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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 resort to an unbuilt New Hampshire lodge, a canceled Disneyland luxury hotel, and the eventual Discovery Tower. They also discuss new playground plans, Disneyland ticket increases, and what Disney’s surveys might reveal about future attractions. Listener ideas offer fresh possibilities for EPCOT dining and a House of Mouse restaurant. NEWS • New playground plans at Hollywood Studios raise a practical question: what can younger children do while the rest of the family rides?• Len compares Disneyland’s latest ticket increases with Walt Disney World’s and asks whether Southern California is reaching a price ceiling.• The hosts discuss Pokémon possibilities at Universal, Disney Imagination’s planned debut in Japan, and a time-travel television tangent.• Disney Cruise Line survey pressure and an Avatar question prompt a discussion about how guest feedback influences decisions.• Listener proposals pair EPCOT dining with Lightning Lane perks and imagine a House of Mouse makeover for Hollywood Studios dining. FEATURE • The Grand Californian expansion brings Disney Vacation Club to the West Coast, setting the stage for a much bigger Hawaiian investment.• Jim explains how Aulani’s costs affected other resort ambitions, including Disney’s proposed White Mountain Lodge in New Hampshire.• A planned Disneyland luxury hotel runs into sightline concerns and an Anaheim tax-rebate dispute before its cancellation.• The story concludes with the smaller Disneyland Hotel DVC tower, its mix of accommodations, and construction through the pandemic. For this episode’s full show notes, click here.HOSTS • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | 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 GreyProduced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com SPONSOR Leave the holiday decorating to Disney and enjoy the lights from Main Street. Our friends at Be Our Guest Vacations can help plan your Walt Disney World holiday trip. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/ Len Testa and Jim Hill trace Aulani’s impact on Disneyland’s hotel plans, plus park playgrounds, ticket prices, and Disney guest surveys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 check out Monstropolis menu reveals, holiday ride soundtracks, and a Bluey survey that may hint at Animal Kingdom’s plans for next summer. Then Jim continues the history of Disneyland’s DVC resorts with the Grand Californian, the architect who once worked in its parking lot, and the soundproofing that solved one problem only to create another. NEWS• Disney’s annual-pass and ticket increases tell a different story from the sharper jumps in quick-service food prices.• Monstropolis previews eyeball fish cakes, ramen, and the mysterious Blort soda.• Holiday music is coming to Guardians of the Galaxy, Alien Swirling Saucers, and the Muppets’ ‘Obligatory Holiday Overlay.’• A Bluey guest survey prompts a discussion of Animal Kingdom’s summer 2027 entertainment plans.• Len shares a report from Universal Nights at Epic Universe, including short waits and included snacks. FEATURE• Jim remembers architect Peter Dominick, whose Disney resorts include Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Grand Californian.• The unbuilt Cypress Point Lodge helps explain the site and history of Wilderness Lodge.• Building the Grand Californian meant balancing park views, Downtown Disney, the monorail, and resort amenities.• Coaster screams led to extra soundproofing for the Grand Californian’s villas, followed by an inventive solution for guests who could see World of Color but couldn’t hear it. For this episode’s full show notes, click here.View transcript here. HOSTS• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com FOLLOW• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews• YouTube: @jimhillmedia• TikTok: @jimhillmedia• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/ SUPPORTSupport the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia. PRODUCTION CREDITSEdited by Dave GreyProduced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com SPONSORPlanning a Walt Disney World vacation? Get started with Be Our Guest Vacations. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/ Jim and Len explore the Grand Californian’s design challenges, its DVC villas, and Disney’s latest price increases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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-planning surveys. They also tackle listener questions about Haunted Mansion plumbing, Fantasmic crowds, pricing psychology, and the upcoming Hallmark Christmas movie set at Walt Disney World. Then Jim begins the story of Disney Vacation Club’s long road to Disneyland, including abandoned plans for resorts in Colorado, Times Square, and Newport Beach - and why Disneyland’s Discovery Tower might hint at the future of Tomorrowland. NEWS• New Monstropolis concept art offers a closer look at the Globe Theater, Harryhausen’s, and what may be a new 3D Monsters, Inc. attraction.• Disney reveals additional Lakeshore Lodge artwork, including its expansive lobby and the colorful Branch and Bush Lounge.• Disneyland tests a grab-and-go approach at Rancho del Zocalo.• New Disney surveys may reveal how guest preferences could shape AI-powered vacation planning.• A Disney patent explores notifying guests when animals are especially active on Kilimanjaro Safaris. FEATURE• Jim traces Disney Vacation Club from Old Key West to the company’s early plans for resorts far beyond Walt Disney World.• Disney once considered major DVC properties in Colorado, Times Square, and Newport Beach before changing course in the 1990s.• The disappointing early response to Vero Beach and Hilton Head helped push Disney toward adding more vacation-club inventory at its theme park resorts.• Could Disneyland Hotel’s Discovery Tower be a clue to a future “Discoveryland” reimagining of Tomorrowland? For this episode’s full show notes, click here.HOSTS• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com• Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com FOLLOW• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews• YouTube: @jimhillmedia• TikTok: @jimhillmedia• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/ SUPPORTSupport the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia. PRODUCTION CREDITSEdited by Dave GreyProduced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com SPONSORPlanning a Walt Disney World vacation? Get started with BeOurGuestVacations.com. Jim and Len explore new Disney parks developments before tracing the surprising, decades-long path that finally brought Disney Vacation Club to Disneyland. 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

