WDW Radio # 704 – The Music of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Part 1

A visit to Walt Disney World is an experience that touches all five senses in 360 degrees. It's not just about what you see, touch, smell, tastes, and feel, but also, and in some cases, almost more importantly, it's what you hear because the sounds of the parks help to set the stage and tell the stories from the natural ambient sounds to effects dialogue.

And of course, the music. Whether it's a theme song or background melodies, music is vitally important to the Disney storytelling experience, and we've explored music in the parks on past episodes of the series much longer ago than I thought it was, including. It's back on show 6 0 1 and 6 0 2, the Music of Magic Kingdom on 6 0 9 and six 10, part One and two of the Music of Epcot Future World.

And on show 6 26 and 6 27, the Music of World Showcase, part One and two. And in the past we've broken down our analyses, land by land, and sometimes even song by song, discussing the music, backstories, composers, singers, and creator creators, as well as why certain music was chosen to be used in certain places.

We've also shared our own sense of nostalgia and memories and how the music helps to immerse [00:04:00] us in the lands and attractions. And the emotional components to the music as well. And so we're gonna continue our journey through the Walt Disney World Parks this week as we virtually explore the music of Disney's Hollywood Studios.

And joining me on this Melodious Odyssey is back again, Lisa de Noto Glassner from the Castle Run. Welcome back. Hey, I'm

[00:04:24] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: so, so glad to be back for this cool topic.

[00:04:27] Lou Mongello: And back again on the show is Will Maglio. You may remember him and his family from Show 5 29, and our live review of Olivia's at Old Key West will welcome back to the

[00:04:42] Will Magalio: show.

Thank you, Lou. It's so nice to be able to take part in this episode. I'm so excited. And. Thank you. Nice to meet you, Lisa, as well.

[00:04:52] Lou Mongello: So Lisa joined me on the music of Epcot, the Future World and World Showcase Show, and begged and bribed to join back again on this one, but will also pled his case a lo nearly two years ago, like why he wanted to be on it.

And you wrote me this wonderfully long, very compelling email about why you are the man to be on this Disney's Hollywood Studios episode. So briefly share your credentials, your reasoning, and uh, and, and some of your. Your experience, an expertise that you felt qualified you, not to mention the fact that we had a great time reviewing Olivia's together.

Oh, yes,

[00:05:39] Will Magalio: that's true. Well, it's been a long time. I ha I should have probably brought up that email that I sent you , to remember what I said. But I do, I can say that, uh, I come with from, uh, first of all, my career is, uh, I'm a music educator, mu professional musician by trade. I teach in a high school. So I, uh, am a band director, orchestra director, musical [00:06:00] conductor.

Um, side note, I will get to see that video of you in Greece from your high school someday. Um, a also from your neck of the woods up here in, in, uh, central New Jersey area. And, uh, I've had a lot of experience with, you know, music and musical, different musical styles, uh, throughout my. Quite a bit of which have overlapped into the background music that you hear in the parks, especially Disney, Hollywood studios.

But of course, uh, I also expressed my, my love of the Star Wars franchise and especially the music because my love of Star Wars and my love of music kind of came about the same time. I was six years old when Star Wars came out and when I started playing violin. So, um, I became very, uh, interested in both of these things and to have a, something that where both of these passions can walk the same path is, uh, really awesome.

So, and there's so much also being a Muppet fan, also being a Disney fan in general, just to be able to, uh, talk about the music within this particular park, which is my favorite park of the, of, of the mall, although I love. pretty much equally, except this one's a little bit better in my opinion. So, and I

[00:07:11] Lou Mongello: think we, that's, I think we first met, right?

Didn't, didn't I give you and your family a tour like way? Yes. You did. Way back. Um, yes. We're going back a long, long time.

[00:07:20] Will Magalio: That was a yes. My daughter was probably 10 or 11 or 12 now, and now she's 27 and working as a caricature artist in Disney. So, um, you know, it's just, so, yeah, it's been a long time. But that was a wonderful tour.

That was, that was fantastic.

[00:07:35] Lou Mongello: And then, uh, we got on this call and your video popped up and I looked on the shelves behind you at all of your vintage Star Wars collectors collections, both in, and sadly for me, it freaks me out a little bit out of the box. You're like, yeah, I take everything outta the box.

I'm like, well, you're doing it wrong, clearly. But I love the, uh, I love the shells full of collectibles.

[00:07:56] Will Magalio: Thank you. Thank you. It's a, it's a lifelong collection, but I am [00:08:00] getting to be a, I am. Getting into your, your, uh, neck of the woods where I'm slowly starting to part with some of it, purge some of the collection.

Um, mainly to make room for new collections, but also, but also to, you know, thin things out so that we have, you know, Income to go down to Disney World. Uh, an extra couple of 10 now that our daughter's living down here. So

[00:08:23] Lou Mongello: it's, uh, it's, it's not the quantity of collectibles. It's, it's the, the quality and the memories and that, that we associate it with 'em.

At least that's what I tell myself. So, yes. Yes. Well, I'm excited for, Disney's Hollywood Studios. Um, like you, I have a, uh, an affinity specifically for the music of this park, and I think we're gonna approach it the same way we have the other parks. Uh, think of it really as a musical tour of Disney's Hollywood Studios from the background music through the attraction themes.

