball . It would take us like four days to print a soccer ball . Yeah , like , literally Right . But also like if we printed a ball and threw it to our dog , it would last like one throw . I'd really like to see what they're doing ?

Speaker 1

Yeah , they're probably using , they're probably using the flexible material . I think that's probably what they're doing yeah . If you know that Santa .

Speaker 2

Goofy is replacing Santa Claus . Now for Epcot meet and greet .

Speaker 1

I thought it was Santa Duffy .

Speaker 2

No , that's a different one . Oh , okay , that's at Hollywood Studios .

Speaker 1

Oh , okay , I didn't know that .

Speaker 2

Yeah , Santa Goofy is now in where Santa Claus was .

Speaker 1

Oh yeah , in the Odyssey .

Speaker 2

So they have been around the same time last year , oh , from 1130 to 3 and 330 and 410 to 7pm .

Speaker 1

Okay , yeah , yeah , but the festival ends on the 30th , doesn't it ?

Speaker 2

Yeah , so it's a couple more days yeah .

Speaker 1

All right , well , that's all the news . There's like no DVC news .

Speaker 2

There is DVC news , oh there is . Apparently , dvc has started canceling scheduled stays for boardwalk because the refurbishments not done yet . With the rest , the two restaurants that were supposed to open in 2023 that have not , neither is the refurbishment done , and so they are canceling some . Apparently they're offering like to put you in the other side of the hotel , the cash rooms .

Speaker 1

Oh , okay .

Speaker 2

And from the anecdotal story , we're offering like $100 a day . You know , gift card or whatever .

Speaker 1

Okay .

Speaker 2

So , and of course the people was offered to thought it was just vastly unfair and I don't know , give me a hundred bucks a day and a deluxe hotel on , fine with it . Anyway , that's the DVC news oh , and your dues are due .

Speaker 1

Yes , by the 15th right January .

Speaker 2

Yep , yep so yeah , that's the DVC news . Yep , yeah thanks to Sam's or BJ's or whoever it was , for that sale priced gift cards .

Speaker 1

It was BJ's .

Speaker 2

Yeah , there we go .

Speaker 1

Yeah , those were some good deals . It was cheaper from BJ's than it was from Target Right and they were $500 increments rather than Target that only does know they do 100 .

Speaker 2

They do $100 increments Pay your dues . That's a lot of hundreds .

Speaker 1

Yes , I know .

Speaker 2

Anywho . So yeah , the year's over , it is .

Speaker 1

I'm sad and excited for 2024 , but I'm also sad that it's already over . Does that make sense ? Yeah ?

Speaker 2

I don't feel like it makes any difference to me what year I'm in . To be honest with you , I know it's just me like Okay , I'd like to stay in pencil time season for a lot longer , but Okay , anyway , all right

Theme Park Updates and Announcements

Speaker 2

. So we kicked off 2023 with quite a bit of stuff . We did .

Speaker 1

Genie Plus added the ride photos included , which was pretty cool , right , because Disneyland was already doing that , right ?

Speaker 2

Well , disneyland already did it . I thought Disneyland gave you PhotoPass with Genie Plus .

Speaker 1

PhotoPass for the day ? Oh yeah , for the day that you have it , but that's kind of where they started adding the ride photos . Yeah , right .

Speaker 2

Yeah , we got ride photos . Disneyland right , pretty sure , gets all of PhotoPass .

Speaker 1

Right .

Speaker 2

And also , I don't think , pays 40 bucks for the day . Probably not . The Walt Disney World Railroad reopened in January which made me very happy yeah . And , in return , splash Mountain closed .

Speaker 1

Okay , well , we knew Splash Mountain was closing . We did . It's not like they just said hey , tomorrow it's closed . You know it's .

Speaker 2

No , but I didn't give us a better if you go back and look they didn't give us a month . They did I feel like it was only like three weeks that they told us it's closing . Yeah , one last thing happened , which was free parking . Returned to Disney World Resorts .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

That was a failed experiment ? I think yes , it was a dumb way to do it , and it's a dumb way for all the hotels at Disney Springs to do it , and it's just , it's a dumb way to do it .