Disney surveys are asking increasingly pointed questions about discounts, trip costs, and what actually gets guests to book, while Disneyland history takes center stage with the story of Walt Disney’s never-built Lilliputian Land. Len Testa and Jim Hill also cover changes at Expedition Everest, Haunted Mansion construction, Oogie Boogie Bash availability, and rumors about Darkmoor’s next attraction at Epic Universe. Then Jim traces how Walt’s fascination with miniatures, model trains, and mechanical figures helped shape an unrealized Disneyland land - and eventually Storybook Land. NEWS • New Disney surveys dig into whether resort discounts actually persuade guests to book, stay longer, or change hotels. • Expedition Everest replaces its single rider line with an odds-and-evens loading system designed to improve capacity. • Walt Disney Imagineering files a Haunted Mansion construction permit as work prepares the area for future Magic Kingdom expansion. • Oogie Boogie Bash tickets remain available at Disneyland while Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party sells out at Walt Disney World. • Rumors point toward a Bride of Frankenstein indoor coaster as a possible future expansion for Darkmoor at Epic Universe. FEATURE • Jim explores Walt Disney’s original plans for Lilliputian Land, a miniature world once envisioned between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. • Walt’s backyard Carolwood Pacific Railroad and his fascination with miniature Americana helped inspire the proposed land. • Project Little Man revealed the technical challenges of building tiny mechanical performers and helped push Disney toward full-sized Audio-Animatronics. • One piece of the Lilliputian Land concept survived, evolving from the opening-day Canal Boats of the World into Disneyland’s Storybook Land Canal Boats. For this episode’s full show notes, click here.HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com 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 your next Disney vacation? Visit BeOurGuestVacations.com to get started. 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

Len Testa and Jim Hill cover the latest Walt Disney World news, from a Toy Story 5 overlay at Hollywood Studios and shifting timelines for Tropical Americas to Disney’s experiments with themed cruises and DVC owner surveys. They also answer listener questions about Moana’s missing ride presence, Coral Reef surprises, and annual pass payment plans for out-of-state DVC members. Then Jim digs into the surprising history of the Walt Disney Transportation Company, when Disney seriously considered selling PeopleMover technology to airports, shopping centers, and planned communities around the world. NEWS • Alien Swirling Saucers gets a Toy Story 5-inspired overlay, complete with new music. • The Magic of Disney Animation settles into limited daytime hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. • Disney quietly removes the 2027 date from its Tropical Americas project page as major domestic attraction openings appear to shift toward 2028. • Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show remains closed, with work expected to accelerate after Halloween Horror Nights. • New DVC and Disney Cruise Line surveys explore member finances, contract sales, and just how deeply guests want themed cruises to go. FEATURE • Jim traces the origins of the Walt Disney Transportation Company and Disney’s effort to commercialize its theme park transportation technology. • The Magic Kingdom’s PeopleMover was envisioned as a working showroom for potential clients building airports, shopping centers, and communities. • Disney once planned an extensive transportation network linking the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village with nearby development. • Houston Intercontinental Airport became the rare real-world customer, installing a Disney-designed PeopleMover system that has operated for decades. For this episode’s full show notes, click here. HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com 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 Disney Dish News is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com. Whether your team is already struggling through football season or you simply need a Walt Disney World getaway to look forward to, Be Our Guest Vacations can help plan the trip. 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

