I Want That Too - Disney History and Merchandise

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are packing their bags for Anaheim and previewing what Disney fans can expect from D23 Day and the 2026 D23 Ultimate Fan Event. They dig into Disneyland exclusives, anniversary merchandise, rare character appearances, and some unexpected collectibles hitting the show floor. Along the way, Jim explains the history behind the Disneylandia name, Lauren investigates Disney's growing interest in repurposing park materials, and both try to make sense of Atari's surprising return to the Disney gaming conversation.

HIGHLIGHTS

• D23 Day at Disneyland brings exclusive merchandise, commemorative ears, a character cavalcade, and rare appearances by Merlin and the Blue Fairy.

• The Disneylandia collection revives a name with roots in one of Walt Disney's earliest pre-Disneyland concepts.

• Hunchback of Notre Dame and Alice in Wonderland anniversary merchandise join a packed lineup of D23 collectibles.

• Atari arrives at D23 with new Toy Story releases, retro Disney games, and an exclusive convention pin.

• Harveys turns retired Soarin' Over California seat belts into collectible bags as Jim and Lauren explore Disney's history of repurposing park materials.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2 | Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Planning a Disney vacation can get complicated in a hurry. The experienced team at BeOurGuestVacations.com can help plan your Disney vacation, Universal vacation, cruise, or next big adventure without the stress of handling every detail yourself.

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

Jim and Lauren examine Disney’s decision to move Consumer Products under the studio umbrella and what it reveals about the company’s larger “One Disney” strategy. They explore how films such as Toy Story 5 can generate value far beyond the box office through streaming, merchandise, and long-term franchise growth. The conversation also covers Disney’s new NFL merchandise collection before Jim concludes his three-part history of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, from its Mary Blair mural and Top of the World restaurant to Bay Lake Tower and the expansion of Disney Vacation Club.

NEWS

• Why Disney is moving Consumer Products closer to its film studios.

• How merchandise, streaming, and box office results combine to measure the true value of Disney intellectual property.

• Disney’s NFL collection pairs all 32 teams with characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.

• Woody joins the Dallas Cowboys, Captain America represents the New England Patriots, and Darth Vader meets the Las Vegas Raiders.

• Lauren and Jim suggest Disney character pairings for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles.

FEATURE

• How the Contemporary Resort developed an identity around its monorail, architecture, and towering Mary Blair mural.

• The rise and fall of the Gulf Coast Room, Top of the World, Broadway at the Top, and the Fiesta Fun Center.

• Why Disney added Bay Lake Tower and continued expanding Disney Vacation Club around the Magic Kingdom monorail loop.

• The construction challenges that still shape the Contemporary Resort and Disney’s plans near the Transportation and Ticket Center.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2 | Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Plan your next Disney, Universal, cruise, or adventure vacation with the experienced team at BeOurGuestVacations.com.

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

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey explore how Disney is rethinking retail, from temporary Disney Store locations and outlet oddities to Imagineering’s new Yen Sid lifestyle brand. They also recap their Pennsylvania road trip, including Netflix House, the surviving Disney Store outlet in Lancaster, and some surprisingly stubborn souvenir prices. Then Jim continues the story of Disney’s Contemporary Resort, revealing how prefabricated rooms, U.S. Steel, and a costly construction crisis nearly derailed Walt Disney World’s opening.

NEWS

• Disney Store pop-ups in Pittsburgh and Paramus appear set to remain open through the 2026 holiday season.

• Lauren and Jim assess whether Pennsylvania’s isolated Disney Store outlet is worth a dedicated road trip.

• Disneyland merchandise turns up in surprising quantities at an East Coast Disney outlet.

• Netflix House offers a compelling new model for immersive entertainment, dining, and retail inside a former department store.

• Walt Disney Imagineering introduces Yen Sid, a subtle lifestyle apparel brand designed for knowledgeable Disney fans.

FEATURE

• Why Disney’s Contemporary Resort was briefly promoted as the Tempo Bay Resort.

• How U.S. Steel’s prefabricated hotel-room system fell behind schedule before Walt Disney World’s opening.

• Why Roy O. Disney authorized a $100 million buyout to regain control of the Contemporary and Polynesian projects.

• How rushed construction led Disney to begin repairing Contemporary Resort rooms less than two years after opening.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2 - Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Plan your next Disney or Universal vacation, cruise, or adventure with the experienced team at BeOurGuestVacations.com.

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

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey unpack a whirlwind week of Disney and Universal discoveries, from a chaotic Lorcana release to a little-known Walt Disney World store hidden inside an Orlando parking garage. Lauren shares highlights from her latest theme park merchandise haul, including deeply discounted Universal gear and retro-inspired Contemporary Resort merchandise. Then Jim digs into the surprisingly smelly construction history connecting Seven Seas Lagoon, EPCOT, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Walt Disney World’s original hotels.

NEWS

• A limited-edition Disney Lorcana release creates massive crowds at Disney Springs and forces the cancellation of a London event.

• Jim and Lauren consider whether artificial scarcity and reseller demand are helping fuel Lorcana’s popularity.

• Lauren discovers an official Walt Disney World merchandise and ticket location hidden inside an International Drive parking garage.

• Universal Orlando’s Brown Derby shop offers select current merchandise at discounts of up to 70 percent.

• The Contemporary Resort leans into vintage Disney style with monorail merchandise, classic photography, and deep-cut references.

FEATURE

• The excavation of Seven Seas Lagoon required moving millions of cubic yards of ancient organic material.

• EPCOT guests encountered an unforgettable odor when construction crews disturbed old World Showcase Lagoon debris during development of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

• Jim explains how Walt Disney World’s original hotels were designed to extend the storytelling beyond the Magic Kingdom.

• Early resort concepts included Persian, Thai, Dutch, Cape Cod, and South Seas destinations positioned around Bay Lake.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter and Instagram: @JimHillMedia - jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2 - Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Save up to 12 percent on Disney and Universal theme park tickets through UnlockedMagic.com, powered by the trusted team behind the DVC Rental Store.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick off this week’s I Want That Too with concert merch sticker shock, a new family dog named Luna, and a surprising amount of Disney pet gear at Petco. They also dig into Disney’s new auction partnership with Heritage Auctions and the build-a-bag trend popping up in the parks. Then Jim traces the history of Walt Disney World’s value resorts, from the All-Stars to Pop Century to Art of Animation, and explains how 9/11 unexpectedly changed Disney’s hotel strategy.

NEWS

• Lauren shares the story of Luna the Wonder Dog and the Disney pet merchandise she discovered at Petco.

• Disney fans may soon be able to bid on real theme park props and set pieces through a new Heritage Auctions partnership.

• Jim explains why Disney Archives cannot keep everything, and how auctions can help fund the recovery of historically important items.

• Disney’s new Build-A-Bag line brings mix-and-match customization to park handbags, straps, charms, and wallets.

FEATURE

• Jim revisits how Disney’s moderate resorts led directly to the creation of the All-Star value hotels.

• The episode explores why Pop Century was built near Wide World of Sports, and how cheerleading and youth sports helped shape Disney’s hotel planning.

• Jim explains how 9/11 stalled Pop Century’s expansion and left the Legendary Years section unfinished for years.

• The story wraps with the rise of family suites and how Disney transformed that abandoned hotel space into Art of Animation.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - @JimHillMedia

• Lauren Hersey - @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

Before you book your next Disney or Universal vacation, visit UnlockedMagic.com, powered by the trusted team behind the DVC Rental Store. They have helped guests save more than $20 million on theme park tickets, making your next trip just a little more magical.

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