Dustin Fuhs and Jim Hill start off this podcast with an update on Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Jurassic World” ride. They also talk about how the merch and food program that Universal Parks & Resorts developed for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the late 2000s influenced the choices that Disney made with its “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” project Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 31, 2019•56 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this podcast by talking about how Paramount’s decision to push the release date of “Sonic the Hedgehog” back to February 2020 may have actually made it harder for this live-action / CG film to succeed at the box office. Drew then shares an interview he recently did with Alan Menken, where that Academy Award-winner talks about the development of the original animated “Aladdin” back in the late 1980s / early 1990s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....
May 28, 2019•37 min•Ep 39•Transcript available on Metacast While Len’s getting ready for the opening of Anaheim’s “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge,” Jim Hill shares an interview that he did with former Imagineer Terri Hardin. She then reveals the role that she played in the creation of a proposed attraction for Disney-MGM Studios Japan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 27, 2019•42 min•Ep 220•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill share e-mails from two listeners who actually got to see “Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark” during its Broadway run. Then Aaron uses his audio expertise to demonstrate how Marvel Studios used the removal-of-sound as a way to add tension to the battle scenes in “Avengers: Endgame” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 24, 2019•47 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Zehr & Jim Hill start this podcast by paying tribute to the late Peter Mayhew. They then talk about the Abbott & Costello-inspired production that Universal Pictures had originally wanted George Lucas to direct as his follow-up to “American Graffiti” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 22, 2019•46 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor and Jim Hill start this podcast off by singing the praises of the “DuckTales” production team for the artful & heartfelt way they folded Darkwing Duck into this animated series. Jim then shares some stories about how “Mulan” became Walt Disney Feature Animation – Florida’s first solo production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 21, 2019•37 min•Ep 38•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill talk about the significance of a number of surveys that The Walt Disney World Resort has sent out to Guests recently. Jim then discusses how Bob Chapek’s decision to focus in on the Company’s billion-dollar IPs is changing Disney Parks & Resorts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 20, 2019•43 min•Ep 219•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start things off by talking about Robert Downey Jr.’ s very impressive payday for “Avengers: Infinity War.” Then Jim digs into the troubled production history of Marvel’s very first Broadway musical. Which – when it finally closed in January of 2014 – posted a record-breaking $60 million loss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 17, 2019•47 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Michelle Valladolid & Jim Hill talk about how Disney has made Jasmine the main focus of its merchandise push for the Studio’s new live-action version of “Aladdin.” Jim then shares the history of “Tin Toy” and how this Academy Award-winning short led to the creation of Pixar’s “Toy Story.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 16, 2019•47 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Dustin Fuhs & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about the latest addition to “Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. They then discuss how the Universal Creative seems to be stepping away from producing rides, shows & attractions for the parks that make use of 3D glasses Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 15, 2019•41 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by sharing their concerns about the December 2019 release date that Disney selected for Blue Sky Studios’ “Spies in Disguise.” They also use the upcoming 10th anniversary of the release of Pixar’s “Up” as an excuse to look back at this Pete Docter movie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 14, 2019•41 min•Ep 37•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing the mysterious construction that’s going on at Disney’s Animal Kingdom out behind Pandora – The World of Avatar. Jim then talks about “The Ride of a Lifetime,” Bob Iger’s soon-to-be-released memoir (which will hit store shelves on September 10th) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 13, 2019•32 min•Ep 218•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by talking about why Disney is taking a low-key approach to celebrating the fact that “Avengers: Endgame” has just overtaken “Titanic” (at least when it comes to all-time box office champs). Aaron also points out some of the more intriguing ripple effects that this Russo Brothers movie is causing within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 10, 2019•41 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Zehr & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about how the Imagineers have handed the Anaheim version of “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” off to Disneyland Ops teams. They then talk about how the negative reaction that “Temple of Doom” received back in 1984 led to “Indy III” deliberately revisiting the style & tone of “Raiders” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 08, 2019•43 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about how fan reaction to the “Sonic the Hedgehog” teaser trailer forced Paramount Animation to rework the look of that film’s title character. Then Drew shares an interview that he did with “Toy Story 4” director Josh Cooley, who reveals why Pixar decided to go big with the fourth film in this acclaimed series Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 07, 2019•46 min•Ep 36•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by going over the menu at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Marvel Mania restaurant. They then discuss what they enjoyed about the Russo Brothers’ final