The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by reflecting on what millenniums now expect to find in their hotel rooms heavily influenced the design of “Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge,” “The Cove,” and Universal’s Adventura Hotel. They also look ahead to the construction challenges that WDW’s Entertainment team will be facing as they ready World Showcase Lagoon for Epcot’s new nighttim...

Len Testa & Jim Hill continue their walk-thru of WDW’s Magic Kingdom by exploring the colonial corner of this theme park. As they head towards the Hall of Presidents, Len & Jim talk about the stylized open sewer that the Imagineers inserted in this land. They also talk about why the Haunted Mansion’s interactive queue has had trouble  connected with international visitors to this Resort. Learn mor...

Immediately after they finished doing a live recording of their "Fine Tooning" podcast at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort earlier this month, Drew Taylor & Jim Hill began taking questions from listeners who attended that event. The topics that got touched on in this off-the-cuff session include how "Winnie-the-Pooh" 's July 2011 release date helped kill off 2-D animation at Walt Disney Animation...

Len Testa & Jim Hill kick off this week's show by talking about Walt Disney Studios’ decision to push back the release of “The Jungle Cruise” movie from October 2019 to July 2020 is new impacting the Imagineers’ long-in-development plans to overhaul Adventureland. They then discuss how the Jungle Skipper Cantina Restaurant has been a real challenge for WDW’s Food & Beverage team. Len & Jim close t...

Len Testa & Jim Hill kick off a brand-new walk-thru of WDW's Magic Kingdom by exploring Main Street, U.S.A. This tour starts off with an update on that theater project which Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek first revealed at 2017's D23 Expo. Len & Jim then discuss how the redo of this theme park's Central Plaza didn't go quite as the Imagineers had hoped. Learn more about your ad choices...

Drew Taylor and Jim Hill start off this podcast (which was recorded in front of a live audience) by recapping their "Pixar in the Park" event. They then discuss all of the Disney talent that's now making new animated projects for Netflix. Finally Drew discusses "Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2" and what Disney-related gags got cut out of this Rich Moore/Phil Johnston film.  Learn more...

Len Testa and Jim Hill kick off this week's show talking about how EPCOT will be expanding its International Festival of the Arts to seven days a week in 2019. They then discuss those "Rehire James Gunn" billboards that have been erected outside of the Disney Parks & Anaheim. They also contrast Disneyland Park's plan to handle the crowds for "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" with the way Disney's Hollywo...

Dan Zehr and Jim Hill start off this episode by discussing the latest news coming off of the set of "The Mandalorian." These two then answer a piece of listener mail regarding when the Anaheim version of "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" will be open to the public. Finally, Dan talks about his experience at this year's Gala at Rancho Obi-Wan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drew Taylor and Jim Hill start off these week's podcast off by discussing the stop motion version of "Pinocchio" that Guillermo del Toro is now prepping for Netflix. Then it's how Hollywood is commemorating the 20th and 25th anniversaries of DreamWorks Animation's "The Prince of Egypt" and "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas." Finally, Drew and Jim talk about why Ed Catmull's legacy -- wh...

It's a special listener mail edition of the Disney Dish podcast. Len Testa and Jim Hill start things off by discussing the history of Epcot's Garden Railway. They then reveal Joffrey's wound up at the specialty coffee and tea provider for Disney Parks & Resorts. Len then shares a bunch of patents that The Walt Disney Company recently filed and speculates on how all of this cutting-edge technology...

Dustin Fuhs and Jim Hill starts off this episode by pointing out that Universal Orlando Resort has been following Walt Disney World's lead when it comes to repeatedly the price to park at their theme parks. After that, Dustin and Jim discuss the huge boost that the sale of Butterbeer has given Universal Parks and Resorts' bottom line. The co-hosts then close out this week's podcast by looking back...

Len Testa & Jim Hill starts off this episode by talking about how Disney World finally officially announcing that long-rumored DVC which will be built where Fort Wilderness' River Country was once located. After that, Len and Jim discuss WDW's new date-based ticket pricing system (which debuted on October 16th). They then share new information about the Marvel superhero-themed land that's being bu...

Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start off this episode by discussing Warner Bros' recent decision to hire James Gunn to direct "Suicide Squad 2." After that, Aaron & Jim turn then attention to what Chris Evans tweeted out from the set of "Avengers 4" as reshoots of that eagerly awaited Marvel Cinematic Universe movie wrapped. Then it's time to debate "Venom," that Columbia Pictures releases that's been bur...

Dustin Fuhs and Jim Hill start off this week's show by talking about how the November 9th release of Illumination Entertainment's "The Grinch" may be impacting Universal Parks & Resorts' holiday plans.  Jim then talks about the movie version of "Wicked" that Universal Pictures is readying and the possible impact that this IP could have on the Parks. Fuhs and Hill then close out this podcast by tal...

Drew Taylor and Jim Hill start off this week's podcast by sharing their impressions of the recently released teaser trailer for Disney's live-action reimagining of "Aladdin." Drew and Jim then discuss how the huge popularity of "Lilo and Stitch" overseas undoubtedly factored into the Studio's decision to put a live-action / CG hybrid reboot of this 2002 WDAS hand-drawn film into development. Final...

Len Testa and Jim Hill start off this week's podcast by talking about the name that Disney Vacation Club is considering for the new resort they're planning on building on top of River Country's old location. Len and Jim then speculate on what Disney Parks and Resorts will charge for early morning access to "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge." Finally, Jim reveals how the placement of the banks & camera sto...

Dan Zehr & Jim Hill start off this podcast by sharing what they've learned about that live-action series which Jon Favreau has been prepping for Disney's subscription streaming service. Dan & Jim then discuss Bob Iger's decision to extend Kathleen Kennedy's deal to run Lucasfilm through 2021. After that, they share what the Disneyland Resort Line has been revealing about "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge"...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill first discuss all of the animation-related news coming out of this year's New York Comic-Con. They then puzzle over the live action / cg project that Brad Bird is supposedly working on as his follow-up to "The Incredibles 2." Finally Jim talks about the animated featurette that was supposed to serve as the follow-up to 1990's "The Prince and the Pauper," "Christopher Columbu...

Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this listener question show by revisiting WDW's Skyliner system. They then encourage a Disney Dish listener to brave the crowds at Black Spire Outpost when "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" first opens in to the public in Anaheim in the late Spring / early Summer of 2019. Finally Len & Jim weigh in on the new tool that's about to come online for Disney World's flexible tick...

Jim and Aaron discuss their initial reactions to Captain Marvels first Teaser Trailer.  Also, Jim gets Aaron hip to Chewie the cat and discuss how Disney is using that "Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors" TV movie to help get this franchise's younger fans ready for Marvel Studios' March 2019 release. They also have their own theories about the theory that's making the rounds online about how the God o...

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start things off by talking bout the key role master animator Mark Henn played in translating Disney's hand-drawn princesses into CG characters. Next Drew & Jim discuss the "Harvey Birdman, Attorney General" special that will be airing on Adult Swim later this month. Then Taylor & Hill look back at Disney Legend Woolie Reitherman and the role that recycled / repurposed anima...

Len Testa & Jim Hill discuss the impact that swapping out  Epcot's nighttime show will have on all the restaurants around World  Showcase. Then Len & Jim look back at "Thunder in Paradise," the  short-lived syndicated series from the producers of "Bay Watch" that was  shot around the Walt Disney World Resort in the early 1990s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Zehr & Jim Hill start off this week's "Looking at Lucasfilm" by discussing Disney Parks & Resorts' somewhat controversial decision to sell alcohol to Guests visiting Black Spire Outpost. Dan & Jim next speculate about which characters from the "Star Wars" movies & TV shows will pop up on "Resistance." Then Zehr & Hill talk about all of the great Lucasfilm-related stories that are shared on tha...

First Jim Hill reports in on "The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad" 's final day of performances at Universal's Islands of Adventure. Then Dustin Fuhs weighs in on whether or not he thinks the Universal Orlando Resort will soon expand its HHN offerings to include a Zombie Run 5K. Finally Jim walks UJ listeners through all 10 houses & 5 scare zones that Universal Creative has brought to life (or should I s...

Len Testa starts off this episode by discussing what changes are in the works for Artist Point at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort & Mickey's Backyard BBQ at the Campsites at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort. Next Jim Hill talks up Evermore Park, that immersive theatrical experience which is about to throw open its doors in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Then Len & Jim discuss how Port Canaveral is getting...