The Disney Parks Podcast Interviews Paige O’Hara and Richard White! Voices of Belle and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast

Published December 10, 2014 by Disneyways.com

An Interview with Belle in Episode 79 of the Podcast!

Published November 20, 2013 by Disneyways.com

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It’s hard for me to believe I am even writing this, but yes, it’s true! We were very fortunate that the awesome Julie Nathanson, current speaking and singing voice of Disney’s Princess Belle agreed to come on the Disney Parks Podcast as our very special guest. Julie is warm, sassy, funny, and she has so many wonderful qualities that you would probably expect from Princess Belle herself. There is so much feminist controversy over the Disney Princesses and my very favorite part of the interview was hearing Julie put into words how she feels about Belle, and why Belle’s character is a wonderful example for young girls. Julie has such a beautiful way of expressing herself that I admire so very much.

More great moments during the interview include:

The story of how Julie got a part on a soap opera, which one it was, and what character she played
What it has been like to be the voice of Belle, and how she got the job
Julie sharing how she feels about filling the shoes of the amazing Paige O’Hara (the original voice of Belle)
There is so much MORE to Julie besides playing Belle and it’s awesome to learn how versatile she has been in her career. Some of her other roles may surprise you!
I couldn’t sweet talk Julie into singing for us on the air but you can click HERE to hear a sample of her singing as Belle on iTunes
The always exciting rapid fire questions!

Here are some ways to tune in:

You can catch Julie’s episode by visiting DisneyParksPodcast.com directly from your computer. Look for the small grey circle with the sideways white triangle inside. Click on that circle and make sure your speakers are on. The show will begin immediately.

Please head over to iTunes and subscribe! This will give you access to each episode as soon as it is released.

Top 5 Things You Won’t Want to Miss in New Fantasyland

Published December 11, 2012 by Disneyways.com

Enchanted Tales With Belle. Meet and greet with Belle like never before when you actually get to help stage a short play for her. If you’re like me you will marvel at the AMAZING animatronics of Lumiere and Madame Wardrobe. You even get a walk through of Maurice’s cottage from “Beauty and the Beast.”

Be Our Guest Restaurant. French cuisine has arrived beneath the Beast’s Castle. Lunch is quick service with no reservation required. Reservations are needed for dinner, when guests can order wine and beer with their meals for the first time in Magic Kingdom history. Click here to see a whole lot more – including a photo of “the grey stuff!”

Gaston’s statue and fountain. A tribute to the man, they myth the legend. A plaque reads: “Tribute to Gaston. An extravagantly generous gift to the humble people of my village. From me, Gaston.” Nearby: Gaston’s Tavern, a tiny eatery that serves up savory pork shanks and warm cinnamon buns that are bigger then your fist! Despite its name, Gaston’s Tavern does not serve alcohol. Here is a video.

Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid. This mild-mannered ride is great for princesses young and old. You will not want to miss the virtual way that you are actually submerged under water while staying completely dry! One showstopping room features 128 aquatic animatronics in action. Click here for more on this attraction.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant. This attraction was transported to Fantasyland’s new Storybook Circus area, and DOUBLED. Yep there are two Dumbo rides now. You won’t want ot miss the fantastic new gift shop that smells like heaven. Throw in an air-conditioned cue that doubles as a playground – as well as pagers that blink when it’s your turn to ride – and you’ve got a fantastic addition to the New Fanatsyland line up!

So what do you think? What would be in your top 5 list of New Fantasyland fun not to be missed? Photos are ©Disney Parks Blog