The Carousel Project

The Force is STRONG with these weekends! This week on the Carousel Project Podcast we're covering the history of Star Wars Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios and eventually Disney's Hollywood Studios. This Star Wars experience took place on and off from 1997 to 2015. Josie, Kait, and Adam discuss the Star Wars Weekend-exclusive events, merchandise, shows, and more! Find out where the Jedi Training Academy got its start, which Disney characters used to be decked out in Star Wars gear, and more! We even discuss some of the marketing and ad campaigns that were in place during the Star Wars Weekend era. Want to learn even more about the history of Star Wars Weekend? Check out some past Star Wars Weekend ads, videos, articles, and more in the show notes below!

Star Wars Weekend Commercial 2014

The History of Star Wars Weekends | Star Wars Weekends.net

Star Wars Weekends History | ReviewTyme

Star Wars Weekend Ads

Building A Star Wars Weekends Ad | Disney Parks Blog

Star Wars Weekend Ads - 2009

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Learn more about our hosts, the podcast, and more!

Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

"There's Nothing in the World Like Action Park!" This week on the Carousel Project Podcast we're covering our first non-Disney topic, an amusement and waterpark located in Vernon Township, New Jersey. Josie, Kait, and Adam take a trip through the history of this infamous park. Learn how it earned the title of "America's Most Dangerous Amusement Park." From its ski resort beginnings and Gene Mulvihill to attractions, expansion, and incidents, we cover it all! Want to dive even deeper into the history of Action Park? Check out some past Action Park ads, documentaries, articles, and more in the show notes below!

History of Action Park | Defunctland

Inside Action Park | nj.com

Class Action Park Website

Class Action Park | HBO Max

Action Park Commercial | 1980's

Action Park Commercial | 1983

Action Park Commercial | 1992

Action Park Brochures

Action Point | Paramount+

The Most Insane Amusement Park Ever

Mountain Creek Water Park

THE CAROUSEL PROJECT PODCAST PATREON IS HERE! Become a member now.

Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

The Carousel Project Podcast usually covers Disney theme parks, but this week we're diving into a different kind of magical vacation -- the Disney Cruise Line! Josie, Kait, and Adam cover Disney's history with the cruise line industry, which began quite a few years before the Disney Magic's maiden voyage in 1998. From the Big Red Boat and custom ships that broke the industry's mold to the backstory behind Castaway Cay and the future of the Disney Cruise Line, we're so excited to cruise through the history of this Disney vacation experience with you!

Disney Cruise Line Website

The Big Red Boat and Premier Cruise Lines | Midway to Main Street

Disney Cruise Line History | Midway to Main Street

The History of Castaway Cay | Midway to Main Street

Making of the Disney Magic

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Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

This week the Carousel Project Podcast is embarking on an boat tour that goes on for niles and niles and niles. Josie, Kait, and Adam cover the history of a classic attraction that dates back to the very first day of Disney Parks - The Jungle Cruise! This part of Disney history has gone on to inspire overlays, major attraction changes, a movie, and more. We even take a small dive into the Jungle Cruise's connection to the Society of Explorers and Adventurers! Learn how this idea of a Jungle Cruise got its start and what versions of this attraction can be experienced around the globe. There it is, the eighth wonder of the world, THE JUNGLE CRUISE PODCAST!

Jungle Cruise on Disney+

Behind the Attraction: Jungle Cruise on Disney+

The Society of Explorers and Adventurers

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Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

Welcome everyone to Season FOUR of The Carousel Project! This week, Josie, Kait, and Adam take a trip back in time to 2005 for Disneyland's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Find out how the Walt Disney Company celebrated this milestone worldwide! From golden ride vehicles and attraction enhancements to theme park openings and the Happiest Balloon on Earth, there's so much anniversary excitement to uncover and we're talking about it all!

Happiest Homecoming on Earth Promo (2005)

The Happiest Celebration on Earth

Walt Disney World Planning DVD 2005 | Happiest Celebration on Earth

Happiest Balloon On Earth

Grand Opening of Hong Kong Disneyland

THE CAROUSEL PROJECT PODCAST PATREON IS HERE! Become a member now.

Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

We're ending Season Three with an exciting moment in Disney history -- the Millennium Celebration at Walt Disney World! Take a trip back to 1999 to cover this 15 month celebration that was primarily based in Epcot. Get ready to "Celebrate the Future Hand in Hand" with Josie, Kait, and Adam. From the start of Pin Trading and the Millennium Village to Leave A Legacy, Tapesty of Nations, and that larger-than-life Wand, The Carousel Project will cover it all!  

Millennium Celebration at Walt Disney World Television Commercial (1999)

Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration Sneak Peek

Disney Millennium Celebration Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Millennium Celebration | Keep Epcot Weird

Millennium in the Air

Millennium Celebration | Walt Dated World

McDonald's and Disney Name Millennium Dreamers

Leave A Legacy | Yesterland

THE CAROUSEL PROJECT PODCAST PATREON IS HERE! Become a member now.

Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

If you have ever wondered what the Disney parks were like back in 1972, The Carousel Project has you covered! This week, Josie, Kait, and Adam travel all the way back to 1972 and go over vintage maps from Magic Kingdom and Disneyland! The very first Walt Disney World map, in fact. Follow along with the links posted below to see the maps discussed in the episode! 

Magic Kingdom Map - Early 1970's 

Disneyland Map - 1972 

Magic Kingdom Map Info 

Vintage Walt Disney World: Old Map of Walt Disney World 

Have a question for the Carousel Project Podcast team? Send us an email to [email protected] or DM us on Instagram! We would love to hear from you! Want to help our podcast audience grow? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or share this episode with a friend!

This week Bunny (Josie), Bubbles (Kait), and Beulah (Adam) take a deep dive into one of Magic Kingdom's opening day attractions, Country Bear Jamboree! Did you know this attraction was originally met for a never-built Disney ski resort? It was also one of the very LAST attractions that Walt Disney personally helped develop.  From its humble beginnings and untimely closures to seasonal overlays and replacement attractions that never came to be, we hope you BEAR with us til the BEAR end! And y'all come back now, ya hear?

5 Musical Facts About Country Bear Jamboree

Yesterland - Country Bear Jamboree

Critter Country 500

D23 - Country Bear Jamboree

Disney's Lost Plans to Build a Ski Resort in Sequoia National Park

On This Day in Disney History - Country Bear Jamboree Closes at Disneyland

It's no secret that Winnie the Pooh is one popular bear! In fact, did you know Forbes ranked this willy nilly silly old bear as the second most valuable children's character in the world? (Behind Mickey Mouse, of course.) This week Josie, Kait, and Adam dive into the history of Winnie the Pooh and how he got his start with the Walt Disney Company. From merchandise crazes and ride closures to shorts, films, and series, if you have a love of Christopher Robin and his friends you're sure to enjoy this episode!

How Winnie-the-Pooh Became A Household Name

Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree: Behind the Very First Winnie the Pooh Film

Winnie the Pooh, Franchise Wikipedia

The Tigger Movie Commercial

The Tigger Movie McDonald's Ad

A house fit for Disney's Winnie the Pooh in the original Hundred Acre Wood

Disney wins Winnie the Pooh Copyright Case

DefunctTV: The History of Welcome to Pooh Corner

Disney Dan - The Evolution of Winnie the Pooh in Disney Theme Parks!

The Real-Life Canadian Story of Winnie-the-Pooh