What is D23 and what is it becoming? This week I'm joined by Michael Vargo, the head of Disney's D23, to talk about how Disney is rethinking fan experiences, evolving, expanding access, and quietly reshaping what it means to be part of the Disney community in 2026 and beyond. And let's just say there's also an unexpected moment in this conversation that made it especially meaningful. Not not just for me, but for you as well. Hello my friend and welcome to WW Radio, your guide to the Disney parks and experiences around the world. I am Lou Mongello and this is show number 851. And whether it is your first time listening or you've been with me since the very beginning, thank you for being here. Welcome home. Don't forget to be part of the community and conversation over in The Clubhouse at www.com clubhouse. Watch and chat this and every Wednesday at 7:30pm Eastern for WWE Live on Facebook and YouTube and get a little dose of dis updates in your inbox every week and a free gift when you subscribe by signing up for my newsletter over@www.com newsletter and when you're ready to plan your next Disney vacation, visit my friends over@m MouseFanTravel.com they have completely free expert planning from the team that I have relied on and more importantly, trusted for more than 18 years, not just to make my family's trip special, but yours as well. Visit them over@m MouseFanTravel.com for a free no obligation quote. Please connect and chat with me over on Social I am Loomangello on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. I have some new posts, questions and reels over on Instagram, including one about the only permanent religious symbol in Disneyland, just in time for the holidays. And if you like the show, and I hope that you do, please rate and review it over at Apple Podcasts or Spotify. More importantly, share it with a friend. It is one of the best ways to help others discover the magic and grow our community. But for now, sit back, relax and enjoy this week's episode of the WDW Radio Show. When you hear D23, what comes to mind? First, a convention? Community? History? Legacy? What's next for Disney fans? I think it really is all of the above because D23 really is a place where the past, present and Future of Disney all come together not just in one amazing, unforgettable experience, but an ongoing series of events and I think really evolutions. And with huge things on the horizon for 2026 and beyond, from the return of the ultimate Disney fan event in anaheim to everything D23 offers fans the throughout the year, I wanted to go right to the source and talk about where we've been, where we're going, and I think what the future of Disney fandom looks like, as well as a long term vision for what, how and what ways Disney D23 is going to bring fans closer to the Magic than ever before. So I am thrilled to once again be joined by someone who has helped shape that experience from the inside out. He is Michael Vargo, the head of Disney's D23. Michael, it is so good to see you once again.

Right back at you, Lou. Always love being on your show and thanks for having me back and you know, such a great pleasure to talk to you as always.

You as well. And thank you for making time during not just this busy time of the year with the holidays coming up, with a Busy year for D23 coming up as well. And before I think we look to what's coming up in 26 and beyond, I want to sort of look back for a moment. Not just sort of the immediate past, but in the long term. Because I think when you think about sort of the journey of D23 so far, what do you think sort of stands out as one of the biggest milestones maybe either from the past year or as you sort of look back on the evolution of how this fan community has grown and changed.

You know, it really has evolved over the years. I've been a part of the D23 team since 2009, since we first were created back in early 2009, it was very much a part of the first D23 Expo. And you just take that event alone and look how it has changed and morphed over the years and really customizing all these great fan experiences and events and content for the fans themselves. And our fans have changed a little bit in their likes and our demographics are changing. We have a new generation of Disney fans that are part of the club that weren't the same group that we had 15 years ago. So it's really changed and evolved and we're changing D23 to go along with that in different ways. So, you know, every year it seems like we bring a little something different to the table. Even take a look at destination D23 which I know you were, you were at that event has completely changed from what it was in the original years. So a lot of great stuff happening.

It's wild when you think back to 2009, that it's, you know, 16, almost 17 years ago. And that's original, you know, that what is D23. And we were all sort of speculating when you, from your position and how that sort of has changed over the years. When you think back to 2009 and this, this genesis of this new idea, did you have any idea that this was sort of the long term plan or vision this would, or this is what it would eventually continue to evolve into?

Well, you know, the roots of D23 still remain the same and we're all about establishing a Disney community for Disney fans. And that's really the number one reason why people want to become a D23 member is to be a part of the Disney community. And that has not changed from day one. So that those still core values are still there. But, but all the other stuff that comes with it just changes over time with, you know, new, you know, movies that we have coming out, new theme park attractions, all the other things we just go along with it and still continue to love to share an exclusive look, peek behind the curtain, some exclusive access and some stories that you normally would not be able to get unless you are a part of D23. So that part of it hasn't really changed much and that's always exciting. So we're still bringing it back to our original roots. What it looks like today, it's certainly grown quite a bit and it's changed. But I think at the end of the day we're still here to serve, super serve a Disney community. And that's what we've always wanted to do from day one. So not much has changed on that end.

Yeah, I mean like you said, the community has very much always been the heart of D23. Even though D23 has evolved, we as fans and the community has evolved. And I think one of the things that I've, you know, I've been fortunate to sort of been able to not just be a part since the very beginning, being a charter member, but also sort of from the outside looking in, watching how. And one of the things that's always impressed me about D23 is I've always felt that you don't just create for Disney fans, you listen to fans and you iterate based on changing fan and guest feedback, which I know sometimes comes very, very loudly, which is probably both a blessing and a little bit of a curse. Are you starting to see or have you seen anything in terms of the community expressing what it is that they want in the short or long term and then sort of, how do you shift and prepare for going into 26?

