Up next in 10
20 Years of Cars: Lessons, Legacy & Theme Park Transformations
Sep 6, 2026
Celebrating 20 years of Disney and Pixar’s Cars on Lightning McQueen Day (September 5th)! In this special reading corner episode of Daps Magic – Disney and Positive Stuff, Mr. Daps takes a deep dive into how a mid-tier 2006 theatrical release evolved into a multi-generational franchise powerhouse. Beyond the racing and die-cast toys, we explore the timeless themes, character growth, and major theme park shifts that make Radiator Springs so special.
In this episode, we break down:
* Slowing Down in a Fast-Paced World: Shifting from Lightning McQueen’s hyper-focused, selfish rush to a "Route 66 mindset" centered on community over competition.
* Mentorship & True Success: What Doc Hudson (voiced by Paul Newman) teaches us about honoring the wisdom of older generations, passing the torch, and measuring success by character rather than trophies.
* The Magic of Forgotten Places: Celebrating small towns, supporting local businesses, and prioritizing human connection over corporate progress.
* Cars Land as a Theme Park Pivot Point: How stepping onto Route 66 in Disney California Adventure set a new standard for total narrative immersion, paving the way for future lands like World of Frozen, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and the upcoming Piston Peak at Magic Kingdom.
💬 COMMUNITY QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What is your favorite Cars memory or lesson from the last 20 years? Is it a favorite character, a moment from the films, or stepping into Cars Land for the first time? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
🌐 CONNECT WITH DAPS MAGIC:
* Website: http://dapsmagic.com
* Daps HQ Community: Join our interactive community and exclusive Daps After Dark chats at http://dapshq.com!
* Social Media: Connect across platforms @dapsmagic
⭐ SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you enjoyed this episode, please hit subscribe, leave us a comment, and drop a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!
✨ Make it a great week, keep kind, and we’ll see you in the parks!
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
[music]
0:08
[music]
0:13
Welcome to Daps Magic, Disney and
0:14
Positive Stuff. I'm Mr. Daps and today
0:16
we're doing things a little bit
0:17
different. I thought I would bring you
0:19
to my reading corner with all of the fun
0:21
stuff I have here, which honestly you
0:23
can't see as well as I was hoping you
0:24
would be able to so that uh we could
0:27
celebrate 20 years of cars. It's hard to
0:30
believe that Disney and Pixar's cars has
0:33
been around for 20 years. And when I'm
0:35
filming this, it is actually Lightning
0:38
McQueen Day, which is September 5th. You
0:40
know, the the 95 thing. But I thought as
0:43
we're looking at this 20 years of cars,
0:45
it would be kind of fun to look back at
0:47
the legacy and and the lessons of
0:49
Pixar's Cars that we've learned through
0:51
the years. So before we get into all of
0:54
that, let me know what your favorite
0:55
Cars movie is, show is short is, or
0:58
maybe you just like Cars Land or one of
1:00
the hotels or other representations.
1:03
Maybe it's Piston Peak that's coming
1:05
very soon in the parks and beyond
1:07
because there are a lot of cars. Maybe
1:10
it's a toy. I don't know. Let me know
1:12
what your favorite part of cars is in
1:15
the comments below as we go through
1:17
this. And I find it interesting because
1:20
the story of Cars in some ways
1:23
replicates the story that is told during
1:26
the movie Cars. And and when you think
1:28
back 20 years ago, this wasn't a huge
1:32
right out of the box success. It was one
1:35
of those things that was in the middle.
1:36
Like it was successful, but it wasn't a
1:38
home run. and and now 20 years later,
1:41
you look at how it's grown and how it's
1:43
taken off and and the franchise
1:46
juggernaut that it's been become. Uh it
1:48
really kind of mirrors a little bit the
1:51
story of Cars. So, let's get into this.
