I Want That Too - Disney History and Merchandise

Fresh from D23 in Anaheim, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey unpack what it was really like to shop the show floor, from virtual queues and coveted merchandise to fans finding creative ways around the reservation system. Lauren shares what surprised her about D23 Day at Disneyland, the new Imagineering apparel collection, and Disney’s increasingly social-media-driven activations. Then Jim and Lauren turn to legendary Imagineer Joe Rohde and his new book, Floating Mountains: The Art of Imagining the Impossible, including how Rohde’s work connects the Adventurers Club to Disney’s later Living Character Initiative.

NEWS

• D23 Day at Disneyland brings massive merchandise lines, exclusive releases, and the Hatbox Ghost popcorn bucket frenzy.

• Disney’s D23 shopping system puts fans up against limited virtual queues for the Marketplace, Mickey’s of Glendale, the Company Store, and other high-demand locations.

• Lauren explains how some attendees gamed shopping reservations, paid others to hold places in line, and bought merchandise in bulk.

• Disney+ and Hulu lean heavily into photo activations and social sharing across the D23 show floor.

• The new Walt Disney Imagineering apparel collection turns out to be understated clothing designed by Imagineers for Imagineers - with a very unusual mobile-order shopping process.

FEATURE

• Jim and Lauren discuss Joe Rohde’s Floating Mountains: The Art of Imagining the Impossible and what sets it apart from a traditional Disney memoir.

• Rohde offers a behind-the-scenes look at Imagineering’s creative process, leadership style, and the development of experiences such as the Adventurers Club.

• Jim traces the roots of Disney’s interactive “living characters” from the Adventurers Club back to an unusual talking vulture once installed inside Disneyland’s Club 33.

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

Plan your next Disney or Universal vacation with Be Our Guest Vacations. Their team can help with hotels, tickets, reservations, cruises, and the details that make vacation planning easier, all at no additional planning cost.

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 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