Once Upon a Castle Podcast

About Once Upon a Castle Podcast

Welcome to Once Upon a Castle — unlocking the magic of Disney past and present. I’m Gini, your guide through the parks and the pages of Disney’s rich history. Each week, we’ll share expert tips to help you plan your perfect visit, and explore the stories, secrets, and legends that make the magic real. From Walt’s vision to today’s hidden gems — we’ll help you feel more connected, more prepared, and more enchanted every step of the way. So whether you’re counting down the days to your next trip, or just dreaming of a stroll down Main Street U.S.A... This is your place to rediscover the wonder. This is Once Upon a Castle.

Publisher

Once Upon a Castle Podcast

Category

news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Sept 2025

Latest episode

6 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

28 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Nov 2026

   Episode 027: Frontierland: An American Time Walkthrough (Part 2)

   Gini continues Once Upon a Castle’s five-part Frontierland walk-through, finishing the attractions before later episodes cover entertainment, dining, and a guest interview. She spotlights Tom Sawyer’s Island (opened June 16, 1956) as the only Disneyland area Walt Disney designed entirely himself, explains its practical role in making the Rivers of America read as a river, and traces its evolution from Fort Wilderness to the 2007 Pirates Lair retheme, plus closures for safety and Galaxy’s Edge work. She recounts early animal-driven transportation rides (stagecoach, Conestoga wagons, Mule Pack) and their safety issues and closures, then covers Rainbow Caverns/Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, including fluorescent black-light effects and later expansion, before its 1977 closure. She details Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s 1979 debut, design origins, story, 2003 fatal derailment and maintenance findings, and major 2013–14 retrack, then ends with Big Thunder Ranch (1986–2016), its authenticity, animals, evolving uses, and closure for Galaxy’s Edge. Social Media Handles: Instagram and TikTok: Once_Upon_a_Castle_Magic Email: gini@onceuponacastletravel.com Plan your next magical adventure! https://onceuponacastletravel.com

2. 

   10 Oct 2026

   Episode 026: Frontierland: An American Time Walkthrough (Part 1)

   Gini begins a four-part Frontierland series on Once Upon a Castle, explaining Frontierland’s 1955 opening-day origins as both Walt Disney’s frontier-era nostalgia and a marketing boost tied to ABC’s Davy Crockett miniseries, while noting critiques that the land romanticizes westward expansion and Native history. She briefly traces major land changes from 1955 through the loss of Big Thunder Ranch for Galaxy’s Edge. Part 1 tours early Frontierland locations: the former Davy Crockett Arcade and short-lived Davy Crockett Museum with wax figures, plus Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen’s cultural impact; the opening-day Pendleton Woolen Mills “Dry Goods Emporium” that became Bonanza Outfitters in 1990; lesser-listed Silver Spur Supplies and Crockett & Russell Hat Company honoring Parker; the Frontierland Shooting Gallery’s shift from lead pellets to infrared in 1985; and the Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia, including their historical inspirations and construction details, ending with plans to continue in Part 2 with Tom Sawyer Island and Big Thunder Mountain. Social Media Handles: Instagram and TikTok: Once_Upon_a_Castle_Magic Email: gini@onceuponacastletravel.com Plan your next magical adventure! https://onceuponacastletravel.com

3. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Episode 025: The Magic of D23-A Disneyland Adventure with Steph PART 1

   Gini introduces part one of a two-part crossover with Steph from Magic Key Adventures, previewing that part two (Sept. 1) will cover the D23 convention floor and the Honda Center Horizons showcase. She shares a listener review, then recounts her solo Disneyland day before D23: traveling from Colorado, staying at the close-but-dated Desert Inn & Suites, browsing shops, eating at Refreshment Corner, watching Main Street entertainment, riding the Tiki Room, Jungle Cruise, Pirates (and discussing the new animatronic), and Big Thunder, then taking a hotel break before returning for a Tomorrowland dance party, Casey Jr., Galaxy’s Edge cold brew, and meeting Steph that night. With Steph, she recaps D23 Day at Disneyland: early start, Fantasyland rope drop, Toontown and Runaway Railway, lunch at Tiana’s Palace, Pirates, the Legends Cavalcade (highlighting Susan Egan, Imagineers, and Walt’s family), meeting friends, Mark Twain with mint juleps, Galaxy’s Edge character interactions including Luke Skywalker and spotting Joe Rohde, PhotoPass castle photos, and ending with the Star Wars projection show. Instagram and TikTok: Once_Upon_a_Castle_Magic Email: virginia@dearanddarlingtravel.com Learn more about Disney travel: https://dearanddarlingtravel.com/agents/gini-west/ Magic Key Adventures Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/magic-key-adventures-podcast/id1688830469

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

13 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Contact Once Upon a Castle Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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