1:55
First thing that I took away from cars,
1:57
and this was one of those things that
2:00
growing up in Minnesota really jumped
2:01
out at me, and I've done this a few
2:04
times, so I love this, is
2:07
cars teaches us to slow down in a very
2:12
fastpaced world. And you start thinking
2:15
of the movie. It starts off with a race
2:17
and everything's fast and lightning is
2:20
super focused and it's all about
2:22
lightning, you know, the selfishness
2:24
thing happening and it's all about
2:27
winning and it's all about getting to
2:28
that Piston Cup and and or winning that
2:31
Piston Cup and being the best of the
2:33
best and it's all about me and and
2:36
nobody else matters. you know, run over
2:37
anybody just to get the status, to get
2:40
the trophy, to get the win, to get to
2:43
that next step. And that really is
2:49
indicative, I guess you could say, of a
2:51
lot of the rat race to go back to
2:53
Carousel of Progress that so many people
2:55
are going through today. And as you
2:58
watch the movie progress, he gets to do
3:01
on his go on his little detour to
3:03
Radiator Springs, whether he wanted to
3:04
or not. And that detour forces him to
3:09
slow down quite literally. [laughter]
3:11
And um
3:15
that really took him off of his main
3:18
path and it provided a different
3:21
perspective
3:23
that he wouldn't have gotten if he just
3:25
kept going down the main interstate and
3:27
kept going race after race after race
3:29
after race. And when he did that,
3:34
he starts to discover the beauty and the
3:36
strength and the the amazing thing that
3:41
is community over competition. And my
3:44
friend Kristen talks about this a lot.
3:46
And it really is something that's that's
3:49
incredible
3:51
because there's strength in that,
3:53
there's support in that. And I would say
3:55
the true win in life comes from
3:58
community over competition.
4:00
And
4:02
that really is discovered because he
4:04
gets out of the race and really takes
4:07
some time to realize what's beautiful
4:09
around him. And so as we're going
4:12
through our daily lives, maybe it's
4:14
going to Disneyland, maybe it's it's
4:16
going to work, maybe it's it's racing
4:18
through whatever it is that we've got
4:19
going on, one of the things that I take
4:22
away from cars is we kind of have to get
4:24
out of that racing modern hustle go
4:28
culture and instead have a what I'm
4:32
going to call a Route 66 mindset. It's
4:34
that slow down, take in the
4:36
surroundings, enjoy the people around
4:38
you, you know, build those personal
4:40
connections, love those personal
4:42
connections because that's really going
4:45
to lead to greater fulfillment and
4:48
happiness and joy than just racing
4:52
towards that arbitrary finish line that
4:54
once you've crossed it is going to lead
4:57
to the next arbitrary finish line. And
4:59
because of that, you're always going to
5:01
feel a little bit unfulfilled. You're
5:03
always going to wish that you were
5:05
getting to that next place. And you
5:08
really can't find that contentment and
5:10
happiness that maybe you would have if
5:13
you were enjoying the surroundings
5:16
around you and the people around you.
5:19
Okay, that was the first thing I I took
5:20
away from going back to cars in um 20
5:25
years later, so 2026. Second thing,
5:28
there's strength that comes from
5:30
mentorship, legacy, and discovering true
5:33
success. And and I really go back to Doc
5:37
Hudson with this, who's uh voiced by
5:39
Paul Newman, the late great Paul Newman.
