Episodes

Len reports on a behind-the-scenes rethink of Magic Kingdom’s upcoming Villains Land, with Imagineering now under pressure to deliver not just “like” but “love.” The guys also touch on Epic Universe’s revenue strategy, Universal’s aggressive 2026 ticket bundles, and what a Mayan archaeology conference might reveal about the future of Indiana Jones at Animal Kingdom. NEWS • Magic Kingdom reverses the second Disney Starlight parade route to ease Main Street exits. • Universal debuts a 6- or 7-day...

Jim and Len dig into multimodal transportation news, Epic Universe’s shifting early entry lineup, and a possible successor to Josh D’Amaro before launching a new series on the history of The Great Movie Ride - including how a live performer in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion helped inspire one of Disney-MGM Studios’ most ambitious opening-day attractions. NEWS • Universal selects The Boring Company to develop a resort-wide transportation system connecting parks and hotels • Epic Universe quietly...

A major leadership change headlines this week’s Disney Dish, as Disney officially names Josh D’Amaro its next CEO. Len and Jim break down what this move really means for the company, why Dana Walden’s new role matters just as much, and how this leadership shuffle could shape the future of Disney parks, entertainment, and creative decision-making. After a news-heavy first half, Jim then steps back in time to explain how Universal’s Jurassic Park strategy once forced Disney to rethink Animal Kingd...

This week, Jim and Len unpack a packed Disney Dish that starts with theme park news and surveys before taking a deep dive into the frantic, sleep-deprived final months of EPCOT Center construction. Along the way, they translate Disney survey-speak, speculate on where Pokémon could land at Universal, and stumble onto what might be the most diabolically smart fireworks idea Disney has never tried. NEWS • Disney’s guest surveys decoded - What EPCOT and resort questions really reveal about future ...

This week on the Disney Dish Podcast, Jim Hill and Len Testa cover a wide range of park news before diving headfirst into one of the most intense construction stories Disney has ever lived through. From Haunted Mansion permits and Animal Kingdom surveys to Hallmark cameras rolling at Walt Disney World, the first half sets the stage for a jaw-dropping look at how EPCOT was nearly derailed before it ever opened. Then Jim walks through the chaotic final year of EPCOT construction, when Disney threw...

This week on Disney Dish, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into a deceptively simple question with big implications for trip planning: when exactly did “summer vacation” stop being peak season at Walt Disney World? Using years of hotel pricing data as a proxy for crowd demand, Len walks through what the numbers say - and the results may surprise longtime fans. Then Jim takes listeners on a deep historical tour of one of the parks’ most quietly beloved traditions, the Sword in the Stone ceremony, traci...

This week on Disney Dish, Jim Hill is joined by mind reader and showman Chris Cox, who steps in for Len Testa and immediately finds himself in the middle of some very Disney-sized mishaps. From a runaway Indiana Jones boulder at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the surprisingly fragile roof of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the conversation explores what happens when iconic park moments go just a little too far. Along the way, Jim and Chris dig into forgotten ceremonies, cutback entertainment, and the Ima...

Welcome to the first Disney Dish of the new year, where Jim Hill and Len Testa kick things off with news, listener questions, and a deep dive into Disney history and tech. This week, a newly published Disney patent sparks speculation about how the upcoming Encanto attraction may work, while Jim launches into a fascinating (and surprisingly hands-on) story about how Disney maintains, repairs, and periodically reinvents its iconic theme park castles. Along the way, there are transportation woes, g...

Jim and Len kick off the final Disney Dish of the year with holiday crowds, sold-out Lightning Lane Premier Passes, and one last lap through Jollywood Nights before pivoting into surveys, listener questions, and some unexpectedly nerdy math. Along the way, they remember a beloved Imagineer, dig into why Disney asks the survey questions it does, and break down the best times to roll the dice on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind if you are chasing that perfect song. Then Jim takes everyone de...

Sam from Sam’s Disney Diary joins Len and Jim to spill the (highly theatrical) tea on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Destiny - where character “meet-and-greets” have evolved into full-on, semi-improvised encounters that can follow you across the voyage. Then Jim heads back to where Disney’s in-park 3D film history really begins, from the 1950s 3D Jamboree at Disneyland to the studio’s eternal talent for repurposing anything that is not nailed down. NEWS • Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour...

Construction at Animal Kingdom’s upcoming Encanto attraction is finally starting to pop above the fence line, and Jim and Len do what they do best - stare at aerial photos until they start seeing ride-height changes and possible “big thing” anchors. Then the show veers into a surprisingly tight math problem: is it actually cheaper for an American couple to fly to Japan and do Tokyo Disney than it is to do a weekend at Walt Disney World? (Spoiler: the internet is almost right, which is somehow wo...

Len and Jim race through a packed week of Disney and Universal updates before diving into how the Roy E. Disney Animation Building went from an architectural showpiece to the creative model for Hollywood Studios’ upcoming Magic of Disney Animation attraction. NEWS • Disney outlines major 2026 refurbishments, Bluey offerings on both coasts, and new character entertainment. • EPCOT confirms Flower & Garden dates, attraction reopenings, and steep winter hotel discounts for Visa cardholders. • Uni...

