The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Latest Episodes:

When Bugs Bunny Snuck Into a Disneyland Board Game (Ep. 57) Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

In this packed episode of I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey tackle everything from the ZOMBIES 4 merch drought to the 52-item Haunted Mansion collection and the bittersweet farewell line for Animal Kingdom’s Dinosaur ride. But the real surprise? A 1950s Disneyland board game that may have smuggled in Bugs Bunny.

Plus, Jim dives into the earliest examples of Disney’s merchandise strategy—souvenir trays, ashtrays, temporary tattoos, and the guidebook Walt insisted on selling at a loss just to get it on coffee tables across America.

Disney’s ZOMBIES 4 and why merch is mysteriously missing (for now)
A look at the Haunted Mansion’s biggest collection drop yet
The final merch line for Dinosaur before it goes extinct in 2025
Why Muppet Vision 3D fans got left out of the goodbye merch party
A secret cameo by Bugs Bunny in a 1955 Disneyland board game
How Walt used guidebooks and charm bracelets to spread Disney magic

From ashtrays to action figures and park maps to plushies, this episode is a merch history mashup with heart, humor, and a haunted baseball jersey.

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Get ready for a very animated San Diego Comic-Con (Ep. 316) Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s episode by discussing “Walt Disney – A Magical Life,” that new show at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.

examineThey then look at how Paramount Pictures’ new “Smurfs” film performed at the domestic box office.

For this episode, listeners will learn about:

Who did Chris Buck & Kevin Lima originally want to voice Tantor the elephant in Disney’s animated version of “Tarzan”
Which role will Josh Gad be playing in the live concert version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” (which will be presented at the Hollywood Bowl August 1 – 3rd)
How many songs from the soundtrack of “KPop Demon Hunters” (i.e., Netflix’s latest hit animated film) wound up in Billboard’s Hot 100
Why did Sony Pictures Animation opt to push back the release date of “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse”
When will San Diego Comic-Con be celebrating Fox’s Animation Domination programming block

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Epic Universe wants to know when exactly you plan on visiting (Ep 541) Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

Len Testa & Jim Hill welcome Don Hahn & Chris Merrit, the authors of “The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland.” This show kicks off a two-part interview that reveals how Walt’s family fun park first came to be.

For this episode, listeners will learn about:

Who bought the very first admission to Disneyland Park back in July of 1955
When is the third “Prep & Landing” holiday special – “The Snowball Protocol” – expected to debut on ABC
Who did Walt bring in to help the Evans brothers with the horticultural aspect of Disneyland Park
What did Adventures by Disney’s “Take Me Out to the Ballparks” trip entail
Why was DHS’s “Legend of Jack Sparrow” show so short-lived

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The Studio, the Sequel, and the Great White That Ate the Budget (Ep. 60) Jul 18, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with a jam-packed episode that swings from Halloween Horror Nights updates to the troubled legacy of Jaws 2. First, they unpack the latest HHN announcements, including the debut of the Terrifier haunted house and the moody new scare zone, Origins of Horror. Eric finally learns the difference between houses and zones - only took 60 episodes.

Then, the duo gears up for a future trip to Philadelphia, where Universal Parks is launching their first-ever traveling exhibit at the Franklin Institute. Meetups, cheesesteaks, and nostalgia await.

In the second half, Jim dives back into the shark-infested waters of Jaws 2—revealing mob-backed plotlines, studio politics, and why Spielberg nearly came back to save the franchise. Plus:

• Frequent Fear Passes are already sold out• A new Universal theme park docuseries is coming to Peacock• The real reason Jaws 2 moved from Martha’s Vineyard to Florida• How Lorraine Gary’s husband (the head of Universal) helped get the original director fired• Why the shark in Jaws 2 is bigger, meaner, and hungrier than ever

Also: Eric inches closer to finally watching Jaws in full. Maybe.

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From TV Screens to Main Street: Walt’s Media Master Plan (Ep. 56) Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are back with a full dose of Disney merch, from the long-awaited debut of the Starlight Dream the Night Away parade to a viral collector toy that's creeping its way into the parks. Lauren breaks down everything she’s learned about La Boo Boos (and their knockoff cousins), while Jim connects the dots between Disney’s 1950s television strategy and why your Christmas ornaments now cost $80.

Also in this episode:

What to expect from Disney’s first nighttime parade in a decade
Meet Whimsy: the LED-faced character pulling the finale float
Why Main Street is now a runway for fashion-obsessed toy monsters
A closer look at the $29 popcorn bucket ornaments and $80 vault collection set
The real reason Disneyland’s Opera House almost became a TV studio
Walt Disney’s early embrace of television—and how it changed everything

From collectibles to castle corridors, this episode is packed with surprises and nostalgia.

