This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:25] David Alpert: Welcome to this Park Hopper episode of E-Ticket to Broadway. Today I'm chatting with Olivier Award winner, Broadway star, and E-Ticket to Broadway legend, who famously starred in Toon Town Spinaround, Lesli Margherita. We'll be right back to chat all things Disney.

[1:01] David Alpert: Lesli, this is your fifth appearance on the podcast, and I have to ask you about the gate.

[1:06] Lesli Margherita: Why?

[1:09] David Alpert: It's my fifth.

[1:10] Lesli Margherita: I think so.

[1:13] David Alpert: Well, I was thinking. I know, because you first you were the first person I recorded ever, which was delightful. And then we had like a live show with Andrew Barth Feldman, Dory. And then you did the Mickey birthday, where you drew a beautiful Mickey Mouse. And then but then you did Broadway Con. So this would wait, but that so yeah. Big star.

[1:40] Lesli Margherita: Well, it's because you've not only you love the parks, you've also worked at the parks. You're one of my favorite people, so it's always great to have you here. Uh so thank you for joining this Park Hopper episode.

[1:52] Lesli Margherita: So why is because I love talking to you and I love talking Disney.

[1:56] David Alpert: You're right. So before we begin, I have to ask every guest, but who are you wearing? And it's very special design today.

[2:03] Lesli Margherita: I am I am wearing E-Ticket to Broadway special merch.

[2:08] David Alpert: Wow.

[2:08] Lesli Margherita: My go-to 16 bars, which is my favorite because it is true. These are my favorite at the park. And do you know this? So like we sell this line of merchandise. Please check out www.eticketpodcast.com/slash shop. There's a lot of cool designs. And this one designed by Jess Siswick. We love Mickey bars. Like I'm a Mickey Mouse Cream nope, Mickey Mouse ice cream sandwich.

[2:30] David Alpert: Oh, I love those too.

[2:32] Lesli Margherita: I do I do love those. Mickey bars are so popular.

[2:35] David Alpert: Yeah.

[2:36] Lesli Margherita: And then of course they're my favorite. I do love a chocolate banana as well, but the Mickey bar is my favorite. Is it true or false that things shaped like Mickey Mouse food-wise taste better?

[2:49] Lesli Margherita: Absolutely.

[2:50] David Alpert: Yeah, it's true.

[2:50] Lesli Margherita: The waffles, I'm sure a steak, anything.

[2:54] David Alpert: Yes, can I get the Mickey steak?

[2:57] Lesli Margherita: I'm shocked they don't have it.

[2:59] David Alpert: You probably do. Um, I always find it funny though when people like I love getting the chocolate bananas. And I was like, that's not Disney specific, but I'm happy for it.

[3:08] Lesli Margherita: No, but they're better there. Everything's better there. Churros, like everything.

[3:11] David Alpert: Yeah.

[3:12] Lesli Margherita: People love the popcorn at the park.

[3:13] David Alpert: So I'm like, oh.

[3:14] Lesli Margherita: It's all better. And with this, you know, when people audition for musical theater, oftentimes if it's a you know a very quick audition day, we say just sing 16 bars of a song. So this mashup of 16 bars of music and 16 Mickey bars. But here's a special treat on that design. Those Mickey bars appear on a staff of music, and they actually play a Disney song, if you can figure it out. Did I tell you this?

[3:39] David Alpert: You did.

[3:41] Lesli Margherita: It is from a movie called The Jungle Book, and that's all I'll say. But if you look, they're placed. So kids stare at my chest.

[3:49] David Alpert: Yes.

[3:50] Lesli Margherita: And figure it out. But what's great is like when we were trying to figure this out, I was like, okay, what's a Disney phrase that has like 16 notes? And I just started singing a lot of Disney songs, and it was it was thrilling. Anyway, you look wonderful in the shirt.

[4:07] David Alpert: Thank you for wearing that.

[4:08] Lesli Margherita: Thank you so much. A quick touch base.

[4:10] David Alpert: Yes.

[4:11] Lesli Margherita: Uh before we get into it. Will you remind me some Disney characters that you love?

[4:18] Lesli Margherita: My favorite is Roger Rabbit. Favorite of all time, Roger Rabbit. Um, who do I love? I mean, I kind of love the uh more obscure ones. But no, I'm gonna say Roger, I'm going with Roger, that is my absolute favorite.

[4:38] David Alpert: No, that's it. Roger's great.

[4:40] Lesli Margherita: That's my fake.

[4:41] David Alpert: Yeah. And it's one of the like, because we know in Disneyland, Toontown has been totally renovated with the runaway rail right now. You can't wait to see. But Roger Rabbit is still there. I don't think that can go away.

[4:55] Lesli Margherita: Well, I mean, because we know I opened the original Toon Town.

[4:59] David Alpert: Yes.

[5:00] Lesli Margherita: Yeah, I million years ago.

[5:03] David Alpert: Yes, of course.

[5:04] Lesli Margherita: So I can't wait to see. Oh, I hope the Roger, the Benny Cabs, I hope they're still there. It's so cute.

[5:09] David Alpert: I think so. Do you think the next time you go to Toontown, you will be wearing a green tutu from Toon Town Spinaround?

[5:16] Lesli Margherita: It probably wouldn't fit, but I would try, absolutely.

[5:19] David Alpert: From Toontown Spinaround. Speaking of Disney Parks attractions, are there any like you're like, I have to go on this attraction?

[5:27] Lesli Margherita: Yeah, I I'm I'm like dying to go on the the new Toontown. The is it I don't know what the official name is. The the railroad?

[5:34] David Alpert: Yeah, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway.

[5:37] Lesli Margherita: Runaway Railway. Um I really want to go on that. I also in Florida really want to do the Tron coaster.

[5:43] David Alpert: Oh my gosh.

[5:44] Lesli Margherita: Which opens amazing.

[5:46] David Alpert: Yeah.

[5:47] Lesli Margherita: Yeah. So those things I really really want to go on. Everything else I've kind of done. It's just the brand new stuff that I that I'm really looking forward to. And see what Two Town looks like. And yeah.

[5:59] David Alpert: Is there anything where you were like, I just I I have to go on Indiana Jones? Like other must do attractions.

[6:06] Lesli Margherita: Yeah, every time I go there, I love it. Indiana Jones is still one of my favorites. One of my favorites. Um I still love Star Tours. I love Smuggler's Run. I am not a Rise of the Resistance fan.

[6:18] Lesli Margherita: I know. Yeah.

[6:19] David Alpert: Which is crazy and such a bummer. The must do in Florida at Animal Kingdom is the Pandora ride. It's unbelievable. Like unbelievable. But that's the those are the must-dos. But yeah, Disneyland, the superior park.

[6:36] Lesli Margherita: Oh, here we go. Um, yeah, Indiana Jones for sure. They better not.

[6:42] David Alpert: No, they can't. And they keep trying to like, you know, make updates here and there. And like at some point, you know, even though I'm like, okay, it's not as much of a thrill ride anymore. Yeah. But but I've also done it so many times, but I think it's it's such a great attraction. It's so fun. My mom's favorite. Shout to my mom.

[7:00] Lesli Margherita: Um, and what about like in the parks? Do you have any other like traditions like I have to always get a frozen banana? I have to.

[7:07] Lesli Margherita: I always have to get a churro.

[7:11] David Alpert: Okay.

[7:12] Lesli Margherita: Have to get a churro. Um I also really love the Mickey Beignets, the Mickey Mouse.

[7:19] David Alpert: Oh, so good.

[7:20] Lesli Margherita: I love those. But I have to get a churro for sure. Have to, have to, have to. That's the only like given. I can do the ice creams. I can do without it's fine. But I have to get a churro.

[7:31] David Alpert: And are you more of like rope drop or like end of night at Main Street? Like where do you prefer?

[7:36] Lesli Margherita: End of night. Or like evening.

[7:40] David Alpert: Yeah.

[7:40] Lesli Margherita: Yeah. No rope drop. Rope drops too too soon.

[7:46] David Alpert: It's too soon. I will say though, as a kid and and who am I kidding? As recently as like last year, when the sun starts to set at Disneyland, I get sad because the day is coming to an end already. But I do love when it's open so late because it's beautiful at night. But yeah, when the sun starts to set it's a bummer.

[8:03] Lesli Margherita: When you like when I worked there, you know, if anyone was in line for the Autopia at midnight, they could still ride it. So you know I might be finishing up at 1230, 1245 and get to kind of walk through the parks empty. When you worked there, did you get to do that as well?

[8:17] Lesli Margherita: All the time. And we had to rehearse at night. So especially if we were doing show in front of the castle, we had to rehearse at night because there was nobody in the park. So I I mean being in in college and driving down there and be like no one's in the park. It was so fun. A little scary but the music is still going the lights are all on and there's an entire crew that comes in at night and so the the place is is not empty. It's full of people fixing things and turning over decor for the next holiday or whatever. But so we would all always rehearse um in the middle of the night. And I loved being in front of that castle with nobody there. It was so fun.

