The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey celebrate the 50th episode of the podcast by exploring Universal’s rumored expansion into India and taking a deep dive into one of Islands of Adventure’s most ambitious—and short-lived—attractions: Triceratops Encounter. Along the way, they talk tribute store props, Epic Universe operations, and what happens when Florida weather shuts everything down. Universal India theme park rumors emerge just hours after Disney announces a new park in Abu Dhabi Is the India story a strategic leak or a real expansion plan? Jim breaks down the global pattern Eric reacts to his family visiting the Universal tribute store without him—and the props they spotted from past Tribute Stores Annual Passholder discounts and exclusive merch deals return as Epic Universe ramps up Epic Universe extends park hours—what it means for nighttime crowds and show readiness What happens when it rains? A long list of outdoor attractions go down at Epic Universe The ambitious anima

This week on I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey explore the surprising (and very real) connection between Disney and NASA. From Walt’s passion for futurism to the pivotal role of the Disneyland TV show in helping launch America’s space program, this episode tracks how a theme park attraction like Mission: SPACE is rooted in actual history—and how it all started with a cartoon. Plus, Lauren recaps her latest visit to Walt Disney World, with new pin trading finds at Epcot, handmade souvenirs in Germany, and must-see graduation merch at Creations. Also: Loungefly alternatives, the secret perks of the Mission: SPACE playground, and how the Plain White T’s ended up in the middle of Flower & Garden. Why Walt Disney worked with Wernher von Braun How a Disney TV special helped get NASA off the ground The story behind Mission: SPACE merch (and crystals) The new must-have black-and-white Disney backpack Tuesday pin drops and pro trading setups at Epcot The make-your-own glas

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor explore a wide range of animation and entertainment industry news, including: The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and American Dad each get renewed for four more seasons—an unprecedented move ensuring job security and a pipeline of adult animation through the end of the decade. Marvel’s Thunderbolts debuts at #1 at the domestic box office with $76 million, signaling a possible rebound for the MCU. Korean animated feature The King of Kings becomes the highest-grossing Korean film in U.S. history, surpassing Parasite. Big City Greens celebrates its 100th episode with a special titled “One Hundred,” now streaming on Disney+. Boop! The Musical and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast 30th Anniversary Tour – A look at how cartoon-based Broadway shows are faring in 2025 and what’s next for Disney Theatrical. A heartfelt look at aging voice talent, with reflections on cast longevity for The Simpsons and how Disney once replace

Jim reveals Disney World’s scrapped plan to retheme the Mad Tea Party with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland—a move that would’ve introduced clever nods to the film like “Drink Me” and “Eat Me” food stands and tied directly into Pixie Hollow. Len adds context with stories about Fantasyland’s expansion, while the duo discusses why Haunted Mansion Holiday never came to Florida, and why Tim Burton’s working relationship with Disney ended with Dumbo. Scrapped plans for a Burton-inspired Mad Tea Party overlay How Walt Disney World hoped to tap into the Nightmare Before Christmas merch model Why Haunted Mansion Holiday won’t come to Magic Kingdom Fantasyland expansion budget and leadership changes Tim Burton’s final Disney film and his “Dumbo” disillusionment Plus, listener questions about endangered Disney World attractions and ideas for a Muppets-themed rock bar. SHOW NOTES Support Our Sponsors DVC Resale Market Thinking about joining Disney Vacation Club or selling your contra

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey dig into the recent uproar over Epic Universe preview ticket availability—and why Universal quietly opened the gates to everyone. Then they dive into the surprising retirement of Volcano Bay’s TapuTapu system and the fascinating history behind the short-lived Triceratops Encounter at Islands of Adventure. Epic Universe preview tickets go public, frustrating some Annual Passholders What low crowds and Disney discounts might reveal about this summer’s Orlando tourism outlook Universal’s guest survey tactics—and how they’re targeting Disney’s “seamless” brand language Volcano Bay announces the retirement of TapuTapu and a five-month closure for overhaul Universal Hollywood FanFest reactions and Drew Taylor’s tip for avoiding long lines The box office power of Wicked, Despicable Me, and Universal’s 360-degree promo strategy The history of Triceratops Encounter and how a 1960s Easter special led to one of Universal’s biggest animatronic swings W

