Lauren and Eric look at a strange stretch of incidents around Walt Disney World, including the portable charger fire at “it’s a small world” and the surprisingly positive response to how Disney handled it. From there, the conversation turns into a bigger look at Disney media, clickbait headlines, repetitive blog posts, ad-heavy articles, Reddit threads, AI answers, and why fans are shifting toward creators they trust. It is a very Diz and Hers blend of park news, internet snark, and a real discussion about how Disney fans find reliable information now.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

HOSTS

FOLLOW – DIS & HERS

FOLLOW – JIM HILL MEDIA

SUPPORT

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by ⁠⁠⁠Eric Hersey⁠⁠⁠ – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick off this week’s I Want That Too with a post-Fourth-of-July check-in, one very late ghost train, and a look ahead to Disney’s fast-arriving Halloween season. They dig into the latest D23: The Ultimate Fan Event merchandise previews, the surprisingly early Walt Disney World Halloween drop, and the return of 1990s-style Disney windbreakers. Then Jim explains how Disney’s moderate and value resorts reshaped Walt Disney World’s future, from Caribbean Beach and Port Orleans to the rise of the All-Star Resorts.

NEWS

• D23: The Ultimate Fan Event merchandise gets a stronger branded push this year, with new collections from Loungefly, Lug, Spirit Jersey, Nike, Lululemon, and more.

• Disney’s WED Enterprises and Walt’s Office collections are drawing early collector buzz, including items inspired by Walt Disney’s everyday satchel and chili recipe.

• Halloween merchandise has arrived at Walt Disney World earlier than ever, including Headless Horseman apparel, Cutie Ghost items, and a curious villains-as-beverages design.

• Lauren compares Disney’s 2025 and 2026 Halloween merch timelines and asks whether August Halloween parties have permanently changed the retail calendar.

• Retro 1990s-style Disney windbreakers are back at Disney Springs, raising a bigger question about which Disney Parks souvenirs from that era became true collectibles.

FEATURE

• Jim traces how Michael Eisner and the Bass brothers changed Walt Disney World’s hotel strategy by keeping more guests and more vacation dollars on property.

• The story begins with Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney World’s first moderate resort, and its strategic location near EPCOT, Disney-MGM Studios, Typhoon Lagoon, and Pleasure Island.

• Port Orleans and Dixie Landings expanded Disney’s moderate resort footprint, giving the company thousands of additional rooms aimed at a different vacation budget.

• The All-Star Resorts were Disney’s answer to Kissimmee and St. Cloud value hotels, bringing oversized icons, lower nightly rates, and a distinctly Eisner-era design language to the property.

• Jim shares a backstage story about spotting Michael Eisner’s All-Star Music test room, complete with the giant maraca that would later define the resort’s look.

HOSTS

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

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2, Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

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

Before you book your next Disney or Universal vacation, visit UnlockedMagic.com. Powered by the same trusted team behind the DVC Rental Store, Unlocked Magic helps guests save on theme park tickets and make their next Central Florida trip a little more magical.

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Jim Hill and Dan Graney return from the Fourth of July weekend with Avengers on the brain, Spider-Man breaking trailer records, and X-Men ’97 stretching Marvel history across thousands of years. They dig into the rumored new Endgame Encore tag, how Spider-Man: Brand New Day may be quietly setting up the MCU’s mutant era, and why X-Men ’97 Season 2 feels like both a great show and a smart primer for Doomsday. Then Jim and Dan crown their first-ever Doctor Doom of the Week as Sony’s latest digital ownership moves spark a bigger conversation about physical media, preservation, and the original 1977 Star Wars returning to theaters.

NEWS

• Avengers: Endgame Encore is headed back to theaters with new footage, a fresh intro, and an exclusive end tag tied to Avengers: Doomsday.

• Jim and Dan revisit their Doctor Doom theory as fans wonder whether Tony Stark’s famous hammering sound could be recontextualized for Victor von Doom.

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day is breaking trailer records while hinting at mutating DNA, Damage Control, inhibitor tech, and the MCU’s coming mutant era.

• Tom Holland says he wants to help bring Miles Morales into the MCU, echoing the mentor role Robert Downey Jr. played for him.

• X-Men ’97 Season 2 launches with a time-hopping three-episode premiere that moves from the future to 1997 to ancient Egypt.

FEATURE

• Sony earns the first Doctor Doom of the Week title after paid digital movies begin disappearing from PlayStation libraries due to expired licensing.

• Jim and Dan unpack why GTA 6’s reported physical release raises concerns about empty boxes, download codes, and the decline of game discs.