Speaker 1

Right .

Speaker 2

If you need the money , that bad , just charge me 25 bucks more for the room Right , which is what they're doing , by the way .

Speaker 1

Right .

Speaker 2

You know , yeah . But anyway . So there was that , yeah , february , like nothing happened .

Speaker 1

Nothing big .

Speaker 2

Right , there was probably a fight at Disney Springs . Maybe somebody got into a fountain , probably , you know , somebody tried to climb up Mexico or in March . The 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World celebration ended on March 31st and Woody's Roundup Rodeo opened . It did , and also Disney Enchantment ended .

Speaker 1

I know Did like enchantment once it got to the second version .

Speaker 2

Actually did enchantment . Enchantment might have closed like .

Speaker 1

It was . It was technically , it was April , right , it was , I believe April 2nd or 3rd . It was the second , because April 3rd , april 3rd , happily ever after returned . Yes , and we were there . We were for the first show , did the part we were , I know , but the first show was wonderful . I cried , I know .

Speaker 2

Yeah , that's still disappointing .

Speaker 1

I'm just so that I'm just still heartbroken .

Speaker 2

And the big one is a big one probably for the year is that Tron opened .

Speaker 1

And that was on April 4th Right .

Speaker 2

It was hard for me to remember that because we had done previews like two , three weeks before that .

Speaker 1

But and we had done previews and then you had to I think you had to leave and go to work , and then I stayed and did Opening with Veronica and Alex and later yeah , probably .

Speaker 2

Then the summer came and they don't really do much in the summer , no , they don't . Mostly because they're waiting for D23 in September . But in June they did bring us a little mermaid meet and greet based on the live action movie . So new aerial , yes . Then we got to September . Yes , September . The big bad was the Star Wars Galactic Star Cruiser closed .

Speaker 1

Yeah , the last one was the end of September .

Speaker 2

Yes , we're around the 28th , but I can't remember for sure .

Speaker 1

Yeah , right around there .

Speaker 2

So we , we did not get to do it a second time , try as we might .

Speaker 1

We tried , we did .

Speaker 2

Instead , we put the cruise .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 2

As I keep telling people on accident .

Speaker 1

It kind of was on accident , because we were actually now , because I think we were just driving on property and Mandy finally said I can't , they're all full , it just not going to happen .

Speaker 2

And that's on us , because we we could only do a Friday to Sunday and it was just a mess .

Speaker 1

Right .

Speaker 2

There weren't that many of those you know , like one every two weeks or whatever . So right , but yeah , so we missed out . We tried to do it again , but we missed out . Yes , so now it's , I don't know , giant warehouse or something . A giant hotel is what it is .

Speaker 1

Yeah , it's a giant empty hotel In the Hollywood studios . Cast member .

Speaker 2

Well , I mean that always was I know .

Speaker 1

I was just being funny .

Speaker 2

We finally , after like two days short of a year from the announcement time , got our figment meet and greet . It actually started during D23 Expo , yes , so after having been announced the previous year at D23 .

Speaker 1

Yeah , it was what just right out of year like a day short , I think . Yeah .

Speaker 2

Yeah , I think it was . I think it was 364 days . Yeah , Still unbelievable to me that that's how long it's a yeah , I know . And the Disney 100 celebration started in Epcot , which was funny because it was pretty much winding down in California .

Speaker 1

Yeah , pretty much was .

Speaker 2

It was like it was weird . There were a lot of announcements at the D23 Expo . Yes , there were Country Bear Jamboree refeming , so it looks like all the characters are going to stay the same . The songs are going to change . One character is changing . They're changing liver lips , whatever his name is name .

Speaker 1

Okay .

Speaker 2

Still the same dude , just new name .

Speaker 1

Okay .

Speaker 2

Test Track is going to be rethemed .

Speaker 1

Did they say what it's going to be rethemed to it ?

Speaker 2

sounds like it's going back to what it used to be , which was good .

