I Want That Too - Disney History and Merchandise

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey kick things off with Fourth of July traditions, viral Disney merch, and the growing strategy behind park-specific popcorn buckets and venue-branded souvenirs. Lauren digs into the early arrival of 2027 Walt Disney World merchandise, the mini Mickey ear keychains taking over social media, and why Hollywood Studios suddenly feels like a collectible popcorn bucket hotspot. Then Jim shares the story of Disney Texposition, a proposed Dallas-area regional entertainment concept that could have brought a little bit of Walt Disney World magic to Texas decades before Universal Kids Resort.

NEWS

• Disney’s 2027 dated merchandise has already started appearing at Walt Disney World, beginning with a calendar that may hint at next year’s design direction.

• Lauren breaks down the viral mini Mickey and Minnie headband keychains, including why the plain black Mickey version became the must-find souvenir.

• Hollywood Studios continues to lean into specialty popcorn buckets, from Lightning McQueen to Bullseye, Sam Eagle, Star Wars, and more.

• Jim and Lauren discuss whether Disney is using park-exclusive buckets and merchandise to move guests around Walt Disney World.

• Baseline Tap House gets its moment in the spotlight as Jim explains the Disney MGM Studios history hiding behind that surprisingly specific t-shirt.

FEATURE

• Jim tells the story of Disney Texposition, a planned Dallas-area regional entertainment center developed with the Rouse Company in the late 1980s.

• The project would have blended Pleasure Island, Disney MGM Studios, character dining, themed shopping, live shows, and simulator attractions into a smaller regional Disney experience.

• Disney considered the Texas concept as a possible gateway that could encourage families to book larger trips to Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

• Jim explains how Disneyland Paris financial troubles helped derail Disney Texposition, just before Disney shifted focus to another regional project: Disney’s America.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: 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

This episode is sponsored by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets. If a trip down to Florida to visit the parks is on your radar for the summer of 2026, head over to Unlocked Magic and let their team help make your next vacation 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

This week on I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey look at how Toy Story 5 is already reshaping the summer box office, the Disney collector market, and the fast-food promotional landscape. Lauren digs into Lorcana’s sudden surge, Disney Springs’ new merch-drop rules, and the growing trading-card gold rush around Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Magic: The Gathering. Then Jim and Lauren unpack Disney Store’s AI shopping experiment, the new Hakuna Matata Lion King Broadway collection, Cinderella Castle snow globe nostalgia, and why Disney picked Papa John’s, Wendy’s, Subway, and McDonald’s for this summer’s movie tie-ins.

NEWS

• Toy Story 5 opens huge at the box office, with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Smarty Pants helping Disney dominate the summer conversation.

• Disney Lorcana enters a new collector frenzy as older cards become harder to find and Pixar characters arrive in the Wild’s Unknown set.

• Disney Springs introduces new merch-drop procedures, including later garage openings, wristbands, and designated waiting areas.

• Topps Chrome Disney and Marvel’s Magic: The Gathering collaboration show how Disney is leaning deeper into trading cards and tabletop fandom.

• Disney Store begins testing a generative AI shopping assistant designed to recommend gifts and products through natural-language prompts.

FEATURE

• Jim explains why Disney chose Papa John’s for Toy Story 5, turning Pizza Planet into a real-world promotional hook.

• Wendy’s answers with a Minions and Monsters drive-thru activation that reportedly drew massive crowds in California.

• Subway gets in early with a live-action Moana meal, collectible cups, and a Fandango ticket-code incentive.

• McDonald’s remains in Disney’s promotional orbit, with Hexed positioned for a Thanksgiving push tied to Happy Meal visibility.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: 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

I Want That Too is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets. If a trip to the parks is on your radar for summer or fall of 2026, head to UnlockedMagic.com and let their team help make your next vacation 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

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are back with a merch-packed episode that starts at Target, swings through Walt Disney World, and lands deep in Mickey Mouse history. Lauren shares what she spotted on her latest Florida trip, from Muppets merch and Uncle Deadly deep cuts to Disney’s colorful new Logo Mania collections. Then Jim looks back at Disney’s repeated attempts to give Mickey Mouse a milestone birthday celebration big enough for the big screen, and why those plans often arrived late, changed shape, or became something else entirely.

