Pink Monorail

By Shelley Valladolid

An educational series featuring Michelle & Noe Valladolid discussing the history of themed entertainment.... more

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FAQs about Pink Monorail:

How many episodes does Pink Monorail have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.

Pink Monorail episodes:

December 20, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Project Florida gets underway
In the 28th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid
turn their attention to the Sunshine State. Which is where Walt, after an extensive land search, decides to build the East Coast version of Disneyland in the 1960s
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
What are some of the shell company names that Disney used while purchasing pieces of property outside of Orlando

How did a plucky news maven figure out what Walt was up to in Central Florida

Why did Walt lie about Project Florida

What were the very first pieces of infrastructure that Walt Disney Productions built down there in those swamps off of I-4

What exactly was the Reedy Creek Improvement District
...more
17min
December 06, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Disney’s New Tomorrowland
In the 27 th installment of this educational series, Shelly and Noe Valladolid
return to Anaheim. Where, during the mid-1960s, the Imagineers reimagined one side of Disneyland and added an attraction that has been a fan favorite for nearly 60 years now
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about
What three attractions were NOT affected by the closure and re-opening of Tomorrowland

Which Disneyland attraction was originally supposed to be a wax museum

How did Alice Davis prevent “Pirates of the Caribbean” from opening late

What did Disney mean by “ … a world on the move

Which iconic car model influenced the 1967 Tomorrowland Autopia cars
...more
25min
November 08, 2025 Manufacturing the Magic: The Beginnings of Busch Gardens
In the 26th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid takes us back to Tampa, Florida in 1959. Which is where a bird sanctuary built next to a brewery hospitality center eventually turned into thrill ride central.
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about
• Where was the first Busch Gardens located
• How did Busch Gardens in Tampa react to the opening of Walt Disney World
• What happened to the wooden coaster Gwazi
• What American dynasty backed Colonial Williamsburg
• What became of Busch Gardens Houston’s Orient Express railroad
...more
29min
October 25, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Disney at the Fair
In the 25th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid journey to Flushing Meadows. There, they shine a spotlight on the four attractions that the Imagineers created for the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair. Including the two that Disney Legend Bob Gurr designed.
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
What Disney attractions were influenced by the Magic Skyway at the Ford Wonder Rotunda

How many Ford Mustangs were sold at the Fair

Where could you go to see “Nuclear Fusion”

What Hollywood star talked Walt into doing “it’s a small world”

What Disney character was the victim of ball-bearing attacks
...more
21min
October 11, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Disneyland’s first four years
In the 24th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid discuss how Walt reacted in the late 1950s to the increasing competition his family fun park faced in the themed entertainment space.
More to the point, which now-classic attractions were added to Disneyland during this era.
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
What did the Skyway look like when it first opened

Why did the Pack Mule & Stagecoach get a name change

How did the House of the Future come to be

What was the main difference between Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage and the sub ride over at Pacific Ocean Park

What does ALWEG stand for
...more
21min
September 27, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Looking back at Pacific Ocean Par
In the 23rd installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid head down to the water. To be specific, Santa Monica, California.
Where CBS tried to get in the theme park business by radically
reimagining a 30-year-old amusement pier.
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
What was the original name of the first amusement pier in this location

What nearby amusement park did Abbott Kinney build
What was the first attraction on “The Million Dollar Pier”
Who narrated POP’s 1958 guidebook and made an appearance in the Park
What were the only two rides added to POP
...more
41min
September 13, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Disneyland’s Sister Parks – Part Two
In the 22nd installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid continue their look at C.V. Wood (the original president of Disneyland).
In particular, what happened when Wood decided to enter direct competition with Disney and subsequently established his own theme park design company?
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
Why was Pleasure Island called “The Disneyland of the Northeast”

What became of that theme park’s mechanical Moby Dick

Which city in Arizona did C.W. Wood help develop

What were the Six Flags Over Texas upon the opening of that theme park? What are they now?

What was the first runaway mine train coaster?
...more
33min
August 30, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Disneyland’s sister parks – Part One
In the 21st installment of this educational series, Shelly and Noe Valladolid talk about what happened when C.V. Wood (the original president of Disneyland) went off in 1956 and set up his own theme park design company. This episode takes a close look at Freedomland & Magic Mountain
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
How many theme park designers did C.V. Wood take with him when he exited Disneyland

What was the first theme park that Wood worked on after he stopped working for Walt

How was Freedomland’s opening day much like the one that Disneyland experienced back in 1955

What similarities did Magic Mountain have with Walt’s original family fun park

Who were some of the stars that performed at Freedomland
...more
53min
August 16, 2025 Manufacturing the Magic: More tales from Disneyland’s early days

In the 20th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about the land search for Walt’s family fun park. More to the point, how the Company settled on “Disneyland” as just the right name for this project.
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
Where Disneyland was initially supposed to be built
Which cities inspired Main Street, U.S.A., and the Park’s Opera HouseWho said that “… Disneyland will not be a commercial venture”

What did the Stanford Research Institute discover
And what was Walt’s greatest fear in regards to this project

...more
25min
August 02, 2025Manufacturing the Magic: Drawing up plans for Disneyland
In the 19th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about what happened in September of 1953 prior to Roy O. Disney’s fateful flight out to NYC.
They also talk about how the material that Walt’s brother showed to executives at CBS, NBC & ABC to sell them on Disneyland was created.
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
How did Herbie Ryman’s “Lost Weekend” with Walt REALLY go down

Which “Lands” were initially proposed for Walt’s family fun park

How did Walt go about securing all of the funding that was needed to build Disneyland
Who were the Park’s original sponsors
How did C.V. Wood go about recruiting Disneyland’s participants
...more
25min

FAQs about Pink Monorail:

How many episodes does Pink Monorail have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.