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey return with a jam-packed episode that blends Disney shopping secrets and animation history. Lauren shares her behind-the-scenes visit to Disney’s elusive Property Control store, a cast member-exclusive outlet full of discounted resort furniture, rare park merch, and even frozen food. Hear what she found, what she bought, and why it may be Disney’s best-kept secret. Then Jim dives into the fascinating history of Gertie the Dinosaur—Hollywood Studios’ lakeside icon—tracing her roots back to a 1914 vaudeville act that helped inspire Walt Disney himself. From stamp collecting to Loungefly obsessions, this episode covers the quirky side of fandom and the legacy of one animated Brontosaurus. What Property Control is and how Lauren got in The limited merch, props, and even snacks for sale inside The new Gertie merch spotted at Hollywood Studios How Windsor McCay’s 1914 cartoon dinosaur changed animation forever The real story behind Disney’s ice cream-slinging

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor cover a busy week in animation and theme park news, including: Drew’s full report from FanFest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, including Back to the Future Hill Valley experiences, new anime tie-ins, and what could be coming to the East Coast. King of the Hill revival update – A new panel announced for the ATX TV Festival, with co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels and voice actors returning. The Simpsons streaming hiccups – Yellow Planet, the Earth Day episode, struggles to launch properly on Disney+. Annécy 2025 preview – Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm prepare for a massive presence, including previews for Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, Elio, and Eyes of Wakanda. Warner Bros. Animation’s Cartoon Network 25th Anniversary Panel featuring Genndy Tartakovsky, Craig McCracken, Pendleton Ward, and Rebecca Sugar. Netflix rescues Genndy Tartakovsky’s Fixed after Warner Bros. dropped it—world premiere planned for An

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into one of the strangest goofs in Disney history—how the restaurant inside Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom was originally named after the wrong king, and why it took over two decades (and a flood of guest complaints) to finally correct it. Also in this episode: The King Stefan Banquet Hall Backstory – Why Imagineering picked the wrong king in the first place—and how nobody caught it before opening day. Dave Smith and John Hench’s Awkward Phone Call – The archivist and the Imagineer have a polite, slightly painful conversation about medieval royalty. The 25th Anniversary Castle Cake Fallout – Why complaints about the Pepto-Bismol pink castle pushed Disney to rethink the restaurant’s name. How Cinderella’s Royal Table Was Finally Born – And how it became one of the most popular (and profitable) restaurants in all of Walt Disney World. Listener Questions and More – Updates on Disney and Universal surveys, Lightning Lane changes, and Epic Uni

In the sixteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid continued their look back at the history of themed entertainment. This time around, they focus on some of the innovations Walt Disney helped introduce with his family fun park.  Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: How far back in history do automatons go? Who was the first creator to use pneumatics What sort of control systems were used originally at Disneyland Park When were Audio Animatronics first introduced? PLUS Special Guest Joe Lanzisero’s experiences working with animatronics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey share Eric’s full first impressions after visiting Epic Universe—just 27 days before its grand opening. From ride reviews to immersive lands, they explore how Universal’s newest park lives up to the hype. Plus, they discuss Annual Passholder perks, new cosplay merch, and Universal’s latest theme park innovations. Eric shares his thoughts after previewing Epic Universe for the first time New Dungeons & Dragons animatronic debuts at Universal Studios Hollywood, created in partnership with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Passholder perks, merch discounts, and alcohol restrictions tied to the Monster Makeup Experience Fan Fest Nights merch preview includes Star Trek, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more Universal’s $2B economic impact for Florida and $11B national impact highlighted by new reports This episode combines park preview excitement, detailed ride analysis, and big-picture context for Universal’s most ambitious project yet. Support Our Sponsor: Be Our Guest Vacations Plannin