5:41
And
5:43
in cars,
5:45
this really represents the forgotten
5:49
wisdom of older generations. And it's so
5:52
easy to overlook this or race by it or
5:54
ignore it or whatever it is. Um, but Doc
5:57
Hudson is this
5:59
ridiculously amazing historic racing
6:03
champion that after a crash basically
6:07
got thrown away, but he still knows how
6:09
to race and and he knows things that
6:12
Lightning doesn't know. And Lightning
6:14
can learn from the mistakes that Hudson
6:16
learned and and be a better racer
6:18
because of that. And and that really is
6:21
where the importance of finding those
6:23
mentors in life and finding those people
6:25
who've gone before you and been
6:26
successful at what you want to be
6:28
successful at to really learn lessons
6:32
that they've already learned as opposed
6:33
to having to learn everything the hard
6:36
way yourself, which is just going to
6:38
slow you down over and over and over
6:39
again. And then as this is happening,
6:43
this connection with with the
6:48
the mentor and the legacy that that Doc
6:50
Hudson has, it changes the definition of
6:53
what success is for for Lightning. And
6:57
and I think the prime example is is when
6:59
he's pushing the king um across the
7:01
finish line and and he's choosing to
7:05
really be a good guy as opposed to just
7:08
take the easy win. And
7:11
that's that's a huge change for
7:13
Lightning. And that really does come
7:16
because not only did he learn how to be
7:18
a better racer from Doc Hudson, but he
7:21
also learned how to be a better car or a
7:23
better person, whatever you want to call
7:24
it. And I think that's something that we
7:28
often really ignore. It's always about
7:32
um being the winner. It's always about
7:34
being
7:35
the I guess the quickest outcomes, I
7:38
guess, is a quick way to do it. And and
7:40
I think through the mentorship of people
7:43
who've gone before us and have that
7:44
wisdom and have that depth, we can we
7:47
can really pick up on the things that
7:49
maybe are more important that maybe we
7:51
wouldn't notice that a different
7:53
perspective gives us, which kind of ties
7:56
into that first lesson. But it it really
7:59
helps us realize that success isn't
8:04
purely measured by personal trophies,
8:08
but really it's by our character. It's
8:10
by sportsmanship and and really how you
8:13
treat and elevate others. Um, some of my
8:16
favorite people in the world and
8:17
favorite leaders that I get to see on a
8:19
regular basis are so good about pouring
8:23
into the people around them, elevating
8:25
them, making them feel like they're the
8:28
true winners, which they are, and
8:30
really,
8:32
really lifting them up and putting them
8:34
in the spotlight. Like, I've been seeing
8:36
this a lot in uh some of the Disney
8:38
leadership lately, which is really
8:40
amazing to see. and and it really makes
8:43
me hopeful for the future. But I love
8:46
that
8:48
when you change that perspective,
8:51
it changes things from like this
8:55
this thing where you can't get enough.
8:57
Like you just keep pulling in and in and
8:59
in. And it's all about me and it's all
9:01
about selfishness and it's all about uh
9:03
you know what can I have? What can I do?
9:05
Sorry for hitting the mic. and all of
9:07
that. And instead, it becomes this
9:09
joyful, sharing, giving thing. And and
9:13
that really comes from recognizing the
9:16
the value and honoring those people that
9:18
came before us and passing the wisdom on
9:22
to the next generation, which we then
9:24
would have a responsibility to do for
9:26
those that follow and for those that
9:27
really are open to learning. Like that's
9:29
that's a huge part of it, too. Like it's
9:31
it's a thing that you really um you
9:34
catch over being taught. I think and and
9:38
so
9:40
I think there's a fantastic example in
9:43
cars of what that mentorship and that
9:46
legacy and what true success can look
9:48
like and that really does come back from
9:51
that talk Doc Hudson and Lightning
9:54
McQueen relationship and I love to see
9:56
it and um it really is something that I
10:00
think should be sought out, people
10:03
should be open to and it really should
10:06
be treasured because it really is
10:08
something um that is special. All right,
10:12
next one.
10:14
There's something very special about
10:16
forgotten places and the community that
10:21
can be found in them. Like it's a
10:23
powerful thing. And I had the wonderful
10:28
experience or gift I guess you could
10:30
call it, of growing up in a couple of
10:32
small towns around the country growing
10:34
up. I I mainly consider Minnesota the
10:36
place where I grew up, but you know,
10:38
there was Iowa, there was Oregon, there
10:39
was other places. And
10:42
for whatever reason, we generally ended
10:44
up in a small town. And
10:48
as you watch Cars, you realize the magic
10:51
and how special these small towns and
10:54
communities really are. And
10:57
you watch how, you know, the interstates
11:00
built and these small towns can be
11:02
forgotten and they can be bypassed and
11:05
these beautiful communities and
11:09
locations
11:11
just end up being isolated.
