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 share…

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 …

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 u…

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 fille…

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 fil…

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 s…

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey hop into the season with stories of springtime mishaps, Disney merch drops, and a full breakdown of the difference between spoilers and Easter eggs (the movie kind, not the chocolate kind). The infamous Disneyland orchid drop of the 1950s and other early Easter entertainment ideas A look at this year’s Easter basket-ready…

Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by offering birthday greetings to a modern animation master. They then welcome Neil O’Brien, author of “After Disney,” to discuss what it was like to work on the Burbank Lot back in the Late 1970s / Early 1980s Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: When did “BOOP: The Musical” do its …

Len Testa & Jim Hill are joined this week by veteran Imagineer Jim Shull for a super-sized edition of this podcast. As these three first recap Len’s recent visit to Orlando’s newest theme park and then discuss what recent stock market fluctuations might mean for Disney’s previously announced plans for its Florida Resort Throughout this episode, lis…

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey break down the biggest stories in the Universal Parks universe, including new details on Epic Universe’s Annual Passholder preview days and Universal’s officially announced theme park in the UK. Plus, they wrap up their deep dive into Universal Studios Hollywood’s 1960s Mardi Gras de Mexico and explore what these early even…

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey celebrate the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie with new Loungefly backpacks, wild Powerline-themed hats, and a deep dive into the film’s fan-favorite status. Then, they break down some of Disney’s latest merch trends - including crossbody water bottle holders, park-inspired baseball jerseys, and popcorn bucket Christmas …

In this episode of Fine Tooning, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor break down the biggest stories shaking up the animation world, including: The explosive box office debut of A Minecraft Movie – Surpassing expectations with $157 million, becoming the biggest opening ever for a video game adaptation. Disney pauses its live-action Tangled remake – After Snow …

This week, Jim Hill is joined by special guest Ruben Bolling, the award-winning cartoonist behind Tom the Dancing Bug, while Len Testa is off cruising with a buffet (hopefully). From sweaty Brer Bear suits to Buzz Lightyear’s chiropractor bills, Jim and Ruben explore the history—and hazards—of Disney character costumes. Plus, they dive into the fut…

In this episode of The Epic Universal Podcast, Jim Hill and Eric Hersey take a wild detour into Universal’s 1960s event history—when guests could watch a ceremonial Aztec princess sacrifice as part of the “Mardi Gras to Mexico” celebration. Yes, really. They also dive into the latest Universal news and rumors leading up to Epic Universe’s debut. Un…

In this episode of I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey explore the colorful world of theme park merchandise—from Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival to Universal’s Epic Universe rollout—and spotlight a pastel plush lineup that’s taking over Japan (and maybe your shelf next). Figment’s Flattening at Flower & Garden – Lauren shares her thoughts …

In this milestone 300th episode, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dig into the biggest animation stories of the week, including: GKIDS’ 4K re-release of Princess Mononoke – How this Studio Ghibli classic led the box office in per-screen average nearly three decades after its debut. Disney’s Snow White struggles at the box office – What the 66% second-week …

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill take you back to a time when Hollywood Studios had no Sunset Boulevard and how a red car, a Rocketeer supper club, and Roger Rabbit rides nearly changed everything. Plus, Universal’s first Epic Universe guest survey raises big questions about whether there’s enough to do on opening day. Sunset Boulevard: The Origin…

In this episode of The Epic Universal Podcast, Jim Hill and Eric Hersey uncover the surprising 1960s Hollywood event that helped inspire Universal Studios’ Mardi Gras celebrations today. Plus, they unpack the latest rumors, leaks, and hotel openings as Epic Universe edges closer to launch. • Mardi Gras Origins: How Universal’s “Fiesta Mexicana” and…

In this episode of I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey go full collector mode with stories of forgotten plush, rare merch, and the unexpected international success of one very determined Disney bear. The Return of Duffy – From Tokyo-exclusive meet-and-greets to his spot in Disneyland’s new cavalcade, Disney is going all in (again) on Duffy …

In this episode of Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Jim Hill and Drew dive deep into the latest news and developments in the world of animation: Snow White’s Slow Start – Disney’s live-action remake stumbles at the box office, and Drew shares his take after seeing the film. Coco 2 Announced (and Unannounced) – A sequel to Pixar’s Coco is confirmed by…

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill are joined by DVC expert Paul Krieger to finally wrap up the long-running series on Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge—now Lakeshore Lodge. They explore how this project evolved from concept to construction, what’s next for the Fort Wilderness area, and how Disney Vacation Club is changing the way it builds and b…

In this episode of Looking at Lucasfilm, Jim Hill and Brian Gaughan explore the wild intersections of Star Wars history, theme park updates, and forgotten Lucasfilm curiosities: A closer look at Disney’s abandoned 1979 sci-fi project “Snow Star,” a reimagined Snow White set in space. New budget details and storytelling ambitions behind The Mandalor…

In this episode of The Epic Universal Podcast, Jim Hill and Eric Hersey dive deep into the surprising and nostalgic story of Nickelodeon’s presence at Universal Studios Florida—from green slime to dark rides and beyond. Plus, they share the latest updates on Epic Universe and more theme park buzz. Highlights include: Nickelodeon at Universal Studio…

In this episode of I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dive into the drama surrounding Disney’s latest projects, from the controversial Snow White live-action remake to a major legal battle over Lady and the Tramp. Snow White’s Live-Action Gamble – How the film’s casting choices, premiere strategy, and audience reactions are shaping its box…

In this episode, Jim Hill and Drew Taylor dive into the latest animation and entertainment news, including: Disney braces for a rough opening weekend for Snow White – How revised box office projections signal trouble for the live-action remake. The Lilo & Stitch trailer breaks records – Why it’s Disney’s second-most viewed live-action trailer ever.…