The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

This week on Disney Dish, Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into a deceptively simple question with big implications for trip planning: when exactly did “summer vacation” stop being peak season at Walt Disney World? Using years of hotel pricing data as a proxy for crowd demand, Len walks through what the numbers say - and the results may surprise longtime fans. Then Jim takes listeners on a deep historical tour of one of the parks’ most quietly beloved traditions, the Sword in the Stone ceremony, tracing its evolution across Disney parks worldwide.

NEWS
• Why Disney hotel pricing data suggests summer is no longer peak season at Walt Disney World
• A breakdown of how demand has shifted from summer to fall travel, especially October
• Updates on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad refurbishments and new cave effects
• Casting and timing details for the upcoming Bluey experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
• Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge timeline expansion, adding characters from across all Star Wars eras

FEATURE
• The full history of the Sword in the Stone ceremony, from Disneyland in 1983 to parks around the globe
• Why Imagineers were obsessed with The Sword in the Stone long before the ceremony debuted
• How budget cuts slowly transformed a full-scale show into today’s simpler experience
• The true story of the guest who actually pulled the sword completely out of the stone

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Len Testa - IG: @len.testa | Website: TouringPlans.com

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR
This episode of Disney Dish is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, powered by our friends at DVC Rental Store. Save $50 or more per person on select multi-day Walt Disney World tickets and take the stress out of planning your next vacation. Visit UnlockedMagic.com for details.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Disney Dish, Jim Hill is joined by mind reader and showman Chris Cox, who steps in for Len Testa and immediately finds himself in the middle of some very Disney-sized mishaps. From a runaway Indiana Jones boulder at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the surprisingly fragile roof of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the conversation explores what happens when iconic park moments go just a little too far. Along the way, Jim and Chris dig into forgotten ceremonies, cutback entertainment, and the Imagineering decisions that quietly shaped Disneyland over the decades.

NEWS
• A 400-pound boulder goes off track during a performance of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and what that means for show safety going forward
• The temporary removal of the iconic boulder scene and why Disney is famously cautious after incidents like this
• The Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk cuts back to a three-night schedule and what that signals about nightlife at the resort
• Listener mail on working New Year’s Eve at Disney parks and why January 1 might secretly be the best day to visit

FEATURE
• The long and surprisingly complicated history of the Sword in the Stone ceremony and how it really worked behind the scenes
• How Imagineer Kim Irvine subtly transformed Sleeping Beauty Castle over four decades without sparking guest outrage
• Why holiday overlays and anniversary bling eventually caused serious structural damage to the castle roof
• The 60th anniversary decorations that led to a six-figure repair and a full castle roof replacement

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Chris Cox - IG: @magiccox | X: @bigcox | Website: magiccox.com

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the first Disney Dish of the new year, where Jim Hill and Len Testa kick things off with news, listener questions, and a deep dive into Disney history and tech. This week, a newly published Disney patent sparks speculation about how the upcoming Encanto attraction may work, while Jim launches into a fascinating (and surprisingly hands-on) story about how Disney maintains, repairs, and periodically reinvents its iconic theme park castles. Along the way, there are transportation woes, glittering greenhouses, and more than a few once-in-a-lifetime Disney moments.

NEWS
• Disney reveals Buddy, a new helper character coming to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin when it reopens in 2026
• A newly filed Disney patent hints at holographic characters, with strong evidence pointing toward use in the upcoming Encanto ride
• Imagineering files a new construction permit for the Haunted Mansion, likely focused on interior work
• Updates on Glittering Greenhouses at EPCOT and extended holiday decorations at Disneyland
• Changes to Disneyland perks, including the end of Early Entry and the rollout of a new California resident ticket deal

FEATURE
• Why Disney castles require constant repainting, roof repairs, and drainage fixes
• The overlooked engineering challenges of maintaining structures built for 1950s deadlines, not 21st-century weather
• How Imagineer Kim Irvine spent decades refining Sleeping Beauty Castle’s look, color palette, and functionality
• The surprising amount of artistry that goes into making castle “bricks” look authentically imperfect

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Len Testa - IG: @len.testa

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com. Planning a Walt Disney World getaway? Our friends at Unlocked Magic offer discounted theme park tickets, including savings of $50 or more per person on four-day tickets. Learn more at UnlockedMagic.com.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim and Len kick off the final Disney Dish of the year with holiday crowds, sold-out Lightning Lane Premier Passes, and one last lap through Jollywood Nights before pivoting into surveys, listener questions, and some unexpectedly nerdy math. Along the way, they remember a beloved Imagineer, dig into why Disney asks the survey questions it does, and break down the best times to roll the dice on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind if you are chasing that perfect song. Then Jim takes everyone deep into EPCOT history with the strange, expensive, and surprisingly high-stakes story of Magic Journeys, the 3D film that quietly kept opening day from turning into a full-blown disaster.

NEWS
• Lightning Lane Premier Pass prices hit record highs and still sell out across Walt Disney World during the holiday rush
• Jollywood Nights sticks the landing in its later years and may now be Disney World’s most popular hard-ticket holiday event
• A remembrance of legendary Imagineer Eddie Sato, including unrealized Mission Space concepts and behind-the-scenes stories
• Animal Kingdom survey questions raise eyebrows about shaded seating and what Disney might really be testing

FEATURE
• How Kodak sponsorships, lost 3D filmmaking knowledge, and a $7 million budget led to Magic Journeys
• Why Magic Journeys was one of the only EPCOT opening-day attractions that actually worked as planned
• Murray Lerner, improvisation, and the near-panic inside Imagineering as the film fell behind schedule
• The experimental reach-and-flinch moments that made Magic Journeys unforgettable and unrepeatable

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Len Testa - IG: @len.testa | Website: TouringPlans.com

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com. Start planning your 2026 Disney and Universal vacations with exclusive ticket discounts, including savings of $50 or more per person on four-day Walt Disney World tickets. Tickets link directly to your My Disney Experience account, fast and easy. Visit UnlockedMagic.com to save big.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 allegation about Pepsi + Walmart “pricing power” takes an extra twist once Len connects the dots to Disney’s current CFO talk about dynamic pricing

FEATURE
• Sam breaks down how Disney Destiny’s characters run “meet-and-play” moments - Pirates pub invites, Cruella’s improv songwriting, and other “be here later” surprises
• The ship’s hero-vs-villain throughline (hello, Loki) and why it feels like Disney quietly recycled some Galactic Starcruiser know-how
• The Haunted Mansion parlor sticks around - now with an in-app AR hunt to round up “escaped” ghosts
• Jim rewinds to Disney’s earliest 3D experiments, including Disneyland’s 1956-era 3D Jamboree and the studio’s short-lived 1950s 3D flirtation

For this episode’s full show notes, click here.

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Len Testa - IG: @len.testa | Bluesky: @lentesta.bsky.social | Website: TouringPlans.com

GUEST
• Sam Marraccini - IG: @samsdisneydaily | X: @SamsDisneyDiary | Website: SamsDisneyDiary.com Sam's Disney Diary+2X (formerly Twitter)+2

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

SPONSOR
This episode is sponsored by Unlocked Magic - visit UnlockedMagic.com for special discounts on Disney theme park tickets for 2026.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices