Jim Hill goes it alone in a special Presidents Day edition of the Disney Dish podcast. He first talks about what’s been going on with Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts. Jim then shares how the “Disney’s America” project almost caused a motion-based simulator attraction to be built in the Liberty Square section of WDW’s Magic Kingdom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 18, 2019•35 min•Ep 206•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill complete their November 2018 walk-thru of Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a stroll around Echo Lake. En route, Len & Jim discuss what WDI has planned for the near-term when it comes to “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” and the “Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 15, 2019•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jim Hill & Michelle Valladolid kick off a brand-new podcast about Disney-related merch by discussing that annual-passholder-exclusive Steamboat Willie-themed popcorn bucket that was recently available for purchase at the Disneyland Resort. They then look back at the life & career of Ron Miller, the former CEO of Walt Disney Productions who recently passed away at the age of 85. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 14, 2019•32 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast Dustin Fuhs & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by discussing some of the foods that will be served up in USF’s French Quarter Courtyard during this year’s Mardi Gras celebration. They then offer up some theories as to what Universal Creative currently has in the works as a replacement for “Terminator 2: 3D -- Battle Across Time.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 13, 2019•43 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by recapping the 46th annual Annie Awards. They then debate the pros & cons of “Purl,” Pixar’s inaugural SparkShort, before then talking about how “Ralph Breaks the Internet almost started with the funeral of a famous video game character. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 12, 2019•43 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa starts off this week’s show by sharing some of Touring Plans’ more recent discoveries about Disney World’s transportation system. Jim Hill then talks about how the Disney Princess & Disney Fairies franchises originally heavily influenced both the design of & the attraction line-up at New Fantasyland at WDW’s Magic Kingdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 11, 2019•41 min•Ep 204•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill dissect the “Avengers: Endgame” trailer that aired this past Sunday on Super Bowl LIII. With a particular emphasis on how the Russo Brothers, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely have deliberately placed specific story elements in Captain America’s overall thru-line in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past 8 years which will soon pay off in “Endgame.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 08, 2019•40 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill continue their November 2018 walk-through of Disney’s Hollywood Studios with a visit to that theme park’s newest “land”. They discuss how the June 2018 opening of Toy Story Land has fundamentally changed the way Guests experience WDW’s third gate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 07, 2019•8 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Zehr start off this week’s show by talking about how – thanks to the polar vortex – his limited edition Columbia parka (which was inspired by the coat that the cast & crew of “Star Wars – Episode IV” wore while they were working in Finse, Norway) came in very handy this past week. Jim Hill then looks back at how Disney Parks & Resorts turned the halftime show at Super Bowl XXIX into one long commercial for the “Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye.” Learn more about your ad c...
Feb 06, 2019•36 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing Pixar veteran Darla Anderson’s decision to sign a multi-year deal with Netflix. They then discuss why it took Disney Studios nearly two decades to produce a full length animated version of J.M. Barrie’s “Peter Pan” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 05, 2019•40 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show with an update on WDW’s Skyliner system as well as offering some additional info on that resort’s pricey new “World of Dreams” tour. Len also shares some stories from the Monsanto corporate archives, included what it actually took to tear down Disneyland’s House of the Future back in December of 1967 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 04, 2019•37 min•Ep 202•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill kick things off by discussing the Season Six trailer for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” They then share what they’ve heard about what Kevin Feige reportedly has planned for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after “Avengers: Endgame.” Aaron closes out the show by fancasting who he’d like to direct the “Fantastic Four” reboot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 01, 2019•49 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill talk about 2019’s nominees for Best Animated Feature and Best Animated Short Film. They also talk about how “Zootopia” being the highest grossing animated film in Chinese cinematic history eventually led to Shanghai Disneyland getting a new land built around these characters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 29, 2019•34 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about Disney’s Riveria Resort (which recently began accepting reservations for stays beginning on December 16th). They also discuss Anaheim’s “Project Stardust,” which is being done out ahead of the opening of the Disneyland Park version of “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 28, 2019•40 min•Ep 201•Transcript available on Metacast In honor of “Black Panther” being nominated for Best Picture, Jim Hill looks back over the past 40 years of Academy Awards history and how superhero movies typically do at the Oscars. Aaron Adams then talks about the genuinely clever way music is used to enhance the emotion / clarify the storytelling in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by comparing Lee Unkrich’s graceful exit from Pixar with John Lasseter’s awkward arrival at Skydance. They then do a deep dive on Warners’ “Space Jam,” tracing the origin of that live-action / animated feature back to Nike’s “Hare Jordan” & “Aerospace Jordan” commercials Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 25, 2019•39 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Dustin Fuhs & Jim Hill talk about the Upper Lot at Universal Studios Hollywood is being transformed for that theme park’s Lunar New Year Celebration. Then Jim wonders why – when it comes to the rides, shows & attractions that Universal Creative creates for the parks – theme park fans tend to look past all of the dimensional sets, custom-built props & animatronics and only talk about the screens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 24, 2019•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast In honor of the 200th episode of Disney Dish, Len Testa & Jim Hill give a shout-out to the very first folks to subscribe to this podcast. They then share what they’ve learned about what Disney Parks & Resorts is doing to school Cast Members about “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” ‘s marquee attractions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 21, 2019•29 min•Ep 200•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start this week’s show off by sharing info about the official Stan Lee tribute (which will be held the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood on January 30th). They then discuss whether Ryan Reynolds will be able to persuade Hugh Jackman to strap on his Adamantium claws one last time for a Deadpool / Wolverine team-up film. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 20, 2019•39 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Zehr & Jim Hill discuss everything from “Solo” ‘s under-performance at the box office to the online trolls who went after Kelli Marie Tran. They also talk about some of the happier things that happened in the Star Wars sphere over the past year, including the resurrection of the “Clone Wars” animated series and the promise of “The Mandalorian” over at Disney + Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 17, 2019•50 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill discuss what’s sure to be one of the biggest animation stories of 2019: David Ellison hiring John Lasseter to be the new head of Skydance Animation. Drew & Jim also look back at Lasseter’s last year or so at Disney & Pixar and muse over whether “Cars 3” ‘s under-performance at the box office & the cancellation of “Gigantic” contributed to John’s downfall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 15, 2019•44 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill discuss what new shows & attractions the Imagineers hope to have up & running at Disney’s Hollywood Studios by May 2019 (just in time for this theme park’s 30th anniversary celebration). They also talk about how the tests that are currently going on in Epcot’s parking lot in regards to Uber & Lyft could impact the layout of parking lots at Disney’s other theme parks. Len & Jim then continued their Chronological Disneyland series with the initial construction of DCA. Learn mo...
Jan 15, 2019•36 min•Ep 199•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill continue their November 2018 walking tour of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As they explore the part of this theme park that was formerly known as the Muppets Courtyard, Len & Jim discuss everything that the Imagineers have done in the past year to ready DHS for the opening of “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 14, 2019•11 min•Ep 198•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill take a look back at the past year in the Marvel-Us-Disney sphere. They discuss which movies set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had the biggest impact on the entertainment industry & pop culture. Aaron & Jim also talk about what projects they’re most looking forward to in 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 12, 2019•44 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Jim Hill & Dustin Fuhs put together a super-sized edition of their “Universal Joint” podcast to review the past year of changes & challenges that Parks & Resorts faced. Among the topics that they’ll be discussing is Universal Orlando’s decision to revamp USF’s operational calendar (i.e., shifting Rock the Universe from September to February, cancelling the 2019 edition of A Celebration of Harry Potter outright) so that that theme park could then expand the number of days it presents USF’s wildly...
Jan 11, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast As Len Testa & Jim Hill continue their walk-thru of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in November of 2018, they turn their attention to the Animation Courtyard area. In particular how the Imagineers have tried to balance this theme park’s celebration of Old Hollywood with WDW Guests desire to find brand-new rides, shows & attractions to experience whenever they visit DHS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 08, 2019•8 min•Ep 196•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about why the menu at Tiffins has been mutating over these past few months. They also discuss the DVC Resorts that Disney execs ultimately decided not to build, including the Times Square Villas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 07, 2019•41 min•Ep 197•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill look back at this year’s high points & low points when it comes to film and television animation. They also talk about projects that they’re really looking forward to in 2019 like Sergio Pablos’ “Klaus” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 02, 2019•26 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off their November 2018 tour of Disney’s Hollywood Studios by checking out all of the holiday decorations along Hollywood & Sunset Boulevards. They also discuss WDW Entertainment’s plan to replace “Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage!” with a new “Tangled” -themed show out ahead of the Resort’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 01, 2019•11 min•Ep 195•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this episode by talking about one of Disney’s biggest concerns when it comes to “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.” Which is that people’s need to get selfies of themselves in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon will then significantly slow down the load / unload time for “Smugglers Run.” Len then talks some of his recent dining experiences around the WDW Resort Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 31, 2018•42 min•Ep 194•Transcript available on Metacast