Yeah, it's a great question. Everyone wants more. So that's what we're really out here to do right now is really give more of what the fans want. They want more events, they want more access, they want more content. And we do listen to that and responding to it in a different way. We want to get out to different regions around the country. We've always heard that as from the early years of D23 is, you know, oh, you know, we'd love to see D23 in Chicago and New York and all of our other, you know, cities around the country and quite frankly around the world. So we're really looking at new ways to get out to our fans and connect with the fans around the world. D23 Gold Theater that we rolled out earlier this year is a great digital platform to do that. We're taking D23 on the road with our Goofy Movie series that we did earlier this year. And right now we have Home Alone out there and we're doing a really cool one for 26 that I can't say what it is yet, but more to come on that, which is really great because we get to get to see the fans in their hometown and they get to experience a D23 event. So we're doing more of that and really delivering more and what the fans are looking for.

Yeah, and I think they don't just want more. I think they want to continue to be more of a part of it.

Right.

They don't want these passive experiences. They really want to, you know, we use words like interactive and immersive, but that really seems to be where the trend is, not just an interacting with Disney as a brand, but with each other as a community.

So true. And you know, that's so great to hear about D23 is you bring these fans together and they have this incredible fandom for anything. It could be an attraction or a movie or something. And they all meet and connect and then they become good friends and then they're pin trading together and then they're going to the parks together and then they're taking vacations together. And you hear about these stories of these fans that have, you know, remained close friends for years and years and years, all because of D23, which is pretty cool. Pretty cool. Myself included. I, you know, made some great relationships with, with some great fans that, you know, we all have our likenesses out there and it's like, wow, okay, you're into that too. Me too. I love the people mover. You know, we talk all day about it, so it's, it's. That kind of stuff is so fun.

Well, and I've been fortunate to not just see you at events, but get to know you a little bit over time. And I love the fact that you are not just the head of D2. You really are a fan. First. I said before we started recording, I was like, you sir, have a Chicken Little statue on your shelf. Which is sort of like one of the deepest cuts of Disney Phantom. Like, this is why you are so not just good at what you do, but I think so relatable to people as well too. And I think help sort of guide the short and long term vision for D23.

Thank you. Yeah, a fan at heart for sure. And you know, I was born and raised in Anaheim and felt like I grew up at Disneyland. So I was always there and I just knew Disney was part of my DNA. And I, you know, it still remains that way. All of us here at D23, actually, we're all fans. We're all fans first. We just have a really cool job to go along with it. So. Very much true, Very much true.

You know, we, we said D23 started for us as fans as a very simple question. What is D23? And before we started recording, I asked myself that same question. Like, well, what is D23? Like, what, what is D? What was D23 back in 2009? And what is D23 as we, you know, move into 2026? And I think it's interesting because it, at first I was like, well, it has this dual identity of both a celebration of Disney history as well as a place for creating community. But I think that's also started to become a platform for sharing the future and revealing the future and allowing us as fans almost to feel like we have a hand in that. Because it is not just D23 pushing out content, but it really feels like a two way communication and really a relationship that D3 has with its fans as well as the fans with each other, if that makes any sense.

Absolutely. And I think that's what we're looking to do is, well, is to engage with the fans in new ways through our digital platforms and that sort of thing. Because a lot of, yes, we're going to continue to celebrate Disney's rich history of 100 plus years now of great stuff from the archives and content from the past. But we also are looking at this new generation of Disney fans. I love Zootopia 2. So we want to put you on the red carpet of Zootopia 2. Get a firsthand look of the action that's happening there in real time through our digital channels, which I don't think we were doing that so much in the early years. So really kind of morphing into again, giving more of what the fans want. They want that access, they want that exclusive look. And I don't think any of that's really changed. It's just we're looking at it in different ways.

And I think you hit it right on the head. You literally and figuratively put us in the places that we could not get to otherwise. Whether it is a red carpet, whether it is the studio lot, whether it is, you know, these literal places that sort of were behind the velvet rope. And I think you have this wonderful, probably sometimes challenging task of continuing to raise the bar year over year in terms of storytelling and interactivity and fan experience and meeting those expectations, which sometimes I will admit as a fan are unreasonably high.

And that's good. And we love to raise the bar every time, you know, and. And that's what we're all about. We have so many great stories to tell here at Disney Imagineering alone. I mean, you can, you know, take a deep dive into the Imagineering story and all the incredible talent that, that works at Walt Disney Imagineering. We want to tell their stories in different ways and connect them with the fans, our filmmakers and talent and, and all of that, giving them that access to things that they normally wouldn't be able to have access to or a first look at something, or first access to buy something. You know, that's what we hear about from the fans. You know, that's the privilege of being a D23 member. We want to definitely help, help them feel connected.

And I love the fact that, you know, for 2009. I keep looking back at 2009, when was the announcement of the D23 Expo the first time we sort of had this global place that we could all come together. And it's now this push beyond the single sort of Expo moment with the tours and the screenings and the regional event and the exclusive offers. And I think one of the things that I've seen you continue to lean into more and more is, like you said, the importance of the smaller events, the Importance of the regional events to allow for and foster this ongoing engagement. It's not this one sort of thing that we have to look forward to every other year now. It's every year because we have destination D. And I still call it Expo, sorry, the ultimate destination. Other little moment. And I was in, I was speaking at an event in Cleveland and I met someone was like, yeah, we just drove six and a half hours here to come to the Goofy Movie event. And I was like, that right there is a testament to just how important these things are to fans and just how willing they are. Willing they just. How far they are literally and figuratively willing to go to get there.

