Official Disneyland Resort Podcast Highlights 50th Holiday Season

Podcast Listeners Go Behind-the-Magic of “The MERRIEST Place on Earth!”

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Dec. 6, 2005) - - The Disneyland Resort in southern California continues its popular podcast of original content by kicking off the resort’s 50th anniversary holiday season with a fun and amusing assortment of interviews. This unique Internet-based show is free, available now and is accessible to a global audience via a “Disneyland” search on iTunes or at www.disneyland.com/podcast .

The newest podcast episode features interesting behind the scenes stories and interviews, all with a holiday-twist, recorded live at “The Happiest Place on Earth” by host Michael Geoghegan. First-up, listeners learn about a worthwhile online auction that features over 40 personally hand-signed and decorated Mickey Mouse shaped gold holiday ornaments from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Christina Aguilera, Teri Hatcher, Kirk Douglas, Bob Newhart and many more. The auction can presently be found on eBay and is a fundraiser for Toys for Tots in support of young victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Geoghegan also uncovers the fascinating background facts and figures on what it takes to decorate the resort for the holidays, especially Disneyland’s signature 60-foot live tree, shimmering in all gold ornaments and lights this year to commemorate the park’s 50th anniversary. Becky Cline from the Walt Disney Archives in Burbank then provides historical background on Disneyland’s traditional Candlelight Processional and Ceremony.

The podcast moves into the back country of Frontierland to discover real live reindeer at Santa’s Reindeer Round-up. It is here that Geoghegan establishes a first for the Official Disneyland Resort Podcast as he actually interviews the 2005 National Thanksgiving Turkey, recently pardoned by President Bush and now living at Disneyland! The show concludes with a fascinating interview with longtime Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty who provides background on his career with Disney and a sneak preview on the all-new attraction, “Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!” opening in January at Disney’s California Adventure park.