The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Latest Episodes:

Charting the Future of Epic Universe with Parklore’s Brian Krosnick (Ep. 63) Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with a packed episode of the Epic Universal Podcast featuring news from Universal Orlando, Hollywood, and Las Vegas - plus a deep-dive interview with Brian Krosnick, the creative force behind Parklore.

First, the guys pay tribute to Rip Ride Rockit as its closure looms, reminisce about secret soundtracks, and preview this year’s Behind the Screams tours for Halloween Horror Nights, including the new WWE-themed haunted house and Fallout-inspired attractions. They also discuss the exclusive lights-on walkthroughs for pass members and the eerily immersive new Horror Unleashed experience opening in Las Vegas.

Then, Jim and Eric sit down with Brian Krosnick for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about his background in education, immersive museums, and how that experience led to creating Parklore - a site known for in-depth ride histories, creative full park build-outs, and innovative data visualizations that reimagine how we think about theme parks.

Saying goodbye to Rip Ride Rockit and the hidden music menu
A breakdown of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights tours
A peek inside Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas
Lights-on Fallout walkthrough coming to Universal Hollywood
Road paving and construction updates at Epic Universe
An interview with Brian Krosnick of Parklore
Behind the scenes of theme park storytelling, museum design, and speculative builds
How Parklore's visualizations are changing the way we view our favorite parks

Stick around to learn how theme park history, storytelling, and smart design combine to create immersive experiences - and how fans like Brian are helping shape the conversation about where it’s all headed.

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How Walt Disney Turned Orange Juice and Peanut Butter into Theme Parks (Ep. 59) Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey trace the surprising origins of Disney’s licensing empire - back to a time when Walt needed just $300 to keep the studio running. From the Alice Comedies to Donald Duck orange juice and Peter Pan peanut butter, this episode explores how early merchandise deals weren’t just about profit - they were survival.

Jim unpacks how licensing set the foundation for everything from Disneyana collectors to the modern parks. Meanwhile, Lauren shares her latest finds in the merch world, including:

Why the Fantastic Four landed in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland
The rise of Cakeworthy and modern Disney collabs
Inside Disney’s $63 billion licensing empire
How a peanut butter deal helped fund Disneyland
The origins of Donald Duck Orange Juice and collectible Ariel dolls
Disney's licensing strategy from the 1920s to today

From peanut butter tins to popcorn buckets, this episode dives into how Disney turned product placement into a legacy.

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How “The Simpsons” Took Over America (with Author Alan Siegel) (Ep. 318) Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with Alan Siegel from The Ringer to discuss his new book Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television and America Forever. Together, they revisit how Matt Groening’s crude interstitials on The Tracey Ullman Show evolved into a cultural juggernaut, what nearly derailed the series before it ever aired, and why The Simpsons continues to matter nearly four decades later. Along the way, the guys dig into:

• The box office performance of The Bad Guys 2 and Paramount’s Smurfs
• The cautious rollout of the Zootopia 2 trailer
• How Netflix’s K-Pop: Demon Hunters is shaping up to be the next Frozen
• The surprising backstories behind Homer’s voice, Bart’s balloon, and the show's first merchandising blitz
• Why “Mr. Plow” might be the perfect Simpsons episode

Stick around for tales of drone shows, disaster movie homages, and the writer’s room prank that involved fake stairway carnage and a box of trash. Plus, Alan shares his favorite episode and what The Simpsons taught us about comedy, family, and biting satire with heart.

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From Disney Food Blog to Bookstore Shelves: AJ Wolfe’s Disney Adults (Ep. 543) Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

While Len Testa enjoys a well-earned week off, Jim Hill is joined by special guest AJ Wolfe of the Disney Food Blog to talk about her new book Disney Adults: Exploring and Falling in Love with a Magical Subculture. But first, Jim shares updates from around Walt Disney World, including real demolition progress for the Monsters Inc. Door Coaster, the curious lack of vertical construction for Encanto Land, and new details about the General Joe Potter ferry accident currently under investigation.

Why Disney Adults may be “the most hated group on the internet”
What’s missing from Animal Kingdom’s Encanto and Zootopia areas
The Monsters Inc. Door Coaster transforms Muppet Studios
Fantastic Four meet-and-greet rules (and international waters loopholes)
A heartfelt tribute to longtime podcast collaborator Brian Gaughan

AJ Wolfe also shares behind-the-scenes stories from her Disney Food Blog journey, the early days of Disney dining coverage, and why writing Disney Adults meant sharing some very personal truths—debt, joy, and all.

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Manufacturing the Magic: Drawing up plans for Disneyland Aug 02, 2025

Show notes

In the 19th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about what happened in September of 1953 prior to Roy O. Disney’s fateful flight out to NYC.

They also talk about how the material that Walt’s brother showed to executives at CBS, NBC & ABC to sell them on Disneyland was created.