[9:00] David Alpert: Did you ever, when you were performing there, did anyone let you like you would be performing, you'd see in the crowd like I know that person. Did that happen a lot to you?

[9:08] Lesli Margherita: Yeah. Yeah.

[9:09] David Alpert: I I mean, friends would always say, like, hey, we're at work coming or whatever. But like, yeah, I would I would see people all the time. Um and now, like, now it's not my husband's favorite thing to do, but I will go see all those shows, those live shows. Because I know what that's like. And I really try, and I think I've said this to you before. I try and see the late night shows, like at Christmas time, at least in I don't really do them at Disneyland, which is sad, but in Florida, there was like a midnight show of this Christmas dance thing in front of the castle. And I was like, we're going to that because I remember what that's like when everyone's leaving and you still have to do a show, and I will stand in the front and be like, and it's super fun.

And and because they're really tough jobs, even though they're a blast and they're fun. You still have to do them six, seven, eight times a day. And it's tough when people aren't into it, like especially the late night ones. Adults just want to go on the rides, kids are gone, and so you're like, pull out. That's nice that they get to see you in the crowd cheering for them.

[10:15] Lesli Margherita: They don't even know I am. They're like some crazy woman who's like I think it's special.

[10:22] David Alpert: Uh well, thank you for sharing all that. Uh, before we kick into our conversation, uh, specifically for Park Top, specifically for Park Hopper, make sure you're following the podcast on Instagram at E-Ticket to Broadway. We're also on TikTok, which I still haven't quite figured out TikTok, but oh, I'm excited.

[10:39] Lesli Margherita: The kids love it.

[10:40] David Alpert: Yeah, okay. Lesli, it's time. We're gonna pull a conversation starter out of the magical dopey lounge fly backpack.

[10:45] Lesli Margherita: Oh, I'm so that is so cute, and I'm so happy that there's no goofy anything.

[10:50] David Alpert: Oh, there's no goofy that I can see. What's funny is I own two lounge fly bags, and they're both dopey.

[10:57] Lesli Margherita: They are so cute. Okay, so there's a lot of little slips of paper in here. You're gonna tell me when to stop, and I'll pull one.

[11:04] Lesli Margherita: Stop.

[11:06] David Alpert: Okay.

[11:07] Lesli Margherita: So scared.

[11:08] David Alpert: I'm so scared.

[11:09] Lesli Margherita: Oh, interesting. It says Disney sidekicks.

[11:14] David Alpert: Okay.

[11:15] Lesli Margherita: Okay. Disney sidekicks. My mind immediately goes to Mushu and Cricket. Love. Love them. Are there any Disney sidekicks that you love?

[11:25] Lesli Margherita: Um, I tend to like the sidekicks more. I love Pascal. I love like any of the animals that don't have voices.

[11:34] Lesli Margherita: Sure, yes. Speaking voices, I love. Um, like entangled. I love I love those sidekicks. Um other sidekicks. I mean, I can tell you besides Mushu and Cricket, because like cricket's one like cricket does not speak English, but like is I'm gonna say it is so expressive.

[11:54] David Alpert: Yeah.

[11:55] Lesli Margherita: Like you dream of it. But they really are. But pain and panic, two of my favorite characters. Yeah, love. Love. I going back to Roger Rabbit. I love the weasels.

[12:06] David Alpert: Oh, yeah.

[12:07] Lesli Margherita: I'm gonna random. If there's a stage there's like the crazy stupid one, dude. If there's a stage adaptation of Roger Rabbit, I want you to go in for the weasel.

[12:22] Lesli Margherita: Uh yeah, I mean, like I guess not to be on brand, but I guess the dwarfs are sidekicks, right? Are they?

[12:27] David Alpert: I would say they're sidekicks.

[12:28] Lesli Margherita: They're also the title character, though. You know, like Snowy Down and Some Dwarfs.

[12:34] David Alpert: There's still sidekicks.

[12:36] Lesli Margherita: I guess. I mean, if that's the case, definitely Dopey. Um, but like, would you consider like in Sleeping Beauty uh um Samson, like Prince Philip's horse?

[12:49] David Alpert: Yeah.

[12:50] Lesli Margherita: Is that a sidekick?

[12:51] David Alpert: Sidekick.

[12:52] Lesli Margherita: It's it's like um, and I'm blanking on his name and it's terrible, but the horse entangled that I love. Who acts like a dog?

[12:56] David Alpert: I know this, of course, and everyone listening is gonna be like, how did you not know this right away?

