The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
by Jim Hill Media Podcast Network · 1,000 episodes
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The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network features weekly shows hosted by Jim Hill and his collaborators. The lineup includes The Disney Dish with Len Testa, Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Epic Universal Podcast with Eric Hersey, I Want That Too with Lauren Hersey, Marvel Us Disney with Dan Graney, The Case For with Chris Cox, and more. Each series offers industry reporting, history, analysis, and insider stories spanning Disney, Universal, animation, film, streaming, and themed entertainment. With over 25 years of online storytelling and thousands of hours of content, the network delivers trusted, in-depth coverage for fans, enthusiasts, and industry professionals.
Latest episodes
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47 min
How Don Bluth’s Disney Exit Changed Animation (Ep. 380)
Jim Hill opens the archives for a special look at Don Bluth, the animator whose departure from Disney helped change the industry. Drawing on past conversations with Drew Taylor and…
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47 min
When the Police Played the Magic Kingdom’s Halloween Party
Len Testa and Jim Hill look back at Halloween Hysteria, the Magic Kingdom’s 1979 party that brought the Police to the park. Jim traces Disney’s early Halloween celebrations before…
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52 min
How Shrek 4-D Became the Secret Sequel to Shrek
Jim Hill and Eric Hersey head back to Far Far Away to uncover how Universal's Shrek 4-D became an unlikely bridge between the first two Shrek movies. Jim reveals the creative chall…
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42 min
The Monsters, Inc. Coaster Disney Almost Built in 2008
Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey open the door to a Monsters, Inc. coaster project that surfaced back in 2008, long before the attraction announced at D23 in 2024. Jim explains how an ac…
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33 min
You Paid HOW Much for a Disney Tiki Bird?
How much would you pay to own a piece of Disney history? Eric and Lauren Hersey take a deep dive into Disney's most expensive collectibles, from a $425,000 Enchanted Tiki Room bird…
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36 min
Listener Mailbag: Alien Encounter, Rope Drop & Disney Water Parks
Chris Cox, Len Testa, and Jim Hill reopen the listener mailbag for another session of the Court of the Disney World Resort. A terrifying first date on Alien Encounter leads to a st…
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49 min
Disney's Hexed Casts a Colorful Spell on Animation
Jim Hill and Drew Taylor have plenty to discuss as Disney's upcoming animated feature Hexed takes center stage, with a fresh trailer, striking visual designs, and new details about…
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52 min
How Aulani’s Price Tag Reshaped Disneyland’s Hotels
Len Testa and Jim Hill wrap up their Disneyland DVC history with a look at how Aulani’s ambitious price tag shaped the hotel projects that followed. Jim connects Disney’s Hawaiian…
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54 min
How Mike Myers Changed Shrek Forever
Jim Hill and Eric Hersey continue the story of Shrek, following the difficult decisions DreamWorks faced after the death of original star Chris Farley. Jim explains how Mike Myers…
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35 min
Disney's AI Takeover: Magic Shots, Layoffs, and the Human Touch
Disney is bringing artificial intelligence into nearly every corner of its business, but how much AI is too much magic? This week, Lauren and Eric Hersey explore the debate surroun…
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44 min
Frozen Pajamas, Darth on the Hearth, and Disney’s Missing Tornado
Lauren Hersey and Jim Hill explore how familiar favorites find new life, from Frozen’s latest merchandise push to Darth Vader’s holiday makeover. Lauren takes a closer look at Froz…
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1 h 04
Blade, Superman Lives, and the Comic Book Movies That Never Were
Jim Hill and Dan Graney open the case files on comic book movies that never made it to theaters, from Mahershala Ali’s Blade to Nicolas Cage’s Superman Lives. Their new recurring f…
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47 min
Woody Woodpecker, Walter Lantz, and the Last Man Standing in Animation
Jim Hill and Drew Taylor take a trip through animation history as they explore the life and legacy of Walter Lantz, the creator of Woody Woodpecker. Following Drew's visit to Lantz…
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54 min
When the Grand Californian’s Soundproofing Worked Too Well
Len Testa and Jim Hill unpack Disney’s latest price increases, from annual passes and tickets to the quick-service meals taking a bigger bite out of vacation budgets. They also che…
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47 min
The Shrek That Almost Was: Chris Farley and DreamWorks’ Early Gamble
Jim Hill and Eric Hersey catch up on Universal news, from a Wicked celebration at CityWalk to the closure of Po Live in DreamWorks Land. They also look at the international push fo…
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37 min
Are Disney Annual Passholders Still Worth It?
Bob Chapek’s new book has reopened one of Disney Parks’ trickiest debates: just how valuable are annual passholders? Lauren and Eric break down the math behind Disneyland Magic Key…
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35 min
Bob Chapek, Disney Store Closures, and the Pop-Up Comeback
Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dig into Bob Chapek's memoir, Behind the Castle Walls, and his account of reshaping Disney Consumer Products. They examine his franchise-first strategy,…
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29 min
Sleeping In at EPCOT: Is Skipping Rope Drop Worth It?
Can you sleep in and still see everything at EPCOT? Chris Cox and Len Testa bring the case against rope drop before Judge Jim Hill, comparing later arrivals without Lightning Lane.…
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42 min
The Real Story Behind The Return of Jafar
With Drew Taylor sidelined by a broken foot, Jim Hill takes the controls for a solo edition of Fine Tooning packed with animation news and Disney history. Jim checks in on DreamWor…
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57 min
Did Disney Hide Tomorrowland’s Future in a Hotel Tower?
Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into Disney’s newly released Monstropolis concept art, Lakeshore Lodge details, a new Kilimanjaro Safaris patent, and some revealing Disney vacation-plan…