And we could talk about our favorite sto songs and backstories, if any, composers, singers, and, and why they're so important to us and integral to the story. And, you know, along the way, if you have, uh, your own sense of nostalgia and memories that you wanna share and how they help immerse immerse us and the emotions, we can talk about that too.

Um, you know, it's hard because there is so much music. My first thought when I first started about doing Lees was the top 10. Like songs from every park, and I'm like, mane, you're kidding yourself and you're kidding the listener because it's impossible for that to happen. And I figured one, there's way too much, there's way too much music to talk about.

And two, it, it's almost unfair to try and rank because music is such a, a subjective, such a personal, and I think oftentimes an emotional thing. And I think what's unique about Hollywood Studios too, in terms of music, is it's very different than Magic Kingdom and Epcot. We're not gonna talk about, for the most part, familiar names like Sherman or George Wilkins or [00:10:00] George Bruns.

Like we're gonna talk about music that in many cases is recognizable from movies and TV as well as decades of American standards. So it's interesting because I think, you know, I think Magic Kingdom has its own sense of familiara familiarity with music from. Movies we grew up watching as kids. Epcot is, is unique to this park, but this one sort of is, is different in terms of having experienced I think a lot of the music from this park before as opposed to compositions that are unique, especially as we turn to and, and look at some of the background music in the different lands.

[00:10:45] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: Yeah, I think one of the more interesting things as I was starting to think about this was that I remembered when we did Epcot, you know, if you haven't listened to the show, spoiler alert, but at the end of the show we sort of all sort of circled back and said, okay, sort of what is the one song that really embodies Epcot for you?

And again, spoiler alert, we all sort of agreed that it was Peppi, um, which is my heart song for Epcot. Um, and it's, it was interesting cuz going into this, I feel like I didn't initially go into this maybe with the same level of enthusiasm because of exactly what you're saying. I don't know that I. Know these songs because they take me to Hollywood Studios.

I think it's kind of the opposite of Hollywood studios, right? They're sort of supposed to be transporting you out of the park experience and into something else. Um, so we'll get into all of that more I'm sure as we're talking, but as you were saying, what you were just saying, like it kind of reminded me of my thinking in the Epcot show that we recorded and how it, it felt so different going into this.

[00:11:41] Will Magalio: Yeah. I, I, I feel like for me, it, the journey of Hollywood Studios, first of all, it feels like if you're in, if you, and to use Magic Kingdom as an example, what you did with the anti kingdom, like there's all the different lands and to me, every land just conjure up a whole new set [00:12:00] of memory, set of nostalgia.

Uh, I agree with Lisa that sometimes the, it's, it's the reverse. Like the song takes you out of the park and into another memory. But for me, I've done, I've, because I love this park so much that, and my wife and I have gone here, we came here on our honeymoon and we literally just spent. The entire time just hanging out around the, um, uh, Chinese theater area just to sit on, on the benches back when they had benches and listened to the wonderful, uh, soundtrack of movies, mo like movie musicals mainly that we just adored.

So now it all kind of inter it's, it's all intertwined in our minds.

[00:12:40] Lou Mongello: So, yeah, and you know, I always talk about, you know, imagine watching a movie that has no music in it, and there's, there's sometimes you can find videos and there's, there's ways to do it where the background music and the score is gone and it's very unsettling.

And it's the same thing for the Disney parks. You know, imagine walking down Hollywood Boulevard and not hearing that familiar music like you, it, it's very weird and you realize that something is missing, right? It, it's almost like this, this white noise that's in the background that you might not be.

Consciously paying attention to, but is, is so critical, um, because of what the music does, right? It's, it's the nostalgia, it's the memories, it's the immersion, it, it's that connective tissue. I think that that really more so than anything else, ties it all together as, as you walk through the different lands and the subconscious transitions that happen in between lands here, um, very different and almost less pronounced than walking through Magic Kingdom.

But when you think about the music in Hollywood Studios, right? If you were sort of disclosure, I said, what's the first thing that you think of when I say music in Hollywood Studios? What's the first thing that comes to mind? [00:14:00] Lisa And Will?

[00:14:03] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: So, I mean, admittedly, the first thing that comes to mind is just big band music.

Um, as you're walking in the front door, and I don't know if I would name that Sing, sing, sing or in the mood or. Anything else, but it's, it's just big band. Whether you're walking in the front gate to the sort of reimaginings of some Disney favorites to a big band theme or, or walking down Hollywood Boulevard.

Um, as much as I would like to say that it's some of the more specific stuff that I can name, um, the first thing that comes to mind is just big

[00:14:31] Will Magalio: band. I have to agree. Uh, big band all the way. Uh, I think that 1940s style, that's, they're definitely the Hollywood, you know, we're, we're meant to, you know, have feelings of, or what that used to be called, the Hollywood that never was and always will be, you know.

But that's kind of where we're, where we're at. For the minute you land on, you know, land on the skyliner or pull in with a bus or even drive in, you're hearing that big band sound from dis of Disney music, which, is that unique to this park, or is there tolu or do you know if there're, if the, I'm talking about outside the gates.

Those friend like me, Bibi, Bobby Boo, I've never heard them anywhere else.