[13:02] Lesli Margherita: I know there's so many great characters, and I'm forgetting his name, but that I love him. I this is a true story. I went it's Maximus, but I just went to Google Tangled Horse, but I forgot the S.

[13:14] David Alpert: So I take I Googled Tangled Whore, but H O R.

[13:22] Lesli Margherita: Just me as my regal.

[13:24] David Alpert: Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[13:25] Lesli Margherita: Maximus, of course it's Maximus.

[13:27] David Alpert: I gotta be honest, Tangled Moana, that kind of point of Disney history. I I was not I was not with it.

[13:36] Lesli Margherita: Tangled's my favorite.

[13:38] David Alpert: Umana, I liked. Um, that's a cute little sidekick. Pula, sapula, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[13:44] Lesli Margherita: Uh yeah, but I I understand, but Tangled for me, I I don't know. I loved loved love so much. I feel like Olaf has also kind of reignited a lot. Like, that is a very famous sidekick.

[13:56] David Alpert: Yeah, yeah, totally.

[13:58] Lesli Margherita: You know, Miriam Webster defines sidekick as actually I don't know. Like, what what do we think? A sidekick would just be someone that supports the protagonist.

[14:08] David Alpert: Yeah.

[14:09] Lesli Margherita: Even though pain and panic support the antagonist, but and so do the weasels, the weasels.

[14:16] David Alpert: Don't support the protection.

[14:19] Lesli Margherita: Because, like, because like other great ones are like Flora, Fauna and Merriweather.

[14:22] David Alpert: Yeah.

[14:22] Lesli Margherita: You know, great sidekicks. Great sidekicks.

[14:25] David Alpert: Yeah.

[14:26] Lesli Margherita: The mice and the mice too.

[14:27] David Alpert: The mice and Cinderella.

[14:29] Lesli Margherita: Gus, Gus and Jacques. And what's so funny is I I think I tweeted this when it first came out and it did not go anywhere, but I tweeted a photo of the dog from Cinderella and said we don't talk about Bruno because the dog's name is Bruno.

[14:43] Lesli Margherita: No.

[14:44] David Alpert: And I was like, maybe that's too niche, even for me.

[14:47] Lesli Margherita: I don't think so, though.

[14:48] David Alpert: No.

[14:49] Lesli Margherita: No.

[14:50] David Alpert: But what's interesting, and like I'm always fascinated with this, and it's gonna come back to your best friend Goofy.

[14:56] Lesli Margherita: In Cinderella, the mice speak English.

[14:59] David Alpert: Yes.

[15:00] Lesli Margherita: Lucifer the cat and Bruno the dog do not speak English.

[15:04] David Alpert: The birds do not speak English.

[15:07] Lesli Margherita: Correct.

[15:08] David Alpert: In Snow White, it's consistent.

[15:10] Lesli Margherita: None of the animals speak English.

[15:12] David Alpert: But like, why is it in some movies, like Cricket and Mushu?

[15:18] Lesli Margherita: How come sometimes I mean I'm trying to think like even the mice and Cinderella are kind of like a mishmash, right?

[15:26] David Alpert: I feel like that.

[15:30] Lesli Margherita: Yeah, that's probably true.

[15:32] David Alpert: And remind me, when did you win your Olivier Award?

[15:36] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[15:37] David Alpert: Wait.

[15:38] Lesli Margherita: But like it's true.

[15:41] David Alpert: It's interesting to me.

[15:43] Lesli Margherita: I think I prefer the animals to not speak.

[15:46] David Alpert: I think they're so funny.

[15:48] Lesli Margherita: That is very mad and morable of you.

[15:52] David Alpert: Another role someday, I'm sure.

[15:55] Lesli Margherita: Yes, yes.

[15:56] David Alpert: Um I would love to talk to Disney animators and say, you know what makes yeah.

[16:02] Lesli Margherita: Because again, it's the question of if Pluto and Goofy are both dogs, how come one stands and speaks English?

[16:09] David Alpert: One is not a dog, one is a nightmare.

[16:11] Lesli Margherita: Yeah, I know.

[16:12] David Alpert: He's really I've noticed recently, I because I guess Goofy and Donald could be considered sidekicks to Mickey.

[16:19] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[16:20] David Alpert: Maybe I think they stand on their own, of course.

[16:22] Lesli Margherita: I um I don't even think I've told you this, but I have been playing the Disney game Dreamlight Valley.

[16:29] David Alpert: Yes.

[16:29] Lesli Margherita: For months now.

[16:31] David Alpert: And any time that you want to sell or buy anything, you have to go to Goofy's stall.