After a week wandering Walt Disney World with Len and Jim Shull, Jim goes solo this episode to share fresh Orlando observations, big theme park news, and the triumphant tale of finally getting inside Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto after a decade of trying. From Zootopia 2’s massive box office to the latest on dynamic pricing, Magic Kingdom expansion hints, and some curious choices around holiday traditions at the Grand Floridian, this one covers a lot of ground. And yes, there will be tiki mugs. NEWS...

Len Testa, Jim Hill, and veteran Imagineer Jim Shull hit the IAAPA Expo show floor in Orlando, exploring the newest ride systems, vendor innovations, and behind-the-scenes stories fueling the future of themed entertainment. NEWS A look at how IAAPA blends professional showcase, industry reunion, and pop-up amusement park—complete with traffic, parking challenges, and surprises at every booth. Zamperla’s full-size demo of its new interactive “flap-to-fly” ride, where sensors track arm movement...

Jim Hill and Len Testa unpack Disney’s expanding multimodal transportation plans, field listener questions on “Dwarfgate” and the state of restaurant seating, and dig into the remarkable story of how Richard Nixon ended up declaring “I am not a crook” at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort. NEWS Disney expands its airport luggage transfer program to include Southwest Airlines arrivals, bringing back a little bit of that old Magical Express magic. A deeper look at Disney’s FY2025 earnings ...

Len Testa and Jim Hill continue No Negative November with a look at Zootopia’s new 4D adventure, listener trip-planning wisdom, and the surprising book that inspired Disneyland’s first mountain. NEWS Zootopia: Better Zoo-gether debuts at Animal Kingdom — The Tree of Life theater gets a major refresh with a new story, water gags, and a charming Benjamin Clawhauser animatronic. Holiday highlights return — Tree of Life Awakenings now plays nightly thanks to early sunsets, and the beloved Merry M...

Jim wraps up the story of Raglan Road and explains how one Irish pub helped inspire the full transformation of Pleasure Island into today’s Disney Springs. Along the way, Len kicks off No Negative November and the crew answers listener trip-planning questions with their best “only happy thoughts” energy. The origins of Raglan Road and how authentic Irish design found a home at Walt Disney World Why its immediate success made Disney rethink the entire Pleasure Island plan How that rethink led ...

This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa discuss Disney’s newest attraction update — Soarin’ Across America, debuting at EPCOT and Disney California Adventure in 2026 — and what it means for the company’s strategy ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary. They also break down the just-released TEA Global Attendance Report and what the latest theme park numbers reveal about Disney, Universal, and the post-pandemic recovery. The new Soarin’ Across America film and why Disney’s betting on nostalgia over novel...

This week, Len and Jim welcome Dr. Jill Peterfesso from Guilford College to talk about her new book Why the Magic Matters: Discovering Disney as a Laboratory for Learning. The conversation explores how Disney is studied in college classrooms, how its mix of “magic and strategy” reveals deeper lessons about creativity and culture, and why professors are turning theme parks into teaching tools. Plus, Jim continues his history of Disney Springs with the rise and fall of Pleasure Island’s West Side ...

Jim Hill and Len Testa uncover how a single Irish pub reshaped Disney Springs. From the forgotten Pleasure Island Jazz Company to the birth of Raglan Road, this episode reveals how one restaurant sparked a renaissance in Disney dining. Plus, the guys tackle Disney’s latest round of price increases, Universal’s updated safety policies, and a listener’s perfect park-free resort itinerary. Disney’s latest ticket and Lightning Lane price hikes and how far above inflation they’ve gone The long-awai...

This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into one of the most unexpectedly heartwarming stories in Disney history, the rise (and fall) of Push, the talking trash can who stole hearts in Tomorrowland. From his humble garage-built beginnings to his mysterious disappearance in 2014, Jim reveals how a simple rolling robot outlasted most of Disney’s high-tech character experiments. Plus, the guys tackle the latest Disney and Universal park rumors, strange guest surveys, and Halloween candy economics. W...

With Len Testa away this week, Jim Hill is joined by Imagineer Jim Shull and Eric Hersey. Shull shares first-hand stories of the frantic 72 hours before Disney parks open - from sod being laid overnight at the Contemporary Resort in 1971 to carloads of flowers on Main Street Paris. Meanwhile, Eric helps cover the latest Universal Studios news, including surprising plans for Scooby-Doo and a deep dive into the popcorn bucket craze. Why opening a Disney park always comes down to a last-minute scr...

This week, Imagineer Jim Shull joins Jim Hill and Len Testa to finish the wild story of how Cars Land was built at Disney California Adventure. Along the way, the guys cover everything from gorillas and Muppets to a scuba diver who robbed Paddlefish. Tomorrowland’s Cool Ship replacement that looks suspiciously like a McDonald’s drive-thru The life of Gino the gorilla and why Animal Kingdom will never be the same A Florida man in scuba gear robs Paddlefish and swims away with the cash Sabrina...

This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into the wild backstory of Disney California Adventure’s Cars Land and the strange “what ifs” that could’ve changed Radiator Springs forever. From Marty's Malt Shop to a road trip attraction fueled by beef jerky and Diet Mountain Dew, the alternate ideas were as quirky as they were ambitious. A new Disneyland ticket discount that signals softer bookings Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind’s Earth, Wind & Fire overlay Disney Cruise Line’s delay of the D...