• The conversation turns to preservation, ownership, and what gets lost when digital storefronts replace shelves of movies, games, and Blu-rays.

• Disney’s planned IMAX release of the original 1977 theatrical cut of Star Wars offers a hopeful counterpoint for fans of film history and physical media.

HOSTS

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

• Dan Graney - YouTube: @TheHubbubbery, Facebook: /thehubbubbery, Website: thehubbubbery.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

Save on Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando tickets with UnlockedMagic.com, from the team behind DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market.

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

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Jim Hill and Drew Taylor take a Fourth of July detour on Fine Tooning for a deep dive into the first 50 years of Disney animation directors. With Ron Clements’ memoir now pushed to October and The Great Mouse Detective celebrating its 40th anniversary, Jim and Drew trace how Disney’s animated features evolved from Walt’s hands-on oversight to the rise of the CalArts generation. Along the way, they revisit Snow White, Dumbo, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, The Rescuers, The Black Cauldron, and the film that helped set the stage for Disney animation’s next era.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ron Clements’ long-awaited memoir, Making Disney Magic, gets another release-date delay.

• The Great Mouse Detective turns 40, giving Jim and Drew the perfect excuse to revisit Disney animation’s directing history.

• Walt Disney’s role in shaping Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi gets a fresh look.

• The wartime package films reveal how Disney kept animation alive during a difficult stretch for the studio.

• The conversation follows the handoff from veteran Disney directors to the CalArts generation that changed feature animation.

FEATURE

• How early Disney animated features used supervising directors, sequence directors, and Walt’s final creative say.

• Why Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Sleeping Beauty marked a major postwar rebuilding period.

• How Wolfgang Reitherman’s run helped define the studio’s animated output after Walt’s death.

• Why The Rescuers, The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective became turning points for the next generation of Disney storytellers.

HOSTS

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

• Drew Taylor - X/Twitter: @DrewTailored, Instagram: @drewtailored, Website: drewtaylor.work

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

This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com. If a Disney or Universal trip is on your radar for 2026, Unlocked Magic helps you lock in great ticket prices without the stress, all handled by people who know the parks and how to save you money.

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

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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.

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Jim Hill and Eric Hersey break down Comcast’s planned split from NBCUniversal and Sky, and what that could mean for Universal’s theme park business. They look at how a standalone NBCUniversal might affect future park investment, especially after years of Comcast enthusiasm for rides, lands, and Epic Universe. The episode also covers a big week of Halloween Horror Nights announcements, new Universal CityWalk updates, and animation news from Annecy. Then Jim shares the fiery history of how Ron Howard’s Backdraft became a Universal Studios Hollywood attraction.

NEWS

• Comcast plans to split NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone publicly traded media company.

• Jim and Eric discuss how this could reshape Universal Parks funding, strategy, and future growth.

• Halloween Horror Nights announces Hellraiser for both Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood.

• Universal reveals original HHN houses including Invasion: Alien Abduction and Cyber Goria.

• Universal CityWalk Orlando appears to be improving its bus terminal entry ahead of peak crowds.

FEATURE

• Jim looks back at Ron Howard’s 1991 film Backdraft and how Universal turned it into a lower lot attraction.

• The Backdraft attraction used intense flame effects, controlled heat, and a surprise platform drop to put guests in the middle of a warehouse fire.

• The episode revisits the 1990 Universal backlot fire and the rapid rebuilding of New York Street.

• Jim explains how Backdraft opened during Universal Studios Hollywood’s push to become a full motion-picture-based theme park.

HOSTS

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

• Eric Hersey - X/Twitter: @erichersey, Instagram: @erichersey, Website: strongmindedagency.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

Planning a trip to Universal Orlando or Walt Disney World? Epic Universal listeners can save up to 12% on theme park tickets, plus save on after-hours events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, with UnlockedMagic.com.

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

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Lauren and Eric take on two Disney resort stories that had the online community fired up this week. First, they unpack why the Grand Floridian gingerbread house may be going away for reasons that have less to do with gingerbread and more to do with crowd flow, guest satisfaction, and deluxe resort expectations. Then they turn to Wilderness Lodge, where a multi-day air conditioning outage during extreme Florida heat raised big questions about communication, compensation, and what guests should expect from a premium Disney resort.

