Episodes
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Drew Taylor is fresh back from France. And he tells Jim Hill all about the animated films that he got to see at this year’s international animation film festival and market
For this episode, listeners will learn about:
What did Nick Park have to say when he learned of Steven Spielberg’s love of the runaway train scene in “The Wrong Trousers”
Which recently retired Disney Legend received this year’s Annecy Walk of Fame Award
Where do Porky, Daffy & Petunia Pig work in “The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie”
The work of which visual futurist reportedly served as the inspiration for the world in which Dreamworks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” is set
How is Disney expanding the cast for “Moana 2”
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Len Testa & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about the operational issues that “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” continues to have during its preview period.
They also share listeners' theories about why WDW sit-down restaurants have seemed so empty lately
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
What changes have been made to the on-board narration for Disneyland’s Mark Twain
When will the revamped version of “Country Bear Jamboree” be opening at the Magic Kingdom in Florida
Who personally supervised the fireworks display over Seven Seas Lagoon back on October 23, 1971
What’s happening with WDW’s old “Pirates Leagues” facility
Why were the fast food restaurants & motels built around Disneyland back in the Late 1950s / early 1960s all clustered around the corner of Harbor & Katella
Show Notes
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Episodes manquant?
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In the fourth installment of this new educational series, Noe & Shelly Valladolid look at even more early World’s Fairs. With the focus this time around being on French advances in themed entertainment.
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
• Why the Exposition Universelle de Paris of 1899 dwarfed all others
• How the temporary Eiffel Tower led to the discovery of gamma rays
• The problem with “human zoos”
• Why the Tower’s most vehement critic dined there every day
• Which themed international buildings served as a precursor for EPCOT’s World Showcase
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Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing the technical issues “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” has been facing during its Cast Member preview period.
They also take a look at the room décor for WDW Island Tower (i.e., that new DVC which will be opening right next to WDW’s Polynesian Village Resort on December 17th)
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
Why would Owen & Dolly Pope always tour the corrals at Disneyland’s Circle D Ranch the mornings after fireworks had been shot off at Walt’s family fun park
When will Jollywood Nights be returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year
How far back can the Disneyland tradition of a rope drop at the opening of the park be traced
Where did Disneyland management turn when it needed to recruit additional security officers to help man that theme park
Which Tomorrowland attraction back in the 1960s was able to handle 4000 Guests an hour
Show Notes
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Lauren Hersey & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by discussing the teaser trailer for “Moana 2.”
They also closely examine which Disney Princess moves the most merchandise.
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
Why did the Magic Kingdom eventually remove the Disney Princess float from its “Share a Dream Come True” parade
What were the three robots in Universal Pictures’ “Silent Running” called
Which “Will & Grace” star read the role of the Snow Queen in one of the earliest table reads done for Disney’s “Frozen”
What happened inside of the Magic Kingdom on the morning of 9/11
When did the delayed version of WDW’s “100 Years of Magic” celebration finally get underway
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Eric Hersey & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing Universal Orlando’s new Premium Scream offering.
They also continue their look back at how USH kept trying to build a successful show around the Universal Classic Monsters
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
Where can one find that new Butterbeer Cart souvenir candy bucket at the Universal Orlando Resort
How long after “The Simpsons Ride” opened in 2008 did Springfield Fast Food Boulevard come online
Who designed the 20-foot-tall animatronic serpent in USH’s “Conan: A Sword & Sorcery Spectacular” show
What is the technical name for that space which scareactors hide in before jumping out & frightening event attendees at Halloween Horror Nights
When Disney World started holding its “Night of Joy” after-hours hard ticket events
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Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing how “The Garfield Movie” has been doing at the domestic box office. They also share some fond memories of Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
Which animated feature – released to theaters a year ago this week – sold $120 million worth of tickets over its opening weekend in North America
What part of the score for “Pooh’s Hunny Hunt” (i.e., the first trackless ride at a Disney theme park) did Richard M. Sherman personally direct
What limitation of early CG convinced Pixar’s original brain trust that they needed to make movies like “A Bug’s Life,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” & “Wall-E”
According to early box office projections, how much is “Inside Out 2” expected to earn over its first weekend in domestic release
In the future, what will the new release pattern be for the animated features released by Pixar Animation Studios
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Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing the opening weekend of performances of “Disney Dreams That Soar.”