[00:15:11] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, Lou, that those mixes are, were originally in Shanghai. Uh, yeah. I I I think that the big band, or at least the version of the big band remixes that you hear are also in Shanghai Disney. Yeah,

[00:15:23] Will Magalio: yeah.

That regard. That's fantastic that when they change that over, I was thinking, oh my God, this is, this is so great in that it's taking, it's given me that Disney flair and, and, but it's putting it in a, in a way that I could kind of, you know, get caught up in the nostalgia of the 19, that 1940s Hollywood, and then he crossed through the gates and then we're into, uh, this great just big, big band.

You know, I guess Andrew's sisters kind of style of music walking up Hollywood Boulevard. Then you turn onto Sunset and there's different, slightly different ones. . [00:16:00] I just love it. Now we'll

[00:16:00] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: talk about, I know, we'll, I'm sure we'll talk about the transitions a lot more, but to me it just sort of feels like they're easing you in, in a very sort of smart Disney way because you're walking in the front gates to some very sort of familiar Disney hits that almost you don't realize right away that you're hearing them.

Yes. Until you realize that, like you're hearing that line from the last I've seen the light, or Oh my gosh, I'm hearing that line from like never out a friend like me. Um, and it's, you're, they're sort of like easing you in via Disney, and then once you're through the turnstiles, it's just full thirties and forties.

Yep. Without that Disney touch, which I think is very intentional. Mm-hmm.

[00:16:35] Lou Mongello: And so, hold on. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. No,

[00:16:38] Will Magalio: I, well, go ahead. I'll get to mine in a minute.

[00:16:40] Lou Mongello: Well, what I was gonna say, you know, a lot of what we're talking about leads me to something that, you know, look, the, the, like everything in the parks, the music has changed slightly over time.

And, and in this park really in, in 2018, there was a, a pretty big sort of across the park shift in the background music. And again, we, we've heard music, we, we hear music not just from the movies, but in some places there's, there's also more sort of period music. But in January of 2018, Many people noticed that they removed a lot of the TV show themes that were prevalent there for years.

And Disney came out and said, look, we're, we're doing this on purpose because we really want you to feel like you are. And I quote, stepping into your own adventure. Because Hollywood Studios is a place where imagined worlds become real. Adventures to explore together. And as part of. Revamp of the park.

They planned this adaptive background music score, especially for Hollywood Boulevard and the hub of Disney's Hollywood Studios. So when you first enter the park, you hear that that 1930s jazz era swing music. But as you move [00:18:00] closer to the Chinese theater, you start to hear more of the forties music and what they did.

Was they actually ended up, it, they, they had to sort of make this transition seamless. As we talk about a lot of this seamless transitions, especially in places like Magic Kingdom, they created two separate arrangements of each song with two separate orchestras and orchestrations. And they hired a big band arranger by the name of Chris McDonald to arrange and record this mix and these overlapping background music scores.

And so, and we'll talk about it as we, we go through, but much of the park, really most of the park, um, received this, this new, almost like overlay of music, which. It probably wasn't visible to to most guests, but if you have been familiar with the park, you noticed that a lot of those TV and those movie scores that were not necessarily from Disney movies per se, but were prevalent in the park, were gone.

But I think, and, and you guys tell me what you think. I think that this new music definitely helps create a better sense of setting and time and place as Disney's Hollywood Studios evolved from what was supposed to be this front lot, back lot to this immersive storytelling experience. Yeah,

[00:19:21] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: I agree a thousand percent and I think it completely makes sense with what they're doing and changing the, the vibe and the point of Hollywood studios because when it was supposed to, A production area, it made perfect sense to have TV songs playing in the background, but that's exactly what you don't want when you're, you know, when you're trying to transport someone, um, into a different reality is to play, you know, obviously fictional music over shopping overtop, it kinda reminds me of Wanda vision watching from the inside versus , right.

Horses on the

[00:19:51] Will Magalio: outside. Yeah. The, uh, the, the transition as you mentioned is, is, is really seamless and, you know, I, and I enjoy, as I said, we [00:20:00] enjoyed the, uh, basically what I called it, the soundtrack loop. Right? And you also have to remember that when back then it was Disney, MGM Studios. So a lot of this, not all of it, but a lot of it were a, a, a mix of Disney music.

Although at that point, I think a lot of that by the Chinese theater was a lot of, um, MGM or, or at least mm-hmm. musicals. I remember the sound of music was in there. I remember, uh, Superman was in there. Um, and I remember, uh, singing in the Rain. The trolley song, Dr. Savago. I mean, it was just, you know, a, a great mix of these things and I enjoyed that.

But yeah, that was a different part. That was a different kind of thing. So yeah, to come in through the, the thirties and forties in Hollywood, going down Sunset. I did wanna mention that, uh, I have to put, I have to point this out currently in, I think it's on Sunset. You hear, kiss me once, kiss me twice, kiss me.

That's been a long time, which now just makes me think that's just Disney trying to get Marvel in the parks and, you know, in a, in a sneaky way, , because it's the end of endgame. I'm like, that's the exact, and, and, and you know, I, and, and I know, I think that's something that a lot of people would probably, well, they may not know any, In that whole loop, they'll know that one from that.

So I, I love that.

