Family, honor, spirits, ancestors, warriors, dragons, REFLECTION- we’re talkin’ Mulan (1998) with writer, podcaster, and Disney fan Lindsay Katai (@lindsaykatai), baby! Badass misfit, Mulan, finds herself wrapped up in a 12th night situation in the middle of a WAR. We fall for Mulan as she falls for Shang, but we wish we saw him fall back for M ...…

Mark David Christenson (@hobbit138) takes us zero to classic hero’s journey with Hercules. This films got it all: Action! Adventure! Romance! Conflated Greek mythology! We happen upon the similarities between Hercules and Superman as well as other superhero origin stories. Once again, Alan Menken’s music rocks and so does Meg, our sassy and ind ...…

We enter the hellfire that is The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) with Lorraine DeGraffenreidt (@lorrrrraine). Hot DAMN. Hitler of Disney, Frollo, locks away his forced ward, the “half-formed” Quasimodo, in a bell tower as he goes on a rampage hunting Gypsies. Although we feel abused by this dark tale, Esmeralda’s dazzling green eyes and beautif ...…

We watch Pocahontas and run the hidden pine trails of the forest with Grandmother Willow himself, content creator Curly Velasquez (@CurlyVee)! We have a lot to discuss with this one including tradition, colonialism, entitlement, love at first sight, and how FIERCE Pocahontas is. Her sparkly wind feather aura enchants us all as we sing along to ...…

We’re joined by Queens Chloe Schildhause (@Chloish) and Coop Foster (@this_is_coop on insta) and are blown away by the grandeur of The Lion King. This film takes every level TO THE NEXT LEVEL. We admire the deep relationships, perfectly cast characters, and slick storytelling told under a BREATHTAKING skyscape. We uncover the BOMBSHELL that Bla ...…

True diamond in the rough, Mano Agapion (@manoagapion) meets us in the cave of wonders (aka the vault) to share the excitement, fantasy, confusing wish logic, and blatant classism in ruby of the Disney renaissance, Aladdin! A charming streetrat, saucy princess, endearing sultan, and power-hungry villain weave a perfectly tangled love story set ...…

Disney aficionado and magical human Tara Copeland (@Tara_Copeland) joins us to marvel at and dissect what MIGHT be the crown jewel of Disney’s renaissance. Gorgeous sweeping vistas, layered characters, driving descriptive songs, developmental montages, and fantastic choreography, the movie musical is HERE, baby! We dive into the sticky situatio ...…

We find improv guru and seasoned podcaster Will Hines (@willhines) in the vault and down under for the exciting SEQUEL to the ...mmm...under...exciting Rescuers. Ruggedly strong outback kid and friend to the animals, Cody, gets kidnapped by a seriously vicious poacher, who has endless traps and insults for his prisoners and pet iguana thing. Ou ...…

The exuberant Santina Muha joins us and a bunch of YOU in the vault for a special LIVE episode! We dive into the world of bangin’ mer-bods for the first full fledged Disney musical and revel in the intricacies of this beloved film. We don’t see it all through rose colored glasses, however, as we discuss agency, feminism, and the whacked relatio ...…

The Vault’s decked out in pinks and reds this week as The Three Mouseketeers muse on love, friendship, and Disney. They take quizzes to determine their disney love movie matches and discuss their favorite Disney relationships, romantic or otherwise. We’re celebrating love in many forms this Valentine’s and every day! Happy Valentine’s Day!…

Walt Disney World insider, Sarah Chapman, joins us to discuss how the 1980s turned itself into a gift and bestowed upon us Oliver & Company. This twist on Oliver Twist (as told by cats and dogs) oozes 80s goods, including jams by Huey Lewis, Barry Manilow, and Billy Joel! Not to mention Bette Midler as a show poodle in a show stopping number. T ...…