Len Testa and Jim Hill are back with Disney news, listener questions, and the conclusion of Jim’s history of Disney family suites. They check out the latest Walt Disney World updates, from Magic of Disney Animation previews and EPCOT festival dates to Jollywood Nights demand and new vacation discounts. Then Jim traces how a stalled Pop Century expansion, the success of Nickelodeon Family Suites, and Disney’s experiments at All-Star Music ultimately led to Art of Animation. Plus, the guys look at Disney Cruise Line’s intriguing adults-only survey and wonder what an expanded Skyliner network might have looked like. NEWS • Magic of Disney Animation previews reveal Olaf Draws, Off the Page, Once Upon a Studio Theater, and the colorful Drawn to Wonderland play area. • EPCOT sets dates for Festival of the Arts and Flower & Garden while Coral Reef prepares to reopen ahead of the holiday season. • Strong Jollywood Nights sales could point toward an even larger role for the after-hours event in future holiday seasons. • Universal Orlando rolls out an aggressive Florida resident ticket offer covering Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Epic Universe. • Disney Cruise Line surveys guests about adults-only sailings, while dozens of upcoming cruises receive special offers and discounted fares. FEATURE • Jim finishes the story of Disney’s family suites, beginning with Pop Century’s ambitious original plans and the unfinished Legendary Years section. • The surprising success of Nickelodeon Family Suites helped convince Disney that larger family accommodations could be a major draw. • All-Star Music became Disney’s testing ground before the company transformed Pop Century’s abandoned expansion into Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. • Jim explains how Art of Animation’s opening was strategically paired with New Fantasyland - and how the Skyliner later transformed the appeal of Disney’s value and moderate resorts. For this episode’s full show notes, click here. HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com 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 The Disney Dish News is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com. If the back-to-school rush has already worn you out, the team can help you plan some much-needed rest and relaxation at Walt Disney World. Our friends at DVCRentalStore.com can also help you explore Disney Vacation Club rental options for your next stay. 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

Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into the latest Disney parks news before tracing how Epcot’s humble festival food booths evolved into permanent Global Marketplaces with open kitchens. TouringPlans researchers Amy Schinner and Christina Harrison join the show to talk Food & Wine, while Disney surveys hint at possible themed cruises, Halloween party strategy, and how much guests trust Disney’s planning tools. Plus, listener questions cover Tomorrowland, attraction relocations, parking garages, underwater pool music, and one extremely ambitious Carousel of Progress Halloween overlay. NEWS • Lakeshore Lodge gets a July 1, 2027 opening date, while Tiana’s Bayou Adventure prepares for its first major refurbishment. • Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is set for an extensive refurbishment, and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill is preparing to close at Disney Springs. • Disneyland breaks ground on its new eastern parking and transportation hub as Universal prepares to open Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift. • Disney Cruise Line is returning to New York in 2027, while a new survey tests guest interest in themed Disney cruises. • Amy Schinner and Christina Harrison join Len and Jim for a look at this year’s EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. FEATURE • Jim traces the roots of EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival back to the Walt Disney World Village Wine Festival and its move to EPCOT in 1996. • The California Grill’s successful open-kitchen concept helped inspire a new approach to festival food booths around World Showcase. • Permanent gas, electrical, and water connections transformed temporary booths into the more elaborate Global Marketplace locations guests know today. • With EPCOT operating festivals through much of the year, Disney continues converting temporary food locations into permanent festival infrastructure. For this episode’s full show notes, click here. (Coming Soon) HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia - Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social - Instagram: @len.testa - touringplans.com GUEST • Amy Schinner - TouringPlans researcher • Christina Harrison - TouringPlans researcher 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 BeOurGuestVacations.com from our friends at DVCRentalStore.com. Whether you’re planning Disney or Universal, Be Our Guest Vacations can help make the trip easier for the whole family. 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

Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into the long road that eventually led Disney to build Art of Animation Resort, from an abandoned Toontown-inspired family suites hotel near the Contemporary to the unfinished half of Pop Century. Along the way, they explore how the success of Nickelodeon’s family-suite hotel caught Disney’s attention, why Bob Iger brought Steve Jobs into the evaluation process, and how Finding Nemo, Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid became the resort’s defining themes. Plus, Len and Jim discuss Lakeshore Lodge, Disney’s latest premium credit card survey, potential Epic Universe annual pass perks, and listener questions about fireworks, cruise ports, Star Tours, and monorail capacity. NEWS • Disney reveals new Lakeshore Lodge room categories ahead of its July 1, 2027 opening. • A Disney credit card survey tests premium perks including Lightning Lane access, resort benefits, complimentary park tickets, and club-level access. • Universal Orlando surveys guests about Epic Universe annual passes, reservations, Express benefits, parking, and Halloween Horror Nights perks. • Epcot adjusts opening hours for select RunDisney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend dates. • Universal Orlando debuts the new Nightmare Fuel: Blood Noir show for Halloween Horror Nights. FEATURE • Disney once considered a highly exclusive Toontown-inspired family suites hotel beside the Contemporary Resort. • The financial troubles surrounding Disneyland Paris helped derail Disney’s early family-suite plans. • The success of Nickelodeon’s all-suite Orlando hotel convinced Disney there was significant demand for larger themed accommodations. • Disney transformed the long-abandoned Legendary Years section of Pop Century into Art of Animation Resort. • Bob Iger invited Steve Jobs to review prototype Art of Animation rooms before Disney committed to the project. For this episode’s full show notes, click here.HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com 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 Disney Dish news is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com, helping guests plan their next 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Len Testa and Jim Hill unpack a packed slate of D23 parks announcements, from Disneyland’s newly promised Tomorrowland overhaul to major additions coming to Walt Disney World. They dig into Tropical Americas, Piston Peak, Villains Land, Monstropolis, Figment and Dreamfinder’s return to EPCOT, and Disney’s surprising promise to finally address Expedition Everest’s Yeti. Then Jim looks back at the history of Disney-MGM Studios’ Ewok Village, its connection to Star Tours, and the unusual road that brought George Lucas’ galaxy to a Hollywood-themed park. NEWS • Disneyland plans a Tomorrowland overhaul inspired by the land’s original sense of hope and optimism. • Disney California Adventure’s Pandora project moves behind Tomorrowland while Avengers Infinity Defense, Stark Flight Lab, and the Coco attraction continue taking shape. • Walt Disney World reveals new details for Tropical Americas, Piston Peak National Park, Villains Land, and the phased opening of Monstropolis. • Dreamfinder and Figment are headed back to EPCOT in a still-mysterious new “flight of fancy” into Imagination. • Disney says Expedition Everest’s long-static Yeti will finally be addressed, though exactly what “fixing” the figure means remains to be seen. FEATURE • Jim traces the 1989 opening of the Ewok Village at Disney-MGM Studios, months before Florida’s Star Tours began carrying guests to Endor. • Learn why Florida’s Star Tours wound up at the Studios instead of Tomorrowland and how Disney tried to make George Lucas part of the park’s identity. • The story explores George Lucas’ inspirations for the Ewoks, the abandoned Wookiee plans for Return of the Jedi, and Disney’s enthusiasm for the franchise’s most marketable forest dwellers. • Plus, Jim revisits unrealized ideas including a Sci-Fi Channel UFO headquarters and the Roger Rabbit-themed Toontown Transit simulator. For this episode’s full show notes, click here.HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com 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 Disney Dish News is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com, from our friends at DVCRentalStore.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

Len Testa and Jim Hill are on the ground in Anaheim for D23, where they dig into the week's Disney news before exploring how Anaheim evolved from vineyards and citrus groves into the home of Disneyland. Along the way, they examine a Disney patent that could create the illusion of elevation changes on future attractions, a proposed Spaceship Earth television series, and Bob Chapek's upcoming book. Then Jim traces the fascinating history of the Anaheim Packing House and the agricultural economy that helped make Walt Disney's land purchase possible. NEWS • A newly published Disney patent could make riders feel as though they're climbing or dropping while their ride vehicle remains on a flat surface. • Could the technology be destined for the upcoming Encanto attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom? • Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is already selling out select dates at both ends of the 2026 event calendar. • Another infrastructure problem hits Disney's Wilderness Lodge, this time involving water service at Boulder Ridge. • Disney is developing a Spaceship Earth-inspired television project built around teenagers, time travel, and a threat to Earth's future. • Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek prepares to tell his side of the story in his upcoming book, Behind the Castle Walls. FEATURE • Jim traces Anaheim's beginnings to 50 German families who established a thriving wine-growing community in the 1850s. • Root rot pushed the region from vineyards toward orange groves and walnut farms, helping reshape Anaheim's agricultural economy. • Railroad expansion turned the Anaheim Packing District into a major hub for shipping fresh California produce across the country. • Falling agricultural land values helped Harrison "Buzz" Price identify Anaheim as the ideal location for Walt Disney's new family park. • Disneyland's arrival accelerated Anaheim's transformation from an agricultural community into a tourism destination. • The historic Anaheim Packing House survived redevelopment pressure and reopened in 2014 as a modern food hall that preserves a piece of the city's past. For this episode’s full show notes, click here. (Coming Soon) HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Instagram: @len.testa | touringplans.com 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 Disney Dish News is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is underway, and Be Our Guest Vacations can help you plan a Walt Disney World trip filled with Halloween fun, costumes, and plenty of candy. 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

