The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

From Zootopia to the Matterhorn: Disney’s Big Swings and Small Details (Ep. 557)


Listen Later

Len Testa and Jim Hill continue No Negative November with a look at Zootopia’s new 4D adventure, listener trip-planning wisdom, and the surprising book that inspired Disneyland’s first mountain.

NEWS

  • Zootopia: Better Zoo-gether debuts at Animal Kingdom — The Tree of Life theater gets a major refresh with a new story, water gags, and a charming Benjamin Clawhauser animatronic.

  • Holiday highlights returnTree of Life Awakenings now plays nightly thanks to early sunsets, and the beloved Merry Menagerie puppet experience returns November 14.

  • Storytime with Santa Deadpool — A holiday twist hits Avengers Campus, complete with meta Christmas jokes and Greek Orthodox canon accuracy.

  • Listener questions answered — From the best Bay Lake Tower villas for New Year’s Eve fireworks to whether it’s time for Tables in Wonderland to return.

  • Disney’s shrinking parades — Why the Festival of Fantasy looks lighter on dancers and floats—and how Disney’s still managing two parades a day at Magic Kingdom.

    FEATURE

    • The Making of the Matterhorn — Jim shares the wild story of how a 1950s family film led Walt Disney to send a postcard from Switzerland that simply said: “Build this.”

      • How Banner in the Sky and Third Man on the Mountain inspired Walt’s alpine obsession.

      • Why the Matterhorn nearly became a luge-style attraction (yes, really).

      • The creative legacy of director Ken Annakin, whose films also led to Swiss Family Treehouse and Sleeping Beauty Castle.

        Full show notes available here: Show Notes

        Hosts
        Jim Hill — X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: jimhillmedia.com
        Len Testa — BlueSky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | Website: touringplans.com

        Support the Show

        Love what we do? Support The Disney Dish on Patreon for exclusive bonus shows and early access: patreon.com/jimhillmedia

        Follow Us

        Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews | YouTube: @jimhillmedia | TikTok: @jimhillmedia

        Produced by

        Edited by Dave Grey
        Produced by Eric HerseyStrong Minded Agency

        Sponsor

        This episode is brought to you by Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store. Save up to 10% on Disney park and event tickets, including Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights — only at unlockedmagic.com.

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