The Grim Grinning Dads

Welcome to the Grim Grinning Dads PodcastHosted by Tyler, Charlie, and Caleb, three Disney-loving dads who know their way around theme parks, food, and family vacations, this podcast is all about bringing the fun (and sometimes the hot takes) straight to you.From ranking the best rides and restaurants to debating hidden gems and must-do experiences, we dive deep into the Disney parks, resorts, cruises, and beyond. You’ll get insider travel tips, planning advice, dad-approved hacks, and plenty of laughs along the way.Think of us as your Disney dad friends — the ones who tell it like it is

The Grim Grinning Dads is a leisure podcast hosted by Grim Grinning Dads, with 53 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Grim Grinning Dads hosts The Grim Grinning Dads, a leisure show with 53 episodes published.

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  Episode #5

  We Have Some Answers

  Sep 17, 202650 minS3

  Welcome, Foolish Mortals, to another episode of the Grim Grinning Dads! This week, the Dads are answering YOUR Disney questions! We’re pulling questions from the Walt Disney World Tips and Tricks group and covering resorts, special experiences, Disney Springs dining, mobility scooters, DVC resale, and one very important question: can you wear Disneyland merch at Walt Disney World? First, there’s some Disney news to cover. Disney has released new room and vacation package promotions for early 2027, with some significant savings available on select resorts. If you’re thinking about a Disney trip next year, now is the time to start planning. We also talk about the new tower crane going up for Piston Peak and the incredible overnight transformation that takes the parks from Halloween to Christmas. Then it’s time for your questions. We break down Coronado Springs, including the Grandestino Tower, Dig Site pool, Three Bridges, Dahlia Lounge, and even a little bus transportation strategy. We also discuss special experiences for moms, family-friendly restaurants at Disney Springs, and why renting a mobility scooter ahead of time can make a Disney vacation much easier. The Dads also tackle the DVC resale question, including what you actually get when buying resale and which DVC perks you may be giving up. And then Tyler has some thoughts about Disneyland merchandise at Walt Disney World. Naturally, this leads to a discussion about Figment, which somehow becomes a debate about which Disney park is the “real” one. Finally, we share a Disney tip that could save a priceless vacation memory: if a PhotoPass or attraction photo disappears from your account, don’t assume it’s gone forever. The Memory Maker team may be able to help track it down. So pull up a Doom Buggy and join the Dads as we answer your Disney questions, share some tips, argue about resorts, defend Figment, and prove once again that no Disney question is too strange for the Grim Grinning Dads. Have a Disney question of your own? Drop it in the Walt Disney World Tips and Tricks group. You might just hear the Dads answering it on a future episode. ⸻ Follow the Grim Grinning Dads: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grim.grinning.dads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grimgrinningdads Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5U83wx8xDx4L8DfTpfn5FW?si=KeMABxNJR-uhOTJFrxQx4Q Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grim-grinning-dads/id1836816757 Summon us anytime at grimgrinningdads@gmail.com If you’d like help planning your next Disney vacation, European adventure, cruise, all-inclusive resort, or just about anywhere else, the Dads are also travel advisors with Genie Travel Company. https://forms.gle/oxdsS1KYjQCUAqmc9 ⸻ Theme music for The Grim Grinning Dads Podcast created by @AdamPineless. Thank you for bringing the magic to life!

