Len Testa and Jim Hill start this week’s Disney Dish with news from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Orlando, and the wider entertainment industry before digging into listener questions and recent theme park patent applications. They discuss Typhoon Lagoon’s upcoming maintenance closure, Disneyland’s unusual evening ticket offer, the new pirate-to-skeleton effect in Pirates of the Caribbean, and Universal’s long-awaited Hellraiser Halloween Horror Nights house. Then Jim continues his history of Disney’s Living Character Initiative with a look at Pixar Place, Toy Story Mania, and the short-lived Luxo Jr. figure that hopped into Hollywood Studios history.

NEWS

• Typhoon Lagoon is scheduled to close for annual maintenance on September 9, 2026, leaving Blizzard Beach as Walt Disney World’s open water park.

• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party sees another sold-out date, with Len and Jim looking at why early weekend parties disappear quickly.

• Level99 opens at Disney Springs, prompting a discussion about interactive play spaces, Disney Quest, and why Disney IP is not part of the experience.

• Disneyland introduces a $59 evening ticket for select summer nights, suggesting softer attendance in Southern California.

• Universal Orlando announces Hellraiser for Halloween Horror Nights, giving Pinhead a long-awaited haunted house spotlight.

FEATURE

• Jim revisits the Living Character Initiative after Disney’s 2006 Pixar acquisition reshaped priorities inside Imagineering.

• Mickey’s Midway Mania becomes Toy Story Mania as Pixar characters move to the center of Disney’s park strategy.

• Hollywood Studios’ Pixar Place is designed as a tribute to Pixar’s Emeryville campus, complete with a Florida version of Toy Story Mania.

• The Luxo Jr. figure debuts as a six-foot-tall living character but vanishes after only about ten months due to weather exposure and trademark complications.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social, Instagram: @len.testa, Website: touringplans.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Disney Dish is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, from our friends at DVC Rental Store.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/DISNEYDISH⁠⁠⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Len Testa and Jim Hill start with snow shovels, snapping turtles, and New Hampshire’s ongoing audition for “America’s Australia,” then move into a packed Disney Dish. This week, they cover Disney’s holiday party calendar, the Grand Floridian gingerbread house retirement, tightening resort-access rules, the BoardWalk’s new Hurley Burley lounge, Disneyland’s Celebrate Soulfully Yardfest, and Universal Kids Resort’s very sunny Texas debut. They also dig into new DVC survey perks, listener questions about Europa Park, Australia in World Showcase, and whether Epcot is due for a monorail-adjacent hotel. Then Jim continues Disney’s living-character history with Dinotopia’s odd but memorable second life at Walt Disney Studios Park.

NEWS

• Disney’s Hollywood Studios may be targeting August for Magic of Disney Animation, though the building may have opinions of its own.

• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights return with schedules that neatly zip together across the holiday season.

• The Grand Floridian gingerbread house is being retired, raising questions about resort crowds, access rules, and guest satisfaction.

• Disney’s resort-access language continues to tighten around holiday decorations, dining reservations, and who gets to visit which lobby.

• The BoardWalk’s former Jellyrolls space is set to become Hurley Burley, with family entertainment by day and a 21-and-up lounge by night.

• Disneyland’s Celebrate Soulfully Yardfest brings HBCU bands, drumlines, and Mickey Mouse as drumline major to Downtown Disney.

• Universal Kids Resort opens in Texas with early chatter about short rides, light landscaping, and a shade situation that may require SPF and optimism.

FEATURE

• Jim explains how sets from ABC’s 2002 Dinotopia miniseries wound up on the Studio Tram Tour at Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris.

• Waterfall City helped fill out a park that opened with a small budget and a very large need for things guests could see from a tram.

• The segment revisits Dinotopia, Reign of Fire, Catastrophe Canyon, and the strange art of letting narration do the work of missing dragons.