We’re joined by Kirby Howell-Baptiste (@KirbyHowellBaptiste) for the terrifying escapade, The Great Mouse Detective. Kirby’s Korner (new, very limited segment) features a lightning interview about Rachel’s connection to disney and hey, this movie is suspiciously similar to Sherlock Holmes! Wait a second, it’s EXACTLY like Sherlock Holmes...but ...…

Dear Disney, We at Inside the Disney Vault have a lot of ideas and opinions. We love Disney and want to contribute to the universe. We share dream character mashups, wishlist origin stories, and fun attractions we’d like to experience in the parks. All that plus lots of gushing over the incredible canon of storied and characters we’ve met so fa ...…

Hilarious and silver-tongued Chase McCown (@mchasemccown) joins us to dish on ‘The Black Cauldron,’ “the film Disney tried to bury.” The Horned King (Skeletor) seeks an ancient cauldron in order to make the whole world his undead kingdom. Shit gets real dark on the way as we meet a magical pig, old man-sheepdog- sloth creature, and the most bad ...…

We meet Jordan Michael Green (@GetExtraJordan) by the river and discuss ‘The Fox and the Hound,’ AKA the original ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ Revered as one of the sadder in the Disney canon, although it’s not the kind of sad you’re thinking. A true Romeo and Juliet story, society rips Copper and Tod from their innocent friendship (love) and sets the ...…

Happy New Year! The three Mouseketeers present the winners of the first ever Vaulty Awards as voted by YOU, the listeners! We’re tickled to present special Inside the Disney Vault specific awards including Best Use of Butts in a Disney Movie and the It Was a Different Time” award. We have a blast sharing your honorable mentions and memories whi ...…

We find Jacquis Neal (@jacquisneal) in the vault and bring him on an adventure to rescue an orphaned girl who is too cute for her own good. Her cuteness got her kidnapped by Cruella de Vil’s best friend, Madame Medusa, and the only people (“people”) who can save her are...MICE. False Cruella has clown make-up, pet alligators, a swamp boat, and ...…

The Three Mousketeers get jolly, chatting about Christmas time at Disneyland and Disney World, and their favorite Holiday films. What happens during the most wonderful time of the year at the happiest place on earth? The ultimate collision of sparkle and cheer! It’s a festival for all the senses, no matter your winter holiday traditions.…

Naomi Villa (@naomisvilla) joins us in the Hundred Acre Wood to revisit our childhood friend, Pooh as he bumbles about, fiendishly seeking honey. Pooh and his friends get into some sticky situations; stuck in a rabbit hole, blown away by wind, and just plain lost. This collection of shorts raises discussion on the beloved cast of characters’ ps ...…

We find comedian Rob Hugel in the forest and discuss Robin Hood, the legendary tale as told by animals. A dreamy fox steals from the stupid and gives to the adorable in this cult favorite. We go gaga over elaborate thieving plots and the modest heroism of that foxy Robin Hood. Tons of unique and memorable voices make up the many creatures of Sh ...…

We scat on through the vault to find writer and podcaster Andy Apuy’s jazz pad and discuss the Aristocats. A popular, yet unsung favorite to many, others may call this film the poor man’s 101 Dalmatians. A bumbling, jealous butler disposes of Duchess the cat and her three adorable babies because they’re to inherit his Madame’s fortune. A cast o ...…

We journey to the New York portion of the vault and find the very funny Alex Song, who sits down with us for a Disney Thanksgiving feast. We discuss the (kind of? sort of?) Thanksgiving (food) themed Donald Duck short Soup's On (1948). Things get violent and wild in this little cartoon as Donald and his nephews set out to EAT A BIRD, then the b ...…

We find the very sweet and funny Lou Wilson (@sweetlouzinho) in the vault to discuss The Jungle Book, a childhood favorite that none of us remembered a thing about- except for the BANGERZ! This movie has some truly swingin’ tunes and great relationships between endearing characters (but WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?). We discover the Louis/ Louie conund ...…

