The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

 Lauren Hersey & Jim Hill start this week’s show by looking back at some of the more memorable pieces of merch offered at this year’s D23 Expo. They then shine a spotlight on some of the books that Disney Press will be bringing to market in the coming months. In this episode, listeners will learn about: When will the first “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” for 2024 be presented at WDW’s Magic...

Eric Hersey & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking about viewership for the Summer Games in Paris. T hey then take a look at how Universal Pictures’ recent releases have been doing at the domestic box office Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: When was Epic Universe originally supposed to open up in Orlando In what year does NBCUniversal’s deal with the IOC for the US broadc...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by looking back at some of the animation-related news that came out of the D23 Expo. They also discuss a number of the books that event attendees could pick up at this year’s eve Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: Who now is voicing Elio’s aunt in Pixar Animation Studios’ big release for June of 2025 Why it’s kind of ironic th...

Len Testa & Jim Hill start today’s episode by discussing the changes that will soon be coming to Tom Sawyer Island at WDW’s Magic Kingdom. They also look back at when the “Be Our Guest” restaurant opened at that same theme park back in December of 2012 Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: For which Disney animated feature from the 1990s did Ricky Martin voice the title char...

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s episode by getting the skinny on thinly sliced pieces of bacon. They then discuss whether the changes that have recently been made to DAS have actually lowered wait times at WDW’s park Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: Where did the wax figures from the “Davy Crockett Frontier Museum” eventually wind up Why would Disney Procurement likely...

 In the eighth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about how savvy rail & beer companies took advantage of trolley downtime to create new entertainment destinations at the end of the line. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: How Tivoli Gardens directly influenced the design of Disneyland A Ferris wheel from 1897 that is still operational to...

Drew Taylor starts off this week’s show by looking back at the “Jurassic World: Chaos Panel” he moderated at last month’s San Diego Comic-Con. Then Jim Hill discusses the three feature-length films that were made at Fox Animation Studios in Phoenix Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:  What spot did Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” just claim on the list of all-time worldwide top gr...

 Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s episode by reviewing Universal Orlando’s plans for “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic.” They then talk about which WDW DVC may soon be expanding Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: What’s significant about the survey Universal Orlando recently distributed about possible price points for annual passes Where does S...

 Lauren Hersey & Jim Hill start this show by talking about the merch currently available at the Universal Orlando Resort. They also talk about how exactly the Haunted Mansion is coming back online at Disneyland Park Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: Which new variation of Butterbeer just became available in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Where was Disney Legend Marc Davis’...

On this week’s show, Len Testa & Jim Hill are joined by veteran Imagineer Jim Shull & Len’s twin sister, Linda. These four then discuss the news of the day and look back at the grand opening of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. For this episode, listeners will learn about: What idea did the Imagineers explore for improving DCA’s Grizzly River Run? How long has it been since a major new t...

 In the seventh installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about what happened in themed entertainment at the start of the 20th Century.  How World’s Fairs continued to grow and develop  Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: The 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St Louis In what ways did the Brussels International Exposition of 1910 influence th...

 Eric Hersey returns from the Universal Orlando Resort and gives Jim Hill a brief glimpse of what he & his family experienced down in Central Florida. Eric & Jim then take a look at the Rock’s first film role Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: Why you should go straight to the Trolls Trollercoaster as soon as Universal Studios Florida opens for the day How much was Dwayne...

Brian Gaughan & Jim Hill start this week’s show by spotlighting some of the “Star Wars” -related panels being presented at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. They then do a deep dive in on Lucasfilm’s latest limited series for Disney+ Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: How big (square foot-wise) is the San Diego Convention Center Which room do you want to be in this Friday...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking about how “Inside Out 2” just became the highest-grossing animated feature of all time (barring Disney’s photo-realistic “Lion King” of 2019). They also take a look back at “The Rescuers” Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about; Which character was Phil Harris originally supposed to voice in “The Rescuers” How many art students d...

Len Testa starts this week’s show by revealing which attractions will be open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during Extended Evening Hours at that theme park later this year. And then Jim Hill wraps up his history of Epcot’s “Maelstrom” attraction. In this episode, listeners will learn about: Why was the original version of “Country Bear Jamboree” trimmed down back in October 2012 What land does Ho...

 Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking up the “Jurassic World: Chaos Theory” panel Drew will be hosting at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. They then talk about which animated film franchise is currently the top earner  Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: How many people have been to every single Comic-Con since the first event was held in San Diego back in 1970...

 Len Testa & Jim Hill welcome Disney author & historian Foxx Nolte. Who gives them a preview of his latest book, “Scoundrels, Villains, & Knaves: Disneyland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Popular Culture”  Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: What are the differences between the VIP tours offered at WDW versus those made available to visitors at the Universal Orlando Resort Which t...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking up the two books that Josh Gad will be bringing to the marketplace in the next six months. They then take a look at how “Inside Out 2” & “Despicable Me 4” have been doing at the box office Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: How many episodes for “Mel Brooks’ Spaceballs: The Animated Series” were produced When does S...

 Lauren Hersey & Jim Hill start this week’s show by checking out some of the bragging rights merch Disney has made available for its recently opened “Splash Mountain” redo. They also take a look back at when the Mouse had a store in virtually every mall in America Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: How did The Walt Disney Company decide where the first 13 Disney Stores would be l...

 Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing the different “lands” that Guests can explore once they board the Disney Adventure (which begins sailing out of Singapore in 2025). They also share a survey from Universal Orlando about this Resort’s version of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: Which musical acts will be appearing at this ye...

 Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing the animated feature that just blew past a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. They also take a look at how Universal Pictures’ promoted “Despicable Me 4” in Las Vegas Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about; How tall is the High Roller Ferris wheel (which towers above the Las Vegas Strip) How many “Spong...

Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing WDW’s Genie+ replacement. They then walk through exactly what happened backstage at Disneyland prior to the launch of that Park’s “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:  How far in advance will on-site Guests be able to book Multi Pass reservations  When is this new ride reserva...

Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing WDW’s Genie+ replacement. They then walk through exactly what happened backstage at Disneyland prior to the launch of that Park’s “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:  How far in advance will on-site Guests be able to book Multi Pass reservations  When is this new ride reserva...

In the latest installment of this continuing series, Noe & Shelly Valladolid look at the Columbian Exposition of 1893. Which many have called the most influential World’s Fair of all time. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:  How Chicago won out over New York, Washington DC & St. Louis when it came to the opportunity to be the host city for this World’s Fair Why the famous...