• Jim sets up next week’s look at Pixar Place, the Living Character Initiative, and the Luxo lamp story that still gives Imagineers the thousand-yard stare.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.
HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social, Instagram: @len.testa, Website: touringplans.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

The Disney Dish News is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, from the friends at DVC Rental Store. Visit UnlockedMagic.com for discounted theme park admission at prices better than Disney’s.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/DISNEYDISH⁠⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill cover a packed Disney Dish news lineup, from Disney’s “virtual reservations” patent to new Disney Springs transportation checks, rare two-day ticket discounts, and Disneyland Autopia’s electric future. They also dig into listener questions about steak pricing, Jersey Week crowds, and whether Disney’s new AI trip-planning tools could reshape vacation booking. Then Jim takes us back to the early days of Imagineering’s Living Character Initiative, where Mickey’s Toon Elevator, Dinotopia, and one very complicated dinosaur helped pave the way for interactive characters in the parks.

NEWS

• Disney’s hotel-room patent appears to confirm how “virtual reservations” can hold back short stays to protect longer bookings.

• Walt Disney World expands verification checks for buses and boats leaving Disney Springs.

• A rare two-park, two-day ticket deal targets late-summer demand at EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.

• Lakeshore Lodge’s Pocahontas-themed pool area, The Wetlands, gets a closer look.

• Disneyland’s Autopia faces a February 2027 deadline to retire its gas-powered engines.

FEATURE

• Jim traces the Living Character Initiative back to Push the Talking Trash Can and Mickey’s Toon Elevator.

• Lucky the Dinosaur’s development gets tied to ABC’s short-lived Dinotopia era, allegedly.

• Imagineering’s early living-creature tech needed carts, batteries, and a whole lot of legal caution.

• The story sets up Disney’s next wave of interactive characters after the Pixar acquisition.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social, Instagram: @len.testa, Website: touringplans.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Disney Dish News is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, from the friends at DVCrentalStore.com, offering discounted theme park admission at prices better than Disney’s.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/DISNEYDISH⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Jim Hill and Len Testa start with Monstropolis, Disney park capacity, Universal patents, and the sort of tequila event that makes you check whether your Epcot admission is included. Then Jim looks back at Disneyland’s very first Grad Nite, held on June 15, 1961, when 8,500 well-dressed seniors were locked inside the park until 4:30 a.m. Along the way, they cover Life magazine’s lost photo spread, chaperone lounges, forbidden long hair, and the timeless teenage urge to stash contraband somewhere near Autopia. It is history, logistics, and questionable decision-making, which is to say: high school.

NEWS

• Monstropolis details reveal “Human Day,” a walking route inspired by Mike and Sulley’s commute, and Disney’s growing fondness for “you’re invited to a special day” ride premises.

• Grand Floridian Cafe closes July 19 for refurbishment, raising the important question of whether the menu gets more than new curtains.

• La Cava del Tequila hosts a July 14 Epcot event with tastings, cocktails, lunch at San Angel Inn, and a commemorative 1982 menu.

• Disneyland restores all-day park hopping, while early signs of DisneylandForward construction point toward a new parking structure and future DCA expansion.

• Listener questions cover theme park capacity math, House of Mouse villains, Monstropolis pin trading, and whether Universal’s latest patents could make vending machines and park transportation a lot smarter.

FEATURE

• Jim traces how Disneyland’s original Grad Nite grew out of Walt’s decision to close Holidayland and Jack Lindquist’s search for a new after-hours revenue stream.

• The first Grad Nite brought 8,500 students from 28 Southern California high schools to Disneyland for $6 each, or about $67 in today’s money.

• Life magazine sent four photographers and shot thousands of photos, only to bump the planned spread when the Berlin Wall changed the news cycle.

• Disneyland’s Grad Nite rules included school buses, dress codes, chaperones, locker checks, planter searches, and haircuts for boys whose hair dared to touch a collar.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social, Instagram: @len.testa, Website: touringplans.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Disney Dish News is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, from the friends at DVC Rental Store. With the longest days of the year approaching, Unlocked Magic can help you save on your next Disney trip, giving you more time to hunt for the elusive ghost of the forest, Bongo, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/DISNEYDISH⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Jim Hill and Len Testa are joined by veteran Imagineer Jim Shull for a globe-trotting look at how Toy Story became one of Disney’s most reusable theme park ideas. First, they cover the latest from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Orlando, and Disney Cruise Line, including Magic of Disney Animation details, Villains Land rumors, Oogie Boogie Bash logistics, and possible Universal expansion plans. Then Jim Shull shares how Toy Story Playland, Toy Story Hotel, and multiple international Pixar projects moved from clever pitch to built reality. Along the way, there is Godzilla, synergy, Stanley cups, and at least one very laminated airline milestone.