film for Marvel Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 03, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Ep 34•Transcript available on Metacast Dustin Fuhs & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by discussing how Universal Creative is now in the process of buttoning up “Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.” They then talk at length about Dueling Dragons, the thrill ride that previously occupied this corner of the Lost Continent at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 01, 2019•48 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor starts off this week’s episode by sharing his thoughts on Warner Bros. “Pokémon Detective Pikachu.” Jim Hill then does a deep dive on “Gemini Man,” the long-in-development production that originally started off life as a project at Disney’s Secret Lab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 30, 2019•33 min•Ep 35•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off of this week’s episode by discussing why WDW management opted to push off the opening of “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios ‘til the Spring of 2020. Jim then continues his Chronological Disneyland series by pointing out how Bob Iger’s approach to that Anaheim Resort differed from Michael Eisner’s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 29, 2019•43 min•Ep 217•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about how “Spider-Man: Far From Home” is now supposed to be the final film in the Infinity Saga. They then share audio that Drew Taylor gathered at the global media junket that Marvel Studios held earlier this month for “Avengers: Endgame” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 26, 2019•49 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by talking about the parallels between “Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin” opening at Disneyland Park in January of 1994 and “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios getting its opening pushed back ‘til the Spring of next year. They also discuss what’s going on with “Frozen II” just seven months out from the theatrical release of this eagerly anticipated Walt Disney Animation Studios production Learn more about your ad choic...
Apr 24, 2019•35 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by talking about the parallels between “Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin” opening at Disneyland Park in January of 1994 and “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios getting its opening pushed back ‘til the Spring of next year. They also discuss what’s going on with “Frozen II” just seven months out from the theatrical release of this eagerly anticipated Walt Disney Animation Studios production Learn more about your ad choic...
Apr 23, 2019•42 min•Ep 52•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by discussing what’s significant about that new Disney Cruise Line survey which is currently making the rounds. Jim then talks about how the Imagineers keep trying to get the theme park-going public to embrace an attraction that features binaural sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 22, 2019•35 min•Ep 216•Transcript available on Metacast In a special Easter-themed episode, Michelle Valladolid & Jim Hill discussed how the Tokyo Disney Resort has turned this holiday into a two park, multi-week event. Jim then reviews the history of the Disney Bunnies, which is when DCP tried to build a brand around Thumper the Rabbit from “Bambi” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 20, 2019•44 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by talking about how the limited series that Marvel Studios is producing for Disney’s soon-to-launch subscription streaming service will be different from “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” & “Agent Carter.” Jim then does a deep dive on Disney’s August 2009 acquisition of Marvel Entertainment and reveals that – given the weird way that Hollywood does its books – it’s entirely possible that the Mouse has yet to recover the full $4.2 billion that it spent ...
Apr 19, 2019•42 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Dustin Fuhs & Jim Hill start off this week’s episode by talking about the operational & safety challenges that Universal Studios Hollywood is now facing, thanks to all of those show drones this theme park is using to create that patronus effect in its new “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” projection show. Jim also reveals the “Treehouse of Horror” -inspired storyline that “The Simpsons Ride” almost had Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 17, 2019•49 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing Rich Moore’s decision to leave Walt Disney Animation Studios for Sony Pictures Animation. Drew also shares what he learned about “Toy Story 4” while taking part in the press day for this upcoming Pixar Animation Studios’ release Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 16, 2019•40 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast Len Testa & Jim Hill start off by talking about how “Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy” will use promotion to try & overcome its unfortunate, out-of-the-way positioning at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They also talk about a patent that The Walt Disney Company has recently filed which Mouse House managers hope will get Guests to look up from the screens on their iPhones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 15, 2019•31 min•Ep 215•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Adams & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing how “Avengers: Endgame” ‘s three-hour-plus run-time may prevent this Russo Bros. movie from topping “Infinity Wars” record-breaking opening weekend box office take. They also talk about how the positive reaction that “Dark Phoenix” got at WonderCon last month really helped turn the toxic reputation that this X-Men movie had acquired around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 12, 2019•40 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Drew Taylor & Jim Hill look back at when Don Bluth resigned from Walt Disney Animation Studios in September of 1979 and then took 15% of that studio’s artists & animators with him. Drew then shares the interview that he did with Chris Butler, the director of “Missing Link” (i.e., Laika’s latest stop motion movie) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 09, 2019•41 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast