Episodes

  • ❄️Ranking "A Walt Disney Christmas" Animated Shorts
    Dec 15 2024

    Although our rankings varied (especially when the nostalgia trump card was pulled on a couple of cartoons!), here are our favorite (and most nostalgic) and least favorite cartoons from this magical 90s VHS tape. Did anyone else have one of these tapes lying around their house as a kid?

    Favorite and Most Nostalgic Disney Christmas Cartoon Shorts

    🎄Pluto’s Christmas Tree

    It has all the holiday feels and the best of our chipmunk friends Chip and Dale. And there is some sweet Christmas caroling at the end. So nostalgic. And now you can see a nod to this cartoon in the queue for Mickey’s Runaway Railroad at the parks! *sniff* so amazing!

    ☃️Donald’s Snow Fight

    This was the perfect cartoon for Corban as a child. It defined the beginning of Christmas break for him. No more school. It was time for snowball fights and epic snow forts. Bring on Christmas break!

    🧸The Night Before Christmas

    There is something magical about watching the toys decorate and bring Christmas to life for the children as they sleep. And the little boy who gets a puppy at the end? Just precious.

    Least Favorite (But Still Amazing) Disney Christmas Cartoon Shorts

    🎅🏼Santa’s Workshop

    Some parts are mind-boggling (that checkerboard paint??). And others are charming (Santa reading the kids’ Christmas lists). But overall this isn’t our favorite Santa’s workshop situation.

    ⛸️Once Upon a Wintertime

    Everything about this is so charming. Except it is *screaming!* Valentine’s Day vibes—great cartoon, wrong holiday VHS tape.

    ❄️Mickey Mouse On Ice

    Very fun and we love the old-school animation of our favorite Mickey characters. The cinematography of Mickey’s ice skating skills is amazing to watch (they were clearly having so much fun experimenting with the possibilities of this new animation medium). But it is lacking a Christmas tone, and neither of us was feeling particularly nostalgic about this one. Although we still enjoy it now!

    Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Neverland Files family! We have loved spending time with you this season. Thank you all for your love and support! 💗🎄💗🎄💗



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    53 mins
  • Christmas Around the World with Popular Disney Characters!
    Dec 8 2024

    🦘Darla and McLeach love surfing Santas and BBQs in Australia

    Beach day, BBQs, Surfing Santas. Corban is soaking in the sunny Christmas lifestyle of Australia at Christmas. Darla is going to love showing you around her neighborhood Christmas party :)

    🐉Raya is all about floating lanterns and Mulan loves saxophone Santa!

    Mowgli just joined the man village so he is showing us the traditions of India of sweet rice pudding. And Raya would love to invite Rapunzel over to Thailand for their floating lanterns!

    🦁Tarzan and Simba invite you to candlelight caroling followed by pumpkin fritters!

    Simba and Nala invite you to their caroling by candlelight event at Pride Rock! And afterward, Tarzan and the gorillas will be joining us for pumpkin fritters, kebobs, and pickled fish.

    🎆Mirabel loves the Family Madrigal’s fireworks display with delicious hot chocolate!

    The Family Madrigal always looks forward to lots of Christmas Eve fireworks, Three Kings Day on January 6th, and delicious hot chocolate. And Emperor Kuzco will be looking to give the best gifts on Christmas and Three Kings Day because he has to be seen as the best, always.

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    54 mins
  • Upgrading Regular Movies to Christmas Movies!
    Dec 1 2024

    🌹Beauty and the Beast (live-action or animated)

    The castle is enveloped in snow. Beast gives Belle the gift of the library😍. And it has deep themes of redemption and sacrifice. It's like Beast is Ebenezer Scrooge and Belle is Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and the Ghosts all rolled into one :)

    🦁Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

    The magic of winter in the wardrobe is short-lived but palpable. But with Father Christmas making a brief appearance and the deep themes and Christian symbolism this movie makes the top of even Corban’s list of non-Christmas, Christmas movies.

    👑Anastasia

    Even though we don’t have a lot of nostalgia wrapped up in this one. But the wintery Russian setting and the music box song “Once Upon a December” create a very Christmasy feeling.

    🎄Little Women

    Take your pick on the version, they all have that cozy Christmas scene that carries the themes of family and sacrifice through this coming-of-age story. We love how Christmas is the touchstone used to track the sisters’ lives, revisiting it each year under different circumstances.

    🍫Wonka and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

    Who says that the magic of the Christmas season is only for children? Any movie that gets us back in touch with that childlike wonder also gets us feeling all Christmasy. And no one does imagination like Willy Wonka.

    🐒Swiss Family Robinson

    This family makes the best of their terrible circumstances and celebrates a simple, yet love-filled Christmas as their entire family is reunited. Wholesome family adventure stories (with a dash of Christmas) at their best.

    ⛷️Snowball Express

    Not a whole lot of heart or deep themes here. But in our family, it has become a tradition to watch it all together on a snow day after digging out our friends and neighbors.

