The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

This holiday week episode of the Epic Universal Podcast was recorded on Christmas Eve, which means Jim and Eric are juggling last minute shopping, customer service horror stories, and a surprisingly full slate of Universal news. From attractions closing sooner than expected to permits hinting at big changes in Islands of Adventure, this show looks both at what is ending and what might be coming next. They also zoom way out, from Epic Universe’s nighttime ambitions to the possibility of Universal’s next global park landing in a very hot climate. NEWS • The Horror Make-Up Show at Universal Studios Florida is officially closing January 4, with speculation swirling about what kind of reimagined experience might replace it. • New permits tied to Intamin suggest real movement in the Lost Continent area at Islands of Adventure, fueling renewed talk of a possible Legend of Zelda attraction. • Universal files trademarks for Celestial Goodnight, pointing strongly toward a nighttime spectacular at Epic Universe. • Ongo

It’s a Christmas Day edition of I Want That Too, and Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey wrap up the year with a festive mix of Disney merch news, pop culture crossovers, and a deep dive into Jim Henson’s long love affair with holiday specials. Along the way, the conversation connects some surprising dots between a largely forgotten Henson TV special and the early creative struggles that eventually led Pixar to Toy Story. NEWS • The Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta closes out its Festive Features exhibit showcasing rare Jim Henson holiday puppets • Disney’s Hollywood Studios opens early to handle crowds eager to see Taylor Swift Eras Tour costumes • A new Disney Store Princess shirt sparks Swiftie speculation thanks to its lyric-inspired design • Disney Store holiday merchandise drops to 50 percent off before Christmas, shifting end-of-year shopping strategies FEATURE • Why Jim Henson repeatedly turned to holiday specials as creative and financial anchors • How A Christmas Toy reunited the Fraggle Rock team afte

Jim Hill and Dan Graney ring in the holidays with a Marvel conversation that somehow involves hacked PayPal accounts, cardboard Star Wars memories, and one of the strangest trailer rollouts in studio history. As Marvel’s Doomsday marketing quietly unravels through shaky theater footage and strategically ignored leaks, the guys dig into what’s really going on behind the scenes - and why this controlled chaos may actually be the plan. Along the way, they unpack the emotional and narrative risks of bringing Steve Rogers back into the MCU, especially now that he’s apparently a dad. NEWS • Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday teaser rollout goes sideways as multiple theater-only trailers leak online • Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers quietly returns - with a baby - raising major Endgame continuity questions • Marvel reportedly plans a rotating, four-week Doomsday teaser strategy tied to Avatar: Fire and Ash • Sony clamps down fast on a leaked Spider-Man: Brand New Day teaser while Marvel lets its leaks breathe FEATURE • Why rev

With Drew Taylor sidelined by a nasty case of the Christmas crud, Jim Hill flies solo for this end-of-year edition of Fine Tooning. After a bit of seasonal vamping, Jim dives into animation news before kicking off the first half of a deep-dive holiday history lesson. This week’s episode sets the stage for a story that begins with a modest Disney featurette and ends up triggering one of the biggest upheavals in the history of Walt Disney Feature Animation. NEWS • Avatar: Fire & Ash dominates the global box office with a massive $345 million opening weekend. • Angel Studios’ David surprises with a strong $22 million domestic debut, outperforming several major animated releases. • Zootopia 2 continues its historic run, crossing $1.27 billion worldwide and exceeding the original film by more than $200 million. • The Academy reveals its Best Animated Short shortlist, with notable inclusions and at least one eyebrow-raising omission. • Adult Swim renews Haha, You Clowns for two additional seasons after an initial

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 anything that is not nailed down. NEWS • Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour costumes will stay on display at Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream through January 23, 2026 • Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith plays its final riff on March 1, 2026 - with a “summer” reopen that is, as always, Disney-flexible • The Muppet Show special with Sabrina Carpenter hits Disney+ on February 4 - and may be a stealth pilot for a bigger revival • The Boathouse at Disney Springs lands as one of America’s top-grossing independent restaurants - fueled by sheer, glorious volume • A reported FTC allegatio

