The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

The Disney Dish Podcast with Jim Hill and Len Testa Dive into the fascinating world of Disney with theme park historian Jim Hill and Len Testa as they uncover the stories behind the magic. From breaking news and in-depth analyses to quirky historical tidbits and behind-the-scenes secrets, The Disney Dish offers a unique blend of humor, expertise, and insider knowledge. Whether you're a die-hard Disney fan, a theme park aficionado, or just curious about the history and future of Disney parks and resorts, this podcast has something for everyone. What to Expect: Breaking Disney News: Stay up to date on the latest happenings at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney's global parks. Historical Deep Dives: Learn how classic attractions were created, the stories behind Disney's biggest decisions, and the Imagineering ingenuity that brought it all to life. Listener Q&A: Get answers to your burning questions about the parks, attractions, and Disney culture. Exclusive Insights: Gain access to insider details and stories you won’t find anywhere else. Fun & Humor: Enjoy the wit and camaraderie of two Disney enthusiasts who know how to make even the most technical details entertaining. With decades of combined experience and an unmatched passion for all things Disney, Jim and Len guide you through the parks, the stories, and the magic in a way only they can. Your journey to the happiest podcast on earth starts here. Subscribe today!

Episodes

Disney Destiny’s “Meet-and-Play” Feels Very Starcruiser-ish (Ep. 563)

December 22, 2025 • 62 mins
Sam from Sam’s Disney Diary joins Len and Jim to spill the (highly theatrical) tea on Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Destiny - where character “meet-and-greets” have evolved into full-on, semi-improvised encounters that can follow you across the voyage. Then Jim heads back to where Disney’s in-park 3D film history really begins, from the 1950s 3D Jamboree at Disneyland to the studio’s eternal talent for repurposing an...
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Why Disney Is Quietly Letting 3D Die in the Parks (Ep. 562)

December 15, 2025 • 61 mins
Construction at Animal Kingdom’s upcoming Encanto attraction is finally starting to pop above the fence line, and Jim and Len do what they do best - stare at aerial photos until they start seeing ride-height changes and possible “big thing” anchors. Then the show veers into a surprisingly tight math problem: is it actually cheaper for an American couple to fly to Japan and do Tokyo Disney than it is to do a weekend at Walt Disney W...
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From Burbank Backlot to Hollywood Studios - The Roy E. Disney Building’s Second Act (Ep. 561)

December 8, 2025 • 54 mins
Len and Jim race through a packed week of Disney and Universal updates before diving into how the Roy E. Disney Animation Building went from an architectural showpiece to the creative model for Hollywood Studios’ upcoming Magic of Disney Animation attraction. NEWS • Disney outlines major 2026 refurbishments, Bluey offerings on both coasts, and new character entertainment. • EPCOT confirms Flower & Garden dates, attraction reopenin...
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Sneaking Into Sam’s: Jim Finally Cracks the Grog Grotto Code (Ep. 560)

December 1, 2025 • 41 mins
After a week wandering Walt Disney World with Len and Jim Shull, Jim goes solo this episode to share fresh Orlando observations, big theme park news, and the triumphant tale of finally getting inside Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto after a decade of trying. From Zootopia 2’s massive box office to the latest on dynamic pricing, Magic Kingdom expansion hints, and some curious choices around holiday traditions at the Grand Floridian, this on...
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Inside IAAPA 2025: Big Rides, Bold Tech, and the Industry’s Next Moves (Ep. 559)

November 24, 2025 • 42 mins
Len Testa, Jim Hill, and veteran Imagineer Jim Shull hit the IAAPA Expo show floor in Orlando, exploring the newest ride systems, vendor innovations, and behind-the-scenes stories fueling the future of themed entertainment. NEWS A look at how IAAPA blends professional showcase, industry reunion, and pop-up amusement park—complete with traffic, parking challenges, and surprises at every booth. Zamperla’s full-size demo of it...
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When Luggage Flies & Presidents Fume: Disney’s New Travel Perks and the Nixon Moment at the Contemporary (Ep. 558)

