Len Testa, Jim Hill, and veteran Imagineer Jim Shull hit the IAAPA Expo show floor in Orlando, exploring the newest ride systems, vendor innovations, and behind-the-scenes stories fueling the future of themed entertainment.

NEWS

Full show notes available here: Show Notes

Hosts

Len Testa — BlueSky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | Website: touringplans.com
Jim Hill — X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: jimhillmedia.com
Jim Shull (Veteran Imagineer) — X/Twitter: @JimShull | YouTube: @jimhshull | Website: jimhshull.com

Patreon

Support the Disney Dish and get exclusive content, early episodes, and behind-the-scenes stories. Join us at:
https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

Follow Us

Producer Credits

Edited by Dave Grey

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Unlocked Magic, from the team at DVC Rental Store — offering discounted Disney theme park tickets, including special events. Save on your next trip with

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

Jim Hill and Len Testa unpack Disney’s expanding multimodal transportation plans, field listener questions on “Dwarfgate” and the state of restaurant seating, and dig into the remarkable story of how Richard Nixon ended up declaring “I am not a crook” at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort.

NEWS

Full show notes available here: Show Notes

Hosts

Patreon

Enjoying the show? Support the Disney Dish and get exclusive bonus content at:
https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

Follow Us

Producer Credits

Edited by Dave Grey

Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Unlocked Magic, from the team at DVC Rental Store—where you can save 10% on regular and special-event Disney tickets, including Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights.

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

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 return — Tree 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

Follow Us

Produced by

Sponsor

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

Jim wraps up the story of Raglan Road and explains how one Irish pub helped inspire the full transformation of Pleasure Island into today’s Disney Springs. Along the way, Len kicks off No Negative November and the crew answers listener trip-planning questions with their best “only happy thoughts” energy.

The origins of Raglan Road and how authentic Irish design found a home at Walt Disney World

Why its immediate success made Disney rethink the entire Pleasure Island plan

How that rethink led from Hyperion Wharf to the Disney Springs we know today

EPCOT strategy debate: one-day visit vs. After Hours event

Jollywood Nights character advice and what to prioritize

Updates on Disney and Universal ticket options and offerings

A classic Disney story that starts in a pub and ends with a whole new district.

SHOW NOTES

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa discuss Disney’s newest attraction update — Soarin’ Across America, debuting at EPCOT and Disney California Adventure in 2026 — and what it means for the company’s strategy ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary. They also break down the just-released TEA Global Attendance Report and what the latest theme park numbers reveal about Disney, Universal, and the post-pandemic recovery.

The new Soarin’ Across America film and why Disney’s betting on nostalgia over novelty

Key takeaways from the 2024 TEA Global Attendance Report — who’s up, who’s down, and why

Disney Cruise Line’s new discount strategy and survey data collection

The surprising link between Disney tech and U.S. military innovations

The unbuilt Legend of Sleepy Hollow attraction that could have haunted the Magic Kingdom

From ride refreshes to record books, Jim and Len explore how attendance trends, patriotic tie-ins, and spooky forgotten projects all shape Disney’s next chapter.

SHOW NOTES

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

This week, Len and Jim welcome Dr. Jill Peterfeso from Guilford College to talk about her new book Why the Magic Matters: Discovering Disney as a Laboratory for Learning. The conversation explores how Disney is studied in college classrooms, how its mix of “magic and strategy” reveals deeper lessons about creativity and culture, and why professors are turning theme parks into teaching tools. Plus, Jim continues his history of Disney Springs with the rise and fall of Pleasure Island’s West Side expansion and what that meant for future Disney retail and dining districts.

How professors are using Disney films, parks, and history to teach everything from religion to marketing

The balance of “magic and strategy” that makes Disney both creative and calculated

Surprising college courses inspired by Disney, from theme park architecture to environmental storytelling

Why Epcot’s Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is removing 3D effects and what it could mean for other attractions

New Universal Orlando test for single attraction Express Passes and how guests are reacting

Universal Kids Park in Texas reveals themed lands for Shrek, Trolls, and SpongeBob

The forgotten Hyperion Wharf project that led to Disney Springs’ modern design

From academia to Pleasure Island, this episode connects the art of learning with the business of magic. Whether you’re a Disney scholar, park historian, or just love a good origin story, this one’s packed with imagination and insight.

SHOW NOTES

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

Jim Hill and Len Testa uncover how a single Irish pub reshaped Disney Springs. From the forgotten Pleasure Island Jazz Company to the birth of Raglan Road, this episode reveals how one restaurant sparked a renaissance in Disney dining. Plus, the guys tackle Disney’s latest round of price increases, Universal’s updated safety policies, and a listener’s perfect park-free resort itinerary.

Disney’s latest ticket and Lightning Lane price hikes and how far above inflation they’ve gone

The long-awaited opening details for Zootopia: Better Zoo Gether at Animal Kingdom

Universal’s new accessibility rules following a tragic ride incident

Planning the ultimate resort-only day at Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge

The untold history of Pleasure Island’s Jazz Company and how it paved the way for Raglan Road

From gated nightclubs to Guinness on tap, this week’s show traces the evolution of Disney nightlife and how Raglan Road set the stage for everything that came after.

SHOW NOTES

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into one of the most unexpectedly heartwarming stories in Disney history, the rise (and fall) of Push, the talking trash can who stole hearts in Tomorrowland. From his humble garage-built beginnings to his mysterious disappearance in 2014, Jim reveals how a simple rolling robot outlasted most of Disney’s high-tech character experiments. Plus, the guys tackle the latest Disney and Universal park rumors, strange guest surveys, and Halloween candy economics.

From fun-sized candy drama to a trash can with better comedic timing than most sitcoms, this episode proves Disney magic can roll on two wheels and talk back.

SHOW NOTES

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

With Len Testa away this week, Jim Hill is joined by Imagineer Jim Shull and Eric Hersey. Shull shares first-hand stories of the frantic 72 hours before Disney parks open - from sod being laid overnight at the Contemporary Resort in 1971 to carloads of flowers on Main Street Paris. Meanwhile, Eric helps cover the latest Universal Studios news, including surprising plans for Scooby-Doo and a deep dive into the popcorn bucket craze.

Why opening a Disney park always comes down to a last-minute scramble

Jim Shull’s behind-the-scenes account of preparing Euro Disneyland in 1992

How media crews and Imagineers clashed during opening-week chaos

Universal FanFest Nights 2026 and its Scooby-Doo/Monsters mashup

The future of collectible popcorn buckets and wild new flavors

Theme park history isn’t always polished - sometimes it’s messy, funny, and unforgettable. This episode pulls back the curtain on those final 72 hours.

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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

This week, Imagineer Jim Shull joins Jim Hill and Len Testa to finish the wild story of how Cars Land was built at Disney California Adventure. Along the way, the guys cover everything from gorillas and Muppets to a scuba diver who robbed Paddlefish.

From new construction projects to classic park traditions, this episode looks at the details shaping Disney’s past, present, and future.

SHOW NOTES

Unlocked Magic

Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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