[16:37] Lesli Margherita: And so I have to see him every day.

[16:44] David Alpert: And I'm like Wait, why is it called Goofy's stall?

[16:49] Lesli Margherita: Because he sells stuff.

[16:50] David Alpert: Yeah, I guess.

[16:52] Lesli Margherita: That feels personal to you.

[16:54] David Alpert: It's but it's an attack on me.

[16:56] Lesli Margherita: I really feel that it was an attack because I love this game, and I'm like, I have to see this person.

[17:02] David Alpert: But I need to send you videos because anytime I see him coming, my character, I'm always like, I it's that's the worst part of that game.

[17:09] Lesli Margherita: So a friend of mine, I I've never been good with video games, but a friend of mine showed me that and I was like, you know what?

[17:14] David Alpert: This would be my entryway into Oh my gosh, you would love it.

[17:17] Lesli Margherita: It's it's like Animal Crossing and The Sims, and but you but you're with Disney characters.

[17:23] David Alpert: Which I love.

[17:24] Lesli Margherita: I really love it.

[17:25] David Alpert: Okay, any other sidekicks that and again, if if you're listening and you're like, oh, this sidekicks sidekick is great, you know.

[17:32] Lesli Margherita: Let me know on Instagram because I'm sure we're forgetting some really great ones.

[17:35] David Alpert: We're forgetting great ones, I know.

[17:37] Lesli Margherita: But I I tend to enjoy the sidekicks more than the than the the leading I hear that person.

[17:43] David Alpert: Yeah, they're just better.

[17:44] Lesli Margherita: Uh but that also is I'm always playing a sidekick.

[17:47] David Alpert: They're just better, better roles.

[17:48] Lesli Margherita: They're like better, they're funny.

[17:50] David Alpert: They're fun, you know.

[17:51] Lesli Margherita: I don't know.

[17:51] David Alpert: It's better.

[17:53] Lesli Margherita: They're good.

[17:53] David Alpert: I I don't know, and maybe it's just because like they're only there to make it better.

[17:57] Lesli Margherita: You know, like they're not even though like Lemier, Cogsworth, they're all like sidekick, you know.

[18:02] David Alpert: Yeah, they are, and they're all going through their own kind of journeys, but yeah.

[18:06] Lesli Margherita: What an interesting thing.

[18:07] David Alpert: And why do you think they're called sidekick?

[18:10] Lesli Margherita: Oh maybe because you can be like if you don't want them around anymore and give them a sidekick.

[18:16] David Alpert: Yeah.

[18:17] Lesli Margherita: That's fascinating.

[18:18] David Alpert: I mean, technically, sidekicks seem to be smaller than the protagonist.

[18:23] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[18:24] David Alpert: That's probably not true.

[18:25] Lesli Margherita: No, not always maybe.

[18:27] David Alpert: I mean, not always, but like would you like Cronk is definitely bigger, but yeah.

[18:36] Lesli Margherita: This is a really fascinating conversation about sidekicks.

[18:39] David Alpert: But great.

[18:40] Lesli Margherita: I mean, like, that's kind of all we wanted to talk about on this little park hopper episode about sidekicks.

[18:44] David Alpert: Um again, I want to point out Lesli Margherita's amazing shirt.

[18:48] Lesli Margherita: If you're listening to this on audio form, check out the Instagram page because there will be video content.

[18:53] David Alpert: She's posing right now.

[18:55] Lesli Margherita: It's beautiful.

[18:56] David Alpert: Uh okay, so next thing you want to do when you go to the parks, you gotta do Tron at Disney World.

[19:03] Lesli Margherita: When I go to Disney World for sure.

[19:05] David Alpert: Have you done have you done the runaway railway in Florida?

[19:09] Lesli Margherita: Yes.

[19:09] David Alpert: Is it the same?

[19:11] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[19:11] David Alpert: I uh that's I don't think that's actually accurate.

[19:14] Lesli Margherita: I think they've added a few things, maybe, but at its core, it's the same.

[19:18] David Alpert: Okay.

[19:18] Lesli Margherita: It's a different cue.

[19:20] David Alpert: No, I lie.

[19:21] Lesli Margherita: I'm a liar.

[19:22] David Alpert: I've only done the Snow White train ride.

[19:28] Lesli Margherita: Oh, sure.

[19:29] David Alpert: Not the Mickey.

[19:30] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[19:30] David Alpert: The Sumendorf's Mine Train.

[19:32] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[19:32] David Alpert: Which is awesome.

[19:33] Lesli Margherita: I mean, I'm biased.

[19:34] David Alpert: So cute.