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  Episode #4

  Lightning Lanes & Lunch Bills: The 2026 Disney Strategy Audit

  Sep 10, 20261h 39mS3

  Welcome, Foolish Mortals, to another episode of the Grim Grinning Dads! This week, the Dads are asking a big question: Is Disney still worth the money in 2026? With rising prices, Lightning Lanes, dining, resort costs, and more ways than ever to spend money in the parks, we’re taking an honest look at what’s actually worth paying for. We kick things off with the latest Disney news, including the new Magic of Disney Animation area coming to Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World refurbishments and closures, and the construction taking over the parks. We also head west to talk Disneyland, Oogie Boogie Bash, Disney hotel perks, Halloween popcorn buckets, and whether staying on Disney property is really worth the premium. Of course, we have to talk food. New Disney treats, Hurley Burley at Disney’s BoardWalk, churros, milkshakes, and the new Gordon Ramsay restaurant at Downtown Disney all make their way into the conversation. Then we get to The Breaking Point. Are Disney vacations becoming too complicated? Between Lightning Lanes, dining plans, reservations, resort costs, and spending half the day looking at your phone, the Dads debate whether trying to get the most value out of every dollar can actually take away from the magic. And then comes the Ultimate Epcot Itinerary Battle. Give a family of four one day at Epcot and three very different budgets. Charlie goes full Penny Pincher and tries to experience Epcot for roughly $46. Tyler becomes the Strategic Splurger with a carefully planned day around $350. Caleb gets the Blank Check and somehow turns one day at Epcot into a roughly $13,000 experience involving a Riviera villa, VIP tour, nanny, and fireworks dinner. We also reveal what each Dad refuses to pay for, our favorite Disney money-saving hacks, when Multi Pass Lightning Lane is worth it, when Single Pass makes sense, and how to find some of the best Disney magic without spending another dollar. So pull up a Doom Buggy and join the Dads for a conversation about Disney prices, Disney value, and how to make the most of your next vacation. Which Epcot strategy would you choose? What’s your best Disney money-saving hack? And how much is too much for the magic? ⸻ Follow the Grim Grinning Dads: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grim.grinning.dads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grimgrinningdads Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5U83wx8xDx4L8DfTpfn5FW?si=KeMABxNJR-uhOTJFrxQx4Q Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grim-grinning-dads/id1836816757 Summon us anytime at grimgrinningdads@gmail.com If you’d like help planning your next Disney vacation, European adventure, cruise, all-inclusive resort, or just about anywhere else, the Dads are also travel advisors with Genie Travel Company: https://forms.gle/oxdsS1KYjQCUAqmc9 ⸻ Theme music for The Grim Grinning Dads Podcast created by @AdamPineless. Thank you for bringing the magic to life!

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  Episode #3

  The Disney Personality Test

  Sep 3, 20261h 3mS3

  Welcome, Foolish Mortals, to another episode of the Grim Grinning Dads! The Dads are back, and this week we’re talking Disney news, new resorts, Imagineering decisions, Disney ride debates, and what might be the most revealing personality test we’ve ever put the Dads through. First up, Disney Cruise Line has announced new itineraries for Fall 2027 and Spring 2028. The Dads have some thoughts. Then we take our first real look at Lakeshore Lodge, Disney World’s newest resort coming in July 2027. With 967 rooms and theming inspired by Brother Bear, Bambi, Pocahontas, Encanto, and Fantasia, there’s a LOT to talk about. And naturally, the Dads make a deal: if we hit 1,000 YouTube subscribers, we’re staying at Lakeshore Lodge. So… you know what you have to do. We also head over to Piston Peak National Park and talk about an interesting Imagineering decision that could make a huge difference at Magic Kingdom. Disney reportedly shortened some of the structures at Piston Peak to help preserve sightlines throughout the park. We discuss why that matters, how the new land will fit alongside Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion, and the changes coming to the Haunted Mansion queue. And speaking of the Haunted Mansion, Caleb brings up an idea the Dads have discussed before: what if Disney turned the area near the Haunted Mansion into a Haunted Mansion-themed restaurant? If you missed that conversation, go back and check out our original discussion here: https://youtu.be/A_ZpqLoGOBA?si=E5gC-pIu6kfTEtCW&t=2818 Then it’s time for the main event… Tyler puts Caleb and Charlie through a series of brutal Disney “this or that” questions. No wavering. No “it depends.” No choosing both. The Dads have to commit. Disney World or Disneyland? Magic Kingdom or EPCOT? Rope drop or sleep in? Park hopper or one park per day? And perhaps the most important question of all… Has Disney finally priced itself into a problem? After all the answers are in, Tyler assigns each Dad a Disney personality type — and somehow, they’re almost disturbingly accurate. Plus, we celebrate a pretty huge milestone… The Grim Grinning Dads are officially ONE YEAR old! It’s been an incredible first year of Disney debates, questionable opinions, ridiculous tangents, and a whole lot of laughs. And we’re just getting started. So grab your favorite Disney snack, settle in, and join the Dads for another episode of the Grim Grinning Dads. And remember: 1,000 YouTube subscribers = Lakeshore Lodge. Can we make it happen? ⸻ Follow the Grim Grinning Dads: https://www.tiktok.com/@grim.grinning.dads https://www.instagram.com/grimgrinningdads Summon us anytime at grimgrinningdads@gmail.com If you’d like help planning your next Disney vacation, European adventure, cruise, all-inclusive resort, or just about anywhere else, the Dads are also travel advisors with Genie Travel Company. Use the link below to get started: https://forms.gle/oxdsS1KYjQCUAqmc9 ⸻ Theme music for The Grim Grinning Dads Podcast created by @AdamPineless. Thank you for bringing the magic to life!