NEWS

• Golden Girls returns to the bookstore with Death on the Lanai, the second mystery novel in Disney’s sitcom-inspired series.

• Target’s Disney Fan Snacks line brings character-shaped chips to the aisle, including Darth Vader corn chips and Grogu-inspired flavors.

• Toy Story 5 merch arrives early with Ginormous, a truly oversized plush pig that may require its own shopping cart.

• Lauren checks out Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets merch, including Kermit keychains, Miss Piggy gear, and Animal-focused designs.

• Walt Disney World’s Logo Mania collections lean into color-coded Disney fan moments, from Last Day of Trip Blues to Popcorn on Main Street.

FEATURE

• Jim revisits how The Sorcerer’s Apprentice began as a Mickey birthday short before growing into Fantasia.

• Disney’s planned Jack and the Beanstalk feature for Mickey’s 15th birthday was derailed by World War II and eventually reshaped into Fun and Fancy Free.

• Mickey’s 60th birthday brought a star-studded NBC special and the temporary Magic Kingdom land that became surprisingly permanent.

• The abandoned Search for Mickey Mouse would have sent Disney characters across the animated canon before evolving into Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: 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

This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets. If a trip to the parks is on your radar for 2026, head over to Unlocked Magic and let their team help make your next vacation just a little bit 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

Swifties, Cars, and the Mystery of Mickey’s Missing Plaque (Ep. 103)

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey start this week’s episode with a merch-minded look at Disney’s latest collaborations, from Taylor Swift’s Toy Story 5 tie-in to the 20th anniversary of Cars. They also dig into how Disney is already positioning Mickey Mouse for his 100th birthday in 2028 through fashion, music, wellness, and lifestyle partnerships. Then Jim takes Lauren back to Mickey’s 50th anniversary celebration and the strange story of the bronze plaque that once marked the birthplace of Steamboat Willie in New York City. 

NEWS

• Taylor Swift’s newly confirmed Toy Story 5 song sends Swifties hunting for Disney-Pixar Easter eggs.

• Toy Story 5 builds even more buzz ahead of its June 2026 theatrical release.

• Disney celebrates 20 years of Cars with new anniversary merchandise and a Lightning McQueen popcorn bucket.

• The upcoming Piston Peak expansion at Walt Disney World keeps Cars front and center for the next generation.

• Disney’s Main Street marketing initiative begins laying the groundwork for Mickey Mouse’s 100th birthday.

FEATURE

• Jim explains why Mickey Mouse did not always have one official birthday.

• The episode traces how Dave Smith and the Disney Archives helped settle on November 18, 1928.

• Jim revisits Mickey’s 50th anniversary celebration in New York City, including Ward Kimball’s whistle-stop tour.

• The mystery of the missing Steamboat Willie plaque leads to Broadway, Shrek the Musical, and Jeffrey Katzenberg.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: 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

This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets.

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 dig into Disney’s latest wave of merch-driven experiences, from a London pop-up built around Disney UU collectibles to Trader Sam’s 15th anniversary tiki mug celebration. They also track the growing Toy Story 5 promotional push, including Papa John’s Pizza Planet packaging, movie theater collectibles, and Grogu’s new blue Nilla Nummies. Then Jim turns to Disney’s newly reimagined Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios and asks whether Disney will properly honor the Florida animation team that helped create Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, and more.

NEWS

• Disney tests another ticketed-style merch experience with a Disney UU collectible pop-up in London.

• Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar celebrates 15 years with a new anniversary mug and expanded food offerings.

• Papa John’s rolls out Pizza Planet boxes and Toy Story 5 personal pan pizzas tied to the film’s release.

• AMC, Cinemark, and Regal prepare exclusive Toy Story 5 popcorn buckets, cups, blankets, and collectible tie-ins.

• Grogu gets his own blue Nilla Nummies cookies as Mandalorian and Grogu merch keeps expanding.

FEATURE

• Jim looks at the newly opened Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

• The reimagined space pays tribute to Disney’s California animation history, from Hyperion to Burbank.

• The conversation turns to the often-overlooked legacy of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida.

• Jim hopes the finished Magic of Disney Animation attraction includes meaningful nods to Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, John Henry, and the artists who made them.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: 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

This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets. If a 2026 park trip is on your radar, head over to UnlockedMagic.com and let their team help make your next vacation 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