[19:35] Lesli Margherita: And and truly, your work on that ride is stunning.

[19:38] David Alpert: Thank you.

[19:39] Lesli Margherita: Evil Hag is.

[19:42] David Alpert: Unbelievable.

[19:45] Lesli Margherita: But yeah, the runaway railway is super fun.

[19:47] David Alpert: You know, my feedback was like slowed the ride down a bit because there's so much amazing visual things to look at.

[19:53] Lesli Margherita: I was like, I would go down all that.

[19:55] David Alpert: And those are the first time I think I saw like dopey.

[19:58] Lesli Margherita: Like the the face.

[20:00] David Alpert: Oh, on the mine train?

[20:00] Lesli Margherita: Is it is it's not animatronic.

[20:03] David Alpert: It's like it's projected on the inside.

[20:06] Lesli Margherita: It's unbelievable.

[20:07] David Alpert: It's so cute and amazing.

[20:09] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[20:10] David Alpert: But I mean, like, yes, but then they have like a similar idea now in Snow White's Enchanted Wish.

[20:15] Lesli Margherita: And I get upset because it's inconsistent.

[20:18] David Alpert: Like the way the dwarfs are like the the way the dwarfs are presented on the ride, it changes style.

[20:24] Lesli Margherita: And I'm I don't know.

[20:26] David Alpert: I liked the old one.

[20:28] Lesli Margherita: I liked the old ride.

[20:29] David Alpert: Of course you did.

[20:30] Lesli Margherita: It was scary.

[20:31] David Alpert: Evil hag.

[20:33] Lesli Margherita: I love some of the changes they made.

[20:36] David Alpert: I think it's so fun.

[20:37] Lesli Margherita: And I love it.

[20:38] David Alpert: They but speaking of that one, they actually ironically, they slowed down the fantasyland attraction a little bit.

[20:45] Lesli Margherita: Because the and it's better.

[20:47] David Alpert: It just doesn't feel so rushed and scary.

[20:49] Lesli Margherita: But but the railway is super great.

[20:51] David Alpert: The the cue is different at Disneyland, but I will tell you the way in which you get into the attraction of Walt Disney World, I'm not gonna spoil this, is one of the coolest moments of a Disney Parks attraction.

[21:02] Lesli Margherita: I think it's a really cool, it's really fun.

[21:05] David Alpert: And it's the first attraction to feature Mickey and Minnie.

[21:09] Lesli Margherita: Is it is it it's not in Magic Kingdom, is it?

[21:12] David Alpert: It's in Florida, it's in uh Hollywood Studios.

[21:12] Lesli Margherita: Hollywood Studios.

[21:17] David Alpert: It's where that used to be that.

[21:18] Lesli Margherita: Yes.

[21:19] David Alpert: The great movie, right?

[21:21] Lesli Margherita: Oh.

[21:23] David Alpert: But here it's in Toontown.

[21:24] Lesli Margherita: And like looking on the maps and everything, I'm not exactly sure what it replaced.

[21:30] David Alpert: I think a lot of offices, um, backstage.

[21:32] Lesli Margherita: Must have built out because Toontown was is not very big, wasn't big.

[21:36] David Alpert: No, but they've redone it.

[21:37] Lesli Margherita: There's now a grassy knoll.

[21:39] David Alpert: It's right next to a library.

[21:44] Lesli Margherita: No, but like truly, they're like, and now there's a large grassy area for kids to play in.

[21:48] David Alpert: I was like, that's interesting.

[21:50] Lesli Margherita: Right.

[21:51] David Alpert: You know.

[21:52] Lesli Margherita: Sure.

[21:53] David Alpert: Better there than you know in the queue of Pirates of the Caribbean.

[21:56] Lesli Margherita: I guess.

[21:57] David Alpert: I will say, because my husband and I aren't children fans.

[22:01] Lesli Margherita: And so when we go to Disney, we were angry that there are children there.

[22:04] David Alpert: And once we were in line, Pirates of the Caribbean and this child, you know, the chains that are like in the queue, just uh uh licking disgusting chain.

[22:14] Lesli Margherita: And I remember my husband and I were like, this is why.

[22:16] David Alpert: This is why we don't have children.

[22:19] Lesli Margherita: And why there was a pandemic.

[22:20] David Alpert: Why there was a pandemic.

[22:22] Lesli Margherita: It's like people stop licking things.

[22:25] David Alpert: I know.

[22:28] Lesli Margherita: And uh, do we think that more is coming?

[22:30] David Alpert: Because because I know you love Star Wars, is more coming to Galaxy's Edge, do you think?