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  Episode #2

  Charlie's Odyssey

  Aug 29, 20261h 35mS3

  Welcome, Foolish Mortals, to another episode of the Grim Grinning Dads!The Dads are back, and this week we’ve got a little bit of everything. We’re digging into the latest announcements from Disney’s D23 Entertainment Panel, taking a very hungry look at the newly revealed Epcot International Food & Wine Festival menus, and finally hearing all about Charlie’s epic 18-day adventure through Prague and Greece.First up, Food & Wine is almost here, and Tyler has the Dads’ stomachs working overtime. From the new cannoli milkshake and Buffalo Dill Pickle wings to wagyu hand rolls, chicken souvlaki, poutine, filet mignon, and plenty more, there’s a LOT to eat. Naturally, this leads to the most important question of the episode: can anything dethrone Caleb’s beloved pickle milkshake?We’re also saying goodbye to the Play Disney Parks app, including the DuckTales World Showcase Adventure and some of the interactive experiences that have been part of the parks for years. Is this the end of an era, or is Disney simply moving these experiences in a different direction?Then we dive into the D23 Entertainment Panel and everything coming from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and 20th Century Studios. Incredibles 3, Ahsoka Season 2, Star Wars: Starfighter, the new X-Men casting, Avengers: Doomsday, Vision Quest, Frozen 3, Zootopia 3, the live-action Tangled, Coco 2, The Simpsons Movie, Ice Age: Boiling Point, and more give the Dads plenty to debate.And then… Charlie’s Odyssey begins.After an 18-day journey through Prague, Thessaloniki, Athens, and the island of Lesvos, Charlie has stories. A LOT of stories. There are narrow European roads, questionable Uber rides, haunted tours, soccer jerseys, Pokémon GO, octopus tentacles, inflatable water parks, Greek festivals, power outages, a flying beach umbrella, a lost passport, an airport bathroom adventure, and one particularly memorable encounter involving Sawyer, a wheelchair, and a man who apparently had some life advice to share.Oh, and Charlie may or may not have accidentally thanked a Greek man in Spanish.So grab your favorite Disney snack, settle in, and join the Dads as they talk Disney news, questionable travel decisions, amazing food, and everything in between.What are you most excited about from the D23 announcements? What’s on YOUR Food & Wine must-try list? And would you survive an 18-day European adventure with Charlie?⸻Follow the Grim Grinning Dads:TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@grim.grinning.dads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grimgrinningdads Summon us anytime at grimgrinningdads@gmail.com If you’d like help planning your next Disney vacation, European adventure, cruise, all-inclusive resort, or just about anywhere else, the Dads are also travel advisors with Genie Travel Company. Use the link below to get started: https://forms.gle/oxdsS1KYjQCUAqmc9 ⸻Theme music for The Grim Grinning Dads Podcast created by @AdamPineless. Thank you for bringing the magic to life!

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  Episode #1

  D23: A Great Big Beautiful Recap

  Aug 20, 20261h 3mS3

  Welcome Foolish Mortals to the Grim Grinning Dads. The Dads are back together, and just in time for the biggest Disney news of the year! Charlie has returned from his European adventure, and we’re diving headfirst into everything announced during the Disney Experiences panel at D23. From Villains Land and Piston Peak at Magic Kingdom to Indiana Jones, Encanto, and the return of the Yeti at Animal Kingdom, Disney gave us plenty to talk about. Epcot brought two huge surprises with the reimagining of Spaceship Earth and the return of Dreamfinder and Figment, while Hollywood Studios revealed more about Monstropolis. And that’s just Walt Disney World. We’re also talking Disneyland’s Tomorrowland reimagining, Avengers Campus, Coco, international parks, Disney Cruise Line, and the return of The Imagineering Story. But the biggest question is whether Disney is finally listening to its fans. With Epic Universe now open and Universal putting serious pressure on Disney, are these announcements the beginning of a new era for the Disney parks? Or are we looking at another long list of promises that will take years to become reality? The Dads break down what excited them, what disappointed them, and what they’re watching most closely. And yes… we talk about Timon’s butt. What announcement are you most excited about? Is Disney finally listening? And can they actually deliver on everything they’ve announced? ⸻ Follow our ghostly hosts: TikTok Instagram Spotify Apple Podcasts Summon us anytime at grimgrinningdads@gmail.com If you’d like help conjuring your next Disney vacation, let us know at the link below: https://forms.gle/oxdsS1KYjQCUAqmc9 ⸻ Theme music for The Grim Grinning Dads Podcast created by @AdamPineless. Thank you for bringing the magic to life!

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