[00:21:17] Lou Mongello: So spoiler alert, um, it, I, I, I love that song. I have always loved that song. It's a 1945 Harry James song. You may not know this about me, and I probably shouldn't say it. I used to play the Trumpet, and I love that song like, since I was a kid. So when I hear it, first of all, I, I love that era of music, but I think it, it is for some people, especially younger folks who might not know that music, it's some instant connective tissue, right?

They're walking down Sunset Boulevard and they're like, wait a minute. I, I know that song. It's not like when you are out on Commissary Lane and would hear a familiar movie or tv. They used to play a Harry Potter score, which yes, I always thought was odd. But [00:22:00] that is connective tissue to a, a style and, and an era of music, which, you know, sadly is, is other than Sunset Boulevard for a lot of people is, has never been heard or, or long forgotten.

[00:22:11] Will Magalio: Right. Right. So I, I just love that it's, that it's there and, and it serves both as a transitional passing by kind of idea and setting the stage, setting the theme for you and for you to live your story. But at the same time, it, you know, has, it's still some of these, a lot of these songs in some way or another will have a ring of familiarity.

um, with people too. So,

[00:22:35] Lou Mongello: and that actually, I'm sorry, go ahead.

[00:22:37] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: Cor correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's been a long, long plate is only, is, it's been a long, long time, is only played on Hollywood Boulevard, which only gets instrumentals. And again, that's like the progression again. So you're like sort of coming in with a hint of Disney and then as you walk in, it's like the, the really, really well known instrumentals.

So you're sort of, sort of subtly being taken in with Sing, sing, sing. And it's been a long, long time and in the mood and the sort of big ones. And then as you turn down sunset, at least for me, it starts to get a little bit more niche . Like I happen to know all the words, ta marzi, dotes because my grandmother sang it to me all the time.

But I think most people probably don't. And but to be able to, cuz when you start to go down sunset, you get lyrics, right? You get lyrics to some of the more, um, some of the like maybe a little bit lesser known songs from the thirties and forties. Um, so you're kind of being taken a little bit deeper, um, and a little bit less subtly than you're on Hollywood Boulevard with the instrumentals.

[00:23:29] Lou Mongello: Yeah, we'll talk about, cuz there, there's even some of the songs that are, uh, there's also a shift in tone, I think as you go down sunset, especially as you start to approach that big building at the end of the street . So, and that the, the wonderfully brilliant musical transition that, that happens very subconsciously, but you, you, you alluded to it earlier and before you even stepped foot into the park in that main entrance area in 2018, is music that has adapted from a [00:24:00] custom work that was created for Mickey Avenue in Shanghai, Disneyland, which is, which are these big band arrangements of some of, you know, very familiar Disney tunes.

Um, any thoughts on some of the, you know, cuz for a lot of people, you know, you're rushing to get into the park or you, or you don't notice it until you're standing online waiting to get through security. Some of that, that B g M that's being played in that main entrance area.

[00:24:26] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: I just, I just love it. Every time I hear it, it blows me away.

I listen to this loop like again and again, just in the background as I was preparing for the show, along with lots of other loops is one of my favorite shows I've ever prepared for. Hmm. Um, but just like the seamlessness with which one song transitions to the next, and you're not even quite sure if it's happened yet until you hear that hook for the next one.

It's just so well done. It's so well done. It's like you're listening and you think you're listening to big band music and then all of a sudden you hear like, let's go fly a kite. And

[00:24:56] Will Magalio: it's watch. And I love how they, they take certain styles of certain famous big band composers and arrangers, orchestrators, and they kind of insert that into those, those Disney themes.

But I also appreciate the tempos. You know, you get off the bus, you get off the skyliner and you're just kind of, I just can't. Like, do a little hop st hop, skip to get into the park. Just, but I, and then, and it's, and I'll also say that on the occasion that I leave the park and I have to go back via bus, via Disney bus transfer, uh, I never am tired of, I don't care if there's a long line, but let you know, I'll say, I'll wait.

I'll take the next bus. I'd just love to sit there and listen to it.

[00:25:35] Lou Mongello: So. Well, and I think too, for, for guests having familiar Disney songs integrated into that style of music, is this, this musical segue that they're able to make sort of in their, their minds, whether they're coming from another park or coming off a bus or coming off.

The, the, the skyliner, it allows them to sort of transition into, and [00:26:00] when you step foot through the gates, much like you do magic kingdom, you are transported back in time. You know that it's a very powerful, yet subtle transition that happens as you walk under the, the train trestle in Magic Kingdom and you step foot into the turns of the century.

Middle America here, where you walk through that gate and you are transported back to Hollywood in the late thirties and forties. Is, is that same type of transition that happens, not just visually but uh, musically as well. And on Hollywood studios, you know, we talked about again, Music that was custom arranged specifically for Hollywood Studios.

Those big band instrumental arrangements from, of popular songs from the thirties and forties that they had to record multiple times. Again, Hollywood Studios went through this transition of celebrating the music from the movies from a long period of time to now music and, and music from the movies through a number of decades too.

Right? There was, there was music from movies from the fifties. There was The Overture from Oklahoma, and then there was Chariots of Fire and Pirates of the Caribbean, curse of The Black Pearl and Magnificent Seven and Gone With the Wind and the theme from Dallas, like I remember Dallas as a kid, everyone was like, wow, this is a really odd thing.