[22:38] Lesli Margherita: E there's a lot, actually.

[22:41] David Alpert: I was a I was I was a little disappointed in Galaxy's Edge because I want more.

[22:47] Lesli Margherita: I do too.

[22:48] David Alpert: Um, it felt a little rushed, and it's super cool the stuff that they have.

[22:51] Lesli Margherita: But I I wanted it to be bigger.

[22:54] David Alpert: I I do want some extra stuff.

[22:56] Lesli Margherita: I want more of the classic Star Wars.

[23:00] David Alpert: I know things, and right now it's very new film heavy, you know, like the first order.

[23:06] Lesli Margherita: I'm like, no, I I just want the empire.

[23:09] David Alpert: Yeah.

[23:09] Lesli Margherita: So there's there's stuff like that that I I hope, you know.

[23:13] David Alpert: Right now it's a lot of um shops and and things, which is super fun.

[23:18] Lesli Margherita: But yeah, I would like to see more.

[23:21] David Alpert: I wish that Maz's Cantina was bigger and cooler.

[23:26] Lesli Margherita: Um, you know, I I would have loved to seen like an entire job of the hut palace or build the cantina bar from the original film, what I thought would have been cooler with the band and blah blah.

[23:38] David Alpert: But we'll see.

[23:39] Lesli Margherita: I think that I I think there will be more.

[23:41] David Alpert: Again, I don't know where where they'll put it.

[23:44] Lesli Margherita: Right.

[23:44] David Alpert: Um, but but saying that when I worked there, California Adventure was just going up.

[23:51] Lesli Margherita: Like they find base, they just rearrange everything.

[23:54] David Alpert: I'm I'm positive that they own all of that land around.

[23:57] Lesli Margherita: I'm sure they can figure it out.

[23:59] David Alpert: But I I hope so.

[24:00] Lesli Margherita: There's a new campaign, Disneyland Forever.

[24:02] David Alpert: I think that's what it's called, where they're looking at like because unlike Florida, like Anaheim is around it.

[24:07] Lesli Margherita: It's yeah, it's tricky, but you know, I don't know the answer for it.

[24:12] David Alpert: But I I've shown this a lot.

[24:14] Lesli Margherita: I feel like Galaxy's Edge is so much architecture over character.

[24:17] David Alpert: Yes.

[24:17] Lesli Margherita: Like I need more, I need more magic.

[24:20] David Alpert: Yeah, like and and while the architecture and the art direction is amazing.

[24:25] Lesli Margherita: I I I yeah, it felt it feels a little cold to me.

[24:28] David Alpert: And what I love about Star Wars isn't there, which is weird.

[24:32] Lesli Margherita: I know, but still that's why I love Star Tours, because it feels but even though, and then they changed that too for like the newer, and it's a little bit of a bummer.

[24:43] David Alpert: I just I I would like some of the classic stuff.

[24:46] Lesli Margherita: And the thing is, like uh at in Florida where uh Star Tours is in Hollywood, right?

[24:57] David Alpert: It's in that whole thing to me with like the giant at at and the scooter and like the speeder bikes, that feels more Star Wars to me than Batu does.

[25:10] Lesli Margherita: I hear you.

[25:10] David Alpert: I know.

[25:11] Lesli Margherita: And like this is where when I I think I spoke to Andrew about this, where I was like strongly criticized.

[25:16] David Alpert: I was like, can you can you bring in those Han Solo, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, Princess Leia into Batu?

[25:24] Lesli Margherita: And and it was like that's a different and I was like, okay.

[25:27] David Alpert: But I'm curious, just like Disneyland has been broken into different areas.

[25:30] Lesli Margherita: Could Galaxy's Edge have a I was gonna say the old testament area, but like could it could it have an area that is that classic?

[25:39] David Alpert: I think so.

[25:40] Lesli Margherita: I mean, I think you have the Millennium Falcon.

[25:43] David Alpert: So I know that that was in both new and old, but I think there is a way to do it.

[25:49] Lesli Margherita: And I think it just it just feels like a cop out a little bit.

[25:49] David Alpert: It just feels like, you know, because they have the classic characters in in their shows, the fireworks and both and yeah, yeah, yeah.

[26:02] Lesli Margherita: Still feels a little shiny and and new for me.

[26:07] David Alpert: Well, when I become the president of Disneyland, I will consult with you and Andrew Barthfeldman and all the other Star Wars enthusiasts on the podcast.

[26:15] Lesli Margherita: Well, Lesli, that is all the time we have on this Park Hopper episode.