Absolutely. They are dedicated, passionate fans that you're right, it's a destination for them. And you know, and they feel so connected to D23. So we want to deliver their very best experience we possibly can for each and every one of them. And you're right, D23, it's not just, you know, it's interesting. A lot of people think D23 is the thing we do in Anaheim every other year. That's what they think D23 is. But you know, it's a fan club that operates 365 days a year. We're super serving content all year long, every single day, every single week. And events now we've exploded our event calendar. We've done more events of the last couple years than we've had done in its history. So that alone is just kind of speaking to how we're responding to the fans. They want to go to the studio lot and take a tour. We never offered the studio lot as a public tour before until D23 came around. And we're like, let's open the doors and let's open the gates to the studio lot. Give them a great look behind the scenes. They get to go see Walt's office, they get to go to the archives and really get a behind the scenes look of how things are made. And it's really pretty cool experience. And we just introduced Walt's LA tour that we did earlier this fall, another one coming up in the spring. And it was, it is incredible all day tour. You get to go to all the sites of Walt's residences where he worked, our original studios. It's. It's pretty cool, pretty cool experience. You only can get through D23.

And it feels, Michael, like when you do things like that, when you give us access to places that are behind the metaphorical velvet, it feels like an expression of trust of D23. To the fans, like, we know this is what you want. We formed this relationship over, well, really over 100 years. But we formed this relation especially over D23. We understand this is what you want. We are willing to let you into those places which before this, before T23, were very much off the table to anybody who did not work for Disney or wasn't a cast member.

That's right. I couldn't have said it better. I mean, you're absolutely right. And we're doing more of that. Even with the Walt Disney archives giving them more access to some cool stuff. We have some cool stuff at the archives, so we don't want to keep it in warehouses on shelves. We want to share it with everyone because it's like, wow. You get the biggest wow. Just unboxing something off the archive shelves in front of people. So that's what they want to see and experience. So we're going to be doing a lot more of that in the future. It's really great.

Yeah. You are parenthetically opening up the Raiders of the Lost Ark finale scene with. Because that's just so. You know, I know it's not. This is not how it probably looks, but that to us as fans, is what it looks like now. We've seen some of the things on Disney, but when we get to see these things in person, in ourselves at these events, it's pretty cool. Probably more meaningful than you guys might realize. To us more fans.

Yeah, it is. It's still cool to me. I mean, the stuff that Becky brings out. And we're like, I didn't even know we had that. That is so cool. And. And it's like you just want to.

Why are you touching it?

I know. Exactly. Exactly. So, you know, got to get on the white gloves to see it all. But it's so cool. It's such a cool experience. So.

So without. We'll save the ultimate Disney fan event for last. But talk about some of the other specific things that you have coming for 26 that fans can start getting excited for, because you talked about the tours and the on the road events. But there's the Spotlight series, the anniversary celebrations. There's anniversaries of not just things on screen, but in the parks as well.

That's right. Yeah. I mean, you know, we love our milestone celebrations. You know, all of these anniversaries coming up in 2026. You know, even our. When you think about our membership kits that were. That we have rolled out in 2026, our pin set and our Roosevelt shirt is all designed around the milestone celebrations that we're going to be acknowledging in 2026. You have country bear jamborees, 55th there, you know, 10 years of Moana, 75 years of Alice in Wonderland. I mean, there is really something for everyone and which is pretty exciting. So, yes, we're going to be celebrating all of that. We introduced our D23 Spotlight series earlier in 2025 and it has been a home run taking that in Orlando. Also here in Burbank and Anaheim doing different really focused content on some great stories we celebrated. We're actually going to be celebrating the Disney California Adventure anniversary in February. And we're going to be taking our Spotlight series down to Disneyland and doing it from there, which is going to be pretty cool. But you saw all the other Spotlight Series events we've done over the last year. Everything from Percy Jackson and the Olympians just last week we've done Duffy. Great Halloween content. Anything that has a celebration to it, we think it's a great fit for our Spotlight series and it's been very popular. So we're excited about that.

And talk about the D23 Gold Theater, which is going to be launching, I guess, soon. Ish.

Well, we actually launched D23 Gold Theater earlier in the year. Don Hahn was our guest. He talked about the really cool book that he wrote about Disneyland's 75th anniversary or 70th anniversary. And it was really great storytelling to engage with fans because Don is actually online live interacting with the fans and telling his stories about his incredible book that he wrote. And we've been doing that now monthly throughout the year. And in 2026, we're going to be doing more of D23 Gold Theater and we're actually going to be also making it available on demand, so you can also watch the live experience, interact with our talent and our hosts that are there. But if you can't catch it at 5 o' clock on a Thursday, you can always come back and and check out and see what we had to share out because it's really great content that we've created for some of those and we're excited about what the slate is looking like for 2026. We have another one coming up, it's next week that's it's all about Holidays in the Parks. So Becky Klein is going to be, of course, very much a part of that as she wrote her book about Holidays in the Park a few years ago. So she's going to be our guest host on that one as well. So there's some great stuff coming up.

