Parks & Pages

Navigating Disney Vacation Club can be complicated as a first-time Disney vacationer. In today’s episode, Steph and special guest Melissa Mullett, CEO of David’s Vacation Club Rentals, join CJ and Danny to discuss the process of renting DVC points. What are the perks of DVC? How much can you save renting vs. booking direct? What are some of Melissa’s biggest hacks for new renters? This episode answers all your DVC rental questions! We also take a moment to look into the history of DVCR and how David started the business in 2005. They aren’t only one of the most respected brokers in the DVC rental space; they were also the first to connect DVC owners to interested renters — making them a Disney vacation matchmaker of sorts. Take the DVC resort personality quiz: bit.ly/dvcquiz Get our guide to renting DVC points: bit.ly/rentdvc Our video tours of DVC rooms: bit.ly/dvcrrooms See how much you can save: bit.ly/bookdvcr Today’s episode is a sponsored edition from David’s Vacation Club Rentals, the first of its kind vacation club point rental program. Listen in for more on DVCR and how you can stay more for less. Thank you for joining Parks & Pages every Tuesday, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You never know when we may drop a bonus episode on you! Loved what you heard? Consider leaving a 5-star review — it really helps others find our community and join in the conversation. Would you like to ask a question or drop a comment that could be used for a future episode? Head to parksandpages.com to join the conversation. We would love to hear from you and may even use your contribution on a future episode! Parks & Pages is brought to you by the award-winning team behind WDW Magazine, DLR Magazine, and DCL Magazine. Becoming a member is the best way to support the podcast so we can keep long-form storytelling alive in print, online, and on the pod. Use code PARKSPOD and save 20% on new memberships at wdw-magazine.com. Follow us on social @wdwmagazine for your daily Disney fix. Thank you to our sponsors: * David’s Vacation Club Rentals is the largest and most trusted source of Disney Vacation Club Rentals in the world. With David’s, many Disney fans have saved thousands of dollars on their Disney vacations, and you can, too. See how much you can save. * The Circa 1955 collection by Lux Illume will transport you to your happy place with scents inspired by Disney’s most iconic parks and resorts. Save 10% with code PARKSPOD at luxillume.com and get free shipping on all US orders! * Make your next Disney trip easier with crowd prediction, wait time alerts, and more. Download Rope Drop Guide on the App Store or Google Play, or visit ropedropguide.com.

Our popular Ballin’ on a Budget series makes its next stop — at Magic Kingdom! CJ, Danny, and returning guest Carly take their $100 spending limits to the max as they wine and dine in the Most Magical Place on Earth. As always with this series, $100 really allows our hosts to make the most of their dining experience. Curious how many vital snacks and popular dishes this budget can get you? Listen now to find out! Today’s episode takes a detour from our regular Mail Call so the spotlight can shine a little on Carly and her “The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook”! As an important member of the Parks Pod family, what better way to highlight our friend and guest host than discuss all the hard work she put into this amazing cookbook? From research on Disney history to the Bob Gurr forward, there’s a lot to unfold! Click the link above for preorder access to Carly’s incredible cookbook! The mid segment takes us all on a tour of the history of the Cinderella Castle paint schemes and decor. Cake castles, toilet papered turrets, and golden glowups… Tim covers it all with photos included for our viewing audience. What’s your favorite variation of the castle? The hosts definitely have theirs. Thank you for joining Parks & Pages every Tuesday, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You never know when we may drop a bonus episode on you! Loved what you heard? Consider leaving a 5-star review — it really helps others find our community and join in the conversation. Would you like to ask a question or drop a comment that could be used for a future episode? Head to parksandpages.com to join the conversation. We would love to hear from you and may even use your contribution on a future episode! Parks & Pages is brought to you by the award-winning team behind WDW Magazine, DLR Magazine, and DCL Magazine. Becoming a member is the best way to support the podcast so we can keep long-form storytelling alive in print, online, and on the pod. Use code PARKSPOD and save 20% on new memberships at wdw-magazine.com. Follow us on social @wdwmagazine for your daily Disney fix. Thank you to our sponsors: * David’s Vacation Club Rentals is the largest and most trusted source of Disney Vacation Club Rentals in the world. With David’s, many Disney fans have saved thousands of dollars on their Disney vacations, and you can, too. See how much you can save. * The Circa 1955 collection by Lux Illume will transport you to your happy place with scents inspired by Disney’s most iconic parks and resorts. Save 10% with code PARKSPOD at luxillume.com and get free shipping on all US orders! * Make your next Disney trip easier with crowd prediction, wait time alerts, and more. Download Rope Drop Guide on the App Store or Google Play, or visit ropedropguide.com.

