Idiot's Guide to Imagineering
by The Idiots: Stephen, Kaity, Marissa, Jenny, and Amanda
The 2026 D-Ticket Awards: And the Nominees Are...
About this podcast
Welcome to Idiot’s Guide to Imagineering, the podcast where big ideas, thoughtful conversations, and a little bit of chaos come together to explore the past, present, and future of Disney Parks.
Hosted by a team of former Cast Members, lifelong Disney fans, and self-proclaimed “Idiots” (a title we wear proudly), we reimagine Disney Parks by creating our own original concepts that blend creativity, storytelling, and real-world practicality. From rides and resorts to restaurants and entire lands, each episode features a fresh pitch designed not just to entertain, but to break down how Imagineering actually works and why certain choices resonate with guests in the first place.
But this is not just a podcast, it is an experience. With immersive audio production and narrative-driven segments, we bring our ideas to life in a way that makes you feel like you are right there in the parks with us.
Our projects are the starting point, but the real focus is what they reveal about design, innovation, guest experience, and the evolving landscape of themed entertainment. Whether we are unpacking the “why” behind a storytelling choice or digging into the challenges of park planning, we aim to keep it insightful, approachable, and always a little bit idiotic.
And in our Magic Makers series, we sit down with real creatives from across Disney Parks and Experiences to hear their stories, ideas, and the lessons behind the magic.
Whether you are a lifelong Disney fan, an aspiring Imagineer, or just someone who loves a good story well told, Idiot’s Guide to Imagineering is your ticket to park talk that is curious, clever, and always a good time. You might even start to see the parks in a way you never have before.
Step into the story with us and imagine what comes next.
Follow along on Instagram @IdiotsImagineering.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 163 episodes
- The 2026 D-Ticket Awards: And the Nominees Are... · 21 minAwards season is officially underway. The 2026 D-Ticket Awards return November 30, but first, it’s time to reveal this year’s nominees. Stephen, Kaity, Jenny, and Marissa…
- Idiot’s Guide to Halloween · 33 minHappy Halloween, HallowIdiots! We’re celebrating Halloween the IGTI way. Stephen and Marissa are bringing back the attraction they created live with all of you, this time as a…
- Why Lakeshore Lodge Has Us Rethinking Disney Theming · 43 minLakeshore Lodge has been called generic, sterile, and even proof that Disney resort theming is disappearing. But the more Disney reveals, the less convinced we are. In this…
- Why Disney Believe Feels So Familiar · 48 minDisney Believe has plenty of new ideas. It also arrives in a fleet where comparison is unavoidable. In this offseason conversation, Stephen, Kaity, and Jenny look beyond the…
- 2026 Fall Fundraiser: Give Kids The World Village · 6 minThis fall, the ImaginIdiots are coming together for Give Kids The World Village. Give Kids The World is an 89-acre nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida, providing weeklong…
- State of the Kingdom: Q3 2026 · 56 minOne month after D23, Disney’s announced future is already starting to take clearer shape. In our Q3 State of the Kingdom, we check in on what’s opened, what’s going vertical, and…
- Why Piston Peak Might Be Imagineering’s Most Interesting New Project · 57 minPiston Peak surprised us. After seeing the model at D23, what stood out wasn’t just the rides. It was the place itself: the mountains, water, trails, architecture, sightlines…
- The Bigger Conversation Behind Villains Land · 45 minD23 gave us more answers about Villains Land. Two weeks later, we’re less interested in recapping what Disney announced and more interested in what those choices actually tell…
- D23 2026 Experiences Showcase Recap | The Biggest Announcements and What They Mean · 1 h 35 minWe’re coming to you from Anaheim after one of the biggest nights of D23 2026. Fresh out of the Honda Center, Stephen, Kaity, and Jenny break down everything Disney Experiences…
- S4 E25: Season 4 Finale | Competing for a Place in Villains Land · 1 h 12 min · Season 4 Episode 25Season 4 comes to an end with our darkest challenge yet. Before Disney reveals more about Villains Land at D23, we wanted one final opportunity to imagine it ourselves. In this…
- S4 E24: Carousel of Preservation | Bridging the Past and Future of Progress · 56 min · Season 4 Episode 24Disney recently announced the biggest overhaul to Carousel of Progress in decades… but how do you modernize one of Walt Disney’s most personal attractions without losing the…
- D23 2026 Predictions | What’s Next for Disney Imagineering? · 1 h 21 min · Season 4The biggest Disney Parks event of the year is almost here, and the Idiots are making their predictions. In this special D23 2026 Predictions episode, Stephen, Kaity, and Jenny…
- S4 E23: Luigi's Pit Crew Dash | Plussing Disney's Most Complete Themed Land · 59 min · Season 4 Episode 23Cars Land is already one of the most beloved and immersive themed lands Disney has ever built. So what happens when you try to improve something that's already great? This week…
- S4 E22: Final Frontier with WALL•E & EVE | Launching Tomorrowland Into the Future · 1 h 6 min · Season 4 Episode 22Tomorrowland is supposed to represent the future… so what happens when one of its oldest attractions starts feeling stuck in the past? This week, Kaity takes on one of Magic…
- S4 E21: Alice's Unbirthday Party | Blurring the Lines of Attraction Design · 54 min · Season 4 Episode 21What happens when an attraction isn't just a show, a walkthrough, or an interactive space... but all three at once? This week, Marissa presents her very first solo Imagineering…
- S4 E20: Kuzco's Imperial Expedition | Delivering the E-Ticket Disneyland Paris Deserves · 1 h 0 min · Season 4 Episode 20BOOM BABY! Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris has not received a brand new headline attraction in more than 20 years. For a park widely considered one of Disney's most…
- S4 E19: Golden Mickey Awards District | Unifying a Fragmented Area of Hollywood Studios · 58 min · Season 4 Episode 19What happens when a corner of a theme park stops working as one idea and becomes a group of separate experiences that never fully connect? This week, Stephen breaks down one of…
- State of the Kingdom: Q2 2026 · 57 min · Season 4This quarter across Disney Parks brings major shifts into focus as long-running projects move from concept art to real-world construction, classic attractions enter major…
- S4 E18: Wilderness Explorers Challenge Course | Bringing Adventure to the Heart of Animal Kingdom · 56 min · Season 4 Episode 18Animal Kingdom broke Stephen this week. After scrapping multiple fully developed concepts (including a Tarzan attraction, a suspended canopy ride, and an Emperor’s New Groove…
- S4 E17: Spaceship Earth Reconnected | Redefining Communication in the Age of AI · 1 h 8 min · Season 4 Episode 17A timeless EPCOT icon becomes the center of a modern debate about how communication continues to evolve in the age of AI. This week, Stephen reimagines the final act of Spaceship…







