AUTHOR: Dan Chapman

Dan Chapman loves everything Mouse - with a tattoo to prove it - and longs to step back into the Disney bubble any chance he gets. He has a particular admiration of Walt Disney the man, and reads every biography written about Walt Disney that he can get his hands on. Dan is new to navigating the post-retirement landscape and stays busy putting kayak to water, bike to trail and pen to paper. He and his wife live "beach-adjacent" in North Carolina (close enough to enjoy the beach but far enough to avoid the property taxes).

Is Creativity Dead at Walt Disney Studios?

By Dan Chapman | Published September 13, 2024

The obvious answer is absolutely not. But I have to wonder… In my humble opinion, D23 2024 in Anaheim, CA has announced to the world that there is very little creative juice left. There seems to be a lot of projects coming out of Walt Disney Studios and sister studios that have titles with numbers … Is Creativity Dead at Walt Disney Studios?

Embracing the “Spirit of Walt”

By Dan Chapman | Published October 6, 2022

I’ve written some of this before, so I beg your indulgence as I explore some of the concepts more deeply to a broader audience. When I’m at Walt Disney World, I immerse myself in the Disney Bubble. It’s where I can let my guard down and be vulnerable, where I can be not only outgoing … Embracing the “Spirit of Walt”

What Should Disney Do Next?

By Dan Chapman | Published August 26, 2022

Allow me to dream for a moment. Those of us not within reasonable driving distance to World or Land are jealous of those of you who are. If you listen to Connecting With Walt, you’ll learn that Walt Disney and subsequent planners had preliminary designs for a presence in Marceline, MS, New Jersey, and New … What Should Disney Do Next?

What Disney Music Means to Me

By Dan Chapman | Published July 15, 2022 | Updated September 15, 2024

I’m about to say something that drives my two equally-favorite daughters crazy. Music is pointless. (Admittedly, I say that to them for no other reason than to get a rise out of them.) I actually used to listen to music all the time. In my younger days, I tricked out my rusted ’74 Chevy Malibu … What Disney Music Means to Me

Let’s Talk About the Iconic Symbols of Walt Disney World

By Dan Chapman | Published April 12, 2022 | Updated September 2, 2023

What are the symbols that trigger a Disney response or you?

Mission: SPACE – What was I Thinking?

By Dan Chapman | Published March 25, 2022

That’s right. I said “diabolical” and I meant it!

In Defense of the Glorious Fanny Pack

By Dan Chapman | Published February 15, 2022

Fanny packs rock. You heard me. I’d say it louder if my editors let me use bigger fonts. Apparently, in that time period between when fanny packs were popular and their subsequent waning, I was asleep. It seemed to happen so quickly. Just like three-piece suits. Don’t get me started on why three-piece suits should … In Defense of the Glorious Fanny Pack

A runDisney Experience Like No Other

By Dan Chapman | Published January 20, 2022

I love running, I just hate to run.

A Little CeleBration…at Disney World!

By Dan Chapman | Published December 30, 2021

Walt Disney World is the perfect place for a celebration.

I Had My Daughter’s Disney Career All Planned Out

By Dan Chapman | Published November 9, 2021

You know how that usually goes. As parents, we all have dreams for our children. Mine played out with a simple phone call from college from my oldest. “Dad, I want to do the Disney College Program”. “The Disney What What?” I said. I had a vague recollection of noticing on some Disney nametags – … I Had My Daughter’s Disney Career All Planned Out