The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Latest Episodes:

How Universal’s Studio Tour Became a Theme Park (Ep. 127) Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey dig into the latest theme park attendance figures and what they could mean for Epic Universe and Universal’s other parks. They discuss construction around Universal Orlando and Hollywood, and how Comcast is responding to a softer quarter. Then Jim traces the story of MCA, Lou Wasserman and the decisions that turned a working studio tour into a major tourist attraction.

NEWS

What the latest attendance report says about Epic Universe and Universal’s parks.
Comcast’s financial outlook and the challenges facing its theme park business.
Construction and possible changes at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Hollywood.
WWE’s upcoming events at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

FEATURE

How MCA and Lou Wasserman reshaped Universal and expanded its studio tour.
The connection between a story from McHale’s Navy and the Universal backlot.
Why Wasserman’s plans included a visitor attraction alongside a working movie studio.

HOSTS

Jim Hill – @JimHillMedia | https://jimhillmedia.com
Eric Hersey – @erichersey | https://strongmindedagency.com

FOLLOW

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

SUPPORT

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

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey – https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning a Universal Orlando Resort vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations offers free, personalized help with hotels, theme park tickets and more. Visit https://beourguestvacations.com/?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=epicjhm and mention the Epic Universal Podcast.

Interested in sponsoring a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network? Visit https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/.

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

Disney’s Battle of the Books and a Very Pooh Christmas (Ep. 124) Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey compare books revisiting Disney leadership and look at Disney merchandise headed for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They discuss how a listing for Disney running shoes helped uncover a theft investigation, and share holiday finds from Winnie the Pooh. Jim also traces the making of A Day for Eeyore and why animator Ron Clements asked to have his name removed from its credits.

NEWS

• Bob Iger’s upcoming memoir joins books by Bob Chapek and Robbie Whelan examining Disney leadership.

• A listing for Disney-themed Brooks shoes draws attention to an investigation into stolen merchandise.

• Sorcerer Mickey joins the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, with Disney merchandise celebrating the occasion.

• A new Roo joins the original Winnie the Pooh toys on display at the New York Public Library.

FEATURE

• Jim follows Disney’s Winnie the Pooh featurettes from the Honey Tree to A Day for Eeyore.

• Why an outside studio animated A Day for Eeyore, and why Ron Clements asked to be removed from its credits.

• How a request for a new merchandise character helped bring Lumpy the Heffalump to the screen.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X: @laurenhersey2 | Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: Patreon.com/JimHillMedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR

Be Our Guest Vacations can help plan a Disney or Universal vacation, find deals and handle the details at no additional cost.

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

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

Disney Park Pet Peeves: Please Don’t Recite the Pre-Show (Ep. 41) Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

Lauren and Eric Hersey tackle the Disney guest habits that can turn a great attraction into an exercise in patience. A discussion of crowd control and pre-show changes at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind leads to a bigger debate about line cutting, amateur comedians, and fans who insist on reciting the Ghost Host’s entire spiel. They also compare the pre-shows worth watching and ask whether a few alternate scripts could keep repeat visitors engaged. Plus, where’s the line between capturing a vacation memory and blocking everyone else’s view?

HIGHLIGHTS

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind queue tests and the pre-show edit aimed at cutting off shouted jokes.
From Runaway Railway to Rise of the Resistance, which Disney pre-shows still hold up on repeat visits?
Haunted Mansion recitations and loud ride conversations: when participation becomes a distraction.
Flash photography, phones held overhead, and the struggle to see fireworks behind someone’s shoulders.
Respecting Cast Members and fellow guests without turning every park visit into a rules debate.

