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The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

By: Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
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 The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network features weekly shows hosted by Jim Hill and his collaborators. The lineup includes The Disney Dish with Len Testa, Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Epic Universal Podcast with Eric Hersey, I Want That Too with Lauren Hersey, Marvel Us Disney with Dan Graney, The Case For with Chris Cox, and more. Each series offers industry reporting, history, analysis, and insider stories spanning Disney, Universal, animation, film, streaming, and themed entertainment. With over 25 years of online storytelling and thousands of hours of content, the network delivers trusted, in-depth coverage for fans, enthusiasts, and industry professionals.Copyright Jim Hill Media 2025 Art Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Princess Running Shoes, Walt’s L.A. Tour, and the Long Road to Disney Springs (Ep. 90)

    Princess Running Shoes, Walt’s L.A. Tour, and the Long Road to Disney Springs (Ep. 90)
    Mar 12 2026
    In this episode of I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dive into a mix of new Disney merch, fan experiences, and theme park history. They break down the newly revealed Disney Princess running shoes from Brooks, preview merchandise coming to EPCOT’s Flower & Garden Festival, and look at a premium new D23 tour that takes fans through Walt Disney’s Los Angeles. Then Jim returns with Part 2 of the story of how a struggling shopping area at Walt Disney World evolved from the Disney Village Marketplace into the sprawling Disney Springs destination we know today. NEWS • Brooks and runDisney unveil the 2026 Disney Princess Half Marathon weekend shoe collection featuring Rapunzel, Belle, and Moana inspired designs - including braided laces, lantern motifs, and ocean themed colorways.• Registration prices for the Disney Princess Half Marathon continue to climb, now landing between $259 and $269, adding to the debate around race merch availability and resellers.• D23 launches the premium Walt’s Los Angeles Tour for Gold Members - a $1,999 guided experience visiting Walt Disney Studios, Imagineering, Walt’s former home, the Carolwood Barn, and ending with dinner at one of Walt’s favorite restaurants.• A preview of EPCOT’s 2026 Flower & Garden Festival merchandise highlights new Orange Bird apparel, a retro inspired button down, Spike the Bee accessories, and Annual Passholder exclusives.• Disney California Adventure prepares for the 2026 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, including new marketplace booths and the Sip and Savor Pass that lets guests prepay for festival items. FEATURE • Part 2 of the Disney Springs story: how Michael Eisner inherited the underperforming Walt Disney World Shopping Village in the 1980s.• The creation of Pleasure Island in 1989 as Disney’s answer to Orlando’s Church Street Station nightlife.• The evolution into Downtown Disney in the 1990s with additions like Planet Hollywood, Rainforest Cafe, LEGO Imagination Center, DisneyQuest, and Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba.• Why Pleasure Island ultimately closed in 2008 - and the short lived Hyperion Wharf concept that almost replaced it.• How a major rethink under Disney Parks leadership led to the massive Disney Springs redevelopment, expanding the complex to more than 150 shops and restaurants across four themed districts. HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com• Lauren Hersey - IG: @lauren_hersey_ | X: @laurenhersey2 FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews• Instagram: JimHillMedia• TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave GreyProduced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic. If a Disney or Universal trip is anywhere on your radar for 2026, the team at UnlockedMagic can help you secure great ticket deals with guidance from people who truly know the parks. Learn more and lock in your future trip at UnlockedMagic.com. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    46 mins
  • Bad Guests, Good Influencers: Inside the Best and Worst of Disney Fandom (Ep. 8)

    Bad Guests, Good Influencers: Inside the Best and Worst of Disney Fandom (Ep. 8)
    Mar 12 2026
    Eric and Lauren take a look at two very different sides of the Disney parks experience. First, they dive into the strange, frustrating, and sometimes hilarious examples of bad guest behavior that cast members deal with every day. Then they flip the script and explore the world of Disney content creators - highlighting some of the nicest influencers in the community and breaking down how people actually turn Disney fandom into a career online. HIGHLIGHTS Weird guest behavior in the parks: From guests interrupting performances to someone walking into Animal Kingdom with an entire bag of hard-boiled eggs, Eric and Lauren share some of the strangest stories pulled from Disney fan forums. Cast member frustrations: The duo discusses the kinds of guest behavior that drive cast members crazy - including entitlement over “pixie dust,” arguing about ride safety rules, spoiling character magic for kids, and hoarding limited-edition merchandise. Guests behaving badly: Stories range from public arguments over reality TV in Disney restaurants to runaway scooters smashing trash cans - plus the uncomfortable reality of guests ignoring common courtesy in the parks. The nicest Disney influencers: A Reddit deep dive reveals a surprisingly wholesome consensus about creators like Paging Mr. Morrow, while Lauren shares why Disney Dish co-host Len Testa stands out as one of the most beloved figures in the Disney fan community. How Disney creators actually make money: Eric and Lauren explain YouTube monetization, sponsorships, Patreon communities, and the reality that many influencers still keep full-time jobs while building their Disney platforms. HOSTS Eric Hersey – X: ⁠⁠@erichersey⁠⁠ | Instagram: ⁠⁠@erichersey⁠⁠ Lauren Hersey – X: ⁠⁠@laurenhersey2⁠⁠ | Instagram: ⁠⁠@lauren_hersey_⁠⁠ FOLLOW – DIS & HERS Website: ⁠⁠DisAndHers.com⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠@disandhers⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠@disandhers⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠Dis and Hers⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠Dis & Hers⁠⁠ FOLLOW – JIM HILL MEDIA Facebook: ⁠⁠JimHillMediaNews⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠JimHillMedia⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠JimHillMedia⁠⁠ SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at ⁠⁠Patreon.com/JimHillMedia⁠⁠. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited & Produced by Eric Hersey – ⁠⁠Strong Minded Agency⁠⁠ If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, ⁠⁠reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • The Case for CEO: Fire Mountain, Skyliners & a Villains Brunch (Ep. 14)

    The Case for CEO: Fire Mountain, Skyliners & a Villains Brunch (Ep. 14)
    Mar 11 2026
    What would happen if Len Testa and Chris Cox were suddenly handed the keys to The Walt Disney Company? In this spirited session of The Case For, Jim Hill presides as the guys pitch their boldest, nerdiest, and occasionally unhinged ideas for the future of Walt Disney World. From resurrecting Magical Express to replacing Jungle Cruise with a Moana and Lilo & Stitch volcano coaster, nothing is off the table. HIGHLIGHTS • Should Disney bring back Magical Express and resort package delivery, possibly with paid expedited options to drive incremental revenue? • Len proposes accepting international Annual Passes at domestic parks in 2026 to offset projected declines in overseas travel. • A controversial pitch to replace Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise with a family-friendly Fire Mountain coaster themed to Moana and Lilo & Stitch. • Extending the Skyliner to connect Animal Kingdom, Coronado Springs, All-Stars, and Blizzard Beach to increase resort occupancy and reduce bus demand. • A Villains-themed breakfast at Be Our Guest as a test kitchen for the upcoming Villains Land. • Chris suggests an AI-powered Memory Maker upgrade that auto-edits photos and creates shareable reels for guests. • The long-lost Adventures Club, the future of the monorail system, airline luggage check-in at resorts, and even a “Need a Pee” line re-entry pass all make the docket. HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Len Testa - IG: @len.testa | Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Website: TouringPlans.com • Chris Cox - IG: @magiccox | X: @bigcox | Website: magiccox.com FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 mins
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