Hey everyone, I’m Mike, she’s Sophie, that’s Brenda, and he’s Grogu, and we’re On the Road with Mickey! This is episode 258 and this week our feature topic is March Madness – Magic Kingdom! This week we are taking a fun look at #MarchMadness and applying it to Walt Disney World! We’ll do that for Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and then we’ll have our final four at the end! Here’s what we talked about:

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• Cheddar from the Big Cheese:
  
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  • Sophie: Walt Disney Imagineering just released a video on 30 years of Topiary innovation. Here’s the link, it’s fascinating how things have changed over the years! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9o9-nWVq2w
    
  • Brenda: More details have recently been released about the Universal park coming to Texas. Universal Kids Resort The park will feature six new lands, a central hub and an on-site hotel with 300 rooms designed for families. Exact details on each land are still under wraps, but Universal has shared their settings and here they are:
    DreamWorks’ Shrek: A “swamp-themed playground built personally by Shrek” invites kids to “stomp, ride, laugh and play.”
    DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots: “A kitty adoption drive is in full swing with fabulous decorations, sideshow games, fun rides and festive food” in this land featuring Puss in Boots, Kitty Softpaws and Perrito. There will also be a sensory garden.
    DreamWorks’ Trolls: Guests join Poppy, Branch and other Trolls in a “colorful, joy-filled, and, of course, glittery” music festival.
    Illumination’s Minions: “Minions overrun a peaceful vacation retreat,” and a wet and wild time ensues as “Yellow Minions attempt to rein in their Purple counterparts.”
    Jurassic World: Kids can “learn about and come face to face with beloved dinosaurs of Jurassic World” in a thrilling adventure “exclusively created for young explorers.”
    Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants: Guests can visit SpongeBob and his friends in their neighborhood under the sea, where activities range from “earning a boating license to relaxing on the beach.”
    Universal Kids Resort is being built in Frisco, Texas (part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area). The park is designed for families with young children, specifically targeting ages 3 to 11and is set to open in 2026.
    
  • Mike: 2025 marks the 25th Anniversary of Disney Pin Trading! We used to be so big on Pin Trading – I’m not so much anymore, but I have my favorites. What about you?
    
  
  
  
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• Feature Topic: March Madness – Magic Kingdom!
  
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  • For the next five weeks, we are going to be going through the March Madness of Walt Disney World. The best part of this – the winners are selected by you, the listeners! This week, we’re looking at the Magic Kingdom!
    
  • First Round Matchups:
    
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    • 1) TRON vs. 8) It’s a Small World
      
    • 2) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train vs. 7) Peter Pan’s Flight
      
    • 3) Tiana’s Bayou Adventure vs. 6) Pirates of the Caribbean
      
    • 4) Space Mountain vs. 5) Haunted Mansion
      
    
    
    
  • First Round Results:
    
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    • TRON 24, Small World 4
      
    • Seven Dwarfs 22, Peter Pan 7
      
    • UPSET: Pirates of the Caribbean 20, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure 7
      
    • UPSET: Haunted Mansion 20, Space Mountain 9
      
    
    
    
  • Final Four Matchups:
    
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    • 1) TRON vs. 6) Pirates of the Caribbean
      
    • 2) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train vs. 5) Haunted Mansion
      
    
    
    
  • Final Four Results:
    
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    • UPSET: Pirates of the Caribbean 14, TRON 8
      
    • UPSET: Haunted Mansion 15, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train 9
      
    
    
    
  • The Finals:
    
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    • 5) Haunted Mansion vs. 6) Pirates of the Caribbean
      
    
    
    
  • AND THE WINNER IS:
    
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    • THE HAUNTED MANSION won with 22 votes to 11 for Pirates of the Caribbean!
      
    
    
    
  
  
  
• This Day in Disney History for 3/24/2025:
  
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  • 1901: The Birth of Ub Iwerks
    
  
  
  
• Stump the Soph!
  
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  • Queen Elinor from Brave
    
  
  
  
• A little bit of Walt
  
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  • “People are always analyzing our approach to entertainment. Some reporters have called it the ‘special secret’ of Disney entertainment. Well, we like a little mystery in our films, but there’s really no secret about our approach. We are interested in doing things that are fun – in bringing pleasure and especially laughter to people. And we have never lost our faith in family entertainment – stories that make people laugh, stories about warm and human things, stories about historic characters and events, and stories about animals.” – Walt Disney
    
  
  
  
• Coming next week: March Madness – Epcot!
  

As always, thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun talking Disney, and I’m glad you are enjoying it as well! Remember, you can reach us in many ways — by email to info@ontheroadwithmickey.com. You can also talk to us on our Facebook Page, On the Road with Mickey or in our On the Road with Mickey Group. Feel free to join us! Have a great week, and we’ll be back to talk with you again next week!