Len Testa and Jim Hill dig into Disney’s latest theme park attendance numbers, new Lakeshore Lodge concept art, Disneyland’s possible return to an old favorite, and some surprisingly revealing guest surveys. Listener questions cover everything from GLP-1 drugs and Disney dining to the possible return of Tables in Wonderland and new retail ideas for Disney Springs. Then Jim begins the history of Disney’s family suites by tracing how global events repeatedly reshaped Walt Disney World hotel plans, culminating in the stalled second half of Disney’s Pop Century Resort after 9/11. NEWS • Walt Disney World reports a 3% increase in domestic theme park attendance during Disney’s fiscal third quarter. • Disney adds a new preshow to Zootopia: Better Zoogether to help guests follow the attraction’s story. • New Lakeshore Lodge concept art reveals the resort lobby, Moon Glade restaurant, Bay Lake Provisions, and other dining spaces. • Disneyland rumors suggest the Main Street Electrical Parade could once again return in 2027. • Universal announces Ozzy Osbourne: Prince of Darkness and Killer Klowns from Outer Space for Halloween Horror Nights. FEATURE • Jim looks back at Disney hotel projects that were dramatically altered by world events, including the proposed Asian Resort at Seven Seas Lagoon. • The COVID-19 pandemic upends Disney’s ambitious plans for EPCOT and Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary celebration. • Disney begins developing Pop Century as another massive value resort near the Wide World of Sports complex. • After 9/11 sends tourism and hotel occupancy plunging, Disney halts work on Pop Century and leaves the unfinished Legendary Years buildings standing for nearly a decade. For this episode’s full show notes, click 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 • 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 Disney Dish News is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com. Plan your Walt Disney World vacation, including a trip to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, with the team at Be Our Guest Vacations. 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

Jim Hill and guest co-host Drew Taylor explore the newly updated version of “Zootopia: Better Zoogether” at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, including fresh dialogue designed to make the show’s storyline easier to follow. They also examine the water-pressure failure that temporarily disrupted operations across Disneyland and Anaheim, along with Disney’s long history of conserving and recycling water inside its parks. Then Jim completes his history of “Turtle Talk with Crush,” tracing the interactive show from EPCOT and Disney California Adventure to cruise ships and children’s hospitals. NEWS • “Zootopia: Better Zoogether” receives new introductory dialogue from Mayor Winddancer. • Judy Hopps’ closing lines are revised to clarify Dawn Bellwether’s role in disrupting Zootopia Day. • The changes may help prepare the attraction for a possible future home at Disney California Adventure. • A citywide water-pressure drop temporarily closes Disneyland restaurants and restrooms. • Universal Studios Hollywood begins soft-opening “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.” FEATURE • “Turtle Talk with Crush” evolves from an unrealized Columbia-based attraction into a global Disney favorite. • The interactive show expands from EPCOT and Disney California Adventure to Hong Kong, Tokyo and Disney Cruise Line. • Disney adapts Crush’s conversations for cruise-ship dining rooms and smaller audiences. • A Children’s Hospital of Orange County installation gives young patients a more intimate opportunity to interact with Crush. HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com • Drew Taylor - X/Twitter: @DrewTailored - Instagram: @drewtailored - drewtaylor.work 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 The Disney Dish news is sponsored by BeOurGuestVacations.com. Their vacation-planning team can help make your next Walt Disney World trip a little more magical. 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

