WDW Radio: Your Guide to the Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise and More Disney Magic!
WDW Radio is the award-winning Disney podcast that brings the magic of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Marvel, and Star Wars to life. Since 2005, hosted by Lou Mongello – Disney expert, author, speaker, and Podcast Hall of Fame inductee – has been your trusted guide through the parks and beyond. Each week, tune in for Disney news, vacation planning tips, interviews, trivia, deep dives into Disney history, attraction and dining reviews, hidden park secrets, and more. From first-timer visitors to lifelong fans, this family-friendly podcast shares the tips, stories, secrets, and insights to help you plan smarter, experience more, and feel the magic like never before. Voted Best Travel Podcast 9 years in a row, WDW Radio also features a blog, videos, live shows, community meetups, group cruises, and special Disney fan events around the world. WDW Radio has welcomed legendary guests including Julie Andrews, Tony Baxter, Marty Sklar, Alan Menken, Richard Sherman, Paige O’Hara, Jodi Benson, Kevin Feige, Ashley Eckstein, and countless Imagineers, Cast Members, actors, producers, and creators who bring Disney magic to life. Explore Lou’s books (Walt Disney World Trivia, The Disney Interviews, 102 Ways to Save Money For and At Walt Disney World) and virtual Audio Tours at WDWRadio.com. Lou is also the founder of the Dream Team Project, which has raised more than $550,000 to grant wishes for children to visit Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Start listening now to discover the stories, secrets, and magic that make the Disney Parks, Cruise Line, Marvel, and Star Wars truly unforgettable. 🎙️ Learn more at WDWRadio.com ✨ Lou Mongello is an acclaimed keynote speaker and founder of Momentum – a transformative platform of events, coaching, courses, content, and community. He provides creators and entrepreneurs with practical guidance and inspiration to help turn passion into profession, build an audience with purpose, and grow a meaningful, sustainable business. As a speaker, Lou shares powerful business and leadership lessons from the Disney Parks and Walt Disney himself, helping organizations improve storytelling, customer experience, company culture, and innovation through unforgettable, actionable presentations. 🔗 Discover more at LouMongello.com
Episodes
845 · Cotino – What It’s Really Like Inside Disney’s First Storyliving Community
What if Disney built a place you could actually live?
This week, I take you inside Cotino, Disney’s first Storyliving by Disney community... and share what I discovered as one of the first people invited to explore it.
I didn’t know what to expect… but what Cotino revealed about Storyliving truly surprised me. In this episode, we’ll look at what makes thi...
👻 What if Disney made Halloween at Walt Disney World even spookier?
This week, Lou Mongello shares his five original, story-driven Disney Halloween ideas that could transform the parks with new attractions, experiences, and eerie overlays - all filled with that perfect mix of nostalgia, storytelling, and Disney magic.
From haunted celebrations of extinct attractions to imaginative new Halloween experiences, Lou dreams up what could ...
Is EPCOT the best full-day Walt Disney World park? Should Genie+ be eliminated? Who is the greatest Disney villain of all time?
This week on WDW Radio, Lou Mongello hosts another round of In or Out. It is the fun, fast-paced Disney fan debate segment where we tackle the big and small questions about Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disney movies, and beyond. From replacing Pirate Night on Disney Cruise Line, to where is the be...
842 · Disney Adults: Fandom, Identity, and the Magic of Never Growing Up
What does it really mean to be a Disney Adult?
I sit down with AJ Wolfe - founder of Disney Food Blog and author of the new book Disney Adults - to explore one of Disney fandom’s most passionate and misunderstood communities. Together, we unpack:
- Why Disney Adults face stereotypes, criticism, and double standards
- How Disney shapes identity, belonging, and even...
The biggest Disney fan event of the year, D23’s Destination D23 2025, delivered history and heritage, stories and surprises, parks and people, performances and passion. Over three unforgettable days at Walt Disney World, Disney fans came together to celebrate the past, present, and future of the magic we love.
This week on WDW Radio, we recap the 23 biggest takeaways from Destination D23 2025 - from emotional tributes to bold Disney...
840 · Disney Destiny Shipyard Tour: Behind the Curtain of Disney Cruise Line’s Boldest Ship
Join me for an exclusive Disney Destiny Shipyard Tour inside Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany, where the newest Disney Cruise Line ship is coming to life.
I take you behind the scenes to step aboard the Destiny during construction, explore first looks at venues like the Haunted Mansion Parlor, Doctor Strange Sanctum Lounge, and Pride Lands ...
839 · Disney Q&A: Cruise Rankings, Solo Park Tips, Disneyland Food & Hidden Secrets
This week, Lou opens up the inbox for a fun, fast-paced episode filled with listener questions - from planning the ultimate solo day at Walt Disney World, to why Disneyland’s food might just outshine Epcot’s, to a ranking of every Disney Cruise Line ship. He also reveals a hidden Easter egg in Journey Into Imagination, debuts a rapid-fire rou...