11:14
And you start thinking more as you're
11:17
watching this film or going on uh
11:19
Radiator Springs Racers at Disneyland
11:22
about the different personalities that
11:24
you find in Radiator Springs. But this
11:27
is true, I feel like, of all small
11:29
towns. You know, you have Sally and
11:31
Mater and Luigi and Raone and and all of
11:34
these different cars that make this
11:37
vibrant and
11:39
diverse community that bring strength
11:43
from each type of car and what gifts
11:46
they bring to that community. And and it
11:50
just shows the strength of those
11:53
different cars or people in our lives
11:55
coming together when they really focus
11:58
on providing support to each other in
12:00
having that pride of their home and in
12:04
and and really coming together to not
12:08
just be a community of today, but also
12:11
preserving the community of yesterday, I
12:13
think, is a huge part of that. and and
12:16
that kind of it's it's interesting how
12:17
these are all connected now that I'm
12:19
thinking about it even more uh because
12:21
that really is a part of the legacy
12:23
mentorship and honoring the past and and
12:27
it's really taking it from a you know
12:30
mentor to mentee role to a community
12:33
role and what can we all bring to that
12:36
community what can we be proud of in
12:38
that community what can we contribute to
12:40
the community and as I'm thinking about
12:43
this I'm like there's always challenges
12:45
in communities as we see in cars. And
12:48
there's different personalities and
12:49
there's different conflicts and
12:51
different um agendas,
12:54
but there's also a
12:58
a recognition that where you're at is
13:01
special and that it's something that's
13:04
worth saving. And I think that
13:06
overarching goal and that overarching
13:08
love of the community both as as people
13:12
or cars and the location
13:16
overcomes everything else. And as I'm
13:19
thinking this, I'm thinking of uh
13:20
there's there's some sort of a line of
13:22
of when you look for the bad in people
13:27
expecting to find it, you surely will.
13:29
And I think the converse is also true is
13:31
when you look for the good in people
13:32
expecting to find it, you always will.
13:35
And I think that's something that we see
13:37
happening in Radiator Springs is people
13:41
or cars are recognizing the good in each
13:45
of each others that could drive them
13:47
bonkers all the time, but instead
13:50
they're focused on preserving their
13:52
local history. They're focused on
13:54
supporting the individual small
13:56
businesses that make up this community.
13:58
And in a world that keeps growing bigger
14:00
and wider and more diverse, that's
14:02
harder and harder it seems. But at the
14:04
same time, there are ways to make that
14:06
more doable with the internet and and
14:08
travel blogs and all sorts of stuff. And
14:13
there's a recognition in cars
14:16
especially, but in many small towns that
14:20
corporate progress or whatever that is
14:24
shouldn't come at the sacrifice or the
14:27
cost of human connection and or cars
14:31
connection. If we're talking about if
14:33
we're really going to keep it in the
14:35
analogy and
14:37
when you think of it that way,
14:41
yes, it changes our definition of
14:42
success. Yes, it changes the the
14:45
motivation and the ways we're going to
14:47
go about doing things,
14:50
but it also just highlights the magic of
14:54
the community. It highlights the beauty
14:56
that comes from being in a small town
14:59
where everybody does know each other and
15:01
we we embrace our quirks as opposed to
15:04
getting annoyed by them and throwing
15:05
them out. And and it really does
15:09
showcase the treasure of these small
15:12
communities that are along Route 66. Um
15:15
which I have done that trip uh with my
15:17
parents years ago. Uh we decided to
15:19
drive back through Route 66 and it was
15:22
so fun seeing some of these small towns
15:24
and side of the road places and just
15:28
random things that you come across as
15:31
you're not going on the main
15:32
thoroughfare. And there's some of my
15:36
favorite pictures I've ever taken. And
15:38
in fact, I've wanted to redo it now
15:39
because I just feel like I'm such a
15:41
better photographer now than I was then.
15:43
and and I'd love to just capture some of
15:46
those spaces and those moments and those
15:48
views um that really are special and
15:51
cities are cool, but small towns have
15:54
something absolutely magical. I'm
15:56
thinking of the moment it all lights up
15:58
every night and that happens in Cars
16:00
Land, too. But that really is something
16:04
uh unique and special and um I think it
16:07
should be celebrated and and and held on
16:09
to.
