The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey catch up on the latest Universal news, from Halloween Horror Nights announcements in Hollywood to some changes underway at Universal Studios Florida. They also discuss whether Universal could ever follow Disney into the cruise business and look back at a WaterWorld performer whose run spanned three decades. Then Jim traces the surprising history of Hard Rock Cafe and expla...

After a packed weekend in Philadelphia, Lauren and Eric add up the cost of museums, sightseeing tours, Netflix House experiences, concerts, movies, and more to ask an unexpected question: Is Disney actually a good value? They compare ticket prices through the lens of “cost per enjoyable hour,” from Walt Disney World and regional amusement parks to Broadway shows, sporting events, and increasingly...

Jim and Lauren examine Disney’s decision to move Consumer Products under the studio umbrella and what it reveals about the company’s larger “One Disney” strategy. They explore how films such as Toy Story 5 can generate value far beyond the box office through streaming, merchandise, and long-term franchise growth. The conversation also covers Disney’s new NFL merchandise collection before Jim concl...

Jim Hill and Dan Graney unpack a massive stretch of Marvel news, beginning with the first official Avengers: Doomsday trailer, poster, and ticket sales. They examine Doctor Doom’s hidden symbolism, Steve Rogers’ suspicious reunion with Thor, Loki’s possible new role, and the clues buried in Marvel’s Comic-Con presentation. Then they discuss Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider casting, the official collapse...

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with animation news from San Diego Comic-Con, Netflix House Philadelphia, and the latest streaming and box-office releases. Drew shares what it was like moderating DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island panel for a packed Ballroom 20 crowd, while Jim explores how animated characters become theme park attractions and merchandise. Then the episode travels back to Dis...

Jim Hill and guest co-host Drew Taylor explore the newly updated version of “Zootopia: Better Zoogether” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including fresh dialogue designed to make the show’s storyline easier to follow. They also examine the water-pressure failure that temporarily disrupted operations across Disneyland and Anaheim, along with Disney’s long history of conserving and recycling water insid...

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey take listeners inside Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, an interactive look at how Universal Creative designs modern attractions. Along the way, they explore concept art, animatronics, coaster engineering, projection mapping, Halloween Horror Nights props, and development materials from Epic Universe. Jim and Eric also discuss the...

Do Disney fans actually enjoy listening to trip report podcasts? Lauren and Eric dig into podcast popularity data, compare several long-running Disney shows, and debate what makes a trip report worth hearing. Then they put the format to the test with stories and practical takeaways from Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, Bay Lake Tower, Walt Disney World, and Universal Orlando during the summer heat. HIG...

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey explore how Disney is rethinking retail, from temporary Disney Store locations and outlet oddities to Imagineering’s new Yen Sid lifestyle brand. They also recap their Pennsylvania road trip, including Netflix House, the surviving Disney Store outlet in Lancaster, and some surprisingly stubborn souvenir prices. Then Jim continues the story of Disney’s Contemporary Resort...

Finding the perfect spot for Magic Kingdom’s Festival of Fantasy Parade is a case of location, timing, and avoiding the Florida sun. Len Testa and Chris Cox compare parade-viewing locations from Frontierland to Main Street, while Jim Hill considers how construction and changing crowd patterns could affect their advice. They also explore whether skipping the parade entirely may be the smarter strat...

Len Testa and Jim Hill examine a revealing new Disney survey asking whether guests trust DisneyWorld.com, whether the site acts in their best interest, and whether it should be considered the definitive source for vacation planning. They also discuss Disney’s questions about Epic Universe, softer attendance and dining demand, and the growing complexity of planning a theme park vacation. Then Jim c...

Universal Orlando is putting Fast & Furious - Supercharged in park, and Jim Hill and Eric Hersey revisit how the troubled attraction made the jump from the Universal Studios Hollywood tram tour to a standalone Florida ride. They also unpack a rush of Halloween Horror Nights announcements, including Fortnite and Evil Dead, plus the apparent early reveal of an Ozzy Osbourne house. Along the way, the...

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey unpack a whirlwind week of Disney and Universal discoveries, from a chaotic Lorcana release to a little-known Walt Disney World store hidden inside an Orlando parking garage. Lauren shares highlights from her latest theme park merchandise haul, including deeply discounted Universal gear and retro-inspired Contemporary Resort merchandise. Then Jim digs into the surprising...