Yeah, and we were talking earlier about our desire as fans to interact with these people whose work that we love and appreciate and to be able to talk to to a Becky or Don who by the way is the nicest person on the planet. Ridiculously talented and incredibly tall by the way, he is also the nicest man on the planet. So to have that access really is such a gift. And like you said, being able to watch it after in case you can't make it in person is nice too.

Yeah, yeah, we're excited about that. And again, it's one more thing about we listen to the fans. You know, at first we really wanted to make this a one time live experience which is pretty cool because you get that real time interaction. But then we heard from the fans. It's like, oh, I couldn't catch it in different time zones. It's always hard to cater to that when you do a live event. So again we responded to the fans. Let's make it available to them on demand so they can watch it and listen anytime they can.

This just came to me as we were. Because we keep talking about listening to the fans, hearing from the fans. How does that happen? Right. If somebody says, well, I have an idea, there's something I want. What is the best way for a D23 fan to feel like or allow themselves to have the opportunity to give that feedback? Is it email, is it coming to an event? Is it on social?

All of the above. We hear from our fans through many different channels. Our guest services team, we get a lot of feedback from fans there. Social, we read all of our social stuff and you know, and really understand where the fans are thinking. So we want to, you know, respond to that in a different way. Okay, that worked. That didn't work so well. Well, how can we improve on that, that type of thing? We love hearing from our fans. We can only improve on ourselves if we don't hear, you know, unless we hear from them. So at the events themselves we'd love to interact with them. Hear about what do you love? Do you like coming here and you know, do you like the movies? What type of content are you interested in? So we get the best feedback just from interacting with the fans. We're doing our big jolly holiday events here at the Disney studio lot coming up. We have have a couple thousand fans coming to that which is going to be great. And we'd love to hear from them because they love coming to the studio a lot. We want to hear more about do you love the archival stuff? Do you love the new things? What is it that you're into? And so we can respond accordingly throughout the year. So love it. Connecting with them at our events and on our social channels as well.

You can also call Michael at home at 555.

Exactly. I get a lot of direct requests too. I try to get back to everybody. It's hard, but it. Yeah, it's. We all do. Yeah. And we love it. We love hearing from them.

All right, so we've been saving sort of the biggest and the best for. I don't want to even say last because I'm sure there's a few surprises that you haven't revealed as yet, but D23, the ultimate Disney Fan event, is coming Back to Anaheim August 14th through the 16th. And I say that with a metaphorical asterisk attached to it because there are pre event activities that lead up to the main event. You really expanded D23 to be almost like this week long opportunity to sort of a la carte pick and choose to do as much or as little as you want. Talk about the day at Angel Stadium and the day at Disneyland Resort.

Yeah, well, you know, we did D23 day at Anaheim Stadium a couple years ago at the last Ultimate Disney Fan event. It was very well received. So we're bringing that back again. We're giving everyone. Well, the first 23,000 people in the gate are going to get this really cool Mickey bobblehead designed by Kevin and Jody, our incredible designers that have done so much with the parks over the years. But they designed a really cool vintage looking Mickey Mouse bobblehead. Then we're also doing a gold variant of that bobblehead. So 20. Okay, 23,000 people are getting the bobblehead. 2,300 variants are being created. Gold variants for randomly selected people that walk through the gates at Angel Stadium. So that's going to be pretty cool.

One lucky fan is going to go home with the Michael Vargo bobblehead. It really is going to be.

I don't know about that one. We'll see. But you're absolutely right. It became this week long event and we heard from the fans again over the years. It's like, like we just don't want to come in over the weekend. We want to go to the parks. We want to do more because it is a destination for so many of these folks. They take the time off and they want to come and have a whole week long Disney experience. So we do that. Or if you want to just come For a small portion of it, you can do that too. But it is ended up being this expanded week long event. We're doing D23 day at Disneyland again on that Thursday before. So that's always exciting. And lots of great stuff happening at the parks that day. Obviously the angel game will be exciting. We have some other things that we haven't announced, but it's going to be pretty cool leading up even to those days as well. We're just kind of putting some final touches and buttoning up some of those details. But it's really great. I can tell you, Lou, we are working every single day on that event. We are so excited. I didn't think we could raise the bar any higher than what we did last time. And we actually just sat through a whole programming meeting yesterday about all the great content that's coming on the stages and stuff. And it's like, how do we do all this? Like, there's so much to pack in that we have to like shave off some stuff because there's just almost too much, which is really. It's a great problem to have. But it's. It's just shown how much that this event has expanded and grown and we're excited about it. I mean, this year is going to be unlike any that we've ever done. I have to say. It's going to be pretty incredible.

So I will tell you, last year. Sorry, last year, the last. I'm gonna call it Expo just for.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, go for it. We do too in our meetings. It's a little easier in 24, right.

Where there were, there were some announcements of some things that are changing. And I will admit to you now, I was a little skeptical when I heard that you were going over to the Honda Center. I'm like, yikes, this is going to be a logistical nightmare. I don't understand that change, that shift. First of all, not only was the logistics flawless in terms of getting guests to and from. I admit when I was wrong, and I was very, very wrong, but more importantly, you want to talk about turning the experience up to 11, it changed the whole feeling and flow of having that many fans in that space. It almost was part of concert, part like preview. It was part red carpet. Like it was all those things mixed. And even with that volume of guests, it still felt like such an incredible community moment that we got to share in.