Odd choice, yes. Yeah. But , the, the, you know, when the. In the, in the late eighties when the park first opened in early nineties when the focus and the emphasis was on movies and, and tv and even the attractions, right? Remember Superstar television and a lot of these things, these songs were, you know, iconic, um, not necessarily Disney Properties or even MGM Properties, or they sort of mentioned the, uh, Harry Potter and Chariots of Fire and, and Ben Herr.

But it's, I, I think the intent even now with the music that's there is it sort of [00:28:00] starts to wind you up and excites you and gets you sort of transitioned into the sentimental, nostalgic, adventurous storytelling adventure that you are about to step into in, in the studios.

[00:28:17] Will Magalio: Yeah. Getting ready to live your adventure, you know, live your story.

And that, and I want, and I find it interesting too, that. You know, as you go up Hollywood Boulevard into the little hub there, and then let's say you're going right to Chinese theater to, to ride now Mickey and Minnie's runaway railway, uh, the music in there, in the queue for that ride, I feel is almost it.

It's if you're not really listening, you might think you're still listening to the cue from outside. You've got this 1930s, early forties style of music that then kind of blends into like very classic movie score style of music. I'm not sure if it's all written for, I think it's all written for the, the new Mickey Mouse cartoons, which I love.

I mean, I absolutely love the scores for all of those. I just think it's brilliant. It's like right out of the 19, right outta 1930s, Mickey Mouse. But then adding, you know, the new, some of the new tropes that, that are, you know, depending on the, the mo, the, the, the shorts that you're watching. But I definitely feel that it, it transitions into that beautifully, right into nothing can stop us now.

So,

[00:29:33] Lou Mongello: A and the only, the only sort of loss with runaway railway is some of the great music that we had inside. Great Movie Ride. Right. You know, ball My God, water fall from Foot, like parades Singing in the Rain, uh, Jim Chik, saucers Apprentice, um, you know, classic. Although, you know, I'm sure some kids were like, who's the guy swinging on the vine?

I don't understand. And the guy in the trench coat and the hat. But I, I did, I did love a lot of that music that, you know, fortunately, unfortunately was, was [00:30:00] just, it's was sacrificed for runaway railway.

[00:30:03] Will Magalio: Right, right. It was, I it was our favorite ride. And as sad as we are to see it go, uh, I to see it not be there anymore, you know, I absolutely do love the, the new attraction as well.

Uh, I'm one that thinks can, you know, could have both existed somewhere, but I also feel like, you know, I just celebrate what we have. But the, the, yes, the original soundtrack from e even the soundtrack when he went into the movie theater, , you know, and you were watching the, uh, coming attractions. I mean, a lot of that was not just music, it was also, you know, the, it was, it was the trailers.

It was the trailers for all those great movies. And then you'd go in and, and I love the hooray for Hollywood, um, setup that they started and going in and just connecting foot, like parade, singing in the rain all the way through just to, you know, it's, it, it's, it, it's all the feels, all the, all the nostalgic

[00:30:54] Lou Mongello: feels for us.

Lisa, anything from Hollywood Boulevard before we make a right turn onto Sunset? No, I mean, I

[00:31:01] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: just, I'm glad you mentioned her Ray for Hollywood itself, because to me, like losing that song with the great movie Ride was, was, was such a tragedy. We, we close on our house August 11th, 2020 17 and great movie ride closed two days later.

Um, so I'm very sad that we didn't get to live here with it for longer. Um, oh,

[00:31:18] Will Magalio: sorry. Yeah. Oh, so you just have a discussion. You moved, you moved there, and then they closed. Oh, I'm sorry. . My condolences. That's bad

[00:31:28] Lou Mongello: timing. So I will say a lot people have had worse timing with moves. . Yeah. . Um, I, um, I, I, I will tell you in advance that I absolutely love of, of all lands and, and areas of.

Disney's Hollywood Studios, I, I have a particular affinity for Sunset Boulevard, not just because of the dining options that are available or the attractions that are on it, but because of, of the music that that swing, that thirties, forties jazz and, and the big band music. Um, [00:32:00] like you said, some of it is not just instrumental, but there's, there's, you know, there's sing along songs that are there, which is, which has these beautiful.

Orchestral accompaniments. And you, I really think that you get, it really helps to set such a, a, a place and time and this feeling that you really have stepped back into old Hollywood. Right? It's like Magic Kingdom, right? In terms of, of the, the theme being so well designed and implemented using all of the, the different senses.

Um, and we talked about some of, of the music and, and how it changes, right? It's been a long time. The Harry James Boogie, woogie Bugle boy by the Andrews sisters, like, I'm not gonna, it's say how old I am, but like, I remember growing up, like hearing, uh, now I didn't grow up when the, when the song first came down, but I remember cuz this was like a post right after post World War ii.

But I remember the Andrews sisters and falling in love with this type of music. Benny Goodman, you, you at least you mentioned Sing, sing, sing in the Mood by Glen Miller, getting Sentimental Over You by Tommy Dorsey. More Harry James with Sleepy Lagoon. Duke Elgan. Duke Ellington's don't get around much anymore.

It's interesting because you can almost sort of, depending on where you are and the way you walk down Hollywood, right? Same way you walk down Main Street usa, you're sort of moving forward in time. Something different, right? A different transition happens here because as you move forward down sunset at towards this looming Twilight Zone, you know, the Tower Hotel in the distance that upbeat music starts to get slightly more.