In the 28th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid turn their attention to the Sunshine State. Which is where Walt, after an extensive land search, decides to build the East Coast version of Disneyland in the 1960s Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: What are some of the shell company names that Disney used while purchasing pieces of property outside of Orlando How did a plucky news maven figure out what Walt was up to in Central Florida Why did Walt lie about Project Florida What were the very first pieces of infrastructure that Walt Disney Productions built down there in those swamps off of I-4 What exactly was the Reedy Creek Improvement District Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim and Eric kick off this week’s show with a very on-brand travel mishap from Jim’s latest Hallmark-fueled road trip, then pivot back to the stuff you came for - Universal news, theme park weirdness, and one surprisingly deep dive into how Frankenstein’s Monster became the pop culture template we all still recognize today. Along the way: Epic Universe breadcrumbs, a Vegas horror venue that might be scarier for its empty queue than its monsters, and why Boris Karloff’s dentures deserve their own credit line. NEWS • Universal’s proposed UK theme park clears another hurdle, with the project advancing in the approvals process and still targeting a 2031 opening • Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas adds a holiday horror overlay, but reports suggest the venue can feel eerily empty even during a supposedly busy week • A new “Galactic Expo” mural lands inside the Men in Black Alien Attack gift shop, packed with sci-fi Easter eggs • A new Men in Black film is reportedly in development - and Jim has thoughts on

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are back for a very seasonal edition of I Want That To - and Jim’s latest “project” involves tracking down tiny reindeer snowmobiles to complete his Cars holiday display (because apparently Santa’s sleigh rules apply to Radiator Springs too). From there, the conversation jumps into Disney’s new “Find Merchandise” test inside My Disney Experience, the company’s eye-popping $1 billion investment in OpenAI, and why dynamic pricing is suddenly giving everyone Instacart flashbacks. Then Jim takes Lauren (and all of us) on a deep-dive into the origin story of Disney’s Sing-Along VHS line - including how a Max Fleischer Rudolph short ended up inside Disney’s Very Merry Christmas Songs tape. NEWS• Disney is testing a new “Find Merchandise” feature in the My Disney Experience app to help guests search for specific items and check availability at select locations (including World of Disney at Disney Springs). • Disney’s reported $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI sparks a debate about gu

Snack credits are either the best little “vacation cheat code” Disney ever slipped into the Dining Plan - or a spreadsheet-powered trap that turns your family trip into a competitive sport. This week in the Court of the Disney World Resort, Len Testa and Chris Cox argue whether snack credits are a smart way to stretch your Walt Disney World dollars, or just a confusing system that rewards the deeply committed and mildly deranged. Along the way, there is Starbucks math, Epcot festival strategy, and at least one Easy-Bake oven-related conflict of interest. HIGHLIGHTS • Why snack credits can be a secret weapon at EPCOT festivals - especially when you know which items creep up toward that $10 “sweet spot.” • The maddening part of the Dining Plan - there is no consistent rule for what counts as a snack, so you’re stuck hunting for the logo like it’s a scavenger hunt. • The “snack credit endgame” - realizing on your last day you have a pile of credits left, and suddenly you’re importing Rice Krispies treats thr

Drew Taylor and Jim Hill kick off this week’s show with a genuinely wild media landscape where holiday releases, awards season, and corporate maneuvering are all colliding at once. From a brewing battle over Warner Bros. Discovery to Disney’s latest tech-flavored swing, the first half is a rapid tour through what’s breaking (and what might be breaking next). Then Jim takes the wheel solo for a longer, history-packed trip over the rainbow, tracing how animation veterans, studio deals, and a certain pair of feuding cartoon animals keep finding their way back to Oz. NEWS • Netflix and Paramount Skydance are reportedly lining up competing bids for Warner Bros. Discovery, with the situation edging into hostile takeover territory • Disney signs a three-year OpenAI licensing and investment deal, reportedly tied to short-form character content and platform experimentation • Zootopia 2 clears the $1 billion worldwide mark, adding to a renewed “WDAS is back” narrative after recent holiday stumbles • The trailer drops