Speaker 1

Yeah , instead of what it is now , it was good yeah .

Speaker 2

I think it's going to be rethemed . Yeah , I think it's going to be rethemed . Um Zootopia show is coming to replace . It's tough to be a bug in Animal Kingdom . I am very happy about that . I am too .

Speaker 1

I had no emotional attachment to a Bugs life whatsoever . None are tough to be about , yeah .

Speaker 2

Bugs life . I think I saw it once . Um , I think it was the same movie , but not my Disney Right , so I couldn't tell you for sure . Right , I think ants was the one with Woody Allen right .

Speaker 1

Um , okay , I don't know , I don't know .

Speaker 2

Dinoland , they say , is going to be rethemed to include Indiana Jones and Incanto .

Speaker 1

Okay , so you know we've gotten into the .

Speaker 2

Uh , it's not behind the attraction . Is it behind the attraction ? Yeah , it is . Yeah , I'm going to the attraction thing Right . So this second

Disney World Attractions and Updates

Speaker 2

season Mm . Hmm , they did one on Indiana Jones in the parks Right , and not even a pack , to the fact that , um , the two rides are the same ride with different stuff inside them , which I thought was just odd . What the oh really yeah , like when they did big Thunder . Mountain .

Speaker 1

Railroad ?

Speaker 2

Yeah , I think it was the same ride . I think it was the same ride , like when they did big Thunder Mountain Railroad . Yeah , they talked about all the big Thunder Mountain Railroads and how they're all different and not even all have the same name and Right , but they totally ignored the dinosaur ride , despite doing like more than half of uh behind the attraction about the Indiana Jones ride out there , oh yeah . And then it was like oh , by the way , uh , there's a stunt show at Hollywood studios .

Speaker 1

Yeah , which that's the coolest one ?

Speaker 2

I liked the stunt show Um it is . It's very cool . Well dated , but it's very cool .

Speaker 1

It's dated , but it's still I mean .

Speaker 2

I mean , there's still talent , movies are .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 2

The good movies are 40 years old , so Right , maybe not 40 . 30 .

Speaker 1

Okay , so then the other question I have is I'm going forward to the acanto part is where's that going to go in ?

Speaker 2

Well , I don't know . You know , this was all that blue sky stuff that Josh has been doing for the last two years when he talks about Disney world . Okay , right , mm , hmm . So the logical thing is you just bring in the new animatronics and you make dinosaur ride , indian Jones ride .

Speaker 1

Okay , that makes sense Right .

Speaker 2

Right , but if you actually go back and watch what he said , there was nothing in there that said you're getting an Indiana Jones ride . They said they're going to bring Indiana Jones into that area .

Speaker 1

Oh Okay .

Speaker 2

So you know who knows . I mean the logical thing is very simple change over to a ride that's already the same .

Speaker 1

Right , right . And then what ? Expand an area to put in Canto , or is that that in Canto part is blue sky ?

Speaker 2

Is that theming ? Or is that a ride or a show where better not be a show where Finding Nemo is , but no , that one's very popular . But you know , I mean .

Speaker 1

Yeah , you're right . Yeah , I guess we'll just wait and see .

Speaker 2

There's lots of stuff that , yeah , yeah , that's what they're talking about . Okay , pirates of the Caribbean , a themed tavern opening in Magic Kingdom . That will continue the story of the ride , right . Even really old as much Will it have alcohol .

Speaker 1

Yeah , we don't know .

Speaker 2

Is he going to be You're ? Certainly not going to put another restaurant in Adventureland right .

Speaker 1

I can't , I can't imagine they would do that .

Speaker 2

Not a table service anyway .

Speaker 1

Right .

Speaker 2

So presumably that's going in where Tortuga canteen is Right . And in celebration of the announced re-seeming of the country , Bear Jamboree , A live bear came and visited Disney World and shut down Magic Kingdom for a morning . I know A couple hours anyway .

Speaker 1

A couple of hours . So he just he wanted to go ride everything before he changed over .

