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The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

The Disney Dish Podcast with Jim Hill and Len Testa
Dive into the fascinating world of Disney with theme park historian Jim Hill and Len Testa as they uncover the stories behind the magic. From breaking news and in-depth analyses to quirky historical tidbits and behind-the-scenes secrets, The Disney Dish offers a unique blend of humor, expertise, and insider knowledge.
Whether you’re a die-hard Disney fan, a theme park aficionado, or just curious about the history and future of Disney parks and resorts, this podcast has something for everyone.
What to Expect:

Breaking Disney News: Stay up to date on the latest happenings at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney’s global parks.

Historical Deep Dives: Learn how classic attractions were created, the stories behind Disney’s biggest decisions, and the Imagineering ingenuity that brought it all to life.

Listener Q&A: Get answers to your burning questions about the parks, attractions, and Disney culture.

Exclusive Insights: Gain access to insider details and stories you won’t find anywhere else.

Fun & Humor: Enjoy the wit and camaraderie of two Disney enthusiasts who know how to make even the most technical details entertaining.

With decades of combined experience and an unmatched passion for all things Disney, Jim and Len guide you through the parks, the stories, and the magic in a way only they can.
Your journey to the happiest podcast on earth starts here. Subscribe today!

Copyright: © Copyright Jim Hill Media 2022

Latest Episodes:

Disney’s 1984 Takeover Battle and the Road to the Eisner Era (Ep. 91) Nov 15, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa continue their chronological Disneyland series by examining the corporate upheaval that reshaped Disney in the mid-1980s. Jim traces Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold’s push for new leadership, the takeover threats facing the company, and the events that brought Michael Eisner and Frank Wells into power. Along the way, they connect those boardroom battles to New Fantasyland, Disneyland’s entertainment, and the park’s changing priorities.

Original Air Date: November 15, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Disneyland 1983-4

HIGHLIGHTS

The company’s early-1980s television challenges, Disney Channel launch, and reluctance to release classic films on home video.
New Fantasyland’s opening and the oversized inflatable characters in Flights of Fantasy.
Disney’s involvement in planning the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics ceremonies.
Roy E. Disney, Stanley Gold, Ron Miller, and the struggle over Disney’s leadership.
Saul Steinberg’s takeover attempt, greenmail, and the disputed Gibson Greetings acquisition.
The arrival of Michael Eisner and Frank Wells and Disneyland’s labor and attendance challenges.
The Country Bear Christmas Special and the beginnings of holiday attraction overlays.
Year-round daily operation, Videopolis, and the new partnership with George Lucas.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by Aaron Adams

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len trace Disney’s 1984 corporate crisis, the arrival of Michael Eisner and Frank Wells, and the changes that followed at Disneyland.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Club Villain and the Future of Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom (Ep. 90) Nov 01, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa examine the changes coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom in this conversation recorded October 29, 2015. They discuss Club Villain’s announcement, the growing market for premium experiences, and new details about Rivers of Light. Looking ahead from 2015, they also weigh construction plans, attraction rumors, and uncertain futures for the Muppets and Osborne Lights.

Original Air Date: November 1, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Studios / Animal Kingdom Developments

HIGHLIGHTS

Club Villain’s planned entertainment, limited capacity, and premium ticket price.
How character dining and exclusive experiences shape guest expectations and perceptions of value.
Tomorrowland Terrace possibilities and the abandoned Astronomers Club concept.
Rivers of Light’s announced dancers, floating lantern vessels, and storytelling approach.
Avatar construction and the competitive pressure of Universal’s upcoming attractions.
An early Jimmy Fallon attraction pitch that would have reused elements of Twister.
Hollywood Studios construction, new road access, and the impact on cast-member parking.
The hosts’ 2015 speculation about Muppet*Vision 3D, the television series, and the future of the Osborne Lights.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by Aaron Adams

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len discuss Club Villain, Rivers of Light, and the 2015 plans and rumors surrounding Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discovery Bay and Dumbo Circus: Disneyland’s Unbuilt Lands (Ep. 89) Oct 15, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa explore two Disneyland lands that never made it off the drawing board: Dumbo Circus and Discovery Bay. Jim traces their roots in Walt’s Fantasyland plans and describes the attractions, restaurants, and transportation that would have connected these ambitious additions. The conversation also follows surviving ideas into later Disney parks and explains how movie performance and competing projects influenced what finally got built.