Yeah, yeah. I couldn't agree with you more. And you know, when we were talking about initially going over there a couple years ago, we wanted more fans to experience that Hall D23 that we had at the Anaheim Convention Center. We were limited on the capacity there and we had this idea of the Honda Center. We're like, can we make it work logistically? How do we get everybody over there? You know, a lot of thought went into timing and logistics and everything. And we're like, let's just go for it. And we did. And I think it really did pay off. To your point. It allowed us to do more on that stage and in that type of venue that we couldn't do at the Anaheim Convention Center. So it really made this an epic evening. Every single night. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, they were all just so different, but so elevated in a way that we couldn't do at the Convention Center. And I have to admit, we were nervous too about how we're going to get people over there and back and all of that. But a lot of thought went into that, a lot of planning. We brought in some really great experts who do this all the time and understand guest flow and transportation and scheduling and all that. And it did. And thank you because we think it did work well. And so we're like, I guess we got to do it again. So we're going to be back at the Honda center next year, which is very exciting. So we love being over there.

I'm looking forward to that. And so I have to ask, because you did sort of allude to it. You know, sometimes as you grow and evolve, some things change and sometimes with change comes a little bit of loss. I think you use the phrase sometimes things have to get shaved off a little bit. One of the things that has changed is that the, the Emporium, the sort of the vendor hall is not going to be returning this year. I'm sure you've heard from fans about it. Can you talk a little bit about what drove that decision? What is going to potentially replace it? What is it going to look like?

Yeah, and you know, the Emporium was always a great place to have at D23. We always loved it. It's a great place for collectors to come together and share all their incredible stuff that they've collected over the years. We had some special pop ups there as well that weren't necessary. Collectors, yourself included, I know, is always a part of that. We love the Emporium. We quite frankly ran out of room. We expanded the show floor so much this coming year in 2026 that we did have to shave off some parts and pieces to make room for some incredible things that are coming. And I think you're going to be very, very pleased to see how the show floor is really going to look. It's almost a problem now that we've gotten almost too big for the anti Convention center at some point. So we had to give on some things. But we are bringing some elements of the Emporium, some of the favorites that will still be a part of the event itself. Of course, just changing the format a little differently. We're not going to have the whole Emporium concentrated area, but bringing back some of our favorite exhibitors that are a part of that will definitely be really returning back in 26. So.

Okay, I. I will. I am cautious, yourself included.

We'd love to have you there. Of course. So, yes, we're Gonna Listen.

The D23 has been so important to me and the WW community. I remember that first year having no idea what to expect, but just saying, there's no way I'm not going to take advantage of the opportunity to be there. I didn't know what it was going to look like. I didn't know what it was going to feel like. I had no idea what to expect. Remember going live on that, like the Thursday, I think that we were first going in or loading in and I was like wonderfully overwhelmed. And I tell the story all the time because it's true. Going live and then people showing up on like Saturday and Sunday saying, I watched you live on Friday. I was missing out on all this. I literally booked a plane ticket and needed to be here. And I think that's what. And that's not about me or what I did, but it's. It's showing that people see what happens at Expo and they just feel I just need to be in the room. Right. We talked about this at Destination D. I just want to be in the room with other fans.

That's right. Yeah, that's right. Well, let me tell you this. We have a gold star marked on the show floor for WDW Radio. So we'd love to have you back. And we got a great spot for you there on the show floor. It won't be the same without you. So we want you and I, and we love having you there because I love that, that feeling that you get, you know, because we do too. It's like, wow, we're getting ready to open the doors and you know, you're putting the final touches on things and you're vacuuming the carpets and all of that and you just see how all this stuff comes together and it's the Best feeling in the world. When you do open the doors to those first guests and they just come pouring in and it's like, oh my gosh, we've done two years of work and here it all is, it's all coming to life. And you get to see the responses to the fans and all of that. It's pretty incredible, as you know. I mean, it's a surreal experience and it's always nice to be there on those early days to see it all come together.

Yeah. I mean, it is a privilege to be able to watch it go from an open concrete space to this incredibly well choreographed and orchestrated and themed and connected environment. But you're right, Michael. That moment when the doors open and I like just standing there and then watching the guests come in and they're looking around like they don't know where to go first almost because they're just so wide eyed, everybody is smiling and it is this. And I think that's what D23 does too. It is this wonderfully like, unifying moment. And I'm like, this is it. Like, this is what Walt, he didn't realize this is what he wanted, but this is what he wanted. He wanted this shared community type experience. And that moment when those doors first open, as chaotic and scary as it is, is both incredibly wonderful and I think a testament to the legacy of Walt's vision, you know, going forward.

I could not agree more. It's like the rope drop every morning right at in the parks. It's. Some people have a plan, they have a strategic plan of where they're going to go first and where they're going to hit and all of that. And they're darting off to there first. And some people are just like, this is just a cool experience that they just want to soak it all in. And there's, it is overwhelming, especially to a place that you're unfamiliar with. You know, you haven't been on the show floor before. We change it every time. So, you know, but everyone's studying their app ahead of time to understand where things are and where they want to go first and what they want to buy first or experience first. So. But it is a cool, energetic experience. I mean it's, it's, it's pretty awesome.