The 2026 EPCOT international Food & Wine Festival is underway, and we definitely have some favorite foods to try. From returning classics to brand-new bites, this year's festival is stacked with some tasty menu items! Join CJ and Danny for a circle-tour around World Showcase as they discuss highlights (and some low lights) from this year’s foodie fest. We join CJ in the middle segment for a special new “CJ in the Parks,” where he takes us on an early-morning character walk through World Showcase. While that section of EPCOT may be slow to fully open, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy an early morning stroll around the world. Did CJ and Danny unlock the secret for the least-expensive character breakfast in WDW? Drop a listen to find out. The show kicks off with another mail call that tackles one of our more viral questions: “Who is BILL?!” Andrew from Vegas sends the email that sparks the conversation. Our resident Canadian, Danny, leaves mail call well-informed on the American tall-tale hero!! It’s definitely a mail call you won’t want to miss if you’re all for Parks Pod lore! Thank you for joining Parks & Pages every Tuesday, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You never know when we may drop a bonus episode on you! Loved what you heard? Consider leaving a 5-star review — it really helps others find our community and join in the conversation. Would you like to ask a question or drop a comment that could be used for a future episode? Head to parksandpages.com to join the conversation. We would love to hear from you and may even use your contribution on a future episode! Parks & Pages is brought to you by the award-winning team behind WDW Magazine, DLR Magazine, and DCL Magazine. Becoming a member is the best way to support the podcast so we can keep long-form storytelling alive in print, online, and on the pod. Use code PARKSPOD and save 20% on new memberships at wdw-magazine.com. Follow us on social @wdwmagazine for your daily Disney fix. Thank you to our sponsors: * David’s Vacation Club Rentals is the largest and most trusted source of Disney Vacation Club Rentals in the world. With David’s, many Disney fans have saved thousands of dollars on their Disney vacations, and you can, too. See how much you can save. * The Circa 1955 collection by Lux Illume will transport you to your happy place with scents inspired by Disney’s most iconic parks and resorts. Save 10% with code PARKSPOD at luxillume.com and get free shipping on all US orders! * Make your next Disney trip easier with crowd prediction, wait time alerts, and more. Download Rope Drop Guide on the App Store or Google Play, or visit ropedropguide.com.

The Magic of Disney Animation has opened its doors, and Danny and Tim were among some of the first to experience the newest addition to Hollywood Studios. What did they think? What are some highlights? And what piqued CJ’s curiosity as a guest who’s excited to see the space himself? Listen as our three hosts walk you through both Animation Courtyard and the Magic Of Disney Animation to see what it’s all about. Thank you to Walt Disney World for hosting! The mini segment is all about the young ones enjoying this space as Riley relives her first visits to Animation Courtyard and Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! With this space being so family-centric, what better way to highlight that than a Core Memory Corner with Riley? And maybe a kiss on Lucifer? The Mail Call takes us back a bit to discuss the holidays in WDW and when the parade comes to daily operations. A first-time mailer, Courtney, asks what she could expect from a visit to Walt Disney World between Christmas and New Years. Would she experience the parade? What other ways could her and her family celebrate Christmas during their stay? Thank you for joining Parks & Pages every Tuesday, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You never know when we may drop a bonus episode on you! Loved what you heard? Consider leaving a 5-star review — it really helps others find our community and join in the conversation. Would you like to ask a question or drop a comment that could be used for a future episode? Head to parksandpages.com to join the conversation. We would love to hear from you and may even use your contribution on a future episode! Parks & Pages is brought to you by the award-winning team behind WDW Magazine, DLR Magazine, and DCL Magazine. Becoming a member is the best way to support the podcast so we can keep long-form storytelling alive in print, online, and on the pod. Use code PARKSPOD and save 20% on new memberships at wdw-magazine.com. Follow us on social @wdwmagazine for your daily Disney fix. Thank you to our sponsors: * David’s Vacation Club Rentals is the largest and most trusted source of Disney Vacation Club Rentals in the world. With David’s, many Disney fans have saved thousands of dollars on their Disney vacations, and you can, too. See how much you can save. * The Circa 1955 collection by Lux Illume will transport you to your happy place with scents inspired by Disney’s most iconic parks and resorts. Save 10% with code PARKSPOD at luxillume.com and get free shipping on all US orders! * Make your next Disney trip easier with crowd prediction, wait time alerts, and more. Download Rope Drop Guide on the App Store or Google Play, or visit ropedropguide.com.

This episode idea comes straight from you, our listeners: Have you ever been on or considered a solo trip to the Disney Parks? If so, this is the episode for you! From planning to execution, Danny and CJ have you covered on why solo Disney days may just be some of the best Disney days. How would you tackle the attractions? Do you meet characters? What should you consider for dining? Our hosts discuss all you should consider before planning your solo Disney trip! The listener interactions don’t stop there, as the show kicked off with a Mail Call discussion about some Easter Eggs hidden away in The Carousel of Progress. With connections to The World’s Fair, Walt Disney World’s opening day, and much more, there are hidden gems in this staple attraction. We are loving the listener engagement you bring to Mail Call with your show topics and curious questions. Keep them coming! The mid break segment takes us on-location with friend of the show, Adam Bankhurst as he relives his experience at the premiere of Leslie Iwerks’ Disney Worldbuilders. Join Adam as he gives a first-person perspective of what it was like watching this film in the historic El Capitan Theatre. For more on Adam, check out his podcast Talking Disney Magic! Thank you for joining Parks & Pages every Tuesday, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode. You never know when we may drop a bonus episode on you! Loved what you heard? Consider leaving a 5-star review — it really helps others find our community and join in the conversation. Would you like to ask a question or drop a comment that could be used for a future episode? Head to parksandpages.com to join the conversation. We would love to hear from you and may even use your contribution on a future episode! Parks & Pages is brought to you by the award-winning team behind WDW Magazine, DLR Magazine, and DCL Magazine. Becoming a member is the best way to support the podcast so we can keep long-form storytelling alive in print, online, and on the pod. Use code PARKSPOD and save 20% on new memberships at wdw-magazine.com. Follow us on social @wdwmagazine for your daily Disney fix. Thank you to our sponsors: * David’s Vacation Club Rentals is the largest and most trusted source of Disney Vacation Club Rentals in the world. With David’s, many Disney fans have saved thousands of dollars on their Disney vacations, and you can, too. See how much you can save. * The Circa 1955 collection by Lux Illume will transport you to your happy place with scents inspired by Disney’s most iconic parks and resorts. Save 10% with code PARKSPOD at luxillume.com and get free shipping on all US orders! * Make your next Disney trip easier with crowd prediction, wait time alerts, and more. Download Rope Drop Guide on the App Store or Google Play, or visit ropedropguide.com.