[26:19] David Alpert: I want to thank you again for your time for wearing e-ticket to Broadway merch.

[26:22] Lesli Margherita: And again, if you're listening, check out our merch shop, www.eticketpodcast.com.

[26:28] David Alpert: Shirts and mugs and hats and bags, prints, and blankets.

[26:35] Lesli Margherita: What?

[26:36] David Alpert: I'm gonna have to go on the store now and buy some more.

[26:39] Lesli Margherita: Okay, so next time you go to the parks, we talked about all the rides you want to go on.

[26:42] David Alpert: You're gonna get that Mickey Churro.

[26:45] Lesli Margherita: Yeah.

[26:45] David Alpert: I'm gonna get the churro.

[26:46] Lesli Margherita: And I really want to see the new um uh world of color that I have not seen yet.

[26:52] David Alpert: And I think there's a new fireworks show as well.

[26:54] Lesli Margherita: I'm pretty sure.

[26:54] David Alpert: There is a new fire show.

[26:55] Lesli Margherita: Yeah, I think it was.

[26:56] David Alpert: I'm really excited for the Disney 100.

[26:58] Lesli Margherita: And Phantasmic.

[27:00] David Alpert: Yasmic changed, I think.

[27:02] Lesli Margherita: It it definitely changed, uh, and I'm on the record, not a fan of the changes, but Phantasmic is back.

[27:10] David Alpert: Um, it's great.

[27:11] Lesli Margherita: But like this 100th anniversary, like right now, I'm really excited about it.

[27:17] David Alpert: And they just started with like the the decades are coming.

[27:20] Lesli Margherita: And I was like, okay, the 1920s is gonna be a lot of Steamboat Willy.

[27:23] David Alpert: And I was like, the 1930s collection that's coming is gonna be a lot of Snow White, I think, and I'm gonna be very bankrupt.

[27:32] Lesli Margherita: Oh, that'll be good.

[27:33] David Alpert: Yeah.

[27:33] Lesli Margherita: Um, who's the naked rabbit with no shirt on?

[27:37] David Alpert: Uh he's a precursor to Mickey.

[27:39] Lesli Margherita: Um Mortimer.

[27:41] David Alpert: Oz Oswald.

[27:43] Lesli Margherita: Oswald.

[27:45] David Alpert: The naked rabbit.

[27:47] Lesli Margherita: I he was walking around last time I was there, and I was like, who's this rabbit with no clothes on?

[27:52] David Alpert: And I felt bad because nobody was paying attention to him, and I was like, well, because he has no clothes.

[27:56] Lesli Margherita: He's lucky.

[27:56] David Alpert: Oswald the lucky rabbit.

[28:00] Lesli Margherita: But I've seen a lot of him, and he seems to be like 20s.

[28:03] David Alpert: So he was maybe they can buy him a when when Walt couldn't um, I think the story goes, Walt created Oswald the Rabbit, but didn't own him.

[28:12] Lesli Margherita: Um, the company did, and so then he went off to be like, I'm gonna make a new character.

[28:16] David Alpert: It's gonna be this mouse, was gonna maybe name it Mortimer, and and his wife was like, I don't know.

[28:21] Lesli Margherita: And then Mickey was born.

[28:24] David Alpert: Oh I guess Mickey has no shirt either.

[28:27] Lesli Margherita: Correct.

[28:27] David Alpert: I mean he does in some, he doesn't sorcerer's apprentice.

[28:30] Lesli Margherita: He does, yeah.

[28:30] David Alpert: He doesn't like the band concert.

[28:32] Lesli Margherita: He doesn't like the band concert.

[28:32] David Alpert: It's just it's it it's not as disturbing as the the naked rabbit.

[28:37] Lesli Margherita: I love when people feel that way.

[28:38] David Alpert: It's like I want to be like, but the fact that he's a mouse doesn't enter the conversation.

[28:44] Lesli Margherita: No, no, no, no.

[28:46] David Alpert: They're real.

[28:48] Lesli Margherita: For more of uh these hot takes, make sure you're following Lesli on all social media.

[28:52] David Alpert: Um she's delightful, she spreads a lot of positivity into the world, which is what we need.

[28:57] Lesli Margherita: And except about Gorty.

[28:59] David Alpert: Except about Gertie Goofy.

[29:00] Lesli Margherita: There it there is a line to her friendliness.

[29:03] David Alpert: Uh and never get to follow the podcast.

[29:05] Lesli Margherita: But thank you for listening, and we'll see you at the parks.

[29:09] Lesli Margherita: Yay, I'm not sure what I'm saying.