Melancholy as you get closer to the hotel, like the atmosphere changes in the most subtle [00:34:00] way unless you're sort of consciously listening for it. And I think it's just brilliant in terms of whoever's sort of made the, the choices and how and where to lay the music out on Sunset was absolutely brilliant.

We're obviously keeping, uh, rock and roller coaster and, and that , that side of goer Street off, you know, this, this conversation, but that straight jot shot down Sunset has some of the most beautiful music and I think one of the most intelligent, subtle transitions in any of the parks anywhere.

[00:34:32] Will Magalio: Agreed. Uh, I love, and plus I love the setting that is going on on Sunset.

You know, obviously you're in a, you're transported, as you said, in a different time, a different place, but everything about that from the stores to the places you eat all the way down, that, that walkway, the, the, the architecture, it all kind of, Reeks of the 1930s, you know, and then you keep going and then you, and you have to, I mean, if you're gonna wait online to go in line for, um, the attraction that is at the end of that space, you are all of a sudden getting a similar vibe, but with one very notable difference.

And that is this introduction of reverb or echo as if it's not quite, you're walking along and it's not quite there. Maybe it's in the other room or like, it's like a dream and you're kind of hearing it in the background and it has this very unsettling feeling. And, and the music is beautiful. It's, it's, it's still part of that same time period, but it.

Makes you, it goes from a nostalgic feeling to an eerie feeling. Yeah.

[00:35:36] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: The air, the air just changes as you move into that space. There's just something about the, the vibration of the, the air in, in that area as absolutely starting to change. Um, let me know when we're allowed to start talking about Tower

[00:35:50] Will Magalio: Can we

[00:35:50] Lou Mongello: start ? Yeah. I mean, you know, I think it's, it's the perfect time and, and you know, Lisa, we've, we've had a chance to experience [00:36:00] Tower and, and that part of Hollywood Studios for an event that, that we did years ago when, when we had a very, um, we had a small group event with like 25 people at the Twilight Zone.

Tower Hotel. Tower Hotel after hours. Yes. I need to do this again cuz it was that good, but. You were able, the music was so much more pronounced because it, it didn't have that sort of cacophony of, of voices around it. And it really, you're right, it takes a, a slightly eerie setting, which, and I, and if you walk through, if you walk through the extended queue at golden Hour and the misters are on and there's that little bit of smoke and you hear that music, man, it is a wonderfully creepy vibe.

But go ahead, TA take, take us to the tower.

[00:36:52] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: So I, first of all, the music sounds almost like it's being played on an old record player. Like it has that, that vibe, like even the transmission of the music has changed, which changes, of course, the quality of it and transports you that much more into the environment of tower.

But like the tower cue, loop man, , like where do we even start? Uh, like if there's a loop that I put on in my house, if I'm just trying to like, get stuff done or relax or study or take a nap, I don't know, , like, it's that tower loop and it's just so beautiful. And the rendition of We'll Meet Again that they chose to use by violin from 1939 is just such a stunning piece of music.

And like the way that I, if you know, this song should, I dunno if I can get into it now, but the, the song We will Meet again by Verly, which is mm-hmm. , you know, was originally about soldiers in the War and saying that we'll be back together soon when you get back. Takes on a very different meaning as we're walking into this haunted space about to encounter the, the ghosts, the spirits from, from what happened in 1939.

So I'll let you guys go too, but I can just talk about the

[00:37:57] Will Magalio: tower loop forever, . Oh, no, I, I love that you [00:38:00] mentioned the, uh, the quality of sound, not just in the echo, but yeah. Like, it's as if it's been being played on a phonograph, you know? And if you've ever had an actual phonograph, even not even a record play, but a photograph where you have to crank it, you know that, and, and you get that very pointed speaker sound that's very tinny mm-hmm.

And you put out, you put out that, along with the echo that goes with it, but yet man, they managed to fill it, you know, in a, in an ordinary circumstance that would just kind of be right in front of you and that would be it. But they have it filling all the space and it just, I mean, just NOx you, NOx you silly.

And you know, if he get, he just gets you into that, into that mood of what you know, especially if you know what's coming. Um, And yeah. I love that you mentioned we'll meet again. Um, I love Mood Indigo Duke Ellington as another one from there. Uh, that I absolutely love it. And a lot of these are not as well known.

These are lesser known, uh, I don't even wanna say, you know, like jazz, big band swing standards again from the 1930s. Um, the just, you know, set the, they just set, set the mood, set the, the story going.

[00:39:06] Lou Mongello: So yeah, I think some of the, the, the Ellingtons and the, the Miller, the Glen Miller songs are recognizable.

Right? And those are the ones that sometimes will catch people's ears, like a dog. Like, oh, I mean, I know that song. I've heard that song, but even like the Fats Waller music and mm-hmm. , some of the, the Frankie Newton songs. Uh, and, and like I, I'm so grateful for things like Spotify because so many smart, caring, musically inclined people have, have gathered together.

Um, playlists of the music that you can find from Tower of Terror. So you can, you can, I'm sure you can find not just the attraction music there, um, which, you know, is its own sort of iconic theme from the TV show, but a lot of that period music you can find on, on playlists, uh, on Spotify, and then it is definitely worth a listen.