HOSTS

Lauren Hersey: Instagram @lauren_hersey_ | X @laurenhersey2
Eric Hersey: Instagram @erichersey | X @erichersey | Strong Minded Agency

FOLLOW

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

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited and produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

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

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

Soundstaged: Ep. 1 - How WCW's Biggest Crisis Led to Walt Disney World Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

In the summer of 1996, WCW brought the chaos of the New World Order to Walt Disney World, complete with backstage brawls, baseball bats, and a visit from the Orlando police. But how did professional wrestling end up inside Disney-MGM Studios in the first place? In the debut episode of Soundstaged, Eric Hersey traces the rise of Vince McMahon's WWF, the collapse of wrestling's territorial system, and the financial struggles that nearly brought World Championship Wrestling to its knees. From Ted Turner's acquisition of WCW to Eric Bischoff's bold plan to reinvent its television production, this is the story of how a struggling wrestling company began its unlikely journey to the Most Magical Place on Earth.

HIGHLIGHTS

• WCW Invades Disney: Revisit the infamous 1996 New World Order backstage attack at Disney-MGM Studios featuring Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Rey Mysterio, and Randy Savage.
• The Death of Wrestling's Territories: How Vince McMahon transformed the WWF into a national entertainment powerhouse and left regional wrestling promotions struggling to survive.
• The Fall of Jim Crockett Promotions: Ric Flair, Starrcade 1987, and the financial disaster that helped bring one of wrestling's most influential companies to the brink of bankruptcy.
• Ted Turner Buys WCW: Why the media mogul purchased Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988 and how years of executive turnover threatened the company's future.
• Eric Bischoff's Big Idea: How a former wrestling announcer proposed a radical change in WCW's television production that would eventually lead the company toward Central Florida's theme parks.

HOSTS
• Eric Hersey - X/Twitter: @erichersey | Instagram: @erichersey | Website: https://strongmindedagency.com

FOLLOW
• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
• YouTube: @jimhillmedia
• TikTok: @jimhillmedia
• Website: https://www.jimhillmedia.com

SUPPORT
Support the show and access the complete Soundstaged series, bonus episodes, and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written and Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

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

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

Sleeping In at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom: What Does It Cost? (Ep. 31) Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

Can sleeping in actually cost you more time at Walt Disney World? Chris Cox and Len Testa finish their rope-drop debate with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, while Jim Hill presides over the proceedings. Len’s touring-plan data reveals how skipping just 30 minutes of early entry can add 90 minutes of waiting at Hollywood Studios. At Animal Kingdom, the case gets more complicated as shorter operating hours compete with the pleasure of slowing down and exploring.

HIGHLIGHTS

Why a 9 a.m. Hollywood Studios arrival sends you to Red Carpet Dreams first, and what later arrivals may have to sacrifice.
When wait times finally ease for Slinky Dog Dash, Rise of the Resistance, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
How ride downtime makes a late start riskier, even when avoiding the morning rush sounds appealing.
The Animal Kingdom trails, wildlife, and hidden Oasis bridge you might miss while racing toward Pandora.
Why saving Flight of Passage for last can help late arrivals, and when sleeping in means cutting experiences.

HOSTS

Chris Cox - X/Twitter: @bigcox | Instagram: @magiccox | https://magiccox.com
Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | https://touringplans.com
Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia | https://jimhillmedia.com

FOLLOW

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

SUPPORT

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

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

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

Chris Cox, Len Testa, and Jim Hill weigh extra sleep against longer lines, missed shows, and a slower-paced Animal Kingdom visit.

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

Disney’s Unmade Don Quixote and the Brizzi Brothers’ Next Chapter (Ep. 381) Nov 03, 2026

Show notes

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor revisit Disney’s unmade Don Quixote and the ambitious animation projects that slipped away as the studio grew more cautious. A graphic novel by the Brizzi brothers offers a new reason to explore their extraordinary visual storytelling. They also discuss Wildwood’s PG-13 rating, Jim’s visit to The Magic of Disney Animation, and the latest animation books and Pikmin shorts.

NEWS

Wildwood and the double standard facing PG-13 animation.
Drew’s Cat in the Hat panel and his enthusiasm for its animation and score.
The Magic of Disney Animation’s Once Upon a Studio touches and a nod to My Peoples.
Animation books, from The Owl House to Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn.
Patrick Stewart and Eric Bauza’s voice work, plus Nintendo’s charming Pikmin shorts.