Len Testa and Jim Hill examine a revealing new Disney survey asking whether guests trust DisneyWorld.com, whether the site acts in their best interest, and whether it should be considered the definitive source for vacation planning. They also discuss Disney’s questions about Epic Universe, softer attendance and dining demand, and the growing complexity of planning a theme park vacation. Then Jim continues the history of Imagineering’s Living Characters Initiative by tracing the path from Mickey’s Toon Elevator and Fashion Chat with Cruella de Vil to Stitch’s Photophone, the interactive Disneyland experiment that helped pave the way for Turtle Talk with Crush. NEWS • Disney surveys guests about whether they trust DisneyWorld.com to provide transparent, accurate, and helpful vacation information. • New survey questions explore whether Disney’s website should be considered the source of truth over independent planning sites. • Disney asks Epic Universe visitors whether Universal added days to their vacations or pulled attendance away from Walt Disney World. • Comcast reports continued strength at Epic Universe alongside softer performance across the broader Universal Orlando Resort. • Slower table-service dining demand raises questions about Lightning Lane habits, pricing, GLP-1 medications, and Disney’s future restaurant strategy. FEATURE • Imagineering searches for the right Disney character to lead a real-time interactive experience. • Mickey Mouse proves too polite, while Cruella de Vil proves too intimidating for younger guests. • Stitch’s Photophone opens inside Disneyland’s Innoventions shortly after the release of Lilo & Stitch. • Cast members use cameras, voice performance, pre-animated movements, and personalized jokes to bring Stitch to life. • The attraction’s limited capacity helps Imagineering rethink the format and develop the larger-scale experience that became Turtle Talk with Crush. 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 • 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 Plan your next Disney vacation with 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

Disneyland’s sold-out evening tickets, Walt Disney World dining trends, and a possible Space Mountain overhaul lead off this week’s Disney Dish. Len and Jim also answer listener questions about Cars Road Trip and Victoria & Albert’s before returning to the history of Imagineering’s Living Character Initiative. In the main feature, Jim explains how Turtle Talk with Crush emerged amid the deteriorating relationship between Michael Eisner, Steve Jobs, and Pixar. NEWS • Why Disneyland’s $59 evening tickets may owe their existence to Bluey and stroller traffic. • What the Coral Reef Restaurant’s move to seasonal operations could reveal about Lightning Lane spending and declining demand for table-service dining. • How a major Space Mountain refurbishment could improve reliability, capacity, and Tomorrowland operations. • Universal Studios Florida moves up the closing date for Fast & Furious - Supercharged. • Could Universal retain The Simpsons, or might Back to the Future eventually replace Springfield? FEATURE • How Finding Nemo became Pixar’s biggest hit despite Michael Eisner’s doubts about the film. • Why Steve Jobs held Cars back as leverage during Disney and Pixar’s contract negotiations. • How Disney’s Circle 7 Animation plans further damaged its relationship with Pixar. • Why Eisner approved Turtle Talk with Crush without seeking Pixar’s input, and how the experimental attraction outlasted Stitch’s Great Escape. For this episode’s full show notes, click 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 • 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 Save on discounted Disney and Universal theme park tickets through UnlockedMagic.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

Disneyland’s bargain evening tickets disappear, Universal Orlando rolls out an unusually affordable Florida resident pass, and Epic Universe lights up the night with Celestial Goodnight. Len and Jim also examine revealing Disney and Universal guest surveys, a fog-screen patent that may be connected to Tropical Americas, and some wonderfully strange theme park history. Then Jim continues the story of Disney’s Living Character Initiative, tracing how Finding Nemo pushed Imagineering to bring animated characters into the parks faster than ever before. NEWS • Disneyland’s $59 evening tickets have sold out for the remainder of 2026. • Epic Universe debuts Celestial Goodnight, a new nighttime spectacular featuring fountains, fireworks, lighting effects, and the Helios Grand Hotel. • Universal Orlando introduces a $199 Florida resident pass offering unlimited visits to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure through December 16. • New Disney and Universal surveys raise questions about Lightning Lane planning, hotel benefits, dining revenue, and the value of Universal Express. • A Disney patent describes a 360-degree image projected onto a laminar-flow fog screen, potentially for a future animal-filled attraction. FEATURE • Universal’s rapid transformation of popular movies into theme park attractions forced Disney to reconsider its traditionally slow development process. • Finding Nemo became Pixar’s biggest hit to date, leaving Disney Parks searching for a faster way to bring Nemo and his friends to guests. • Before a permanent attraction could be built, Disney experimented with a tiny drivable Nemo character in the Magic Kingdom and at the Transportation and Ticket Center. • Imagineering’s solution became Turtle Talk with Crush, a groundbreaking interactive experience developed in roughly ten months and still entertaining guests today. For show notes for this episode, click here. HOSTS • Jim Hill - X and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com • Len Testa - Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social - Instagram: @len.testa - touringplans.com 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 Save on admission to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Universal Orlando, and select special events with UnlockedMagic.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