HIGHLIGHTS

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

HOSTS

FOLLOW – DIS & HERS

FOLLOW – JIM HILL MEDIA

SUPPORT

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by Eric Hersey – ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick things off with Fourth of July traditions, viral Disney merch, and the growing strategy behind park-specific popcorn buckets and venue-branded souvenirs. Lauren digs into the early arrival of 2027 Walt Disney World merchandise, the mini Mickey ear keychains taking over social media, and why Hollywood Studios suddenly feels like a collectible popcorn bucket hotspot. Then Jim shares the story of Disney Texposition, a proposed Dallas-area regional entertainment concept that could have brought a little bit of Walt Disney World magic to Texas decades before Universal Kids Resort.

NEWS

• Disney’s 2027 dated merchandise has already started appearing at Walt Disney World, beginning with a calendar that may hint at next year’s design direction.

• Lauren breaks down the viral mini Mickey and Minnie headband keychains, including why the plain black Mickey version became the must-find souvenir.

• Hollywood Studios continues to lean into specialty popcorn buckets, from Lightning McQueen to Bullseye, Sam Eagle, Star Wars, and more.

• Jim and Lauren discuss whether Disney is using park-exclusive buckets and merchandise to move guests around Walt Disney World.

• Baseline Tap House gets its moment in the spotlight as Jim explains the Disney MGM Studios history hiding behind that surprisingly specific t-shirt.

FEATURE

• Jim tells the story of Disney Texposition, a planned Dallas-area regional entertainment center developed with the Rouse Company in the late 1980s.

• The project would have blended Pleasure Island, Disney MGM Studios, character dining, themed shopping, live shows, and simulator attractions into a smaller regional Disney experience.

• Disney considered the Texas concept as a possible gateway that could encourage families to book larger trips to Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

• Jim explains how Disneyland Paris financial troubles helped derail Disney Texposition, just before Disney shifted focus to another regional project: Disney’s America.

HOSTS

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

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2, Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

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

This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets. If a trip down to Florida to visit the parks is on your radar for the summer of 2026, head over to Unlocked Magic and let their team help make your next vacation a little more magical.

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 presides over another not-so-weighty session of The Case For as Len Testa and Chris Cox debate which lost Walt Disney World guest services deserve a comeback. Inspired by a listener email about resort package delivery, the trio weighs the case for bringing back in-park purchase delivery, Magical Express, resort airline check-in, wider Extra Magic Hours access, longer park days, and even those wonderfully impractical resort mugs. Along the way, they consider whether these old perks were just guest-service niceties or clever ways for Disney to keep visitors shopping, dining, and planning their next trip.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Why resort package delivery may have quietly shaped how much merchandise guests bought in the parks

• The argument for bringing back Magical Express as both transportation and a moving Disney marketing moment

• How resort airline check-in is starting to return in limited form for select Value Resort guests

• Whether Extra Magic Hours should once again be available to more Disney resort hotel guests

• Why Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom may have the strongest case for longer operating hours

HOSTS

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

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

• Chris Cox - X/Twitter: @bigcox, Instagram: @magiccox, Website: magiccox.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

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

Drew Taylor is back from Annecy, sleep-deprived but fully loaded with animation news, studio reveals, and a few very good Brad Bird breakfast stories. This week, Jim and Drew look at Toy Story 5’s massive second weekend, Supergirl’s box office debut, and the Minions’ return to the big screen before diving into what Drew saw at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. From DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island to new Warner Bros. Animation projects, Disney and Pixar updates, and a tribute to Lilo & Stitch voice actress Daveigh Chase, it is a packed tour through the current state of animation.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Toy Story 5 continues its huge theatrical run, pushing Disney past $3 billion at the 2026 worldwide box office.

• Supergirl opens below last summer’s Superman debut, while several genre titles continue to hold spots in the domestic top ten.

• Minions & Monsters heads toward a major Independence Day weekend launch after its Annecy screening.

• Drew shares what it was like covering Annecy while filing stories, hosting press conferences, and juggling interviews throughout the festival.

• Forgotten Island gets the spotlight as one of DreamWorks Animation’s funniest and most heartfelt upcoming projects.

• DreamWorks confirms Donkey, a Shrek spinoff prequel centered on Eddie Murphy’s beloved character.

• Warner Bros. Animation announces a packed slate, including Last Laugh, Krypto, Absolute Batman, Adventure Time, and a Powerpuff Girls feature.

• Disney and Pixar updates include Gatto, Loving Dory, Hexed, and the 2D/CG hybrid Lilo & Scratch.

HOSTS

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

• Drew Taylor - X/Twitter: @DrewTailored, Instagram: @drewtailored, Website: drewtaylor.work

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

Planning a Disney or Universal trip in 2026? UnlockedMagic.com helps you lock in great ticket prices without the stress, with support from people who know the parks and how to save you money.

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