They then look back at how fireworks got started at Disneyland Park in the late 1950s
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
Why Universal Orlando decided to change the name of Epic Universe’s racing coaster
When will work begin on the retheming of Dinoland U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Which musical acts is Universal Creative reportedly considering using as the jumping-off point for a maze at a future Halloween Horror Night
Why are dining reservations suddenly far easier to get at WDW’s sit-down restaurants
Where will road improvements soon begin on Disney World property
Show Notes
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In the third installment of this new educational series, Noe & Shelly Valladolid look back at the first World’s Fairs. More importantly, the impact that these ambitious expositions had on society
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
Where in London was the Great Exposition staged
Which structure at the Great Exposition inspired a popular WDW restaurant
What marvels from the Victorian Age were on display during this 5-month-long event
Which event held in France just four years later attempted to throw the Great Exposition of London into eclipse
Why is the Palais d’Industrie considered Napoleon III’s “ego building”
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Jim Hill first talks about how “The Garfield Movie” did domestically over the long Memorial Day Week.
He then discusses that new YouTube documentary, “Beyond the Glass: The WDW Animation Building”
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
Which fairy tale classic was supposed to have served as the basis of Disney’s first-ever live-action musical for television
How much of the staff up in Emeryville was reportedly let go as part of the recent round of lay-offs at Pixar Animation Studios
Which two movie musicals did the Sherman Brothers write the score AND the screenplays for
How many films have been produced to date as part of the “Mad Max” movie series
Which installment has been the highest-grossing film (to date) in the “Kung Fu Panda” series
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Len Testa shares what it was like to watch Disney Springs’ new nighttime show from Saratoga Springs. Jim Hill then finishes his history of the miniature golf courses at the WDW Resort
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
Why do Disney execs really need to pay attention to what Jenny Nicolson shared throughout her four-hour-long “Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser” video
What makes the Bacchus hole at “Fantasia Gardens” so difficult for golfers
How long after the theme for “Winter Summerland” was selected did this miniature golf course open up right next door to Blizzard Beach
What did Tiger Woods have to say about “Fantasia Fairways”
Which buildings at Disney’s Saratoga Springs should offer the very best views of “Disney Dreams That Soar” (EDITOR’S NOTE: on the side facing Disney Springs Lake)
Show Notes
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Lauren Hersey & Jim Hill start this week’s episode by discussing a rare Disney book found at the Brimfield Flea Market.
They then take a look at Disney-MGM’s old Streetmosphere program
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
What “Star Trek” vet directed “Three Men & a Baby” for Touchstone Pictures
Which forest creature recently turned up on Jim’s front porch
When was “Lady & the Tramp” first released to theaters
How much did it originally cost to build the Disney-MGM Studio theme park
What will you find at the corner of Mickey Avenue & Dopey Drive on the Disney Lot in Burbank
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Eric Hersey & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing the media preview that was recently held for Universal Studios Florida’s reimagining Kidzone area. They then look back at the “Pink Panther” film series
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
Where did Duffy AKA the Disney Bear initially exclusively sell on Disney World property back in 2002
Why is the new entrance sign for USF’s “E.T. Adventure” attraction deliberately designed to look like something you associate with a forest
How did MGM/UA decide to cash in on the “Muppet Babies” craze back in the mid-1980s
Which classic Universal cartoon character is reportedly being given the “Hidden Mickey” treatment inside of DreamWorks Land
What are the themes of the first three mazes announced for Universal Orlando’s 2024 edition of Halloween Horror Nights
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Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing the first full trailer for Netflix’s “Ultraman: Rising.” They then talk about “Flow,” the dialogue-free post-apocalyptic animated feature which will be debuting at Cannes next week
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
Who will be voicing Garfield’s Dad in the new animated feature that Sony will be sending out to North American theaters on May 24th
Which George Lucas-produced film was Marvel Productions trying to turn into an animated series in 1984
What company did Illuminations get into bed with back in 2017 to help promote the release of “Despicable Me 3”
How many “South Park” specials have Matt Stone & Trey Parker produced for Paramount+ so far
What was the name of the very first puppet-based series that Jim Henson produced for television
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Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s show by discussing who gets to experience “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” when as part of that WDW attraction’s month-long grand opening event.
