Notably Disney

For years one space online has represented a hub of Muppets information, news, opinions, and fun content, and it’s called ToughPigs.com, so it only made sense to enlist two of its key figures for a tribute episode to the 30th anniversary of one of the Muppets’ classic parodies: Muppet Treasure Island. Setting sail with host Brett Nachman are Joe Hennes, ToughPigs Co-Owner & Editor-in-Chi...

Here on Notably Disney we often think about the background score as setting the mood and energy of the visuals we are enveloped in. Composer Mike Rubino plays a major role in accomplishing that, whether in contributing scoring to marketing materials for films like Avengers: Endgame, Tron Legacy, Dumbo, and Planes: Fire and Rescue, to composing the background music for updates to Disneyland’s Micke...

Studying Disney has reached a new level of appreciation in academic settings through the relatively recent debut of the International Journal of Disney Studies. In this journal readers can find a variety of pieces about all aspects of The Walt Disney Company with a scholarly sensibility. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman welcomes on the journal’s co-editors - Dr. Rebecca Rowe, ...

In the new book Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth, scholar Dr. Roland Betancourt deconstructs how Walt’s original family park served as a foundational space for automation during a time when humans increasingly relied on technology for many of their needs and desires. This well-researched title from Princeton University Press explores how man...

Legendary composer Mark Isham has, for decades, provided some of the most dynamic film scores of our time with his distinct style that has drawn on many styles, including jazz and electronic music. His association with Disney dates back to 1983 with Never Cry Wolf and he has since crafted a number of scores for the Mouse House, from ABC’s long-running and critically-acclaimed Once Upon a Time seri...

Recently debuting on Disney+ the documentary Disneyland Handcrafted spectacularly shows the development of Walt’s original family park in compelling fashion by storied filmmaker Leslie Iwerks. Layered into this amazing documentary is the music of composer Cyrus Reynolds, who crafts compelling and epic orchestrations that evoke rich emotion out of its listeners. On this episode of Notably Disney Cy...

In the earliest days of Disneyland, guests could visit a replica of a pharmacy on Main Street, replete with artifacts and exhibits. In the new book A Spoonful of Sugar: The Story of the Upjohn Pharmacy in Disneyland author and historian Stephen Hall pours out lots of new knowledge about how the Upjohn Pharmacy worked with Disney to create this special spot in the Happiest Place on Earth. It’s an i...

For some movies, the music is as much of a character as the figures we see on screen. In the case of the three installments of Tron, the score represents one of the most core elements. Whether Wendy Carlos’ work in the original 1982 film, Daft Punk’s and Joseph Trapanese’s contributions for Tron: Legacy, or what we heard from Nine Inch Nails for Tron: Ares, each is a product of their t...

Emily McDermott and Courtney Kern of the late Book of the Mouse Club podcast have long been on Notably Disney, helping review a variety of books over the years. But one question has never quite surfaced in these conversations: how do you become a Disney book collector? Such is the spark of today’s dialogue in which host Brett Nachman welcomes on Emily and Courtney to untangle the process of Disney...

What is it like to sail one of the newest Disney Cruise Line ships? On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman is joined by author, professor, and musician Matthew Hodge, a frequent podcast guest, to discuss their time on the Disney Treasure. This sixth ship in the DCL fleet launched in late 2024 and has delighted tens of thousands of guests to date in its 7-night sailings in the Western Caribbean or Eastern Caribbe...

Author J.B. Kaufman has been long known as one of the most capable Disney historians to cover work from early on in the company’s history, ranging from Pinocchio to the Silly Symphonies shorts. This tradition continues with Worlds to Conquer: The Art and Making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia, newly released by Weldon Owen, an imprint of Insight Editions, itself part of the Simon and Schuster umbr...

Sixty years later it remains one of the most enduring and beloved Disney movies of all time. Mary Poppins, based on the PL Travers stories, has even inspired a making of film through 2013’s Saving Mr. Banks. In tandem, the late songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman, responsible for the classic tunes, have received their fair share of coverage through projects like The Boys: The Sherman Brothers S...

Pianist, composer, and vocalist Clay Barnard of Disney Cruise Line continues his discussion with host Brett Nachman about what it's like to play for DCL. On the last episode he shared his career origins, whereas on this episode Clay details the process of creating piano sets on the Disney ships, his interactions with guests, and more. This is the second episode of a two-part conversation with Clay.

Foll...

It’s not every day that you can call a cruise ship as your home, but in the case of Clay Barnard, that’s a reality. Clay is a pianist, composer, and vocalist who has entertained numerous guests on Disney Cruise Line. Recently host Brett Nachman had the opportunity to listen to Clay in action when sailing on the Disney Treasure in the Aristocats-themed Scat Cat Lounge, and now Clay joins Bret...

Beauty and the Beast remains not only one of the most beloved and enduring animated classics out of the Disney library, but also one of its most popular to feature across various stage adaptations. On this episode of Notably Disney, author, musician, and professor Matthew Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to analyze three current stage adaptations of the 1991 film: at Disney's Hollywood Studios, on Disney Cruise Line, and via a n...

With nearly 900,000 YouTube subscribers and 400 million views as of late August 2025, Isaac Carlson is a prominent content creator whose Disney material has covered the gamut of profiles of characters from Cars to deconstructing popular theories. Isaac’s videos have allowed us to process Disney movies and projects with additional curiosity and thoughtfulness. On this episode of Notably Disney, Isa...

Geoff Zanelli started his career as a collaborator of legends like Hans Zimmer and John Powell, and he has since established himself as an acclaimed composer in his own right. For The Walt Disney Company, Geoff has scored films like Christopher Robin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Perhaps his most notable contribution has been in scoring Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead ...

You know her voice and content if you’re a Disney Adult. But what makes a Disney Adult? And why is this culture so enveloping and fascinating, too? AJ Wolfe of the uber popular and stellar Disney Food Blog (DFB) has deconstructed this phenomena in a new book entitled Disney Adults: Exploring (And Also Falling in Love with) A Magical Subculture. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman...

This fall marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most groundbreaking films ever. Toy Story debuted in 1995 to critical success and public adoration. Pixar’s first film, and also the first fully computer animated production, is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It also boasts the first time we saw the collaboration between Randy Newman and Pixar, who would later compose the scores for and...