And I, it's funny, I get this question multiple times every year, like, hey, I'm going for the first time I was able to get tickets. I'm going for the first time. What do I expect? Where do I need to go first? And I'm like, I don't have an answer for you. Because every time is the thing that you need to do first literally is open up the app and sit down and study it and sort of say, all right, what is most important for me to see and do force. Sometimes you have to make those difficult choices because we can't be in two places in once. But that is a wonderful problem to have in having to make those choices and that it is different every year and you don't know what to expect. There is that element of surprise from a guest perspective when those doors first open.

That's right. That's the best advice. And that's the number one tip we always get. Study the app. Understand everything that's there because you don't want to miss anything. But you are going to have to make some tough choices sometimes, you know, you can't see all the shows if they're all happening at the same time. So you really got to pick and choose and come up with a plan. I think it just makes it so much easier for you and less stressful for you as well. Understanding, okay, today, here's what I want to hit. And just at least having some sort of an agenda pulled together, I think makes it a much better experience. So, yeah, it's, it's, it's going to be some tough decisions coming up in 26 for some of these fans again. So there's some really cool stuff coming.

I laugh because I do. You know, I like to just sort of walk around and watch and observe and listen and I'll see groups of families or friends coming together and they sort of looking down like. And it's like a military operation. Okay, you go here. You get in line for this. I'm going to go here, you. And it is this sort of coordinated, strategic thing. But it's so fun and it's multi generational. Like, I like the fact that it's something. I've brought my kids to it over the years. I see families coming together and I think that it's cool that there is a little something for everybody there.

It's so true. No matter what your fandom is, you could be a Marvel fan, you could be a Star wars fan, you could be a Bluey fan. You know, there, there is a little something for everyone there of all ages, you know, and that's what's so cool about it, is that, you know, it's not just one thing that you have to go sit through. It is really, you know what? That isn't for me. Let me go over here, check this out, go to the show floor, walk through the avatar experience, you know, anything and everything is there for something or for somebody. So it's pretty cool. Yeah. And shopping is going to be crazy, as always.

Well, I think everybody sort of has their thing, right? Some people are there for the merch, some people there for pins, right? Yeah, but it also is. Some people are there because they want the same types of experiences we've been talking about. They want to be let behind the velvet rope. But you're able to have that experience multiple times in that single location. So whether you're going to the Disney Parks and Resorts booth, you're going to imagine you're in, you're going to Disney Cruise Line, you do get that sense that you are not only going to see what you know what and sometimes the how things have been created, but it is that opportunity to know you are going to be treated to a lot of surprises about what is coming next.

So true. I know some fans that literally they come for the weekend and they sit in the Walt Disney Archive stage and they don't move. They just want to sit there and listen to all the content and all the shows and presentations that happen all throughout the weekend. I mean, that just shows you the passion that some of these fans have. And again, that's their interest, which is so fantastic. They want to hear the stories of how things were done back in the day and how we relate to them today, which is really cool. And those fans love that. And then you're right, some fans love to go off and they're off on a shopping destination and that's what they want to go do. And, and we have the parks enthusiast, of course, that, you know, that's their, that's what fills their tank, is they want to go over and experience that show floor pavilion, meet the imagineers in person, talk to them. That's pretty cool. You know, you get to see some models that you don't normally ever get to see. It's, it's, it's pretty awesome experience. There is something for everyone for sure.

And some of those pavilions and displays evolve over the four days of the convention as well, because something that maybe wasn't revealed on day one in the imagineering booth or the Parks resorts might, that tarp might come off, that door might open and you might see something that was announced before. So there's a, there's sort of a rewritability factor to a lot of the pavilions as well.

Yeah, more of that to come. Yeah, for sure.

What I love to use is, you know, we're talking about looking forward at what is coming and looking back. And I think I said this to you there. You know, I think destination D23 too, is sort of the other side of the same coin. And I think this past year may have been the overall, everyone is special in its own way, like our children, but deep down, there's one that we love more. But this past year's destination D23 felt like the most community event. It felt. I think I said this to you in person. It felt like a family reunion with thousands of people, most of whom were strangers, but we all felt connected to. Right. And unlike Expo, which is this cavernous space with places, everything happens in one room. So you don't have any of that fomo and you do have that shared experience with people over each of those days.

Agree. And that's what we love about destination D23. You're right. It's a little more intimate. It's still big, but it's a little more intimate in comparison to what we do at the ultimate Disney fan event. And having everyone together in one room, we're all sharing the same story. After walking around through the hallways and corridors, you talk to the fans and you hear their reaction about the panel they just saw and. And how cool it was to see Jodi Vincent on stage. And they're so overwhelmed with emotions that it's like, oh, my gosh, we got to hear Jodie sing. And they're all looking in the hallways to see if Jody's walking around. So it is cool, because you're in this little bubble of just this really fun Disney community fandom that you really can't get anywhere else? I love that one.

So there is a lot that is coming. Is there something in the D23 plans that makes you, Michael Vargo, the fan most excited? Even if you can't tell us all the details unless you want to, is there something that you know is coming in 26 that you sort of have circled on your personal calendar that you're looking forward to most?

