The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

When the Grand Californian’s Soundproofing Worked Too Well (Ep. 605)

Len Testa and Jim Hill unpack Disney’s latest price increases, from annual passes and tickets to the quick-service meals taking a bigger bite out of vacation budgets. The

The Shrek That Almost Was: Chris Farley and DreamWorks’ Early Gamble (Ep. 123)

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey catch up on Universal news, from a Wicked celebration at CityWalk to the closure of Po Live in DreamWorks Land. They also look at the internation

Bob Chapek, Disney Store Closures, and the Pop-Up Comeback (Ep. 120)

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dig into Bob Chapek's memoir, Behind the Castle Walls, and his account of reshaping Disney Consumer Products. They examine his franchise-first

Are Disney Annual Passholders Still Worth It? (Ep. 37)

Bob Chapek’s new book has reopened one of Disney Parks’ trickiest debates: just how valuable are annual passholders? Lauren and Eric break down the math behind Disneyland

Sleeping In at EPCOT: Is Skipping Rope Drop Worth It? (Ep. 29)

Can you sleep in and still see everything at EPCOT? Chris Cox and Len Testa bring the case against rope drop before Judge Jim Hill, comparing later arrivals without Light

The Real Story Behind The Return of Jafar (Ep. 377)

With Drew Taylor sidelined by a broken foot, Jim Hill takes the controls for a solo edition of Fine Tooning packed with animation news and Disney history. Jim checks in o

Did Disney Hide Tomorrowland’s Future in a Hotel Tower? (Ep. 604)

Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into Disney’s newly released Monstropolis concept art, Lakeshore Lodge details, a new Kilimanjaro Safaris patent, and some revealing Disney vac

The Dark Origins of Halloween Horror Nights (Ep. 122)

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey dig into the latest Universal news, from Mardi Gras 2027 dates and a new Five Guys at CityWalk to Halloween Horror Nights collectibles, surveys,

When Disney Took Toontown to the Mall (Ep. 119)

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick off October with a look at Toys "R" Us and the surprising return of large-scale pop-up retail, including a connection to Disney's own limi

When Disney Theming Goes Minimalist (Ep. 36)

Disney built its reputation on immersive environments, elaborate backstories, and spaces where even the smallest details help tell a story. This week, Lauren and Eric loo

Endgame Encore Rewrites the Road to Doomsday (Ep. 27)

Jim Hill and Dan Graney dig into the surprising new footage added to Avengers: Endgame Encore and what it may reveal about Marvel’s road to Avengers: Doomsday. From Loki

Darkwing Duck Gets Dangerous Again as Disney+ Orders the Reboot (Ep. 376)

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor are back with a packed week of animation news, including Disney+ finally ordering its long-in-development Darkwing Duck reboot to series with Mar

The Little Disneyland That Never Was: Walt Disney’s Lilliputian Land (Ep. 603)

Disney surveys are asking increasingly pointed questions about discounts, trip costs, and what actually gets guests to book, while Disneyland history takes center stage w

Abbott & Costello’s Final Act, Plus Felix the Cat’s Universal Future (Ep. 121)

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey catch up on the latest Universal news, from King Kong’s temporarily modified return at Islands of Adventure to fresh progress on Fast & Furious:

Cars Keeps Rolling: 20 Years of Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Merch (Ep. 118)

Disney’s Cars is turning 20, and Lightning McQueen and Mater are still racing through Disney’s merchandise machine with new Loungefly releases, Formula 1 collaborations,

Disney Parks Are Rethinking How You Wait in Line (Ep. 35)

Disney is changing how guests spend - and skip - their time in line. Lauren and Eric look at the retirement of the Disney Play Parks app, what could happen to interactive

Sleeping In at Magic Kingdom: The Case Against Rope Drop (Ep. 28)

What happens if you skip rope drop at Magic Kingdom and deliberately start your Disney day at 9, 10, or even 11 a.m.? Len Testa and Chris Cox explore how late arrivals ca

Transformers’ 40-Year Apology Tour Rolls Out for Optimus Prime (Ep. 375)

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into Hasbro’s “Transformers: The Apology Tour,” marking 40 years since Transformers: The Movie traumatized a generation by killing Optimus Pr

The PeopleMover Business Disney Almost Built (Ep. 602)

Len Testa and Jim Hill cover the latest Walt Disney World news, from a Toy Story 5 overlay at Hollywood Studios and shifting timelines for Tropical Americas to Disney’s e

What’s Going On With King Kong at Islands of Adventure? (Ep. 120)

Jim and Eric dig into a busy week of Universal news, from unexpected trouble with the King Kong animatronic at Islands of Adventure to fresh signs of expansion behind Dar