We find illustrious podcaster and fellow Disney fan, Carrie Poppy (@CarriePoppyYES) in the vault for the medieval, magical education of a kid named Wart (obvious nickname for Arthur). The origin story of Marty and Doc Brown from Back to the Future (not really, but basically yes- think about it!), Merlin leads wart on a series of animal themed l ...…

We are feeling in-credible as Thorgy Thor (@ThorgyThor) of RuPaul’s Drag Race joins us for a sinfully tickling chat about 101 Dalmatians. Barking mad Cruella De Vil, the smartest person in the world and literally indestructible human, seeks out her presumably(?) good friend(??)’s brand new puppies(!) FOR THEIR FUR(!!!). It’s not all princesses ...…

We’re graced with the presence of real life Disney Princess, Shalyah Evans (@ShalyahEvans), who joins us to chat all about Sleeping Beauty and other close personal friends she met working at Disneyland. The bumbling Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather and truly evil Maleficent escalate a garden spat into life or death for simple little Princess Auro ...…

Things get spooky as the Three Mousketeers discuss all things Disney Halloween! We watch and rate four Disney animated Halloween shorts (The Skeleton Dance 1929, The Lonesome Ghosts 1937, Trick or Treat 1957, and Ghoul Friend 2013), one of which MAY have been the inspiration for Ghostbusters! Whoa!. We also chat about our favorite Disney Hallow ...…

We’re pleased and delighted to find Ashley Stauber (@ashleystauber) in the vault to discuss Lady and the Tramp! It’s Ashley’s favorite, as Jim Dear and Darling are based on her own life. We have tons of fun discovering the DRAG-ONS and DRAG-OFFS of this movie through puppy love, racial stereotypes (of both humans AND dogs this time! OH DON’T EV ...…

Julia Meltzer (@drunkactress) joins us in the vault to discuss this magical, sparkly, well storied, and problematic film. We all know there are racial issues in PP (don’t worry, we get into them), but dive even DEEPER into the gender stuff. Tons to discuss here as Captain Hook’s got great fashion sense, Peter’s a dick, and A DOG is the nanny. A ...…

Rachel, Oscar, and Clare, AKA The Three Mouseketeers (that’s the first time anyone has ever referred to them as that, but maybe it will catch on!), look back on the films they’ve watched thus far, reflecting and ranking what they’ve seen. We get a tat-tat-tat-tat-tattoo time update from Oscar and hear about what the Three Mousketeers are lookin ...…

James Mastraieni (@Jmazz1111) trips out with us over a seven-year-old girl who falls down a rabbit hole and into a soul searching adventure into psychedelic experimentation. There’s so much WTF in this movie that we have a hard time making sense of the plot, let alone the absurd characters who suffer from head injuries and the far-out sequences ...…

Janie Stolar (@janiefierce) joins us for an exciting episode as we enter the 1950s and discuss this quintessential Disney stalwart. Oscar’s #pinnochiotheory gets tested as sweet mice and birds sing and wear clothing, but a bratty cat has nothing to say. We discuss Cinderella’s lack of sass juxtaposed with Lady Tremaine’s fierceness. Fairy Godmo ...…

Heir to the Disney throne, Ruha Taslimi (@ruhataslimi), hops on our own Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride to discuss drunk driving and other eccentric and erratic behavior. We then venture to Sleepy Hollow to get fashion tips from lil shorty and theorize the identity of the headless horseman, who very well may be a likeable Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. ...…

Nicole Villela (@itchybrained) rummages to the way back of the vault with us, to Disney’s beginning, discuss animal abuse, sexism, and physics in our first Minnie episode! All that found in this seven and a half minute short! It’s a fun look at Mickey’s debut as discuss how he’s changed, the introduction of Minnie, and the ways in which this sh ...…