Yeah, of course. The ultimate Disney fan event. Always going to be the highlight of the year, for sure. We at D23 are also expanding in big ways, not only just here in the US but globally. You think about, we went to D23. We had D23 in Brazil year before last. Now, I guess it's been almost a year, just over a year, which was so great to experience something with Disney fans in a different region of the world that we normally would never connect with, with D23. So we're really looking at new ways and expanded ways to reach a global audience, which I'm very excited about. So we're having lots of conversations about that and even further beyond that. If I can even go beyond 2026, you know, someone's having a pretty cool birthday coming up in 2028. And let me tell you, there's a lot of thinking around how D23 is going to rally around Mickey Mouse's 100th birthday in 2028. So that. That's also very exciting as well. We have a lot of things that we have in the hopper that we're percolating on, which is very exciting for me. I love thinking about that kind of stuff in advance. So lots of things, lots of circles on my calendar that I'm excited about.

Yeah. And I think you make a great point that you individually and collectively at D23 are looking at things not just in 26, but you are also at 28 and beyond, sort of knowing that these milestone moments that are important to Disney fans are coming. But I think that you're right. I think this year's Ultimate Disney Fan event this August is the thing that I circle on my calendar as soon as the dates are announced as one comes to. And we already start planning. And I cannot express my sincerest gratitude at the opportunity to be able to come back and be part of something that is so very special to us collectively as fans and to me personally, Michael. So thank you for that.

No, of course, won't be the same without you.

So I would, I would never presume to ask you what Walt would think of D23 and events. But as long as we're talking about the ultimate Disney fan, if Walt Disney could attend the Ultimate Disney Fan event this summer and he's standing there with you, what do you think that you would show him first?

I think I would tell him. Walt, I think you need to stand right here. We're going to open the doors in five minutes and I want you to see, see the guests coming through the doors, I think. And I think that's what he did at Disneyland. And just to see the expressions on the fans faces more than anything. Yes. He knows he can go see all the pavilions and the shows that he wants, but seeing the fans react to something that he created is inconceivable. And I think having him there, I think he'd be very proud of what he started so many, many years ago. And seeing how the fans today are still resonating with the stuff that he created so many years ago. And you think about our Walt Disney Archives Pavilion, you know, and all the great treasures that are a part of that, and then the incredible technology that we're introducing in the Parks Pavilion, for example, and all the great stories coming out of Marvel Studios Pavilion. It's overwhelming. And I think he would just sit back and just look at how the fans respond. How the guests respond, I think would be pretty cool. That's what I would tell him to go do. Just sit on that park bench and just watch everyone and people watch. And I think that's what he enjoyed doing so much at Disneyland. And I think he would feel the same here at the ultimate Disney Fan event. That's what I love to do, is just watch the fans go by. People watch. I think he'd be blown away by the cosplay. I don't think they had too much. Too much of that in the 50s at Disneyland.

Why is that dressed like me?

Exactly. So that would be kind of fun.

Well, I think Walt would tell you not to presume again, but I would tell you to do the same thing if you don't. Michael, I hope that you do that same thing and you stand there and you watch those fans come in. And I know that it is not just you. It takes people to make a dream a reality. And the D23 team and all the teams that have to come together to put pull these things together. But I hope you take that moment to watch and feel that same thing as we as guests walk in.

Yeah, for sure. I tell the team to do that too. All of our team that's been working so hard on this, I'm all, take a breather. Go watch what everyone's doing. Because I think that's so important. You poured your heart and soul into this for two years. Let's go and enjoy this experience and really see what the fans are responding to. Because you need to be a part of this whole experience. You know, don't worry. The trash will get taken out at some point, but you need to come and experience it as well. And we're all fans, like I said, we don't want to miss anything and we want to hear and see more of what the fans are responding to. So it's great advice. I couldn't agree more. We're all going to be sitting on some benches there.

Well, I appreciate you taking your time not just to share the plans, but the passion behind D23's future. I think Disney magic has always been rooted in and about storytelling. And it's clear that the story of D23 is, is still being written with, I think, some of the most exciting chapters yet to come. I know that fans everywhere, myself included, cannot wait to experience it and be part of making those stories with you. Michael Vargo, thank you again. Conversations like this remind us why D23 is much more than an event or series of events. It really is a home for Disney fans.

Yeah. Thank you, Lou. Thanks for having me.

All right, Lightning Round. Like, thank you, Lightning Round. What is Michael Vargas favorite Disney theme park?

Oh, Disneyland Anaheim.

Michael Vargrove's favorite Disney snack.

Oh, the little Red Wagon. Corn dogs.

No.

Is that a snack or a meal?

Snack?

You know, I have to say, my favorite snack to date, and they haven't brought them back yet, are they had these churros during the 60th anniversary of Disneyland that were so delicious and they had Fruity Pebbles on them and still stuff. And I could never find them again anyways, I ate too many of those. That was my favorite snack at the time. But you can't go wrong with the Dole Whip and a Mickey Pretzel.

All right, favorite restaurant.

Oh, I love the Blue Bayou.

Nice.

At Disneyland. See, all my Disneyland stuff's coming out.

All right. If you could ride one attraction with Walt, what would it be?

The Matterhorn.

Michael Vargo, ladies and gentlemen, doesn't get any better than that.

So thank you, Lou.

Thank you, Michael.

All right, take here.