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 World? (Spoiler: the internet is almost right, which is somehow worse.) NEWS• Aerial photos suggest the Encanto ride site at Animal Kingdom may include a ride-height change (and at least one very suspicious hole in the ground).• Orange County tourist tax collections hit a new record for October, up 15 percent year over year - yes, people are still going to Orlando.• Disney Cruise Line Port Canaveral numbers show strong October sailings - Disney Magic at 81 percent occupancy, Treasure and Wish at 89 percent.• Hallmark and Disney team up for the first in-park holiday movie, “Holiday E

From queue changes to construction walls to nighttime lagoon testing, the parks offer plenty to parse this week. The guys then pivot from the Epic Universe lagoon to Universal’s classic monsters, using the buzz around Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein to explore how the 1931 film lurched into existence. Expect lost projects, studio pivots, and a Monster role Bela Lugosi famously refused. NEWS • VelociCoaster ends its single rider line, likely due to party sorting and load-efficiency issues. • Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly shopping DC theme park rights to Universal, raising big questions for Marvel, Six Flags, and international parks. • Removal of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit sparks speculation, though new construction-wall posters suggest general theming rather than a specific IP. • Nighttime testing at the Epic Universe lagoon shows projection effects featuring a bird-or-dragon silhouette. • Universal Studios Hollywood opens sales for FanFest Nights and a late-night New Year’s Eve event, prompting quest

Jim and Lauren ring in the holidays with a very merchy episode of I Want That Too, recorded just after Lauren’s family Polar Express adventure. From Disney Visa mailers and annual passholder calendars to Stitch-heavy gift guides, they dig into how Disney is trying to steer your holiday shopping. • Disney’s “Home for the Holidays” Disney Rewards Insider issue and the surprise AP calendar reveal a full-court press of plush, Stitch, cruises, and watch-list marketing aimed at shaping your seasonal shopping. • Stitchmas dominates both online and in-park displays, with plush, pajamas, and matching family sets claiming a massive share of holiday floor space. • Disney Parks Blog releases multiple holiday gift guides spotlighting games, books, Frozen favorites, Zootopia tie-ins, and Lorcana must-haves for fans of all stripes. • While Disney pushes big-ticket items like the $399 LEGO castle, Jim and Lauren highlight personal picks including Dick Van Dyke’s new book, Disney-branded Crocs, the Tokyo Disney Mickey gnom

Avengers: Endgame heads back to theaters, the Road to Doomsday widens, theme park tectonics start shifting, and Hulk’s stair-related temper sets off an unintended butterfly effect across the entire MCU. Jim and Dan break down Marvel’s theatrical chess moves, assemble Sam Wilson’s emerging Avengers roster, and dive into a feature story where one very irritated green guy accidentally rewrites the multiverse. It’s a packed episode that swings from box office strategy to deep-cut timeline chaos. NEWS • Avengers: Endgame returns to theaters in September 2026 as a strategic warm-up for Avengers: Doomsday • Dan unveils a new theory about the Endgame metal-pounding audio, suggesting the 2026 rerelease could reveal Doctor Doom forging his mask as a symbolic handoff from Tony Stark • Early Doomsday lineup reveals Sam Wilson’s Avengers team, including Thor, Loki, Shang-Chi, Falcon, and Ant-Man • Universal reportedly explores DC character licensing, creating the possibility of Marvel and DC living side-by-side in Orland

Jim and Drew unpack one of the biggest industry shakeups in years as Netflix snaps up Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal that reshapes everything from Adult Swim to the broader animation marketplace. Then the guys follow the yellow brick road into this week’s feature, exploring the strange, stop-and-start history of Hollywood’s many attempts to revisit Oz, from Disney’s abandoned visions to Filmation’s long-delayed Journey Back to Oz. NEWS • Netflix acquires Warner Bros. Discovery for $82.7 billion and what this lightning-fast deal could mean for Paramount, cable networks, and Adult Swim. • How the sale compares to Disney’s 2017–2019 acquisition of Fox once you adjust for inflation. • Industry chatter around the merger’s approval process amid concerns from competing studios. FEATURE • A colorful tour through Hollywood’s many post-MGM attempts to return to Oz. • Disney’s near-miss projects, including the almost-produced “Rainbow Road to Oz.” • Rankin/Bass, Chuck Jones, and the surprising number of animated Oz i