A major Space Mountain refurbishment may be under consideration at Walt Disney World, and the rumor has Disney fans wondering how much of the classic attraction could change. Lauren and Eric break down reports of a possible retrack, redesigned queue and loading areas, updated ride vehicles, and new audio. They also discuss what an extended closure could mean for the PeopleMover and the larger futu...

Jim Hill and Dan Graney examine the Avengers: Doomsday poster everyone may have looked at wrong, including a nearly hidden Loki positioned at the center of the multiverse and a newly powered-up Thor. They also discuss Marvel Comics leaving New York for Burbank, Kevin Feige’s apparent Spider-Man: Brand New Day spoiler, and the increasingly wild X-Men casting rumors ahead of San Diego Comic-Con. Plu...

Netflix animation is having another monster year, with Nathan Greno’s body-swap comedy “Swapped” racing up the platform’s all-time rankings behind “KPop Demon Hunters.” Jim Hill and Drew Taylor also examine Disney’s uncertain live-action remake strategy, the return of “Hotel Transylvania” and a new theatrical Looney Tunes short. Plus, Drew shares highlights from his conversation with Greno about t...

Disneyland’s sold-out evening tickets, Walt Disney World dining trends, and a possible Space Mountain overhaul lead off this week’s Disney Dish. Len and Jim also answer listener questions about Cars Road Trip and Victoria & Albert’s before returning to the history of Imagineering’s Living Character Initiative. In the main feature, Jim explains how Turtle Talk with Crush emerged amid the deteriorat...

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey cover the latest Universal Orlando Resort news before digging into a surprisingly rich piece of Universal Studios Hollywood history: He-Man and the Masters of the Universe briefly taking over the upper lot during the 1985 holiday season. They start with Fourth of July offerings at Epic Universe, Universal Studios Florida, CityWalk, and Bar 17 Bistro, then look at Illuminat...

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick off this week’s I Want That Too with concert merch sticker shock, a new family dog named Luna, and a surprising amount of Disney pet gear at Petco. They also dig into Disney’s new auction partnership with Heritage Auctions and the build-a-bag trend popping up in the parks. Then Jim traces the history of Walt Disney World’s value resorts, from the All-Stars to Pop Ce...

When it comes to meeting Disney characters at Walt Disney World, is it better to wait in line or let Mickey come to your table? Jim Hill presides as Chris Cox and Len Testa debate the case for traditional meet-and-greets versus character dining, weighing time, money, air conditioning, and those priceless vacation photos. Along the way, they salute the cast members who make these magical moments ha...

Join Drew and Jim to discuss the latest news in animation and check in on the box office of a live action adaptation that didn’t do quite as well as Disney may have hoped. They also take a close look at the career of actor Sterling Holloway and how his role as a tree in a Shirley Temple film The Blue Bird led to a call from Walt Disney. NEWS • Reflections on Sam Neill and Disney Legend Don Iwerks...

Disneyland’s bargain evening tickets disappear, Universal Orlando rolls out an unusually affordable Florida resident pass, and Epic Universe lights up the night with Celestial Goodnight. Len and Jim also examine revealing Disney and Universal guest surveys, a fog-screen patent that may be connected to Tropical Americas, and some wonderfully strange theme park history. Then Jim continues the story...

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey cover a busy week of Universal news, from Epic Universe’s long-awaited Celestial Goodnight fireworks debut to Universal Fan Fest Nights coming to Orlando this fall. They also check in on Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift testing at Universal Studios Hollywood, and Super Nintendo World heading to Singapore. Then Jim uses last week’s Ba...

Lauren and Eric look at a strange stretch of incidents around Walt Disney World, including the portable charger fire at “it’s a small world” and the surprisingly positive response to how Disney handled it. From there, the conversation turns into a bigger look at Disney media, clickbait headlines, repetitive blog posts, ad-heavy articles, Reddit threads, AI answers, and why fans are shifting toward...

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick off this week’s I Want That Too with a post-Fourth-of-July check-in, one very late ghost train, and a look ahead to Disney’s fast-arriving Halloween season. They dig into the latest D23: The Ultimate Fan Event merchandise previews, the surprisingly early Walt Disney World Halloween drop, and the return of 1990s-style Disney windbreakers. Then Jim explains how Disney...