We have a raucously good time with Musical Comedy Duo Erin & MeLissa (@ErinandMeLissa ) who stop by the vault to join us for Melody Time, another package film made up of historical figures, three of our old amigos, and a troublemaking tug boat. We learn that Erin likes bad boys and believes she’s the second coming of Sherry Lewis. And that’s ju ...…

Hannah Kanengieter (@cannongator) joins us this week to discuss sexism in Bongo the Circus Bear and an inappropriate birthday party in Mickey and the Beanstalk. Famed singer Dinah Shore and celebrated ventriloquist Edgar Bergen lend their talents to this film and if you’re thinking things must get weird, YOU’RE RIGHT. We cast Beyonce in our re- ...…

We dug deep in the vault and found the infamously controversial film along with the hilarious Carl Tart (@dammitcarl). That’s right, it’s the the movie that Splash Mountain was based on, but no one has seen! Well, we saw it and discuss some pressing questions; Why was it banned? Is it racist? Is it offensive? Is it just a bad movie? We have ans ...…

Lovely songbird Dia Frampton (@DiaFramps) joins us in the vault this week for dancing cherubs, body shaming sock hoppers, and a pair of star crossed lovers that are also hats. We fall asleep once or twice, but mine some sparkling gems out of this unsung Disney deep dive. We also get real and have a lovely group therapy session, discussing some ...…

We find the very fun Shane Lennon (@TheShaneLennon) in the vault this week and then take him on a trip to South America for Donald Duck’s birthday. We see a different side of Donald, who’s very attracted to human women, then we party once again with the ultra cool Jose Carioca in Brazil. Extremely psychedelic sequences lead us to wonder what ki ...…

Oh boy, this is getting real. The hilarious and kind John Flynn (@JFly99) joins us this week for a Disney war propaganda film! That’s right, it’s a Disney movie about how we can defeat Nazi’s by using airplanes. That’s right, there are a thousand swastikas and explosions in this movie, that’s right it’s a Disney movie. That’s right, we all get ...…

Saludos Amigos, buckle up because we’re flying to South America...while in the vault. The very fun Nina Concepción (@ninamconcepcion on Twitter) joins us this week as we learn Donald’s a terrible tourist, Goofy’s an awful gaucho, and Pedro’s the saddest little airplane there ever was. We also meet Jose Carioca, *the* coolest Disney character, w ...…

Drip drip drop, little April showers! We find John Milhiser in the vault as we meet a young prince named Bambi and his two close friends, Thumper and Flower. It’s a tale of woe as Flower is in love with Bambi, but this forbidden love must masquerade in silence among socially acceptable 1940s male roles. Bambi also faces the challenges of gettin ...…

Have you ever seen an elephant fly? How about throw tons of shade at a modest momma? We have, thanks to this week’s film, Dumbo! We welcome Allyn Pintal to help us analyze the high highs and saaaaad lows of this petite, heartwarming, and hilarious movie. Allyn serves as a great mythbuster to some of our theories and you better believe we get in ...…

Sparkling fairies, racist mushrooms, romantic centaurs, a servant Mickey, and a demon summoning restless souls from the grave. Disney’s third animated feature is as graceful as a phiroheting hippo. In the vault, Oscar, Rachel, and Clare discover this “package film,” a revolutionary collection of shorts set to classical music. It’s enchanting, q ...…

When you wish upon a star, even a tame summary of this movie proves it insane. We’re talkin’ Pinocchio, Disney’s second animated feature! Geppetto, a lonely drunk toymaker, builds himself a son who then runs off to the theater with a traveling Gypsy, gets kidnapped, and sent to an island where naughty boys get TURNED INTO DONKEYS TO BE SOLD TO ...…

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt’s first animated feature, is a classic. But do you really remember it? We didn’t! Oscar, Rachel, and Clare rewatch and discuss beautiful colors, potential brain injuries, and a predatory prince in make-up. It’s all there, trust us. We appreciate the cute animals, but dive deeper into the philosophical side ...…

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