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey sit down with actor and author Colin Egglesfield (All My Children, Something Borrowed) to revisit one of Disney’s most passionate fan events: Super Soap Weekend. Colin shares what it was like to meet thousands of soap fans at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, parade through the park with Goofy, and be part of the event’s final years. They also discuss Colin’s time on All My Children, his unforgettable character arc as Erica Kane’s long-lost son, and how he battled cancer behind the scenes—while still showing up to set and filming every day. The story behind Colin’s stolen-fetus storyline and how he landed his role on All My Children What it was like to attend Super Soap Weekend as a featured star The culture of soap opera fandom and merch at Disney, from autographed dolls to signed headshots How Colin’s cancer diagnosis shaped his time on the show and inspired his public speaking career Behind-the-scenes stories about Susan Lucci, cast bonding, and meeting fans at the parks Details

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with filmmakers Eric Kimelton, Christopher Ninness, and Scott Seibold to talk about the making of Not Just a Goof, the heartfelt new Disney+ documentary celebrating the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie. They discuss lost footage, creative challenges, pop culture legacy, and their unexpected journey from fans to contributors in Goofy’s story. Also in this episode: Star Wars animation news out of Tokyo – Updates on Tales of the Underworld, Visions: Volume 3, The Ninth Jedi, Maul: Shadow Lord, and Young Jedi Adventures. Tim Allen teases Toy Story 5 – Including the return of multiple Buzz Lightyears and emotional story beats. Hailee Steinfeld talks Beyond the Spider-Verse – How she’s embracing the long development process. DreamWorks announces Forgotten Island – A new original comedy rooted in Philippine mythology, coming September 2026. Big City Greens celebrates its 100th episode, Bill Plympton’s Guard Dog goes free on YouTube, and

Len Testa, Jim Hill, and Imagineer Jim Shull dig into the wild, weird, and wonderfully unsafe history of Disney’s unbuilt Alice in Wonderland walkthrough attraction—complete with collapsing stairs, spinning barrels, and push-bag trees. Also in this episode: Disneyland’s Funhouse That Never Was – Concept art and site plans reveal a walkthrough filled with rotating platforms, disorienting ramps, and a healthy disregard for OSHA. Why Alice’s Walkthrough Got the Axe – Was it the cost, the chaos, or the fact that guests might leave with concussions and playing cards in their pockets? Alice’s Maze Lives On – How elements of the walkthrough survived in Paris and Shanghai—hedges, live-action inspiration, and all. Buzz Lightyear’s Costume Was a Health Risk – The original walk-around suit nearly wrecked cast members’ backs and required Disney to cover chiropractor visits. Everest and the Yeti (Still Broken) – Jim Shull gives the latest on Disco Yeti, ride longevity, and why any real fix won’t happen until Ex

Brian Gaughan & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking up Season Two of “Andor.” They then closely examine the “Star Wars” -related panels & programming at this year’s WonderCon. For this episode, listeners will learn about: Which Cole Porter song features the line “ … what a swell party this is” How many films based-on-Stephen-King-stories films will Mark Hamill be appearing in this year Who was a last-minute replacement for Harrison Ford / stood in for this “Star Wars” veteran as a presenter at this year’s Academy Awards Which film from the first “Star Wars” trilogy will be presented in its original form at this year’s British Film Institute Film on Film Festival How many pieces are there in the new LEGO Star Wars set which then recreates Jango Fett’s Firespray Class Starship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey take a closer look at Hop, Illumination’s forgotten holiday hopeful, and why Easter has never quite found its Elf or Home Alone. From Universal’s big swings to nostalgic flops, they explore what makes holiday movies stick - and why the Easter Bunny keeps missing the mark. •      Why Hop had all the ingredients for success… but still faded into obscurity •      A look back at forgotten Easter specials like The Tale of the Bunny Picnic and Here Comes Peter Cottontail •      The challenge of making Easter “cinematic” compared to Christmas •      Wicked’s Peacock streaming success and speculation on future park tie-ins •      Epic Universe’s Parisian land and its links to Fantastic Beasts •      Horror Unleashed teases its Las Vegas Scarecrow maze •      Gabby’s Dollhouse heads to the big screen - and maybe to DreamWorks Land •      First look at the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 trailer and HHN speculation Support Our Sponsor: Be Our Guest Vacations Planning your next Universal vacation? Be

