Notably Disney

What is it like to sail one of the newest Disney Cruise Line ships? On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman is joined by author, professor, and musician Matthew Hodge, a frequent podcast guest, to discuss their time on the Disney Treasure. This sixth ship in the DCL fleet launched in late 2024 and has delighted tens of thousands of guests to date in its 7-night sailings in the Western Caribbean or Eastern Caribbean. 

Brett and Matt share their thoughts on the musical entertainment, dining, themed spaces, and activities aboard the beautiful vessel.

Check out Matt's music work on his YouTube channel and website.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Author J.B. Kaufman has been long known as one of the most capable Disney historians to cover work from early on in the company’s history, ranging from Pinocchio to the Silly Symphonies shorts. This tradition continues with Worlds to Conquer: The Art and Making of Walt Disney’s Fantasia, newly released by Weldon Owen, an imprint of Insight Editions, itself part of the Simon and Schuster umbrella. This compendium to the 1940 classic features lots of rarely-seen and heard stories, artwork, and context. On this episode of Notably Disney, JB returns to the podcast to share with host Brett Nachman about the book's development and Fantasia's legacy 85 years later.

Learn more about J.B.'s work via his website. Purchase a copy of Worlds to Conquer on Amazon or wherever you purchase books.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Sixty years later it remains one of the most enduring and beloved Disney movies of all time. Mary Poppins, based on the PL Travers stories, has even inspired a making of film through 2013’s Saving Mr. Banks. In tandem, the late songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman, responsible for the classic tunes, have received their fair share of coverage through projects like The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story from 2009. Thankfully, now we have a written compendium that illustrates how integral the Sherman Brothers were to the development of the 1964 Walt Disney feature. Making Mary Poppins, written by professor and author Todd James Pierce, is a deep dive into the production, along with giving further backstory to the famed songwriters. Todd previously joined host Brett Nachman back in 2020 as he discussed writing Three Years in Wonderland about the development of Disneyland through CV Wood’s influence. Now he returns to share details about Making Mary Poppins: The Sherman Brothers, Walt Disney, and the Creation of the Classic Film. 

Learn more about Todd's career and book by visiting his website. Pick up a copy of Making Mary Poppins and listen to the Disney History Institute podcast.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Pianist, composer, and vocalist Clay Barnard of Disney Cruise Line continues his discussion with host Brett Nachman about what it's like to play for DCL. On the last episode he shared his career origins, whereas on this episode Clay details the process of creating piano sets on the Disney ships, his interactions with guests, and more. This is the second episode of a two-part conversation with Clay.

Follow Clay on Instagram (@composerclay). Hear his music on SoundCloud.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

It’s not every day that you can call a cruise ship as your home, but in the case of Clay Barnard, that’s a reality. Clay is a pianist, composer, and vocalist who has entertained numerous guests on Disney Cruise Line. Recently host Brett Nachman had the opportunity to listen to Clay in action when sailing on the Disney Treasure in the Aristocats-themed Scat Cat Lounge, and now Clay joins Brett on Notably Disney to lead us on his incredible path to performing on a Disney vessel. This is the first of a two-part conversation with Clay.

Follow Clay on Instagram (@composerclay).

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Beauty and the Beast remains not only one of the most beloved and enduring animated classics out of the Disney library, but also one of its most popular to feature across various stage adaptations. On this episode of Notably Disney, author, musician, and professor Matthew Hodge joins host Brett Nachman to analyze three current stage adaptations of the 1991 film: at Disney's Hollywood Studios, on Disney Cruise Line, and via a national tour. 

Check out Matt's music work on his YouTube channel and website.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

With nearly 900,000 YouTube subscribers and 400 million views as of late August 2025, Isaac Carlson is a prominent content creator whose Disney material has covered the gamut of profiles of characters from Cars to deconstructing popular theories. Isaac’s videos have allowed us to process Disney movies and projects with additional curiosity and thoughtfulness. On this episode of Notably Disney, Isaac joins host Brett Nachman to share more about his YouTube channel and talk through a fun topic: Disney 90s music! They relay their thoughts of what characterized music of the era across film, television, stage, and more!

You can find Isaac's videos on his YouTube channel and TikTok.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

Geoff Zanelli started his career as a collaborator of legends like Hans Zimmer and John Powell, and he has since established himself as an acclaimed composer in his own right. For The Walt Disney Company, Geoff has scored films like Christopher Robin, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Perhaps his most notable contribution has been in scoring Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth and most recent entry in the popular franchise, having previously worked with Zimmer on handling additional music for the prior three installments, as well as also Klaus Badelt on The Curse of the Black Pearl. Today on Notably Disney, Geoff joins host Brett Nachman to uncover the majesty of writing Pirates tunes in concert with laying out his professional journey and career highlights. 

Learn more about Geoff Zanelli's work by visiting his website, and be sure to follow his Facebook and instagram (@geoffzanellimusic).

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

You know her voice and content if you’re a Disney Adult. But what makes a Disney Adult? And why is this culture so enveloping and fascinating, too? AJ Wolfe of the uber popular and stellar Disney Food Blog (DFB) has deconstructed this phenomena in a new book entitled Disney Adults: Exploring (And Also Falling in Love with) A Magical Subculture. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman brings on AJ to discuss Disney Adults, just released by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. 

Purchase a copy of Disney Adults, just released, through visiting AJWolfe.com. Also be sure to check out all of the DFBGuide goodness via its website, YouTube channel, Instagram (@disneyfoodblog), and Facebook.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

This fall marks the 30^th anniversary of one of the most groundbreaking films ever. Toy Story debuted in 1995 to critical success and public adoration. Pixar’s first film, and also the first fully computer animated production, is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. It also boasts the first time we saw the collaboration between Randy Newman and Pixar, who would later compose the scores for and write songs for many subsequent movies, including A Bug’s Life and Monsters Inc. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman welcomes on podcaster Jonathan Goodman, host of the Music Behind the Magic podcast. It’s a great podcast with conversations featuring composers, musicians, and those who study music, among other individuals. Today Jonathan and Brett deconstruct what makes Toy Story's music so special, in addition to where the film lands in their hearts.

Check out the Music Behind the Magic podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about the podcast on its website. Follow Jonathan on Instagram (@musicbehindthemagic) and join the Music Behind the Magic community on Facebook.

Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to notablydisney@gmail.com 

New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first and third Tuesday of each month.