FEATURE

How the Brizzi brothers’ work on Hunchback and Fantasia 2000 led to an ambitious Don Quixote proposal.
Why Disney’s changing priorities left bold projects unmade, and how a graphic novel brings the brothers’ storytelling back into view.

HOSTS

Jim Hill: Instagram @JimHillMedia | X @JimHillMedia | JimHillMedia.com
Drew Taylor: Instagram @drewtailored | X @DrewTailored | DrewTaylor.work

FOLLOW

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

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR

Be Our Guest Vacations offers free planning services for Disney and Universal vacations, including help with hotels, park admission, and dining reservations.

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

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

How Saving Wetlands Helped Disney World Keep Growing (Ep. 608) Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Jim Hill and Len Testa kick off No Negative November with an expanded airport luggage service at Walt Disney World, fresh theme park attendance estimates, and a nighttime visit to Epic Universe. Listener questions cover park shade, a dream Food & Wine Festival tour, and Mickey Mouse's public-domain era. Then Jim traces the Disney Wilderness Preserve from cattle ranch to conservation success story, explaining how saving Florida wetlands also helped Disney World keep building.

NEWS

Airport luggage transfers expand to Coronado Springs, Port Orleans Riverside, and Port Orleans French Quarter.
Universal discusses Epic Universe's capacity and ride reliability, while Jim and Len share their after-dark impressions.
The 2025 theme park attendance estimates put Epic Universe's opening year into context.
Listener questions explore more trees in the parks and a possible VIP Food & Wine Festival experience.
Mickey Mouse's approaching centennial sparks a discussion of public-domain characters and animation history.

FEATURE

The Celebration-era controversy behind Disney's purchase of Walker Ranch and the creation of the Wilderness Preserve.
How wetlands mitigation connects conservation efforts with development at Walt Disney World.
The long restoration of former cattle land and the red-cockaded woodpeckers that helped reshape EPCOT's plans.
How airport expansion, later land purchases, and a growing conservation corridor fit into the preserve's story.

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

HOSTS

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

FOLLOW

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

SUPPORT

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

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

The Disney Dish news is sponsored by Be Our Guest Vacations, from our friends at DVC Rental Store. Visit Be Our Guest Vacations for help planning your Disney vacation.

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

Jim Hill and Len Testa trace the Disney Wilderness Preserve's surprising development history, plus Epic Universe attendance and Disney World luggage service news.

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

The Invisible Man's Hollywood History Comes Out of Hiding (Ep. 126) Oct 30, 2026

Show notes

Jim Hill is back from Universal Orlando with firsthand reports from Wicked's Oztacular celebration at CityWalk and the after-hours Epic Universe Nights event. He and Eric Hersey discuss surprisingly short ride wait times, the magic of seeing Dark Universe after dark, and Earl the Squirrel's big Thanksgiving Day Parade debut. Then, inspired by a memorable encounter in Darkmoor, Jim pulls back the curtain on Universal's 1933 classic The Invisible Man, exploring director James Whale's complicated Hollywood career, Claude Rains' unforgettable performance, and the ingenious special effects that helped launch a monster movie franchise.

NEWS

Wicked's Oztacular takes over Universal CityWalk with Glinda and Elphaba meet-and-greets, LEGO displays, and a few confusing signs.
Epic Universe Nights delivers nighttime access, remarkably short attraction waits, complimentary snacks, and a spectacular Celestial Goodnight fountain show.
Universal introduces Florida resident single-day Epic Universe tickets, with some surprising differences in pricing and availability compared to annual passholder offers.
Earl the Squirrel prepares for his balloon debut in the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade before heading to Universal Studios Florida for the holidays.
Jim checks out CityWalk's new Fat One's and Five Guys locations while Eric previews their new eight-part Patreon series exploring professional wrestling and theme park history.