NEWS

• Bluey’s Wild World shifts to standby as opening-day crowds settle down.

• Victoria & Albert’s retains its Michelin star, while Kappa at Four Seasons does not.

• Disney reveals new activity areas for The Magic of Disney Animation at Hollywood Studios.

• Jim, Len, and Jim Shull discuss the latest Villains Land rumors, including Maleficent, Hades, and possible dark ride concepts.

• Universal updates include Universal United Kingdom Resort, Lost Continent demolition, Back to the Future speculation, and Epic Universe expansion pads.

FEATURE

• Jim Shull recalls seeing the original Toy Story before release at a SIGGRAPH screening in Los Angeles.

• The team traces how Pixar’s growing relationship with Disney led to Toy Story Playland in Paris and later Toy Story Lands in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

• Shull explains the “Andy’s backyard” conceit and how guests were meant to feel toy-sized inside the land.

• The discussion turns to Toy Story Hotel in Shanghai and Tokyo, including how Pixar collaboration changed the way Disney handled character design.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social, Instagram: @len.testa, Website: touringplans.com

GUEST

• Jim Shull - X/Twitter: @JimShull, YouTube: @jimhshull, Website: jimhshull.com

FOLLOW

• Jim Hill Media Podcast Network - Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews, YouTube: @jimhillmedia, TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

The Disney Dish News is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, from our friends at DVCRentalStore.com. Visit UnlockedMagic.com for discounts that make your next Disney trip cheaper than ever.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/DISNEYDISH⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Len Testa and Jim Hill recap a busy week in the parks, from the debut of Bluey at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the updated Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run experience to Universal's latest expansion rumors. They also dive deep into Disney's surprise announcement that Carousel of Progress will receive its most significant overhaul in decades, including new scenes, new narration, and a fresh look at the future. Along the way, Jim shares the attraction's fascinating history, from its roots in Edison Square to its journey through the 1964 World's Fair and beyond.

NEWS

• Len shares his experience aboard the updated Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run featuring new Mandalorian and Grogu story elements.

FEATURE

• The surprising origins of Carousel of Progress and Disney's abandoned Edison Square concept.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

SPONSOR

UnlockedMagic.com - https://unlockedmagic.com/?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=disneydish

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/DISNEYDISH⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Len Testa and Jim Hill review Walt Disney World’s latest wave of attraction updates, including the new Soarin’ Across America film, the Muppets’ chaotic takeover of Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, and the newly refurbished Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Then Los Angeles Times columnist Todd Martens joins the show to discuss Disneyland’s evolving version of Galaxy’s Edge, why Disney is pivoting away from strict sequel-era storytelling, and how the updated Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run finally addresses years of guest feedback.

NEWS

• Len shares first impressions of Soarin’ Across America, including the updated Patrick Warburton pre-show and the new opening rocket launch sequence

• Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets debuts with extensive new ride scenes, classic rock parody album covers, and dozens of hidden gags

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens with a smoother ride experience and upgraded effects after its lengthy refurbishment

• Disney expands Walt Disney World luggage transfer service to American, United, and Southwest Airlines

• Universal announces a Sinners-themed Halloween Horror Nights house for both Orlando and Hollywood

FEATURE

• Todd Martens discusses Disneyland’s changing approach to Galaxy’s Edge and the return of classic Star Wars characters and locations

• Why the original immersive “live your own Star Wars story” concept struggled to fully materialize inside the land

• The updated Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run adds new destinations including Coruscant, Bespin, Endor, and Tatooine

• How Imagineering redesigned the attraction to improve gameplay for pilots, engineers, and gunners alike

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | Website: touringplans.com

GUEST

• Todd Martens - Bluesky: @toddmartens.bsky.social | Instagram: @toddmartens

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

• UnlockedMagic.com - Save on your next Disney vacation with discounted Walt Disney World tickets: https://unlockedmagic.com/?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=disneydish

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Len Testa and Jim Hill break down a busy week in theme park news, from Bluey crowd control at Animal Kingdom to Universal’s possible drone-show ambitions. Len also crunches the numbers on the best days to visit Magic Kingdom, because nothing says vacation like 22 million wait times and a spreadsheet with emotional damage. Then Jim digs into Disneyland’s opening-day ticket scandal and why Walt Disney may have had very good reasons to sour on Western Publishing.

