This week, Mousetalgia is pleased to welcome author and historian Dave Bossert back to the show to discuss his latest book, "Claude Coats: Walt Disney's Imagineer: The Making of Disneyland From Toad Hall to the Haunted Mansion and Beyond." Dave is joined on the show by retired Imagineer Alan Coats, who happens to be Claude's son and also contributed to the book. The two talk about Claude's impact on Disneyland by discussing his early career in animation, his contributions to the development of atmosphere for the many projects he worked on, and his ongoing legacy. Plus - inexpensive artwork from the production of Sleeping Beauty, Disney dad jokes, XBox and Disney+ - and more.

This week, Jeff shares stories from the grand opening of Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure on June 4. We talk about the opening day crowds and how Disney struggled to deal with the crush of visitors who hoped to visit this new land on day one, and then we discuss some of the features of the new area, including the architecture, the attractions, the souvenirs, the entertainment, and the food.

This week, Kristen takes us to the premiere of "Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume" at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, and joins D23's Jeffrey Epstein and Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives, who share some behind-the-scenes stories about the development of the exhibition and discuss the value of costumes to on-screen storytelling. Then, we discuss America's return to the cinema, and we talk about getting back to community events and returning to the big screen. Finally, we review Disney's Cruella, and talk about the cast, those costumes, and the vibe of this new dark entry into the Disney Studios catalog. Plus - remembering the Monsanto House of the Future, and more.

In this special episode, Kristen, Becky and special guest Jennifer share stories and tips about taking self-care trips to the park as primary caretakers. In this day-trip memoir, the panelists discuss snacking, shopping, touring Galaxy's Edge, the state of the park, friend trips vs. solo trips, and the art of taking a moment for yourself in the midst of family pressures and a worldwide pandemic.

This week, Mousetalgia speaks with Disneyland '55 alum Bob D'Arcy, who Walt called "the kid." Bob watched Disneyland being built and became the first Disneyland tour guide. In our exclusive interview, Bob talks about his first duties as a tour guide, some of his other tasks at the park, and some of his interactions with celebrities visiting the park and Walt himself. He also talks about his love affair with Judy "Slue Foot Sue" Marsh, who performed the role during the Golden Horseshoe's first year of operation. Plus - we discuss re-imagining the Space Mountain soundtrack, and share some big news: Hayley Mills' memoir is now on pre-sale! (Tip: In this episode, we suggested you try bn.com to place an order for a signed copy, but they are already sold out. However, Books-a-Million just launched a pre-sale for signed copies on their website, and as of this episode's publication, there are still copies available. Good luck!)

This week, Team Mousetalgia continues their coverage of Disneyland's reopening with a number of topics, including how to choose which park to start your Disneyland day, and changes to the overall experience of the park and some specific attractions, including Haunted Mansion, Adventureland, and Snow White's Enchanted Wish. We also share our top tips for visiting the parks in the near future, and discuss what you will experience if you choose to shop in the parks, and what to expect at the end of the day.

Disneyland has reopened after being closed for over 400 days. From our own emotions about re-entering the park, to the interactions with Cast Members, to the different atmosphere in the park and the very limited food options - touring Disneyland is a very different experience in the era of COVID-19. In part one of a special two-part report, Team Mousetalgia discusses our return to Anaheim and how our expectations met reality as we embraced the new tone of the Disneyland experience.

Celebrate Star Wars with Team Mousetalgia on May the Fourth and all week long with some announcements from a galaxy far, far away, including new book releases, Star Wars VR news, Rogue One storyboard revelations, new LEGO releases - and the story of how Obi Wan Kenobi broke Jeff's heart. Then, it's on to the listener email inbox. Today's topics include: A discussion of Imagineer Jim Sarno, the magic of Disneyland, retired characters at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, returning to the annual passholder vibe - yay or nay?, remembering Cicely Rigdon, taking babies to Disneyland, and more. Plus: revisting the Haunted Mansion's stretching room, and our thoughts about re-imagining that challenging scene.

This week, Jeff reports on a trip to the Walt Disney Family Museum to visit the new exhibit "Walt Disney Studios and World War II." This new installation describes the studio's contributions to America's war effort, and describes how the studio was impacted by its work for the U. S. government. Then, the countdown has begun to the opening of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and Kristen Carr checks in with the latest necessary info for making a return to the magic. Plus - we discuss some of our favorite Disney-related websites - and more.

A Touch of Disney, part two: This week, Jeff reports on a second trip to DCA and "A Touch of Disney" to look at some of the human/character interactions, and what it might mean for the imminent reopening of the resort. Kristen Carr also checks in with a countdown to Disneyland's reopening, describing the process of getting reservations, what to look forward to eating in the parks' first days of reopening, and a hotel review. Also - Team Mousetalgia remembers the 64-65 New York World's Fair, as we discuss attractions we wish we could have experienced. Plus: Carthay Circle's al fresco menu, Photopass opportunities, and more.