16:11
And then you look at how
16:13
The film has turned into so much more
16:16
than what it initially was. You know, it
16:18
was really just a movie with some toys
16:21
which were great and then this thing
16:23
starts taking off. It leads to more
16:25
movies. It leads to shorts. It leads to
16:27
series. A new one's coming out soon. And
16:29
then it leads to lands. And I don't
16:33
think many of us will ever forget the
16:37
first time we walked into Cars Land at
16:38
Disney California Adventure. and
16:42
we saw this movie and we saw Radiator
16:46
Springs come to life right in front of
16:50
us as if that's where it'd always been.
16:53
And we stepped into this Pixar movie and
16:55
we were following Lightning McQueen
16:58
right down Route 66 into Radiator
17:00
Springs and meeting each of the the
17:03
inhabitants of this town. And
17:08
you think of this as a special place,
17:11
but I think we also need to recognize
17:13
that it might be a pivot point in the
17:16
history of Disney parks. And
17:19
that's
17:21
kind of a big statement, but I think
17:23
it's an accurate one because I can't
17:26
remember walking into another land like
17:30
Cars Land and being completely
17:33
transported into a single movie or a
17:36
single franchise or a single story. You
17:39
know, there's some beautiful lands at
17:40
Disneyland, but Cars Land was the first
17:44
time where it really, you know, it
17:46
wasn't the world of fantasy. It wasn't
17:48
tomorrow. It wasn't Frontier Land,
17:50
Adventure Land, whatever. It was like,
17:52
"Oh, no. We're taking you right into
17:55
Cars with Mater with Lightning.
17:59
Red now is there." and uh and really
18:02
letting you live and inhabit in that
18:05
world that they live in as they are also
18:08
living. So, the story really did come to
18:10
life. And we've heard through the years
18:11
like um you know, Star Wars, Galaxy's
18:14
Edge, this is where you get to live your
18:16
story. But I really think Cars Land is
18:18
what kicked that off. Like it was where
18:20
your story intersected with that of
18:22
Lightning McQueen and Sally and all the
18:24
gang. And you suddenly were a part of
18:26
that car story, even if you weren't a
18:28
car. and
18:30
and it created this cohesive narrative
18:35
that you got to be a part of that went
18:38
from screen to books to video games I
18:41
presume I don't actually remember now
18:43
right into Disney California Adventure
18:47
and you got to do that with your family
18:48
and your friends and that connection
18:51
didn't just
18:53
go from you to the movie but it was you
18:56
to those that were around you and maybe
18:58
your new friends as you're going through
18:59
the land, especially on opening day with
19:01
those ridiculously long lines. And I
19:04
don't actually think I've ever seen
19:05
anything like it. But um but it was
19:08
about connection and it really did I
19:14
think
19:15
provide a a stepping or a leaping off
19:18
point that we now see in you know world
19:21
of Frozen in you know Disney Adventure
19:23
World at Disneyland Paris or you know
19:26
what we have coming with uh Avengers
19:29
Campus in the expansion in Star Wars
19:31
Galaxy's Edge and it really did set the
19:36
bar so high. I don't know. I I haven't
19:38
been to a full world of um World of
19:41
Frozen yet. Like I went to the one at
19:43
Disney Fantasy, a Disney uh C in Fantasy
19:47
Springs and I loved it, but I don't know
19:51
that it took me into a completely new
19:53
world in the same way that Cars Land
19:57
did. And I I kind of guess that Piston
20:00
Peak over at Magic Kingdom and Walt
20:01
Disney World will do the same. And and I
20:03
wouldn't be surprised if Villains Land
20:05
does the same as well, where it really
20:07
takes you into that one cohesive story
20:10
and
20:12
you get to be living in their world. Uh,
20:15
Monstropolis, I think, will do the same
20:17
thing as well. But, um, when we got to
20:21
walk down Route 66 in Disney California
20:23
Adventure,
20:25
especially that first time, you remember
20:27
who you're with. You remember how that
20:29
felt. you remember the I'm going to call
20:32
it awe of the light hitting uh the
20:35
Cadillac range or you know the blinking
20:37
light or stoplight or eating that first
20:40
meal that flows.