Original Air Date: October 15, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Fantasyland - Never Built Land

HIGHLIGHTS

Walt’s storybook-village vision for Fantasyland and the budget compromises behind the 1955 tournament tents.
Dumbo Circus plans, including an elevated Dumbo ride, a Pinocchio attraction, and Mickey’s proposed circus extravaganza.
The Great Western Balloon Ascent and its connection between the two proposed lands.
Discovery Bay’s Victorian waterfront, Chinatown, lighthouse, and gold-rush influences.
The Hyperion airship and how The Island at the Top of the World affected the project’s prospects.
Nemo’s Lava Cruiser, a Nautilus restaurant, and a time-travel boat ride using the Primeval World dinosaurs.
Ideas that resurfaced in Discoveryland, Coral Reef, and other Disney locations.
How the unbuilt projects connect to Disneyland’s eventual 1983 Fantasyland makeover.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by Aaron Adams

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len explore Disneyland’s unbuilt Dumbo Circus and Discovery Bay, plus the ideas that resurfaced in later Disney attractions.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Shanghai Disneyland Reimagined Main Street as Mickey Avenue (Ep. 88) Oct 01, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa explore why Shanghai Disneyland’s entrance was designed as Mickey Avenue instead of another Main Street, U.S.A. Jim traces the ideas considered for earlier international parks and the creative choices intended to introduce Disney’s characters to a new audience. Recorded before Shanghai Disneyland opened, this 2015 conversation tours the planned shops, restaurants, gardens, and alternative concepts behind the resort’s first impression.

Original Air Date: October 1, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Shanghai Main Street

HIGHLIGHTS

Abandoned Main Street concepts for Paris and Hong Kong, including a Jazz Age street and a 1950s setting.
Why Mickey Avenue presents itself as the home of Disney characters.
The wider entrance promenade, train-station-style gateway, and different parade route.
Classic animation references in the shops, restaurants, and architectural details.
Eric Goldberg’s character caricatures and the Tony’s restaurant concept.
Tim Delaney’s alternative entrance designs, including Hollywood, enchanted trees, and whimsical storefronts.
The Gardens of Imagination and their role in accommodating families.
Disneytown, the Lion King theater, and the importance of the resort’s opening-day impression.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by Aaron Adams

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len explore Mickey Avenue, Shanghai Disneyland’s entrance design, and the abandoned concepts that helped reshape the traditional Main Street.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hades, Maleficent, and the Rise of Disney’s Villains (Ep. 87) Sep 15, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa answer a listener’s question about Disney villains and the events built around them in the parks. Jim connects the success of Descendants and Maleficent with the longer history of villain merchandise, cruise-line entertainment, and Halloween celebrations. This September 2015 conversation also explores the creation of Hades and previews the debut of the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.

Original Air Date: September 15, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: History of Disney’s Villains in the parks, ships, and shows

HIGHLIGHTS

The success of Descendants and the plans being discussed for its characters in 2015.
The challenge of presenting different versions of Maleficent in the same theme-park world.
Villain-focused shops and the merchandising appeal of Disney’s bad guys.
How Hades became a favorite in Disney Cruise Line entertainment.
The casting journey from Jack Nicholson and John Lithgow to James Woods.
Jim’s stories about the real-life inspirations behind animated villains.
Hades Hangout, Limited Time Magic, and the demand for rarely seen characters.
The Sanderson sisters’ upcoming arrival in the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len explore Disney’s villain fandom, Hades’ surprising casting history, and the park events that brought the bad guys into the spotlight.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disneyland 1976-1981: Space Mountain, Big Thunder, and the Race for Thrills (Ep. 86) Sep 01, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa continue their Disneyland chronology with the years 1976 through 1981, when Southern California’s growing competition pushed Disney toward bigger thrills. Jim follows Space Mountain from Walt’s early ideas to its Anaheim debut, then explains how Big Thunder Mountain emerged from a much larger unrealized project. The discussion also covers the Matterhorn’s transformation, Disneyland’s anniversary celebrations, and the changes that set the stage for a new Fantasyland.

Original Air Date: September 1, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Disneyland 1976-1981

HIGHLIGHTS

How new experiences at Knott’s Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, and Universal raised the stakes for Disneyland.
Walt’s early Space Mountain concepts and the constraints that shaped the Anaheim version.
The Jungle Cruise update and the closure of Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland.
The Matterhorn’s ice caves, Abominable Snowman, and increased capacity.
Big Thunder Mountain’s connection to Thunder Mesa and Tony Baxter’s work.
Space Mountain’s opening-season crowds, dispatch challenges, and timely arrival alongside Star Wars.
The authentic mining equipment, recycled scenery, and intricate rockwork of Big Thunder.
Disneyland’s 25th anniversary, the purchase of Retlaw’s park interests, and preparations for Fantasyland’s redesign.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len explore Disneyland’s late-1970s thrill-ride boom, tracing Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and the Matterhorn’s major transformation.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Mickey to Baymax: How Disney’s Walk-Around Characters Evolved (Ep. 85) Aug 15, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa answer a listener’s question about the history and backstage workings of Disney’s walk-around characters. From borrowed opening-day costumes to the challenges of bringing Baymax into the parks, Jim traces how appearance, performer needs, and movie promotion shaped the experience. Recorded ahead of the 2015 D23 Expo, the conversation also considers why some characters stay for years while others disappear after a film’s promotional run.