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:

How did Herbie Ryman’s “Lost Weekend” with Walt REALLY go down
Which “Lands” were initially proposed for Walt’s family fun park
How did Walt go about securing all of the funding that was needed to build Disneyland

Who were the Park’s original sponsors

How did C.V. Wood go about recruiting Disneyland’s participants

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Epic Universe at Capacity: What Changes When the Park Sells Out? (Ep. 62) Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return from a summer packed with parks, previews, and one sold-out Friday at Epic Universe. In this episode, the duo reflects on the dramatic changes between their April preview visit and a mid-July return - sharing firsthand insight on crowd flow, character absences, ride downtime, and that sweltering Florida heat. From WWE's Wyatt 6 haunting Halloween Horror Nights to Hulk Hogan’s long-standing Universal ties, this episode blends news, nostalgia, and heat-induced honesty. Plus: hidden gems at Confisco Grille, underwhelming face paint stats, and the rising need for more shade, shows, and slow days at Epic.

Hulk Hogan’s history at Disney-MGM and Universal
Wyatt 6 and WWE join Halloween Horror Nights
First impressions of Terra Luna Resort
Surging summer crowds and Epic Universe challenges
Hidden spots, great meals, and what could make Epic better

Next week, the guys are joined by Brian from Parklore.com to talk expansion plans and what Epic Universe could become at full build-out.

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Nine Parks, Five Hotels, and a Whole Lotta Merch (Ep. 58) Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

Lauren returns from an epic summer road trip across nine parks and five hotels, with stories (and shopping bags) in tow. She and Jim break down:

The best-kept secret for scoring free Disney water park access
How the new nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom stacks up (and where to sit)
What it’s really like inside Disney’s exclusive Property Control store
A merch-lover’s guide to Universal Studios’ 35th anniversary finds
Why the new Epic Universe resort Terra Luna is gorgeous—but far
The Hersey family’s hot take on Epic Universe’s sold out Friday

From Boo Boos to Back to the Future bucket hats, this episode is packed with tips, deals, and first impressions from Disney and Universal.

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Chris Sanders Returns for Lilo & Stitch 2 After Billion-Dollar Success (Ep. 317) Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor wrap up July with box office milestones, Comic-Con exclusives, and some major animation developments:

Chris Sanders returns to write Lilo & Stitch 2 – After the billion-dollar success of the live-action film, Disney is moving forward with a sequel, with Sanders bringing fresh ideas from the original “Pitch to Stitch.”
Inside the “Magic of Disney Animation” revival – A massive reimagining of the former Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is on the way, with tributes to Mulan, Brother Bear, and hand-drawn classics.
Comic-Con highlights – Drew and Jim reflect on activations for Lilo & Stitch, Godzilla at 70, King of the Hill, and more from San Diego.
Box office report – Fantastic Four: First Steps opens strong, Jurassic World: Rebirth crosses $700M, and Elio slips out of the Top 10.
Animation updates – Warner Bros. finally sets a date for Coyote vs. Acme, DreamWorks teases Bad Guys 2, and Mrs. Claus heads to the big screen in Margie Claus.

Plus: Avatar: Seven Havens, Paramount’s South Park shocker, and the end of Drew’s long-running Light the Fuse podcast.

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: Disney Starlight gets off to a strong start at WDW’s Magic Kingdom (Ep 542) Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s episode by taking a close look at the recently announced plans to revamp the Animation Courtyard area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

They then continue their interview with Don Hahn & Chris Merritt, the authors of “The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland”

For this episode, listeners will learn about:

· What aspect of the actual entrance to Disney Studios out in Burbank is about to be replicated in Florida
Why do you want to pay close attention to those sets of dancers that are positioned between the floats for Disney World’s new nighttime parade Where will the new “Drawn to Wonderland” aspect of DHS’s “Magic of Disney Animation” likely be located inside the old Walt Disney Feature Animation – Florida building

Which almost-built Disneyland attraction would have sent you home with a perhaps unhealthy glow

Why is it already difficult to find an on-property room at the WDW Resort for a reasonable price during mid-December of this year

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When Jaws 3 Almost Became a National Lampoon Movie (Ep. 61) Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with the latest from Universal Parks and the unbelievable story of how Jaws 3 nearly became a full-blown comedy. From Spielberg’s pivot to Close Encounters to the moment Universal almost partnered with National Lampoon, this episode unpacks the sequel that nearly torpedoed the franchise before it began.

This week’s highlights include:

• Wicked: Part Two gets a primetime concert special and early merch leaks• Jimmy Buffett’s plane, the Hemisphere Dancer, returns to CityWalk• Starfall Racers responds to guest feedback with roomier seats• Monster Makeup Experience signage gets an eerie refresh• Steven Spielberg chose aliens over sharks, turning down Jaws 2• Universal’s near-miss with Jaws 3: People Nothing, a spoof that almost happened

From deleted scenes and shark pups to Hollywood rewrites and parody panic, this one’s packed with trivia, hindsight, and a few "what ifs" that might’ve changed blockbuster history.

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