NEWS

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom prepares for Bluey with a virtual queue and some serious toddler-capacity math.

• Len explains why Sundays may be your best Magic Kingdom bet from January through July, while party season flips the calendar.

• Disneyland’s Autopia goes electric in 2027, raising questions about batteries, car design, and Tomorrowland’s long-overdue tune-up.

• Universal Orlando surveys guests about pets, which may hint at Secret Life of Pets possibilities in Florida.

• A new Universal patent features an onboard animated figure, possibly a frog, possibly a nightmare with wheels.

FEATURE

• Jim revisits Disneyland’s chaotic 1955 opening day and the mysterious flood of “legitimate” invitations.

• The story points toward Western Publishing, one of Disneyland’s earliest investors and official printers.

• Walt’s later decision to buy out Western may have had more behind it than simple business strategy.

• Also discussed: C.V. Wood, Black Sunday, Bob Gurr, Richard Nixon, and why the Secret Service probably hated the monorail.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social, Instagram: @len.testa, Website: touringplans.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

The Disney Dish is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, from the team at DVC Rental Store. Visit UnlockedMagic.com for great deals on Disney theme park admission.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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

Jim Hill and Len Testa welcome Professor Roland Betancourt to discuss his new book, Disneyland and the Rise of Automation, which somehow connects Walt Disney, Ford factories, magnetic tape, Forest Lawn, Willy Wonka, and ride computers named Fred. They also cover big park updates, from Mythos closing at Universal Orlando to new Walt Disney World previews, Lakeshore Lodge concept art, Roger Rabbit’s safer spin, and Hocus Pocus 3 heading to theaters. Naturally, milk percentages are also examined with the seriousness they deserve.

NEWS

• Universal confirms Mythos will close with Lost Continent, while Thunder Falls Terrace becomes a new full-service signature restaurant in 2027.

• Walt Disney World sets AP preview dates for Soarin’ and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring The Muppets.

• Magic Kingdom prepares for a fourth ferry boat, the first new one since 1976.

• Disney reveals new Lakeshore Lodge concept art, including a large pool and lazy river area.

• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin reopens at Disneyland with pre-programmed spinning.

• Disney officially greenlights Hocus Pocus 3, with the Sanderson Sisters reportedly heading beyond the stage show and into the parks.

FEATURE

• Roland Betancourt explains how Ford’s River Rouge plant helped shape Walt Disney’s thinking about automation.

• The discussion traces magnetic tape, Cold War technology, and the real roots of Audio-Animatronics.

• Big Thunder Mountain introduces “anti-Fred logic,” a wonderfully Disney solution to button-related human creativity.

• Harper Goff’s work on Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory reveals another strange and delightful bridge between factories and theme parks.

• Why Disneyland surveyed guests like a giant postwar science experiment - and how those surveys still shape the parks today.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS

GUEST

FOLLOW

SUPPORT

PRODUCTION CREDITS

SPONSOR

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, ⁠⁠reach out today.⁠

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

Len Testa and Jim Hill return with a caffeinated mix of Disney news, listener questions, and one deeply researched (and slightly petty) rant about guitar accuracy. They also explore the mystery of Walt’s unfinished apartment bathroom and debate just how early is too early for Halloween. Then Jim brings the main event: the story of how Maxwell House coffee landed on Main Street, missed its big debut, and ultimately got shown the door - paving the way for a quieter, smarter coffee strategy at Disneyland.

NEWS

FEATURE

For this episode’s full show notes,⁠ click here.⁠

HOSTS

FOLLOW

SUPPORT

PRODUCTION CREDITS

SPONSOR

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, ⁠reach out today.

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