They then take a look at the interior of the Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
What does Disney’s Hollywood Studios do when the IT system at the WDW Resort crashes
When might we see a second Taylor Swift concert film show up on Disney+
How did Jack Wrather deal with Disneyland being closed on Mondays & Tuesdays during that theme park’s off-season starting back in the late 1950s
What does the future hold for Magic Bands
Why is it very appropriate that the road directly behind the Disneyland Hotel is called Walnut Street
Show Notes
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In the second installment of this new educational series, Noe & Shelly Valladolid discuss the ancestors of today’s Renaissance fairs. To be specific, some of the primitive “rides” that could be found at these medieval entertainments
In this episode, listeners will learn about:
Elephants walking across the frozen Thames
What fairs were like in faraway India
How an exhibition of two goats led to today’s county fairs
Why Canada’s Hants County Exhibition, the first major fair in North America, is still in operation today
What it was like to attend a Frost Fair in the heart of London
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Brian Gaughan & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking about how well the 25th anniversary re-release of “Star Wars – Episode One: The Phantom Menace.”
They also share Ahmed Best’s conflicted memories of portraying Jar Jar Binks
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
According to Josh Gad, which specific brand of cookie is repeatedly visually referenced within the “Star Wars” universe
How many Star Wars fans took part in the shoot for the video which promotes the iPhone 15’s “Precision Finding” feature
Which big box store currently has TruMoo’s Star Wars Blue Milk in stock (Bonus question: Which direct competitor of this store does NOT have Blue Milk)
Who did President Joe Biden recently personally give a tour of the Oval Office to
When is Star Wars Celebration Japan being held next year
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In the premiere episode of this new podcast series, Noe & Shelly Valladolid explore the origins of themed entertainment. To be specific, how early trade fairs led to the first amusements.
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
How gunpowder, tea, and paper from China shaped Europe
How Rome got the secret of Silk
Privileged fairs in Medieval Europe
Christmas markets that still operate today
And the earliest forms of entertainment
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Drew Taylor & Jim Hill start off this week’s show by talking up “Exploding Kittens.” They then take a look at Mark Dindal’s career as the director of full-length animated features
Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:
What was the one-and-only film to be produced by Turner Feature Animation
Why is the Henson family reportedly not all that fond of Pixar’s “Monsters Inc”
How many “Garfield” TV specials were produced for CBS back in the late 1988 / early 1990s
Where can you go to get an earlier look at “Slide,” Bill Plympton’s next animated film
Who voiced Anna & Elsa’s Mom in the first “Frozen” movie
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Len Testa & Jim Hill start this week’s show by talking about what happens next with Disneyland Forward now that the Anaheim City Council has officially approved this project. They also discuss what Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed at the Company’s most recent earnings call.
Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:
How long will the WDW version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad be down for rehab
What’s interesting about Disney’s decision to extend the permit it had with the South Florida Water Management District for the area between Fort Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge for another 5 years
Which moderate resort at WDW will be having its guest room refurbished now through November
What did Michael Eisner want to originally call the water thrill park that the Company first announced for Florida back in December of 1985
Who did Disney initially hire to write the screenplay for that Studio’s “Typhoon Lagoon” movie
Show Notes
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