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When “Chicken Little” Took Flight: Disney’s First CGI Gamble and What Came Next (Ep. 331) Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

This week on Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor mark the 20th anniversary of Chicken Little — Disney’s first fully computer-animated feature — and trace how the film’s rocky launch reshaped the studio’s animation strategy in the mid-2000s. Recorded the morning after Daylight Savings Time kicked in, this episode mixes history, humor, and behind-the-scenes insight as the guys unpack what really happened inside Disney Animation during one of its most volatile eras.

HIGHLIGHTS

Drew and Jim revisit the creative chaos that followed The Emperor’s New Groove and how Mark Dindal & Randy Fullmer’s next project evolved into Chicken Little.
Why Bob Iger’s early plans to buy Pixar cast a shadow over the film’s release.
How Chicken Little became both a casualty and catalyst in Disney’s CGI transformation.
Updates on the new Zootopia Zoobetter Together 4-D show at Animal Kingdom and why fans may want to wait for the Merrie Menagerie’s return.
Studio Ghibli Fest’s finale screenings of The Boy and the Heron, plus news on Laika’s upcoming Wildwood and ESPN’s animated Monsters Funday Football event.

Hosts
Drew Taylor — X/Twitter: @DrewTailored | Instagram: @drewtailored | Website: drewtaylor.work
Jim Hill — X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: jimhillmedia.com

Patreon
Support Fine Tooning and the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network on Patreon: patreon.com/jimhillmedia

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Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews | YouTube: @jimhillmedia | TikTok: @jimhillmedia

Producer Credits
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey — Strong Minded Agency

Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com — where you can save up to 12% on Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando tickets, including hard-ticket events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights.

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Disney's Game Plan for Epic & The Raglan Road Story (Ep. 556) Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

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 from Hyperion Wharf to the Disney Springs we know today
EPCOT strategy debate: one-day visit vs. After Hours event
Jollywood Nights character advice and what to prioritize
Updates on Disney and Universal ticket options and offerings

A classic Disney story that starts in a pub and ends with a whole new district.

SHOW NOTES

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The Annual Pass Puzzle and How The Mummy Buried a Monster Movie Franchise (Ep. 75) Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

In this Halloween episode, Jim Hill and Eric Hersey dig up the spooky story of Universal’s Dark Universe - the ambitious attempt to build a monster-filled cinematic universe that never rose from the grave. From The Mummy’s box office stumble to the Wolfman’s cursed production, the duo unpacks how a failed film series still inspired one of Epic Universe’s most anticipated lands. Along the way, they discuss park attendance stats, ticket changes, and a few frightfully fun surprises.

2024 Themed Entertainment Association attendance report reveals Universal’s shifting rankings
Why Universal paused 3-Day Annual Pass sales and what it means for Epic Universe access
The rise and fall of The Mummy reboot and the costly chaos behind The Wolfman
Inside Universal’s forgotten plans for Creature from the Black Lagoon and Dracula Untold
How the ashes of a movie misfire gave life to Epic Universe’s monster-filled Dark Universe land

Even the monsters couldn’t scare away Jim and Eric’s curiosity—hear the full tale of how Universal’s cinematic dream turned into a theme park triumph.

Follow Eric on X and Instagram @EricHersey
Follow Jim on X and Instagram @JimHillMedia

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Disney’s Hogwarts? Plus the Return of Bedknobs and Broomsticks (Ep. 71) Oct 30, 2025

Show notes

In this jam-packed episode of I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dive into Disney’s newest fantasy franchise in the making - and how “Impossible Creatures” could become the studio’s answer to Harry Potter. Along the way, they unwrap this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party merch, explore Disney’s surprising partnership with a British luxury retailer, and share the little-known story of how Angela Lansbury became Disney’s most magical apprentice witch in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Why Disney’s new Impossible Creatures book deal has fans speculating about a new cinematic universe
The history and evolution of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party merch — and what’s new this year
How Disney Parks collectibles are showing up in high-end department stores overseas
The rare story behind Angela Lansbury’s casting in Bedknobs and Broomsticks
The surprising connection between Disney’s holiday magic and its next big fantasy gamble

From collectible cards to Christmas merch to classic movie magic, this episode has something for every Disney fan.

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Godzilla Invades Marvel (and DC!) (Ep. 3) Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

In this monster-sized episode of Marvel Us Disney, Jim Hill and Dan Graney celebrate Halloween week by looking at the King of the Monsters’ surprising return to comics — and how Godzilla is now battling heroes across both the Marvel and DC universes. Along the way, the duo breaks down Marvel Zombies’ success, Jessica Jones’ comeback, and new details from Disney’s ever-evolving Avengers attractions.