20:43
It really does create those core
20:45
memories that we get to share with those
20:47
that we love or or those people that we
20:50
just became friends with because we did
20:51
make friends along the way, which I feel
20:54
like is probably another theme or uh
20:57
takeaway from Cars. But
21:00
it really is that that connection and
21:03
that immersive legacy that Disney has
21:08
now because of a movie 20 years ago that
21:11
led to a land that was opened, I don't
21:13
know, 14 years ago, something like that,
21:16
and now is leading to a new area of
21:18
Frontier Land in Magic Kingdom. And who
21:22
would have guessed it from a mid-level
21:23
movie? I think it also just says the
21:26
potential for any car, any person,
21:31
anything
21:32
that may not initially look like it it's
21:35
a great thing to be great. Like I just
21:38
think there is a strong story of
21:41
possibility in the Cars franchise story
21:44
when you think of where it came and
21:46
where it's gone and how it's grown
21:48
through the years and just how people
21:50
connect with it as as they're moving
21:54
as they're moving forward and and as
21:55
we're getting more cars in in more ways.
21:58
Um
22:00
so as we're wrapping this up because I
22:02
am about to run and go see the Lucas
22:04
Museum of Narrative Art, I believe it's
22:07
called. Um, I'm curious. What is your
22:10
favorite Pixar's Cars memory? Is it from
22:12
the screen? Is it from a toy? Is it from
22:13
Cars Land? Is it from an announcement?
22:16
Maybe it was at D23 a few month or a
22:19
month ago. Has it been a month already?
22:21
It's been a month. Uh maybe it's from
22:22
D23 when you got to see that Piston Peak
22:25
model and just realize how immersive and
22:28
amazing this is going to be and how it
22:30
really does feel like you're stepping
22:33
into a national park in Colorado or or
22:35
Montana or something. Um
22:38
but what is that thing that that really
22:41
is your favorite memory and then what is
22:44
that takeaway that you have from cars
22:48
over the last 20 years? You know, is it
22:50
the power of possibility? Is it the the
22:52
strength of slowing down? Is it
22:54
community over competition? Is it the
22:57
connection that we have when we get to
22:59
experience this franchise either on
23:01
screen or in the parks together? Or or
23:03
maybe it's the the power of a legacy and
23:07
a mentor. U there's so many different
23:09
things you can take away with it. And
23:11
these are just a few of them that popped
23:13
into my head quickly as I'm like, "Hey,
23:15
it's the 20th anniversary of cars. I
23:17
have a bow tie. Let's do a podcast on
23:20
cars. So hopefully you like this. Um I
23:23
never know when I kind of go off these
23:24
directions if they're going to be great
23:26
or not. So I would love to hear from
23:28
that or hear about that in the comments
23:29
as well. But as we're wrapping this up,
23:33
I do think one of the reason that Cars
23:36
is so special today, 20 years later, is
23:39
because at its core, it's a story of
23:41
heart. It's a story of character. It's a
23:43
story of growth. And it's a celebration
23:46
of community. And those are all things
23:49
that we love to get behind. Those are
23:51
all things that are fulfilling. Those
23:52
are all things that help make the world
23:54
a better place. And and I think that's
23:57
something that we can all connect with,
23:59
whether it's a story about cars or it's
24:01
something else using those same themes.
24:04
And and I love it. So, as we're wrapping
24:07
this up, if you haven't already and
24:09
you've made it this far, please
24:12
subscribe. Let me know what you think of
24:14
this podcast as well. Would love a
24:17
rating if you head on over to Apple
24:18
Podcast, Spotify, whatever. Five stars
24:20
are really cool, too, by the way, if you
24:22
really feel like that. But also, let me
24:24
know your thoughts and comments. And if
24:26
you would like to connect with me more,
24:28
please head on over to daphq.com,
24:31
which is where we have our DAPSMagic
24:33
headquarters and we we have kind of
24:35
behindthe-scenes chat a little bit more
24:37
in depth and in a more uh interactive
24:40
community with with me and the DAPS
24:42
Magic team, which is a whole lot of fun,
24:44
especially after Geeks Corner when we
24:46
have DAPs After Dark, our weekly uh
24:48
exclusive show for DAPs HQ. But hope to
24:51
see you there. Anyway, I hope you're
24:53
having a fantastic day. Make it a great
24:56
week. Keep kind. And we'll see you in
24:58
the parks.
25:09
[music]
#People & Society