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    47 mins
  • It's Time for Our 2024 Thank You Notes!
    Nov 24 2024

    📝Thank you to Disney’s “Wish” for adding two new songs to our Disney Playlists!

    📝Thank you, Disney, for paying $71.3 billion so that we could watch The Sound of Music on Disney Plus. It was money well spent!

    📝 Thank you for our Disney Murder Mystery episode which was almost better than an Agatha Christie novel!

    📝Thank you to Captain America for letting Corban constantly make fun of him. His respect for Cap is growing….

    📝Thank you Captain America: Winter Soldier for reminding Camari how good a Marvel movie can be!

    📝Thank you Indiana Jones for being patient. We are glad we finally got to you this season!

    📝Thank you Enchanto for giving us hope in unique storytelling and entertainment in an era of sequels and remakes.

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    This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theneverlandfiles.substack.com/subscribe
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    38 mins
  • Ranking Captain America's Best Speeches
    Nov 17 2024

    “Whatever it takes.” - Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    “I’ll be there.” - Captain America: Civil War (2016)

    “Hulk, Smash!” - The Avengers (2012)

    “If I’m the only one than so be it. But I’m willing to bet I’m not.” - Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014)

    “It’s about whether he’s right.” - The Avengers: Age of Ultron

    Honorable Mention: “Avengers, assemble.” - Avengers: Endgame (2019)

    Guys. This has to be top three. But Corban was very stubbornly attached to his letter “speech.” *sigh* You tell us! Which should have been in the number two spot.

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    This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theneverlandfiles.substack.com/subscribe
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    46 mins
  • Is Encanto the New Standard for Disney Musicals?
    Nov 9 2024

    🌎Encanto explores non-European culture in a celebratory and authentic way

    There are hints at the social unrest Columbia has experienced (Pedro and Alma having to their home because of violent conflict). But more importantly, it celebrates the diversity of the people and surroundings of an oft-overlooked, even villainized South American country.

    👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Encanto centers its themes on the complexities of familial relationships

    We feel Disney is at its best when it is focusing on families. When Disney anchors their stories with strong and positive family dynamics or themes, they create content for their primary audiences that resonates powerfully.

    🎼Encanto is filled with music that is memorable, emotional and also carries the storytelling forward in a fun and unique way that fits the culture it is exploring

    We don’t know enough about the logistics of music to say what is done right in the nuts and bolts of Lin Manuel Miranda’s songs. But Encanto feels like the charm of old Disney musical storytelling meets the freshness of a new cultural experience. He married the two perfectly.

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    1 hr
  • We've Got the Disney United States Cabinet All Set for a New President (Your Welcome!)
    Nov 3 2024

    Secretary of State - Peggy Carter from Captain America: The First Avenger

    She is firm and no-nonsense. Understands the importance of diplomacy to avoid war. But will stand up to any bully who comes her way.

    Secretary of the Treasury - Scrooge McDuck from Duck Tales

    We aren’t sure which version of Scrooge we are dealing with. But he is the economic mind of Disney characters. And if its stingy Scrooge, he could help with our national debt…?

    Secretary of Defense - Mufasa from The Lion King

    Corban’s trump card. When in doubt. Mufasa can do it. We trust his judgment.

    Attorney General - George from The Aristocats

    He was one of the only Disney lawyers we could think of who had the experience with the justice system and lawyerese to pull this off…maybe?

    Secretary of the Interior - Pocahontas from Pocahontas

    She knows the lands intimately and respects their need for care. However, she also has an eye for innovation and curiosity. She is open to new approaches while honoring the land.

    Secretary of Agriculture - Te Fiti

    Basically, we have recruited Mother Nature to help cultivate and encourage agricultural growth. We are hoping she can bring in some new methods and help our agriculture be as productive and life-giving as possible

    Secretary of Commerce - Bob Iger

    Bit of a cheat here. But hey, if the Disney Company brought him back for another stint as CEO then there must be something to his leadership that people like and respect. And we like and need more of that.

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    43 mins
  • Let's Create a Disney Frankenstein Mashup Character
    Oct 27 2024

    👻What happens when you assemble Disneystein monsters from Disney animated characters? Let’s just say the number one thing we discovered was they are hard to dress!

    Male Disney Monster #1 - Amos Slade

    Head - Amos Slade from Fox and the Hound

    Hairstyle - Merlin from Sword in the Stone

    Arms - Winnie the Pooh from Winnie the Pooh

    Torso - Shan Yu from Mulan

    Legs - Ratigan from The Great Mouse Detective

    Outfit - Aladdin from Aladdin

    Male Disney Monster #2 - Prince John

    Head - Prince John from Robin Hood

    Hairstyle - Anger from Inside Out

    Arms - Gaston from Beauty and the Beast

    Torso - King Candy from Wreck it Ralph

    Legs - Flick from Bug’s Life

    Outfit - Peter Pan from Peter Pan

    🎃Happy Halloween from us and our Disneystein Monsters!

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    This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theneverlandfiles.substack.com/subscribe
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    28 mins