Uh, and I think we'll make you appreciate [00:40:00] the, the land and the attraction even more. And

[00:40:04] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: then if we wanna go past the cue, I don't know if we're go

[00:40:07] Lou Mongello: wherever you need to go. Go ahead. But just,

[00:40:09] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: I mean, just it's worth mentioning once we're on the attraction itself, obviously there's sort of a frantic nature to the music that builds and builds as you go.

But also there's some really cool like horror movie throwbacks like Jaws and the. Sound from Psycho. Um, you know, as you're in sort of the, the climactic moments of, of the attraction that are such cool throwbacks that I know, at least for me, like I didn't notice. I like my subconscious noticed them in the moment, I'm sure.

But like, I wasn't aware that I was hearing them until I had a check chance to process it afterwards. So I think that's just another, like, really cool subliminal throwback.

[00:40:45] Will Magalio: And of course it's twilight's own theme. It's twilight's own. You can't have this, this attraction without that. Right. You know, and, and just, you know, setting it.

But, but, but used perfectly now, not overdone, just. just a little bit and, and not all at once. Like hearing little, like all the way through little moments and just setting the eeriness. And it's especially fun if you, when you've never done it before, you don't know what to expect, you know? But even when, but even after, after your first, after your first, uh, stay at the Hall Hollywood Tower, um, it's still, it's just as wonderful.

[00:41:23] Lou Mongello: So, right. Cuz there's the, there's the, the Twilight Zone TV theme and then there's the, the, there's a Richard Bellis Tower of Terror theme, right. Which sampled a lot of that opening, um, that opening theme music from the TV show from the, from the 50.

[00:41:43] Will Magalio: Gotta say, though. Uh, as awesome as it is, as much as I love it, I really would've liked to have seen a Mel Brooks theme there.

I heard, you know, .

[00:41:51] Lou Mongello: I know. Let me, let's not go down a very long road that I can, I love for, for Mel Brooks goes very wide and very deep. History the world. Part two, [00:42:00] I'm looking for you. So, yes. Um, yeah. What, what could have been, I know we talked about that. What could on, on a, on a passion on another, um, But I, I think we should just obviously mention a across the way down, uh, down the street is, is rock and roller coaster and rock and roller coaster.

Courtyard. Uh, every single song is by Aerosmith, at least for now. Um, who knows how that may change in, um, you know, the future of this, this idea that we're sort of walking into this music festival and, and live versions of the songs by Aerosmith mixed in with the, the crowd sounds, give us, gives us the sense that something bigger and, and live is going on.

Anything you want to add about, you know, rock and roller coaster and or Aerosmith

[00:42:51] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: I just mentioned before we even started recording, um, it might be cool to to mention the backstory that sort of ties, supposedly ties the very modern looking rock and roller coaster into. It's unlikely Neighbor, tower of Terror.

Um, the idea that G-Force records, which is the production studio where all of this is supposedly taking place, was supposedly an operating and very successful studio back in the 1930s. And some of the executives were actually at the party, um, where the lightning strike happened at the tower and somehow managed to escape and then fell on hard times because of the reputation of the area.

And then, Apparently like once tower quote unquote reopened in 1994, it sort of brought business with it to GForce s as well, and they became this like burgeoning record company again, and were able to recruit them. It's like Aerosmith. So I thought that was cool, and I think our friend Jim Corcus for that story, that's,

[00:43:45] Lou Mongello: and what I love about that right, is, is you can't sort of find that story anywhere.

You have to either hear it or have it paid forward to you or somehow try and piece the, those elements together very quickly. Just without going [00:44:00] too far and too deep. If, and or when Aerosmith is no longer the, the, the house band at Rock and Rollercoaster, what band or what music or what would you like to hear from a music perspective be put in in that attraction?

[00:44:18] Will Magalio: I'd kind of like to see it turn into more of a generic music festival thing and not be associated with one. Artist so that you can kind of, you know, i e what's going on with, uh, guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout, or not Mission Breakout, sorry. Guardians of Galaxy Cosmic Rewind. Uh, because, uh, I feel like that way you have the ability to rotate in and out different artists from different timeframes, different time periods, and, uh, you know, I think it's kind of, it's, it's, I don't know.

I, I would have a hard time trying to think of an, a single artist. I mean, I'm sure maybe Lisa has a, has a good idea, but I, I can't think of one that I would wanna put in there in place. It's gotta be something that's timeless yet. Not something that people don't, don't really know anymore. Um, case in point, uh, I had my marching band down on a trip a few years back and I had one student in from my drum line who was in line to get ice cream and he got his ice cream.

And a gentleman came up to him and said, Hey man, where'd you get the ice cream? And he said, oh, just over there. And the guy said, thanks man. And he walked over and then all of his older hibs of freshman, his senior friends in the drum line were looking at him like, you idiot. That was Steven Tyler that just asked you where, where, where to get ice cream

So the kid didn't. And then a kid of course, who's Steven Tyler? So, you know, there you go. Oh gosh. Yeah,

[00:45:35] Lou Mongello: supposedly he has a house down here and he actually goes to the parks, like not for a PR thing or a press thing, like he goes because he's actually like a Disney fan. Yeah.

[00:45:46] Will Magalio: Yeah. That's, I think that's why, that's why I was there.

