Out of the Park

On this episode, long-time friend Charlie joins to discuss one of his favorite films, and one that may get an unfair shake, The Black Cauldron.

Often pointed to as the film that almost sunk Disney, and one that is much darker in tone that the films that came before and after, but a wonderful story that is engaging, and animation that is groundbreaking, we take a look at this classic and what we enjoy about it.

From the dark tones (did they not go dark enough?) to the interesting characters, and one of the more sinister villains overall, we break down the legacy of the film, the video game that accompanied, how it is one of the more deserving films to be given a live-action reboot, and of course, discuss how we’d incorporate the movie into the parks.

On this episode, Brandi joins the show to discuss the underrated classic, The Great Mouse Detective, an adaptation of a children's book that drew inspiration from Sherlock Holmes.

We take a deep dive into the plot of the film, how the animators were able to keep some of the darker tones of the story, creating and eerie masterpiece that was not as terrifying as its predecessor, The Black Cauldron.

We also discuss the limited soundtrack, and how the few songs included were able to strengthen the film, the appeal of having a story centered on mice saving other mice, how Toby compares to other Disney dogs, where Ratigan would land on the overall Disney villains list, and of course, how we would incorporate this film (which is a top 5 for both of us) into the parks.

On this episode, Samira joins the show and we travel to East High to discuss High School Musical, the groundbreaking TV movie that turned into so much more.  Take a walk through the halls as we explore the cafeteria cliques, the extracurriculars, and how everything shaped this story that has spanned generations.

We take a look at the first film of the franchise, discuss casting, a breakdown of the soundtrack and our favorite track from each film, who is the true villain of the first film, and of course, what we would do to incorporate the film into the parks!

For the first time on Out of the Park, we dive into the Marvel Cinematic Universe and discuss Thor, an important piece of Phase One of the MCU and a franchise within that space that has been on quite a journey.

We discuss the plot points from the first film only, the star power that supported the vehicle, how the inclusion of a legendary director shaped the way the story was told, the long-lasting impacts of one of the quintessential Marvel villains, and of course, how we'd incorporate the film into the US-based parks.

Take a walk through the forest, as Matt and Dixie from the Disney Housewife Podcast discuss the 1973 classic, Robin Hood.

Pulling inspiration from the legend of Robin Hood and his merry men, Disney gave audiences a fantastic film that told the tale of the fox who robbed from the rich to give to the poor. We discuss the characters, how the animals chosen for each character aligned with the story, the underrated soundtrack, and the genius use of Alan-A-Dale, the folk singing rooster, to narrate.

Does the film hold up? Where do the villains rank in terms of Disney's ultimate bad guys and girls? How solid was the voice acting? All these topics are discussed, and then of course, we break down how we would incorporate the film into the US Parks if given the opportunity.

Episode 9 of the show has arrived, as long-time podcasting brother, Tim Taylor, joins the show to discuss the classic live-action film, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

We discuss the first film of the franchise in great detail (minor mentions of the other films), how the film holds up upon watching as an adult, which of the Dads we find more relatable now, and where the demise of Antie ranks in terms of Disney character deaths.

We also cover how the film used to be incorporated into the US based parks, how there are still some nods to the film in other attractions and areas, and what we would do to bring the movie franchise back to the parks!

The 1988 classic Oliver & Company is covered in this episode, as Matt welcomes in long-time friend and Billy Joel fan, Jason, to discuss Disney's interpretation of Oliver Twist - "It's Oliver Twist with dogs".

We discuss the story in depth, how the film lightened up some of the darker tones of the novel, how the voice acting for the film was packed with celebrities, the soundtrack and use of pop artists before the Disney - Broadway relationship really took over, and of course, how we'd incorporate the film into the parks.

This episode covers the beloved 90's classic, Heavyweights, as Matt and Ryan discuss the movie that launched numerous careers in the comedy scene.

We break down the film and plot points, the actors who went on to significant success after release of the movie, the numerous villains who exist, how the film holds up, if it would be released in modern times, and how we would incorporate it into the US Parks.

Matt and Lauren return for a new episode discussing a show that has made an impact on both childhood and parenthood.

Spawning from a dream sequence in the 1984 film "Muppets Take Manhattan" the world was introduced to the Muppet babies and endless hours of family friendly entertainment followed.

On this episode, we discuss both the 1984 original series as well as the 2018 reboot, how it made an impact on us as children as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup, and how it continues to play a role in our lives as a show our daughter embraced.

We discuss the characters, the voice actors, some of the memorable storylines (and songs) and of course, how we would introduce the show to the US-based theme parks.

This episode, the focus is on everyone's favorite movie about bobsledding, as Earnest "EJ" Christian joins the show to discuss "Cool Runnings" and how the film holds up as it nears the 33rd anniversary of its release.

We discuss the storyline of the film, how the movie stayed true to the real-life team and how Disney took some creative liberties to make it the feel-good film it became. We also explore the characters, the "villains" of the film and if they are really deserving of the title, and how it ranks along other Disney sports films.

Finally, we discuss the ways we would incorporate the movie into the Florida or California parks - from attractions, to dining options, to potential hotel theming.