The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Latest Episodes:

The Secret World of Property Control and the History Behind Gertie the Dinosaur (Ep. 45) May 01, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey return with a jam-packed episode that blends Disney shopping secrets and animation history. Lauren shares her behind-the-scenes visit to Disney’s elusive Property Control store, a cast member-exclusive outlet full of discounted resort furniture, rare park merch, and even frozen food. Hear what she found, what she bought, and why it may be Disney’s best-kept secret.

Then Jim dives into the fascinating history of Gertie the Dinosaur—Hollywood Studios’ lakeside icon—tracing her roots back to a 1914 vaudeville act that helped inspire Walt Disney himself. From stamp collecting to Loungefly obsessions, this episode covers the quirky side of fandom and the legacy of one animated Brontosaurus.

What Property Control is and how Lauren got in
The limited merch, props, and even snacks for sale inside
The new Gertie merch spotted at Hollywood Studios
How Windsor McCay’s 1914 cartoon dinosaur changed animation forever
The real story behind Disney’s ice cream-slinging sauropod

From the backlots of Walt Disney World to the foundations of early animation, this episode of I Want That Too digs into Disney history where you’d least expect it.

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FanFest at Universal Hollywood, King of the Hill Returns, and Animation Highlights from Annécy (Ep. 304) Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor cover a busy week in animation and theme park news, including:

Drew’s full report from FanFest Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, including Back to the Future Hill Valley experiences, new anime tie-ins, and what could be coming to the East Coast.
King of the Hill revival update – A new panel announced for the ATX TV Festival, with co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels and voice actors returning.
The Simpsons streaming hiccups – Yellow Planet, the Earth Day episode, struggles to launch properly on Disney+.
Annécy 2025 preview – Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm prepare for a massive presence, including previews for Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, Elio, and Eyes of Wakanda.
Warner Bros. Animation’s Cartoon Network 25th Anniversary Panel featuring Genndy Tartakovsky, Craig McCracken, Pendleton Ward, and Rebecca Sugar.
Netflix rescues Genndy Tartakovsky’s Fixed after Warner Bros. dropped it—world premiere planned for Annécy.
New announcements – Disney Television Animation’s Dragon Striker series, updates on Combat Carl in Toy Story 5, and more.

Join Jim and Drew for the latest animation industry news, major event coverage, and a look at what’s ahead!

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Why it took 25 years to change the name of King Stefan's Banquet Hall (Ep. 529) Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into one of the strangest goofs in Disney history—how the restaurant inside Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom was originally named after the wrong king, and why it took over two decades (and a flood of guest complaints) to finally correct it.

Also in this episode:

The King Stefan Banquet Hall Backstory – Why Imagineering picked the wrong king in the first place—and how nobody caught it before opening day.
Dave Smith and John Hench’s Awkward Phone Call – The archivist and the Imagineer have a polite, slightly painful conversation about medieval royalty.
The 25th Anniversary Castle Cake Fallout – Why complaints about the Pepto-Bismol pink castle pushed Disney to rethink the restaurant’s name.
How Cinderella’s Royal Table Was Finally Born – And how it became one of the most popular (and profitable) restaurants in all of Walt Disney World.
Listener Questions and More – Updates on Disney and Universal surveys, Lightning Lane changes, and Epic Universe tips.

It’s a story of castles, kings, and the longest game of "whoops" in Disney Parks history.

SHOW NOTES

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Manufacturing the Magic: Early Automatons & Animatronics Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

In the sixteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid continued their look back at the history of themed entertainment.

This time around, they focus on some of the innovations Walt Disney helped introduce with his family fun park.

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:

How far back in history do automatons go?
Who was the first creator to use pneumatics
What sort of control systems were used originally at Disneyland Park
When were Audio Animatronics first introduced?
PLUS Special Guest Joe Lanzisero’s experiences working with animatronics

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Epic Universe First Impressions: Experiencing Battle at the Ministry & Monsters Unchained (Ep. 48) Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey share Eric’s full first impressions after visiting Epic Universe—just 27 days before its grand opening. From ride reviews to immersive lands, they explore how Universal’s newest park lives up to the hype. Plus, they discuss Annual Passholder perks, new cosplay merch, and Universal’s latest theme park innovations.

Eric shares his thoughts after previewing Epic Universe for the first time
New Dungeons & Dragons animatronic debuts at Universal Studios Hollywood, created in partnership with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop
Passholder perks, merch discounts, and alcohol restrictions tied to the Monster Makeup Experience
Fan Fest Nights merch preview includes Star Trek, One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more
Universal’s $2B economic impact for Florida and $11B national impact highlighted by new reports

This episode combines park preview excitement, detailed ride analysis, and big-picture context for Universal’s most ambitious project yet.

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Colin Egglesfield on Super Soap Weekend, Surviving Cancer, and Soap Star Fame at Disney (Ep. 44) Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey sit down with actor and author Colin Egglesfield (All My Children, Something Borrowed) to revisit one of Disney’s most passionate fan events: Super Soap Weekend. Colin shares what it was like to meet thousands of soap fans at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, parade through the park with Goofy, and be part of the event’s final years.