Speaker 2

Tom Sawyer Island is where he wanted to go .

Speaker 1

Yeah , I wanted to go to Tom Sawyer . I think he was getting ready to go on Big Thunder Mountain , you know .

Speaker 2

But so they took him and or her and dumped him in the Ocala National Forest . Yeah , I find it kind of funny . A cool video of that actually . Yeah , that was really cool . In October , the journey of water inspired by Moana opened up , along with a Moana meet-and-greet .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

I have to say it is more interesting than I thought it was going to be .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

But I've now been in there three times , maybe four , I think three . I think I'm good for a long while now .

Speaker 1

Okay , like , if it's not busy , I don't mind walking through there , because now I like looking for the characters and the carvings .

Speaker 2

Right , Right . But I mean , you know it's very cool but it is not in every trip . Yeah , it is not an every time I go to Epcot thing I need to do Right . In November we got Jollywood Nights , the After Hour Christmas party at Hollywood Studios .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

Obviously , we got Mickey's very merry Christmas party and the hat box ghost finally showed up at home in mansion On November 30th . They said November . They said November , they did say November and they did make it .

Speaker 1

Yes .

Speaker 2

So I guess we were there in the first thing , weren't we ? Yes , it's a very cool effect . As I said , I was a little shocked about how short he is . Yes , but it's a cool effect . I wish they could speed up the length of time between transitions .

Speaker 1

So you could see it both ways while you're coming through that part . Yeah , because we did miss it going through Right Right .

Speaker 2

Other than that , it's very cool . I'm happy he's there .

Speaker 1

And Jollywood Nights . I would like to see it come back next year .

Speaker 2

Absolutely would . I thought it was a great event . We just talked about it , but you can go back . I think two weeks ago we reviewed Jollywood Nights . I thought it was everything it needed to be almost .

Speaker 1

There were a few little things I think they could do , but nothing major .

Speaker 2

Motorcade or cavalcade or whatever they call them over there . Put Santa in the convertible and drive them around In the convertible have the citizens .

Speaker 1

If they could have the citizens of whatever , Because that's very much that time frame , so the theming of it would be perfect , Right .

Speaker 2

But it was good , so I enjoyed it . I hope it comes back when you do it again . Yes , In December the walls came crumbling down in the World Celebration Area of Epcot . The whole new area opened up , including the Dreamers Point statue of Walt Disney .

Speaker 1

And all the light event .

Speaker 2

All the light stuff worked for like a day or two .

Speaker 1

Yeah .

Speaker 2

Then they decided to pressure wash them and ruin it Now . So I actually listened to our friends at the Disney Crush , Dave and Tony Ann , talk about this specific thing . So we have seen it . It's a couple lights that are out .

Speaker 1

Yes , it's not like a whole tire section .

Speaker 2

It is not a section , it is not a color , it is not . It's a couple of lights on the ground that are out Right , and the truth of the matter is it makes no change in the experience whatsoever , none , it needs to be fixed because it looks crappy . Yes , but it doesn't change , not like actual appearance , looks like the impression that comes apart . It's bad when you have something like the Yeti or the original Hapbox Ghost or whatever . Worked for two days and never worked again .

Speaker 1

Right Right , this is an easy , this is a should be an easy fix . And these are lights , right Right , but and I mean , the lights are constantly moving on the ground , so it's not like you're going . Oh my gosh , that one light being out , it ruins everything .

Speaker 2

No , I mean be honest with you . People will make fun of it because they should turn them off . Yeah , who cares ?

Speaker 1

Well , actually I kind of like them on the ground . They're kind of cool how they're moving .

Speaker 2

I do , I do too . But if they can't fix the ones that they broke , pressure watching them , just turn all the lights off because they don't even matter . Right , that's my opinion . Like they just don't make that big a difference .

Speaker 1

The bigger difference are the rest of the lights in world celebration that make that difference the lights are not on the ground .

Speaker 2

Yes , right Are a bigger deal Now . The last time we were there at night Couple weeks ago , I guess .

Speaker 1

Can't remember yeah .