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey hop into the season with stories of springtime mishaps, Disney merch drops, and a full breakdown of the difference between spoilers and Easter eggs (the movie kind, not the chocolate kind). The infamous Disneyland orchid drop of the 1950s and other early Easter entertainment ideas A look at this year’s Easter basket-ready merch, from plush Stitch bunnies to adorable Ewok Village Dorables Disney’s new Lululemon collection and a pricey hoodie that’s… just a black hoodie Brooks Run Disney shoes and Lauren’s comfort-first shoe philosophy The origin of Easter eggs in video games and how Pixar carried the tradition into animation Hidden details in Frozen, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and The Little Mermaid The legacy of Disney's Easter TV specials and how hidden Mickeys started as subtle rebellion Be Our Guest Vacations Planning your next Disney vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations is a Platinum-level Earmarked travel agency with concierge-level service to make every trip magical. T

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by offering birthday greetings to a modern animation master. They then welcome Neil O’Brien, author of “After Disney,” to discuss what it was like to work on the Burbank Lot back in the Late 1970s / Early 1980s Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: When did “BOOP: The Musical” do its out-of-town try-out in Chicago How long after Charles Dickens’ death was his short story, “Life of Our Lord,” published When did Glen Keane first begin working at Walt Disney Animation Studio Which song from DreamWorks Animation’s “The Prince of Egypt” wound up winning an Oscar Who did Andreas Deja share a room at Disney Studios with during the development of The Black Cauldron” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Len Testa & Jim Hill are joined this week by veteran Imagineer Jim Shull for a super-sized edition of this podcast. As these three first recap Len’s recent visit to Orlando’s newest theme park and then discuss what recent stock market fluctuations might mean for Disney’s previously announced plans for its Florida Resort Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: Which “Isle of Berk” attraction might remind Epic Universe visitors of a certain opening day attraction over at IOA What did Bob Iger reportedly talk about when he dropped in on an ABC News editorial meeting last week? Why Epic Universe undoubtedly will be a better looking theme park in a year’s time Which Epic Universe attractions will have the lowest hourly ride capacity? What percentage of WDW visitors typically travel from Canada to visit that resort annually SHOW NOTES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey break down the biggest stories in the Universal Parks universe, including new details on Epic Universe’s Annual Passholder preview days and Universal’s officially announced theme park in the UK. Plus, they wrap up their deep dive into Universal Studios Hollywood’s 1960s Mardi Gras de Mexico and explore what these early events meant for the future of theme park entertainment. Epic Universe preview day tickets go live - Eric shares his plan for a family-first experience The Epic Universe photo ban is lifted - what it means for social media and spoiler-sensitive fans Speculation on ride tech and show elements, including the Dart animatronic and Dark Universe misdirection Universal announces its new UK park, with rumored lands pulled from Epic Universe, Beijing - and possibly even a James Bond presence Ghostbusters props appear at the Film Vault in Orlando - teasing a Horror Nights tie-in or more? Universal Studios Hollywood's earliest tram tour effects, including foam boulders, fl

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey celebrate the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie with new Loungefly backpacks, wild Powerline-themed hats, and a deep dive into the film’s fan-favorite status. Then, they break down some of Disney’s latest merch trends - including crossbody water bottle holders, park-inspired baseball jerseys, and popcorn bucket Christmas ornaments… in April. Plus, Jim shares the fascinating story of how Disney built Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It! inside two U.S. parks, and why the once-hot game show fizzled fast. From lanyards and leather jackets to cruise giveaways and Cloisonné pins, this episode is packed with merch nostalgia and a surprising lesson in theme park timing. A Goofy Movie 30th anniversary merch breakdown Popcorn bucket ornaments (and why they’re arriving in spring) Baseball jersey fashion taking over the parks Dooney & Bourke’s new line featuring Disney animation classics The rise and fall of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It! at Disney parks Be Our Guest Va