It's time for our Walt Disney World trivia question of the week to see how well you know the sights, sounds and secrets of Disney. If you think you know the answer, you can enter for a chance to win a Disney prize package. This week's trivia contest is sponsored by my friends over at the Walt Dis World Swan and Dolphin, who really help make the holidays into something special and magical. I love, love visiting every year, even as a local, because there are so many different festive experiences for the entire family. You can meet and greet Santa and Mrs. Claus, their little elf candy cane. There's holiday entertainment. There are the dancing lights on the palm trees and the causeway. Lots of stuff for kids to do, including creating ornaments, decorating cookies, crafting their own holiday keepsakes. And if you want to bring the spirit of the season into your room if you're staying there, and you should, because they really do have the most comfortable beds on property and some of the best dining anywhere, you can also have the elves deck the halls with a full in room decor package, complete with a pre lit Christmas Tree. Plus, you get all the benefits of staying at the Swan and Dolphin, including being so close to all four theme parks. Again, the food is amazing, the beds are comfortable, the rooms are beautiful. You can check out the entire schedule of events or book your stay by going to Santa's favorite resort. Now, before we get to this week's question, let's go back, review last week's and select our winner. So in last week's listener email segment, we were talking about Ye Olde Christmas Shop and how the three different facades were actually home to three separate and distinct stores. Your question was to tell me what were the stores. You can tell me either the name or just what they had in it. Thank you so much to all of you who entered. Got this one correct, shared some stories and memories of visiting those shops and know that they are, of course, the Old World Antique Store, the Silversmith and Mademoiselle Lafitte's Perfumery. Yes, there really was a colonial style antique store that sold real antiques in the middle of Magic Kingdom. There was also a jewelry and metal craft shop themed to sort of the early American silversmiths, things like Johnny Tremaine theming. And there was a perfumery where guests could create and reorder the their own custom fragrances. Go listen to my audio tours of Walt Disney World, which are now available as a separate, completely free podcast as I take you through Liberty Square and sort of deep dive into these a little more. These shops were replaced in 1996 when it all was condensed and consolidated into Ye Olde Christmas Shop. Anyway, I took all the correct entries, randomly selected one. Last week you were playing for a WW Radio keychain stick pin and a mystery prize. And last week's winner randomly selected is Avery Bauer. So, Avery, congratulations. I'll get your prize package out to you right away. And if you played last week and didn't win, that's okay, because here's your next chance to enter in this week's Walt Disney World Trivia Challenge. So New Year's Eve is coming up and it's all about the fireworks. Dare I say the sorcery in the sky, which also happened to be the name of a fireworks spectacular in the Disney MGM Studios in 1996. The question this week is to tell me who was the narrator of Sorcery in the Sky. Now, because it is the very busy Hanukkah Christmas Kwanzaa holiday chaos season, I'm going to give you a little bit of extra time for this. And because it is a relatively New Year's Eve themed question. I'm going to give you until Sunday, January 4th. Don't sweat this one over the holiday. It's not that you were sweating it over the holidays.

Holidays.

Don't sweat it over the holidays. You have until after New Year's Eve, Sunday, January 4th at 11:59pm Eastern. To go to www.radio.com click on this week's podcast. Use the form there. And again this week you're going to play for the keychain, the stickers pin, a new mystery prize. So good luck, happy New Year, stay safe and good luck. That's going to do it for this week's show. Thank you again for listening and being part of the WW Radio family and community. I am so incredibly grateful to and for you and for spending and sharing your time with me and Michael Vargo this week. If you're Planning on attending D23 Expo this summer, let me know. Very excited to be back once again and obviously what Michael shared on the show has me even more excited than before. One quick reminder as we start to look ahead into the new year, I want to quickly invite you once again to join me and other members of the WWW family for the 19th annual Morgan and Morgan Walk for Wishes on Thursday, March 26 at Lake Eola park in Orlando. It is not a running event, it is a walking event. It is one easy mile and it helps Make a Wish. Grant life changing wishes for kids. You can come be part of the WWalking team. You can get a shirt. Plus there is great entertainment and food and things going on and it's a great opportunity for us to spend the night together and support Make a Wish. You can sign up and join our team over@wdwradio.com walk4wishes and I hope to see you there. In the meantime, don't forget to be part of the community and conversation over in the clubhouse at www.com where you can talk not just about this week's show, my conversation with Michael D23, but anything that you want to discuss in the Disney, Marvel or Star wars universe. Connect and chat with me on social, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. And if you're looking to turn what you love into what you do Starting in 2026 is a great time. Visit loomangello.com find out how I can help you, how we can work together through either one on one coaching or my momentum series events, including my weekend workshop in the fall, my momentum retreat in the spring, another event that I'm going to be announcing very very soon. And if you're looking for a keynote speaker for your business event or conference, I share lessons from the Disney Parks on customer service and experience and leadership Lessons from Walt Disney. And you can find out more and book a call with me by visiting lou mongello.com but that's it for this week. I hope you enjoyed the show. I hope that you feel better because of it. I hope you remember to always be kind, always, especially this time of year, to choose the good, especially this time of year. Do good for others. Set example for them by what you do. If there's ever anything that I can do to help you, please reach out and let me know. So until next time, I love and appreciate you. Have a great day and even better tomorrow. See ya. Well, it sounds pretty good. In fact, that's just the right spirit.