November 17, 2025 • 53 mins
Jim Hill and Len Testa unpack Disney’s expanding multimodal transportation plans, field listener questions on “Dwarfgate” and the state of restaurant seating, and dig into the remarkable story of how Richard Nixon ended up declaring “I am not a crook” at Walt Disney World’s Contemporary Resort. NEWS Disney expands its airport luggage transfer program to include Southwest Airlines arrivals, bringing back a little bit of that ol...
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From Zootopia to the Matterhorn: Disney’s Big Swings and Small Details (Ep. 557)

November 10, 2025 • 49 mins
Len Testa and Jim Hill continue No Negative November with a look at Zootopia’s new 4D adventure, listener trip-planning wisdom, and the surprising book that inspired Disneyland’s first mountain. NEWS Zootopia: Better Zoo-gether debuts at Animal Kingdom — The Tree of Life theater gets a major refresh with a new story, water gags, and a charming Benjamin Clawhauser animatronic. Holiday highlights return — Tree of Life Awa...
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Disney's Game Plan for Epic & The Raglan Road Story (Ep. 556)

November 3, 2025 • 52 mins
Jim wraps up the story of Raglan Road and explains how one Irish pub helped inspire the full transformation of Pleasure Island into today’s Disney Springs. Along the way, Len kicks off No Negative November and the crew answers listener trip-planning questions with their best “only happy thoughts” energy. The origins of Raglan Road and how authentic Irish design found a home at Walt Disney World Why its immediate success ...
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Disney’s Numbers Are In: What the 2024 TEA Attendance Report Tells Us (Ep. 555)

October 27, 2025 • 56 mins
This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa discuss Disney’s newest attraction update — Soarin’ Across America, debuting at EPCOT and Disney California Adventure in 2026 — and what it means for the company’s strategy ahead of the U.S. 250th anniversary. They also break down the just-released TEA Global Attendance Report and what the latest theme park numbers reveal about Disney, Universal, and the post-pandemic recovery. The new Soarin’...
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When Disney Becomes the Classroom: Teaching Magic, Strategy, and Imagination (Ep. 554)

October 20, 2025 • 77 mins
This week, Len and Jim welcome Dr. Jill Peterfeso from Guilford College to talk about her new book Why the Magic Matters: Discovering Disney as a Laboratory for Learning. The conversation explores how Disney is studied in college classrooms, how its mix of “magic and strategy” reveals deeper lessons about creativity and culture, and why professors are turning theme parks into teaching tools. Plus, Jim continues his history of Disne...
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From Pleasure Island to Pints of Guinness: Disney’s Nightlife Reinvented (Ep. 553)

October 13, 2025 • 58 mins
Jim Hill and Len Testa uncover how a single Irish pub reshaped Disney Springs. From the forgotten Pleasure Island Jazz Company to the birth of Raglan Road, this episode reveals how one restaurant sparked a renaissance in Disney dining. Plus, the guys tackle Disney’s latest round of price increases, Universal’s updated safety policies, and a listener’s perfect park-free resort itinerary. Disney’s latest ticket and Lightning Lan...
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Talking Trash: The Strange History of Disney’s Most Beloved Garbage Can (Ep. 552)

October 6, 2025 • 63 mins
This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into one of the most unexpectedly heartwarming stories in Disney history, the rise (and fall) of Push, the talking trash can who stole hearts in Tomorrowland. From his humble garage-built beginnings to his mysterious disappearance in 2014, Jim reveals how a simple rolling robot outlasted most of Disney’s high-tech character experiments. Plus, the guys tackle the latest Disney and Universal park...
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72 Hours Before a Disney Park Opens (featuring Jim Shull) (Ep. 551)