How Godzilla Destroys the Marvel Universe and Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong became a reality
The long, strange history of Godzilla’s connection to Marvel Comics
Marvel Zombies’ strong Disney+ debut and what it means for a possible sequel
Kristen Ritter’s return as Jessica Jones and what it signals for Daredevil: Born Again
Updates on Avengers Campus attractions — and why Marvel’s theme park rights are still a legal maze

Big monsters, bigger crossovers, and a dash of Disney history — it’s a jam-packed Halloween edition of Marvel Us Disney.

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How Disney’s “Pinocchio” Became the Studio’s Most Terrifying Classic (Ep. 330) Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor celebrate Halloween week by taking a deep dive into Disney’s darkest fairy tale — and the long, strange legacy of “Pinocchio.” From canceled attractions and creepy Hong Kong mazes to Julie Taymor’s unrealized Broadway musical, this little wooden boy has haunted Disney history for over 80 years.

Why Walt Disney once scrapped six months of work on “Pinocchio”
The forgotten Disneyland expansion that almost gave us “Pinocchio Square”
How Hong Kong Disneyland turned the film into a full-blown haunted maze
Julie Taymor’s eerie, abandoned “Pinocchio” stage musical
The odd connections between “Pinocchio,” “Wicked,” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”
Plus Drew talks about four new animated shorts that he recently saw at Disney Studios which are up for Oscar consideration next year

A spooky, story-filled episode perfect for animation fans and Halloween listeners alike.

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Disney’s Numbers Are In: What the 2024 TEA Attendance Report Tells Us (Ep. 555) Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

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 novelty
Key takeaways from the 2024 TEA Global Attendance Report — who’s up, who’s down, and why
Disney Cruise Line’s new discount strategy and survey data collection
The surprising link between Disney tech and U.S. military innovations
The unbuilt Legend of Sleepy Hollow attraction that could have haunted the Magic Kingdom

From ride refreshes to record books, Jim and Len explore how attendance trends, patriotic tie-ins, and spooky forgotten projects all shape Disney’s next chapter.

SHOW NOTES

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Manufacturing the Magic: Disney at the Fair Oct 25, 2025

Show notes

In the 25th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid journey to Flushing Meadows. There, they shine a spotlight on the four attractions that the Imagineers created for the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair. Including the two that Disney Legend Bob Gurr designed.

Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:

What Disney attractions were influenced by the Magic Skyway at the Ford Wonder Rotunda
How many Ford Mustangs were sold at the Fair
Where could you go to see “Nuclear Fusion”
What Hollywood star talked Walt into doing “it’s a small world”
What Disney character was the victim of ball-bearing attacks

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How a Budget Cut Created Back to the Future’s Lightning Strike Moment (Ep. 74) Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey celebrate Back to the Future Day by revealing how one of cinema’s most iconic moments, the lightning strike finale, was born from a Universal Studios budget cut. Plus, the duo unwrap the latest holiday news from Universal Orlando and Hollywood, discuss a controversial new “pay-per-ride” Express Pass test, and share updates from the Wicked movie preview at the parks.

Universal’s 2024 holiday celebrations at Orlando and Hollywood
Super Nintendo World’s first-ever holiday overlay and exclusive merch
Why Universal is testing single-ride Express Passes and what it could mean for guests
Michael J. Fox’s new memoir and his first trip to Universal Studios Hollywood
How a budget cut led to Back to the Future’s unforgettable lightning strike finale

Even 40 years later, Back to the Future proves that great ideas and great movies are timeless.

Follow Eric on X and Instagram @EricHersey
Follow Jim on X and Instagram @JimHillMedia

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The Magic Behind Bedknobs and Broomsticks: How Disney’s Forgotten Fantasy Took Flight (Ep. 70) Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

This week, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dust off one of Disney’s most underappreciated classics, Bedknobs and Broomsticks. From its wartime origins and lost Mary Poppins connections to Angela Lansbury’s iconic role and Disney’s merchandising mysteries, the duo uncovers how this effects-filled musical became both a box-office sleeper and a cult favorite. Along the way, Lauren connects the dots on what’s next for Disney Consumer Products, from collectibles and nostalgia to digital universes and fashion collabs.

The surprising ties between Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks
How World War II witches and Walt Disney’s contingency plans shaped the movie
Angela Lansbury’s spellbinding performance and the studio’s post-Walt reinvention
Disney’s new consumer products strategy, collectibles, fashion, and Fortnite
The holiday partnership between Disney and Macy’s that’s bringing Minnie to center stage

From forgotten McDonald’s on Disney property to wartime witches flying over London, this episode of I Want That Too proves Disney history is always stranger and more magical than fiction.

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