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 reopenings, and steep winter hotel discounts for Visa cardholders. • Universal celebrates FIA honors while advancing a three-phase transit plan connecting its resorts and parks. • Listener questions lead to discussions on vacation packages, Tron Ares timing, and the rise of non-alcoholic beverage offerings. • Jim and Len break down New Year’s Eve crowd patterns, phased closures, and survival strategies for the busiest days of the year. FEATURE • Jim revisits architect Robert A.M. Stern’s Disney work, from Casting Center to Celebration to the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. • The building

Jim kicks off this week’s show with a wild winter travel saga involving airport shutdowns, missing donuts, and a 3 a.m. pickup run that somehow beats the incoming snowstorm. From there, he and Eric dive into a new Universal survey aimed squarely at teens, explore construction movement in Lost Continent, and track down the long-missing Monsters Café icons now hiding backstage in Dark Universe. They also unpack the Grinch’s sudden takeover of holiday marketing before shifting into a deep-dive feature on the long, winding, neon-lit creation of Universal CityWalk Hollywood—a project Lou Wasserman first dreamed up nearly three decades before it opened. NEWS • Teen-focused Universal survey hints at interest in genre preferences, event awareness, and horror-driven engagement. • Activity in Lost Continent sparks renewed speculation about future land plans and potential tie-ins to Wicked’s box office momentum. • Classic Monsters Café statues resurface behind Dark Universe, raising questions about their next life in

Fresh off the long Thanksgiving weekend, Jim and Lauren crawl out from under their leftover Pilgrim sandwiches to talk about Zootopia 2 absolutely owning the holiday box office, how that might shape Disney’s sequel strategy, and the must-have merch that is already slithering into the parks. They also dig into McDonald’s massive 70th anniversary Happy Meal promotion, Disney’s official holiday book guide, and a couple of doorstop tomes that are now living in the Hersey household. In the back half, Jim takes Lauren on a whirlwind tour through nearly 80 years of Disney’s talking-animal history - from Song of the South all the way to Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. NEWS • Zootopia 2’s Thanksgiving opening pulls in a projected 156 million dollars domestically and around 400 million dollars overseas in just five days - more than half a billion total and one of the biggest Thanksgiving hauls ever. • How those numbers stack up against Wicked for Good and last year’s Moana 2, plus why Universal probably is not panicking

In this week’s episode of The Case For, Jim and Chris dive deep into the foamy, sugary mystery of Butterbeer – from its first mention in Prisoner of Azkaban to its billion-calorie domination of Universal’s theme parks. Along the way, they track the near-miss Disney deal, J.K. Rowling’s taste-testing power, and exactly why Len Testa is currently horizontal. It’s a sweet, strange, and slightly sticky journey through theme park history. FEATURE • How Butterbeer evolved from J.K. Rowling’s books to real-world theme park phenomenon • Disney’s early plans for a Harry Potter mini-land – and how the deal slipped through their fingers • Universal’s long development process, the top-secret taste test in Scotland, and why the drink became a runaway hit • The many forms of Butterbeer across the Wizarding World, from frozen to fudge to the notorious cream puff HOSTS • Jim Hill – IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Chris Cox – IG: @magiccox | X: @bigcox | Website: magiccox.com FOLLOW • Fa

Jim goes solo this week while Drew speeds back toward LA for an early press screening of “Avatar: Fire & Ash.” In the meantime, Jim catches us up on a very eventful week in animation news, from the monster launch of “Zootopia 2” in China to Disney Parks animatronics already slipping into B mode. He also spotlights new shorts, holiday specials, and takes a deep dive into the surprising Hollywood history behind “The Wizard of Oz.” NEWS • Zootopia 2 shatters expectations with a $156M domestic debut and a staggering $275M in China. • Shanghai Disneyland’s Zootopia Land proves to be a major factor in the sequel’s overseas success. • Early operational issues arise with the Clawhauser animatronic at Animal Kingdom’s new “Zoobetter Together” attraction. • Plymptoons launches a TikTok account and announces a December studio art sale in NYC. • Locksmith Animation debuts “Cardboard,” a touching new short drawing awards-season buzz. FEATURE • Jim traces the fascinating Hollywood history of “The Wizard of Oz,” from Dis