They also discuss Colin’s time on All My Children, his unforgettable character arc as Erica Kane’s long-lost son, and how he battled cancer behind the scenes—while still showing up to set and filming every day.

The story behind Colin’s stolen-fetus storyline and how he landed his role on All My Children
What it was like to attend Super Soap Weekend as a featured star
The culture of soap opera fandom and merch at Disney, from autographed dolls to signed headshots
How Colin’s cancer diagnosis shaped his time on the show and inspired his public speaking career
Behind-the-scenes stories about Susan Lucci, cast bonding, and meeting fans at the parks
Details about Colin’s books Agile Artist and The Evolved Artist, plus his Inspire retreats and coaching

This heartfelt episode blends Disney fan nostalgia, behind-the-scenes soap drama, and the power of showing up through life’s toughest moments. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform.

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Not Just a Goof: Celebrating A Goofy Movie with the Filmmakers Behind the Disney+ Documentary (Ep. 303) Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with filmmakers Eric Kimelton, Christopher Ninness, and Scott Seibold to talk about the making of Not Just a Goof, the heartfelt new Disney+ documentary celebrating the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie. They discuss lost footage, creative challenges, pop culture legacy, and their unexpected journey from fans to contributors in Goofy’s story.

Also in this episode:

Star Wars animation news out of Tokyo – Updates on Tales of the Underworld, Visions: Volume 3, The Ninth Jedi, Maul: Shadow Lord, and Young Jedi Adventures.
Tim Allen teases Toy Story 5 – Including the return of multiple Buzz Lightyears and emotional story beats.
Hailee Steinfeld talks Beyond the Spider-Verse – How she’s embracing the long development process.
DreamWorks announces Forgotten Island – A new original comedy rooted in Philippine mythology, coming September 2026.
Big City Greens celebrates its 100th episode, Bill Plympton’s Guard Dog goes free on YouTube, and Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 begins with Kiki’s Delivery Service.

It’s a jam-packed episode full of nostalgia, animation history, and exclusive insights.

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Villains, Funhouses, and the Alice Ride That Was Almost Too Dangerous to Build (Ep. 528) Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

Len Testa, Jim Hill, and Imagineer Jim Shull dig into the wild, weird, and wonderfully unsafe history of Disney’s unbuilt Alice in Wonderland walkthrough attraction—complete with collapsing stairs, spinning barrels, and push-bag trees.

Also in this episode:

Disneyland’s Funhouse That Never Was – Concept art and site plans reveal a walkthrough filled with rotating platforms, disorienting ramps, and a healthy disregard for OSHA.
Why Alice’s Walkthrough Got the Axe – Was it the cost, the chaos, or the fact that guests might leave with concussions and playing cards in their pockets?
Alice’s Maze Lives On – How elements of the walkthrough survived in Paris and Shanghai—hedges, live-action inspiration, and all.
Buzz Lightyear’s Costume Was a Health Risk – The original walk-around suit nearly wrecked cast members’ backs and required Disney to cover chiropractor visits.
Everest and the Yeti (Still Broken) – Jim Shull gives the latest on Disco Yeti, ride longevity, and why any real fix won’t happen until Expedition Everest hits its track expiration date.
Universal’s Deep Survey Dive – A guest poll so long and personal it should’ve come with a HIPAA notice.

From fantasy to funhouse nightmares, and from Buzz to barrel rolls, this week’s show explores the wildest ideas Disney never built—and the things they probably shouldn't have.

SHOW NOTES

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Shadows of Memory: A Skywalker Saga” dazzles at Disneyland (Ep 105 ) Apr 20, 2025

Show notes

Brian Gaughan & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking up Season Two of “Andor.”

They then closely examine the “Star Wars” -related panels & programming at this year’s WonderCon.

For this episode, listeners will learn about:

Which Cole Porter song features the line “ … what a swell party this is”
How many films based-on-Stephen-King-stories films will Mark Hamill be appearing in this year
Who was a last-minute replacement for Harrison Ford / stood in for this “Star Wars” veteran as a presenter at this year’s Academy Awards

Which film from the first “Star Wars” trilogy will be presented in its original form at this year’s British Film Institute Film on Film Festival

How many pieces are there in the new LEGO Star Wars set which then recreates Jango Fett’s Firespray Class Starship

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Hop and the Hunt for a Holiday Classic: Why Easter Movies Never Stick (Ep. 47) Apr 18, 2025

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey take a closer look at Hop, Illumination’s forgotten holiday hopeful, and why Easter has never quite found its Elf or Home Alone. From Universal’s big swings to nostalgic flops, they explore what makes holiday movies stick - and why the Easter Bunny keeps missing the mark.

• Why Hop had all the ingredients for success… but still faded into obscurity

• A look back at forgotten Easter specials like The Tale of the Bunny Picnic and Here Comes Peter Cottontail

• The challenge of making Easter “cinematic” compared to Christmas

• Wicked’s Peacock streaming success and speculation on future park tie-ins

• Epic Universe’s Parisian land and its links to Fantastic Beasts

• Horror Unleashed teases its Las Vegas Scarecrow maze

• Gabby’s Dollhouse heads to the big screen - and maybe to DreamWorks Land

• First look at the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 trailer and HHN speculation

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