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SpongeBob Returns with Flying Dutchman and a Star-Studded Teaser (Ep. 315) Jul 15, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into a wide-ranging conversation about box office trends, Comic-Con reveals, and the growing debate around casting A-list celebrities in animated films. Highlights include:

Paramount debuts the first teaser for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants – Mark Hamill joins as the Flying Dutchman, and Jim reflects on the franchise’s enduring magic.
Godzilla’s 70th anniversary celebration hits San Diego Comic-Con – Drew previews his panel, and Jim geeks out over Super7’s pop-up recreating the “Godzilla Minus One” train scene.
Chris Pratt returns for Garfield 2 – But should Hollywood rely less on celebrities and more on trained voice actors? Jim revisits old rants and Billy West’s take on the trend.
Michelle Yeoh joins the English dub of Ne Zha 2 – Now the highest-grossing animated film globally, the dubbed version hits U.S. theaters in August.
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires – Warner Bros. Animation unveils a visually stunning reimagining of the Dark Knight at Comic-Con.

Plus: tributes to Pokémon voice legend James Carter Cathcart, Bugs Bunny’s 85th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl, and a sneak peek at Bluey at the Cinema: Let’s Play Chef coming soon to Europe.

It’s an episode packed with nostalgia, news, and insights from both coasts as Jim and Drew tackle everything from kaiju cosplay to cartoon casting.

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The Jack Sparrow Problem Disney Didn’t See Coming (Ep. 540) Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

Len Testa and Jim Hill look at Disney’s latest surveys, hotel rumors, and Halloween Horror Nights announcements—then plunge into the second half of their deep-dive on Pirates of the Caribbean. This time, Jim reveals how Disney navigated a real-life guest frenzy over Captain Jack Sparrow, the surprisingly expensive costume drama that followed, and the face character chaos that nearly derailed New Orleans Square. Plus, early plans for a pirates-themed restaurant, and how Dead Man’s Chest almost broke the box office and the parks.

Why a cleared canal near Magic Kingdom might be future hotel space
Christmas party dates, Festival of the Holidays updates, and DJ Dance Pants
How Disneyland kept guests from mobbing Jack Sparrow face characters
The $60,000 costume that sparked a parade of cease and desist letters
A scrapped pirates dining experience that had Jack eating off your plate

Also: Warner Bros. surveys some Vegas-worthy IP ideas, Morrissey or Horror Night house?, and why Robin Williams’ mime days live on in Disney animation trivia.

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Manufacturing the Magic: How Walt riding the rails led to rides at Disneyland Jul 12, 2025

Show notes

In the 18th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid explore how Walt Disney’s lifelong fascination with trains impacted the development of his family fun park. Special guest Roger Colton sheds light on this specific aspect of Disneyland history.

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:

* Why is Walt’s visit to the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1948 considered such an important moment in the development history of Disneyland

* Which specific Disneyland attraction was inspired by Walt & Ward Kimball’s stop at Greenfield Village

* How the miniature steam train Walt had set up in the backyard of his Holmby Hills home influenced the design of Disneyland

*Which lands at Disneyland Park were directly influenced by what Walt & Ward saw at the Chicago Railroad Fair

* How many steam trains did Disneyland Park have in its fleet

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When Universal Shut Down a Sequel: The Making of Jaws 2 (Ep. 59) Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

Eric is packing for his return trip to Epic Universe - but before he battles the Florida heat, Jim takes him on a wild ride through box office records, coaster rumors, and a deep dive into the troubled waters of Jaws 2.

In this episode:

• Jurassic World Rebirth dominates globally—why Scarlett Johansson is now the highest-grossing lead actor
• Updates on Universal UK: massive coaster plans, HHN expansion, and hotel additions
• Universal Kids in Texas—new concept art reveals hotel details and TrollsFest changes
• A fan question about Florida mosquitoes leads to... canal trivia and boat logistics
• Jim’s deep-dive into Jaws 2 and why the original sequel idea was shut down by the U.S. Navy
• The true story behind the USS Indianapolis—and why it almost became the basis of a Spielberg-less sequel
• A surprise appearance by “angry, burned shark” and the focus group line that changed movie posters forever

Plus: Canceled directors and what a $9 million overage feels like in 1974.

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The $10,000 Buzz Lightyear and the Real Story Behind Toy Story's Merch Empire (Ep. 55) Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey continue their Toy Story series with a deep dive into the franchise's merchandising legacy—and how a scrappy unknown toy company landed the rights that Mattel and Hasbro turned down. From the earliest Thinkway figures to today's collector's items worth thousands, they explore how Toy Story became one of the most profitable and collectible Disney properties of all time.

Plus, Jim shares a personal behind-the-scenes story about the original vision for Toy Story 4, including his lost interview with John and Nancy Lasseter—and how a Valentine turned into something very different.