by Steve Griswold | Oct 12, 2026 | Disney Cruise Line, Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Disney World, Family Travel, Podcast
The top Disney Cruise Line must-do isn’t a Broadway-style show or a water slide — it’s getting off the ship for a day at Disney’s private island. In this week’s Mouse Chat, Lisa, Debbie, Caitlin and Steve count down the top 10 Disney Cruise...
by Steve Griswold | Oct 9, 2026 | Disney Cruise Line
Short answer: no. Disney Cruise Line asks guests not to hide items around the ship, and crew members collect rubber ducks they find. So the cruise duck tradition that fills Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships with hundreds of ducks per sailing is not a Disney Cruise...
by Steve Griswold | Oct 5, 2026 | Disney Cruise Line, Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Disney World, Family Travel, Podcast
Short answer: The best Royal Caribbean shore excursions in Costa Maya, Roatan and Cozumel are the ones that get you past the cruise-port shops and into the real place. On this week’s Mouse Chat, the team just sailed Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas,...
by Steve Griswold | Sep 26, 2026 | Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Disney World, Family Travel, Holidays, Podcast
Short answer: Christmas 2026 at Walt Disney World is worth planning now. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party starts November 8 and usually sells out before Thanksgiving. Jollywood Nights runs into January for the first time. And rooms are still up to 20% off for...
by Steve Griswold | Sep 14, 2026 | Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Disney World, Family Travel, Podcast
Is Epic Universe worth it a year in, and is Halloween Horror Nights Express worth the extra money? Short answer: yes to both if you only have one day. In this week’s Mouse Chat we share an honest Epic Universe review, real Express Pass and ride-wait notes, and...
by Steve Griswold | Sep 8, 2026 | Disney Podcast, Disney World
Updated September 1, 2026 by Steve Griswold — Mouse Chat host, former Walt Disney World Cast Member, and founder of Pixie Vacations. Disclosure: Mouse Chat and Pixie Vacations share the same founder. I tell you that up front. This guide is about how to choose any good...
by Steve Griswold | Sep 8, 2026 | Disney Cruise Line Planning, Disney Podcast
From the Mouse Chat team — Steve Griswold, host of the Mouse Chat Disney podcast and founder of Pixie Vacations, a Disney College of Knowledge–certified, Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency. Updated September 8, 2026. We’ve been talking Disney Cruise Line...
by Steve Griswold | Aug 31, 2026 | Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Disney World, Family Travel, Podcast
Getting Disney-ready starts weeks before you pack. Most people walk only 4,000–5,000 steps a day but log 20,000+ at Disney World, and that sudden jump — not the walking itself — is what triggers sore feet, back pain, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints. Build up your...
by Steve Griswold | Aug 18, 2026 | Disney Cruise Line, Disney Podcast, Disney Tips, Disney World, Family Travel, Podcast
Last updated: August 2026 Disney just wrapped the biggest D23 in years, and the Mouse Chat crew — Lisa, Debbie, Sharpie, and Steve — break down every major announcement so you don’t have to sit through hours of coverage. From Villains Land and a brand-new cruise...
by Steve Griswold | Aug 7, 2026 | Disney Blog, Tips, Walt Disney World Planning
An empty Main Street on a November morning. Same park, same castle, a fraction of the people.The short answerThe best time to visit Walt Disney World is the week after Thanksgiving — November 29 through December 6, 2026. You get every bit of the Christmas overlay with...