FEATURE

A nighttime encounter with the Invisible Man in Dark Universe leads to a look back at Universal's groundbreaking 1933 horror classic.
How director James Whale went from Frankenstein and The Old Dark House to casting Claude Rains in The Invisible Man.
The practical effects, elaborate camera tricks, and painstaking frame-by-frame work that made an invisible character believable nearly a century ago.
How Universal reinvented the Invisible Man through sequels, comedies, wartime adventures, and Abbott and Costello crossovers.

HOSTS

Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia | https://jimhillmedia.com
Eric Hersey - X/Twitter and Instagram: @erichersey | https://strongmindedagency.com

FOLLOW

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

SUPPORT

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

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning a Universal Orlando Resort vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations can help take the guesswork out of your getaway. Their travel professionals work with you one-on-one to find the right hotel, theme park tickets, and extras to fit your budget, priorities, and travel style. Visit BeOurGuestVacations.com and mention that the Epic Universal Podcast sent you.

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

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

A Hallmark Holiday Shopping Spree at Disney Springs (Ep. 123) Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey go shopping for Disney history as Jim shares highlights from his latest Florida trip. They check in on the Character Warehouse’s planned move, explore rare finds at Recycling the Magic, and celebrate World of Disney’s 30th anniversary. Then Jim reports from the Disney Hallmark Holiday Pop-Up Store at Disney Springs, where holiday merchandise is selling fast and some sought-after items are easier to find online.

NEWS

• An on-site update on the Character Warehouse’s move into the former Timberland space at Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets, including hopes for an opening before the holidays.

• Recycling the Magic offers retired attraction props, park signs, and animation maquettes, plus a surprise Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster photo featuring Imagineer Jim Shull.

• World of Disney marks 30 years, prompting memories of its original artwork, enormous layout, and longtime cast members.

• Jim discovers Buc-ee’s travel-center spectacle, from character merchandise and seasonal displays to Beaver Nuggets.

FEATURE

• Inside the Disney Hallmark Holiday Pop-Up Store at Disney Springs and its merchandise tied to Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True.

• How brisk sales changed the store’s selection between Jim’s visits, with spirit jerseys and pajamas proving especially popular.

• Why checking the Hallmark Channel Store online helped Nancy find pajamas that were unavailable during their Disney Springs visit.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2 | Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

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

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning a Disney or Universal vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations can help you find the best options and handle the details, with planning services at no additional cost to you. Start planning at BeOurGuestVacations.com.

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

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

What Really Counts as a Disney Halloween Movie? (Ep. 40) Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

Is Coco really a Halloween movie? Does Return to Oz belong on your spooky-season watchlist? Eric and Lauren Hersey debate what makes a Disney Halloween classic, revisit the wonderfully weird Ernest Scared Stupid, and explore why movies like Hocus Pocus arrived in theaters months before October. Plus, they uncover the fascinating story of how Jim Hill and his writing partner nearly brought their own Haunted Mansion movie to life at Disney, not once, but twice.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Coco sparks a Halloween debate, raising questions about the differences between Día de los Muertos and traditional Halloween celebrations.
• Return to Oz, Casper, and Hocus Pocus challenge the idea that Halloween movies need October release dates.
• From Halloweentown to Maleficent, Eric and Lauren question which Disney movies really deserve a spot on the Halloween watchlist.
• Ernest Scared Stupid gets a family rewatch, complete with surprising details about its elaborate animatronic troll costumes and Nashville filming locations.
• Jim Hill's unproduced Haunted Mansion screenplay resurfaces, revealing how Disney considered bringing his story to the screen twice during the 1990s.

HOSTS

• Lauren Hersey - Instagram: @lauren_hersey_ | X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2
• Eric Hersey - Instagram/X: @erichersey | https://strongmindedagency.com

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews
• YouTube: @jimhillmedia
• TikTok: @jimhillmedia
• Website: https://www.jimhillmedia.com

SUPPORT

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

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

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

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