Speaker 2

Chefs to France right . Trip it in the 15th , I think yes , yeah , I felt like spaceship Earth should have been doing more .

Speaker 1

It was actually well Okay , when I was there earlier . It was like when I was there on the fifth and then I was there again , like on the 10th or whatever .

Speaker 2

We were there on a 15th and it was like locked into white lights from Right but the amount large chunks right , which was unusual .

Speaker 1

So I don't know if something was going on with it . But the other two times that I was there it was constantly every Ten minutes it was , you know , doing another little show . So I don't know something was going on with it .

Speaker 2

Yeah right .

Speaker 1

Yes , we'll find out go over this weekend .

Speaker 2

Also , in the last couple days , few days , they have announced a new little mermaid show at Hollywood Studios , same place as the old one used to be , mm-hmm . They have announced it will be based on the animated film , which I'm glad about . Yeah , I hope it's . I said this before . I hope it still has the puppets . Yes , because now I've seen how the puppets can be done well , mm-hmm , and I would like to see that .

Speaker 1

Yes , I agree , and that's coming to the space that the show was in previously at Hollywood Studios , so they're redoing the inside of that for that would be a good time for them to do Something with that area which it would once you put a line of people in there waiting for a show , right , it necessarily will have a different feel and yes and use . Yes , I agreed .

Speaker 2

That area right now is like a huge waste of space in a theme park .

Speaker 1

Yes , I mean . So it really is . They could do so much in there .

Speaker 2

In my mind . I mean , I know you've got the Star Wars launch Bay and you've got a couple character mates , but Right even during the jollywood nights party . I think then the area of the space was used much better than it was .

Speaker 1

Oh yeah , they probably could have set up a fourth . They probably could have set up a fourth meet and greet in there , off to the side , remember the side where yeah , yeah , they could have definitely set up a fourth meet and greet in there , right yeah ?

Speaker 2

for sure , there was tons of room in there .

Speaker 1

Oh yeah , so so that was that was not shell of 2023 .

Speaker 2

Yeah , we will be there to ring out 2023 , sunday night .

Speaker 1

Mm-hmm and ring in 2024 . Yeah .

Speaker 2

So it'll be fun be with a bunch of our friends yes , coming in from around the USA .

Speaker 1

Mm-hmm , Texas , North Carolina , Wisconsin .

Speaker 2

Yeah , so , uh , I'm excited about it , looking forward to it seeing everybody .

Speaker 1

I know I am true . Yeah , so we'll do Magic . Kingdom on the New Year's Eve Eve , eve , eve . And then I've cut on New Year's Eve .

Speaker 2

So exactly .

Speaker 1

Yep , I'm probably gonna be wearing the same Hat and gloves I wore at ice at Gaylord Palms , Because it's gonna be cold yeah yes , I don't think it's gonna be that cold . Yes , it's gonna be in the 40s .

Speaker 2

We'll see , yeah , well . I'm taking planning on opening the water park the next day , so I don't think it's gonna be that cold by Sunday .

Speaker 1

Okay .

Speaker 2

So anyway , um , thanks again to everyone who's listened to us another year in the books . Yes , check us out on Instagram At Mickey file underscore podcast . Our Facebook group is the Mickey file improvement district . Podcasts were available on Apple podcast , youtube podcast , now nice I heart radio and or Spotify anywhere else you find podcasts . Easiest way to support the show is just subscribe , like follow . Tell somebody you know about us . We wouldn't say no to another five star review . We haven't had a review in a while , so no , we would appreciate that .

Speaker 2

Yes they say it helps people find us . So who knows ? That's a good thing . They may or may not be true , but that's what they say . So that's what I'm saying .

Speaker 1

That's what they say , so I saw it on the Internet .

Speaker 2

So you know it's true .

Speaker 1

Yeah , exactly , 100% true .

Speaker 2

Yeah , that's all I got . If you want to reach out , email address is Mickey file podcast at gmailcom . Goodbye .

Speaker 1

Good night everybody . Happy New Year . Thank you you .