September 29, 2025 • 67 mins
With Len Testa away this week, Jim Hill is joined by Imagineer Jim Shull and Eric Hersey. Shull shares first-hand stories of the frantic 72 hours before Disney parks open - from sod being laid overnight at the Contemporary Resort in 1971 to carloads of flowers on Main Street Paris. Meanwhile, Eric helps cover the latest Universal Studios news, including surprising plans for Scooby-Doo and a deep dive into the popcorn bucket craze. ...
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How Disney Built Cars Land and What It Means for Piston Peak (Ep. 550)

September 22, 2025 • 66 mins
This week, Imagineer Jim Shull joins Jim Hill and Len Testa to finish the wild story of how Cars Land was built at Disney California Adventure. Along the way, the guys cover everything from gorillas and Muppets to a scuba diver who robbed Paddlefish. Tomorrowland’s Cool Ship replacement that looks suspiciously like a McDonald’s drive-thru The life of Gino the gorilla and why Animal Kingdom will never be the same A Florida...
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Cruise Street? The Alternate Cars Land That Almost Happened (Ep. 549)

September 15, 2025 • 56 mins
This week, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into the wild backstory of Disney California Adventure’s Cars Land and the strange “what ifs” that could’ve changed Radiator Springs forever. From Marty's Malt Shop to a road trip attraction fueled by beef jerky and Diet Mountain Dew, the alternate ideas were as quirky as they were ambitious. A new Disneyland ticket discount that signals softer bookings Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Re...
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NEW SHOW: The Case For with Chris Cox, Len Testa & Jim Hill

September 10, 2025 • 27 mins
The Case For (and Against) Park Hopping at Walt Disney World Is park hopping the best way to squeeze every drop of Disney magic out of your vacation - or just an overpriced bus pass with extra steps? In this first episode of The Case For with Chris Cox, mind reader and performer Chris Cox squares off against theme park expert Len Testa, while Disney historian Jim Hill dons judge’s robe to deliver a verdict. What’s on trial this...
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Dinosaur’s Last Ride, Tron Goes Red, and the Cars That Saved California Adventure (Ep. 548)

September 8, 2025 • 64 mins
Len Testa and Jim Hill return with a Disney Dish full of hard-hitting questions like: is a popcorn bucket a collectible, a food container, or proof of life’s absurdity? Along the way, they tackle Disney’s latest surveys, new overlays, and a franchise that almost stalled out before becoming a billion-dollar juggernaut. Disney sets the closing date for Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom and spruces up Carousel of Progress with a new Wal...
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Birds, Booze & The Beak & Barrel: Magic Kingdom’s New Pirate Lounge Sets Sail (Ep. 547)

September 1, 2025 • 48 mins
Len Testa and Jim Hill return with a packed episode of The Disney Dish to discuss Magic Kingdom’s brand new Beak & Barrel Lounge, an immersive pirate-themed bar near Pirates of the Caribbean. Len shares firsthand impressions of the decor, the elusive animatronic pirate Rummy, and why it’s already drawing Trader Sam’s comparisons. Also in this episode: Why Disney villains might be the next big meet and greet trend Early entr...
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The Vanishing Act: David Copperfield’s Lost Disney-MGM Studios Attraction (with Chris Cox) (Ep. 546)

August 25, 2025 • 62 mins
Len Testa and Jim Hill welcome award-winning mind reader and performer Chris Cox (BBC and Broadway) for a deep dive into one of Disney’s most fascinating “what could have been” stories. The ambitious plans for David Copperfield’s Magic Underground restaurant How the New York flagship nearly opened before money troubles pulled the plug Michael Eisner’s enthusiasm for magic and themed dining in the 1990s Why Di...
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What Disney’s Firework Ratings Reveal About the Future (Ep. 545)

August 18, 2025 • 52 mins
Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into how fans really rate Disney’s nighttime spectaculars — and why those scores decide which shows stay and which ones fade away. Along the way, they cover the latest park news and wrap up the story of how Jack Sparrow sailed into Pirates of the Caribbean. TouringPlans survey data reveals the winners and losers among Disney’s fireworks and nighttime shows Why “average” ratings are the kiss of ...
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