Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by drilling down into a new annual passholder survey, as Disney World tries to get a handle on what Guests expectations are out ahead of next month’s re-opening of that Resort. Then Jim Hill talks about how changing “Splash Mountain” over to a “Princess & the Frog” theme would be a lot tougher than it looks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 15, 2020•52 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by discussing a survey that the Disneyland Resort recently sent out seeking input regarding when it seemed right to re-open the Company’s theme parks in Southern California. Then Jim shines a spotlight on how -- back in the 1960s & 1970s -- Disneyland used to turn a blind eye when it came to in-park weddings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 08, 2020•43 min•Ep. 273
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by discussing Disney World’s recently-announced plans to re-open its theme parks in July. Jim then goes on to reveal the hidden history of Epcot’s Millennium Icon Tower AKA the Mickey arm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 01, 2020•42 min
In a special Disney Dish minisode Len Testa & Jim Hill discuss WDW's decision to cancel all FastPasses dining reservations & dining plans out ahead of the Resort's mid-June re-opening Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 29, 2020•10 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by sharing some listener suggestions when it comes to keeping costs down when vacationing at the WDW Resort. Then Jim Hill looks back at some of the seasonal events that Disneyland staged back in the mid-to-late 1980s to get Southern Californians to visit that theme park during the slower times of year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 25, 2020•44 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s episode by sharing some patents that are sure to impact Guests’ experiences at WDW’s still-under-construction “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” resort. Then Jim Hill looks back at all of the shows that have been presented at the “Monster Sound Show” theater over the past 30+ years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 18, 2020•46 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by discussing how the phased re-opening of Shanghai Disneyland might impact the Company’s stateside parks. Jim then reveals how Mr. Toad -- a character that Walt didn’t much like -- got his own ride at Disneyland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 11, 2020•47 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill answer listener questions about the challenges that the WDW Resort faces as execs there search for ways to safely reopen those theme parks. They then look back at how “The Wind in the Willows” (a book that Walt himself said was “… awful corny”) wound up being animated by Disney Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 04, 2020•51 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by reviewing some of the safety policies & procedures that Disney & Universal may employ as they begin to re-open their theme parks. They then look back at the Summer of 2002. Which is when EPCOT’s Norway pavilion received a royal makeover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 27, 2020•50 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week by talking about which of the Bobs is really in charge of the Mouse House these days. Then they discuss how DCA’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror got transformed into “Guardians of the Galaxy -- Mission: BREAKOUT !” in just 5 months Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 20, 2020•45 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s episode by sharing a survey that was recently sent out to Disney Vacation Club members. Then Jim Hill looks back at the Fall of 1997 and the role that the “Jurassic Park” franchise played in Disney’s decision to change out three attractions at WDW’s Magic Kingdom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 13, 2020•40 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing the 26.3 acres of land that Disney just bought to the west of WDW’s Magic Kingdom. They then go on to discuss how the construction of Innoventions impacted Future World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 06, 2020•34 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by offering an update on the impact COVID-19 has had on Disney Parks & Resorts. Jim then shares a story about the “Carousel of Progress / Horizons” hybrid that the Imagineers once pitched to General Electric Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 30, 2020•33 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by sharing what they’ve learned about COVID-19’s impact on the themed entertainment industry. Then Jim talks about how Kermit & Co. continue to be crowded out by other Disney-owned properties like Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 23, 2020•47 min•Ep. 262
Len Testa & Jim Hill talk about the impact that COVID19 has been having on the Disney Parks (Editor’s note: This was before Disney Parks announced on the evening of March 12th that they’d be closing all of their theme parks in the United States & France). Then Jim takes a look at how WDW’s Typhoon Lagoon wound up with a water coaster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 16, 2020•45 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s episode by reviewing some of the food offerings found at this year’s International Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot. Then Jim Hill talks about how Disney’s earlier trackless attractions influenced the design of “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 09, 2020•47 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by reviewing many of the menu offerings at the Regal Eagle Smokehouse, which recently opened at Epcot’s American Adventure pavilion. Then Jim Hill looks back at the career of Disney CEO Bob Iger. More importantly, how Iger has been trying to exit the Mouse House since 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 02, 2020•51 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by talking about how all of the construction that’s been going on towards the front of Future World has been negatively impacting Epcot’s “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” pavilion. Then Jim Hill does a deep dive on the development of “Ratatouille: L’Adventure” for Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 24, 2020•44 min•Ep. 258
Len Testa starts off this week’s episode by talking about the very best way to plan out your FastPasses while visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Jim Hill then talks about why Epcot’s Liberty Inn was recently transformed into the Regal Eagle Smokehouse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 17, 2020•33 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by reviewing some of the patents that The Walt Disney Company has recently filed (Including one or two that soon may be in use as part of the Avenger Campus). Then Jim talks about Michael Eisner’s decade-long effort to get a Chautauqua-inspired resort built at Walt Disney World. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 10, 2020•44 min
Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by talking about how the Imagineers are using survey results to help them determine how scary Epcot’s “Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind” ride should be. They then review some of the more short-lived rides, shows & attraction at the Disney theme parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 03, 2020•51 min•Ep. 255
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by talking about the FastPass-related changes that will be coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting on February 19th. Then Jim Hill looks back at the history of what was once considered the gateway to Future World, Epcot’s Communicore / Innoventions area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 27, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by sharing his thoughts about “Awesome Planet,” “Canada: Far and Wide” as well as the “Beauty & the Beast Sing-along.” Jim Hill then talks about the carousel theater show that was originally supposed to be the centerpiece attraction at World Showcase’s Japan pavilion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 20, 2020•50 min•Ep. 253
Len Testa starts out this week’s show by revealing how Disney World is using an upcoming Free Dining promotion to deliberately steer people away from visiting that Resort over the long Fourth of July Weekend. Then Jim Hill talks about the Imagineers kept circling back on a certain set of ideas when it came to Epcot’s long-in-development Space pavilion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 13, 2020•45 min•Ep. 252
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by sharing some surveys that Disney Dish listeners have recently received. Then Jim Hill looks ahead to the coming year and talks about what 2020 will bring to the Disney Parks & Resorts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 06, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 251
Len Testa starts off this week’s episode by revealing how TouringPlans actually cracked Priceline’s code when it came to unnamed WDW resorts. Then Jim Hill talks about the living nativity that used to be a holiday highpoint at the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 30, 2019•29 min•Ep. 250
Len Testa starts off this week’s show by sharing his impressions of the latest Disney Vacation Club property to open at Walt Disney World. Then Jim Hill shares the history of the hotel that shares this space with WDW’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 23, 2019•58 min•Ep. 249
Len Testa starts off this show by talking about the challenges that WDW Guests still face if they want to experience DHS’ “Star Wars: The Rise of the Resistance” attraction in the coming weeks. Then Jim Hill does a deep dive on the history of CircleVision 360 at the Disney theme parks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 16, 2019•44 min•Ep. 248
Len Testa shares his experiences from both the press event for “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance” as well as opening day for this new Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction. He then offers his advice on how to increase your chances of actually getting to experience this ambitious ride while the Imagineers work out its kinks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 09, 2019•33 min•Ep. 247
First Len Testa previews some of the cutting-edge tech that will possibly power Guest interactions at WDW’s “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” resort. Then Jim Hill talks about how the Imagineers have tweaked the “Snow White and her Adventures” attraction since this dark ride first opened at Disneyland Park back in July of 1955. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 02, 2019•39 min•Ep. 246