838 · Walt Disney Imagineering Chief Creative Officer Bruce Vaughn on the Future of the Disney Parks
What happens when you sit down with the head of Walt Disney Imagineering… and just hit record? In this exclusive, unscripted conversation, Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Imagineering, shares stories, insights, and opens up for a behind-the-scenes look at the future of the Disney Parks - and the emotion, magic, an...
837 · Walt Disney Imagineering Tour: Behind the Scenes Where Disney Magic Is Made
What if you could get a guided tour through the heart of Walt Disney Imagineering - the place where Disney dreams aren’t just imagined, but engineered, designed, and brought to life?
I was honored with the rare opportunity to step inside the hallowed halls of Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, California... and this week, I’m taking you with me.
Join ...
836 · Inside Imagineering: Zsolt Hormay on Sculpting Stories in Disney Parks
Do you ever walk through the Disney Parks and say, "How did they do that?" or better yet, "WHO helped bring these incredible places and spaces to life?"
I was recently invited into the hallowed halls of Walt Disney Imagineering to discover the answers to those questions, and will have a full recap of what (and who) I saw, as well as just some of Imagineering...
835 · "In or Out?" - Trilogies, Overlays, Lounges, Live-Action, Leadership & More!
Are you In or Out? Is the Indiana Jones trilogy really Disney’s best? Should Tower of Terror get a Halloween overlay? And is Josh D’Amaro the future CEO of Disney?
That is just the beginning! This week, we dive into bold opinions and big questions about the parks, movies, cruise line, lounges, and leadership. From the Country Bear update to adult-o...
834 · Ultimate Guide to Indiana Jones in the Disney Parks
What if there was an Indiana Jones land so ambitious it could’ve changed the Disney Parks forever?
Or that Indy once shared the stage with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Mark Hamill himself… for one night only?
And what if Indiana Jones has a rich, decades-long history in the Disney Parks - with attractions, shows, and experiences around the world, each filled with hidden ...
833 · The Boy Who Became Tom Sawyer – Disney Legend Tom Nabbe - From the Archives
He was just 12 years old when he pitched himself to Walt Disney to become Tom Sawyer… and Walt said, “I’ll think about it.”
In this From the Archives episode of WDW Radio, I sit down with Disney Legend Tom Nabbe, the boy who went from selling newspapers outside Disneyland on opening day to becoming the real-life Tom Sawyer…...
832 · Adventures by Disney Japan Recap: Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Tokyo & Kintsugi - Part 2
Every step through Japan tells a story - and this week, I want to share ours.
From centuries-old villages to hidden antique shops, we went looking for adventure... and found something even more meaningful.
Japan continues to unfold its magic in Part 2 of our Adventures by Disney to Japan recap, as we travel to the serene mountain t...
831 · Disneyland at 70: Walt’s Vision, Origins, Secrets, and Stories from the Park - From the Archives
Celebrate 70 years of Disneyland with a deep dive into hidden stories, surprising history, and unforgettable secrets from Walt’s original park.
In this special WDW Radio Archive episode, I'm joined by the late, great Jim Korkis as we explore the surprising origins of Doritos and churros, the story of Walt's lost Holidayland, unusual...
830 · Adventures by Disney Japan Recap: Stories & Highlights - Part 1
Japan is truly unlike anywhere else in the world.
And this week, I want to take you there - not with a guidebook, but through the memories, moments, and magic we experienced together on our recent WDW Radio Adventures by Disney Journey to Japan group trip.
Join me and some of the friends (who are really more like family) from our group as we reflect on our journe...
829 · Celebrate Happy: A Complete Guide to Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary
Something special is happening at Disneyland… It’s turning 70, and the year-long Celebrate Happy party is packed with magic, surprises, returning favorites, and history in the making. Join me and theme park journalist Carlye Wisel as we unlock what’s new, what’s back, and why you need to visit - from "Paint the Night" and "World of Color Happiness" to Duff...
828 · Disney’s Abu Dhabi Theme Park: A Whole New World Unveiled
Disney just announced a bold new theme park and resort in Abu Dhabi – and it could change everything.
In this episode, we explore the Disney Abu Dhabi theme park announcement from every angle – cultural, creative, and corporate. We also have a thoughtful conversation about some of the questions and concerns this move has raised. Discover why Disney chose Abu Dhabi, what...
827 · Build Your Star Wars Movie Memorabilia Museum
The ultimate Star Wars collector’s wish list - no budget, no limits, just dreams!
This week, in honor of May the 4th, we’re heading to a galaxy far, far away… and diving into a fun, nerdy, and personal conversation, as we explore a galaxy of imagination and nostalgia and build our "Star Wars Movie Memorabilia Museum."
We’re not talking about toys or collectibles from the parks - we’r...
826 · How Disney Brings Star Wars to Life: Reveals and Stories from Star Wars Celebration Japan
Have you ever dreamed of living your own Star Wars story?
This week, I take you inside Star Wars Celebration Japan for a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney Parks and Lucasfilm are transforming the way we experience Star Wars - and reveal new stories, secrets, and adventures you need to know about.
Join me for exclusive interviews with lea...
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