[00:45:48] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: So yeah, he is definitely a fan and like, just awesome with people when he, when he comes into the parks, he probably comes in super incognito. Mm-hmm. . Um, yeah, it's funny you, you said that cuz as I was. I was thinking that this question would [00:46:00] prob probably come up and I was trying to think of what my answer would be and I too started thinking, wouldn't it be cool if we did something guardians like, or it's like you get on kind of not knowing what you're gonna get.

Um, I know everybody, so many people want a power line reaming.

[00:46:14] Will Magalio: I heard about that. Yes. That would

[00:46:15] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: be cool if that's your thing. Um, I mean, I go from like Green Day to Journey in a C D C, like I don't, I don't know like what, like I, that's why I'm like guardians is my go-to because like I would love to hear Green Day on there, but I would love to hear journey too.

And I would like, like there's.

[00:46:30] Lou Mongello: I don't know. I, I think you, just so you know, there's some kids going right now. Mom, who's Green Day? What's a Green Day? . So if you don't think that you're old, you just talked about Green Day as if they were like a current band. So, oh, they're

[00:46:43] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: on Beat Saer. So I think people

[00:46:46] Lou Mongello: and now she's quoting Beat Saber as her, her frame of relevance, just so you know.

Okay. Yeah. I think I, I like the idea of, you know, for some people, especially early on, they were like, well, we need more, they wanted more ip, they wanted more Disney IP in Disney's Hollywood studios. We now have obviously gotten that with Toy Story and Guardians and, and even, you know, a little bit with the Incredibles and Lightning McQueen Racing Academy, which, which I have no idea how it sits in the shadow of the Tower of Terror, but that's okay.

We suspend our disbelief. I think the idea, and I think from a guest satisfier point of view, If you change some of the, the decor on the inside, or maybe you're not going through the freeway, it does give you the opportunity to change music up, whether it comes from, you know, Disney, Pixar films or it can go, you know, current, all, you know, however far back you needed to go.

Um, having that surprise element to it. And look, there's a, there's a huge rewrite ability. We are completists by heart, right? I need to ride guardians again until I get all six songs. I've written guardians a lot of times. I still have not gotten, everybody wants to [00:48:00] rule the world someday it'll happen. So there you go.

But, alright, let's move from sunset. Cause I,

we got. Hey. Wow. All right. Two people. Hey, don't

[00:48:14] Will Magalio: mind us. We'll be finished in just a minute. In. Hey. Hey.

[00:48:17] Lisa DiNoto Glassner: What's a, Hey. Hey. How you doing? What are you guys still doing here? You're supposed

[00:48:22] Lou Mongello: to be at a show now

That concludes part one of our virtual visit and musical tour of Disney's Hollywood Studios. Sure. To tune in next week as we complete our tour through the rest of the park, going all the way through to Galaxy's Edge and wrapping it up with some conversation conclusions, and maybe predictions for what may be coming musically to the studios.

I would love for you to be part of that conversation and talk about this week's show over in the clubhouse at ww radio.com/clubhouse.

It's time for our Walt Disney World trivia question of the week where I invite you to test your knowledge, not just of Walt Disney World's history, but the details in which you see here. Taste or remember if you think it or the enter, you can enter for a chance to win a Disney Prize package. This week's tribute contest is once again brought to you by.

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Now, before we get to this week's question, we're gonna go back, review. Last week's end, select our winner. So last week I asked you to identify where in Walt Disney World you could hear this phrase. I'm putting my somewhat radio announcer voice on when I do it. This is K N R G News Radio. Hey, let's check the weather report and see if it's gonna stay.

Way cool outside. That is of course Ellen's energy adventure with the announcer. Turns it over to Weatherman Willard Scott. Corey Burton, by the way, is the voice of the radio announcer. Anyway, I took all the correct entries, randomly selected one, and once again, last week we were playing for a WW Rodeo. A pin and a mystery prize.

And last week's winner randomly selected is William Beck. So William, congratulations. I will get your prize packet out to you right away. If you played last weekend, didn't win, that's okay, because here's your next chance to enter in this week's Walt Disney World Trivia Challenge. So Sunday, January 22nd, 2023, marked the final night of Splash Mountain in Frontierland in Walt Disney World moment of silence.

So of course, I wanted to use Splash Mountain as the subject of this week's trivia contest because there are, well, were three splash mountains in Disney parks around the world. Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland. Your challenge this week is to simply tell me what order they opened in. You have until Sunday, January 29th at 11:59 PM Eastern to go to ww radio.com.

Click on this week's [00:52:00] podcast. There you'll find the online form to enter. Once again, you're gonna be playing for a chance to win a pin, a mug, and a mystery prize. So good luck and have fun.

That's gonna do it for this week's show. Hope you enjoyed part one of our virtual musical tour of Disney's Hollywood Studios. Join us next week as we pick up part two, finish our tour. But in the meantime, I'd love to hear from you. We finished off talking about rock and roller coaster, possibly in the future, not starring Aerosmith.

Who would you replace Aerosmith with? An individual band, a number of different bands, what is your idea? Come share your suggestion and be part of the community and conversation over in the WW Radio Clubhouse on Facebook at ww radio.com/clubhouse talk, not just about this week's show, but anything in the Disney, marvel and Star Wars universe.

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