Original Air Date: August 15, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: The history of Disney’s walk-around characters, from Mickey to Baymax and beyond

HIGHLIGHTS

Early character appearances at movie premieres and the costumes borrowed for Disneyland’s opening.
Bill Justice’s work to bring more consistent, recognizable characters into the parks.
How expressions and costume designs balance movie accuracy with approachable meet-and-greets.
The cost and backstage logistics of Periwinkle’s distinctive wigs.
Character auditions, performance expectations, and the challenges of preserving the illusion.
Why performers need to understand both the characters their role knows and those it does not.
Baymax’s operational challenges and the relationship between studio funding and park appearances.
The anticipated arrival of Zootopia’s Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, discussed from a 2015 perspective.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len trace Disney’s character costumes from early premieres to Baymax, exploring design, performance rules, and the business behind meet-and-greets.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America on Parade: Disney’s Spectacular Bicentennial Celebration (Ep. 84) Aug 01, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa give America on Parade a closer look after listeners asked for more of the story behind Disney’s bicentennial celebration. Jim explains how a complicated national anniversary became an opportunity for Disney to stage elaborate parades, television productions, and astonishing fireworks displays. Along the way, they explore the creative choices, controversies, and surviving pieces of a celebration built for one moment in American history.

Original Air Date: August 1, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: America on Parade

HIGHLIGHTS

The changing federal plans for the bicentennial and the push for locally sponsored celebrations.
Why Disney announced America on Parade in Washington, D.C.
The extraordinary scale of Disney’s July 1976 fireworks, including airborne effects over Seven Seas Lagoon.
Disney’s involvement in New York Harbor’s celebration and a Los Angeles television special.
How America on Parade emphasized everyday life, inventions, food, and entertainment.
The oversized People of America characters and their later reuse at Epcot.
Debates over representation and the inclusion of Disney characters in the parade.
Souvenir merchandise, the Sherman Brothers’ song, and backstage challenges during Space Mountain construction.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len revisit America on Parade, Disney’s enormous 1976 fireworks shows, and the oversized characters created for America’s bicentennial.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disneyland 1971-1975: Country Bears, Electric Lights, and Changing Times (Ep. 83) Jul 15, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa return to their Disneyland chronology to explore how the park adapted between 1971 and 1975. With Walt Disney World drawing attention in Florida, Disneyland pursued new attractions and nighttime entertainment while navigating changes in company leadership and the wider economy. Jim traces the hurried creation of beloved experiences, unexpected audience reactions, and the growing pressure to compete with Southern California’s thrill rides.

Original Air Date: July 15, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Disneyland 1971-1975

HIGHLIGHTS

The closure of the Indian Village and the rapid construction of Bear Country.
Why Country Bear Jamboree’s Disneyland location presented a different challenge from its Florida counterpart.
How the Electrical Water Pageant inspired the Main Street Electrical Parade.
The parade’s frantic construction schedule, battery problems, and remarkable first season.
The Walt Disney Story, public demands for Lincoln’s return, and the Opera House’s changing role.
The oil embargo, America Sings, and the tragedy that prompted changes to the attraction.
America on Parade’s oversized characters, elaborate floats, and distinctive band-organ soundtrack.
Early Tokyo Disneyland discussions and the competition that pushed Disneyland toward bigger thrills.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len revisit Disneyland’s early 1970s, from Country Bear Jamboree and the Main Street Electrical Parade to America Sings and bicentennial plans.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writing the Unofficial Guide: Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios in Transition (Ep. 82) Jul 01, 2015

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa continue assembling anecdotes for the 2016 Unofficial Guide, this time focusing on Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They discuss the operational challenges of a nighttime Animal Kingdom, the evolving plans for Star Wars and Pixar, and the transformation of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs. Recorded in 2015, this conversation captures proposals, expectations, and uncertainties before those projects took their final forms.

Original Air Date: July 1, 2015 (estimated)
Original Title: Anecdotes for the 2016 Unofficial Guide - DHS and Animal Kingdom

HIGHLIGHTS

How Wilderness Explorers and the macaw encounters add experiences beyond Animal Kingdom’s ride lineup.
The crowd flow and animal-care challenges behind Rivers of Light and nighttime safaris.
Pandora’s planned attractions and the goal of making Animal Kingdom a full-day park.
Ideas for Conservation Station and the hopes surrounding the upcoming Zootopia film.
Hollywood Studios’ attraction closures and the evolving proposals for Star Wars and Pixar expansions.
The pressure to deliver compelling park announcements at the 2015 D23 Expo.
Disney Springs’ waterfront transformation and the potential impact on Saratoga Springs.
DisneyQuest’s uncertain future, the proposed NBA Experience, and questions about La Nouba.

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.
View transcript here.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: X and Instagram @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com
Len Testa: Bluesky @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram @len.testa | touringplans.com

FOLLOW

Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia
YouTube and TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Jim and Len explore Animal Kingdom’s nighttime plans, Hollywood Studios’ uncertain future, and Disney Springs while preparing the 2016 Unofficial Guide.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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