Best Original Box Set Podcasts (2025)

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The Songs of The Jungle Book 45:26

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4h ago45:26

45:26

BARE NECESSITIES After an unplanned break, we return with the next step in our Walt Disney animated movies marathon: The Jungle Book. Wait, that can't be right? The adventures of Baloo, Mowgli and Bagheera is not the next movie, right? All will be revealed. The songs covered are "Colonel Hathi's March", "The Bare Necessities", "I Wanna Be Like You"…

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Disney Princess Week, Villains Merch, and Disney Cereal Saga (Ep. 63) 57:08

18h ago57:08

57:08

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey return with a new episode of I Want That Too, diving into Disney Princess Week, new merchandise drops, and the latest Disney history feature. From LEGO sidekicks to Bath & Body Works villains, they’ve got the stories (and opinions) Disney fans will want to hear. Highlights from Disney Princess Week, including merchandise,…

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Inside Netflix’s Biggest Animated Hit and What’s Next for Aardman & Pixar (Ep. 322) 47:17

3d ago47:17

47:17

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor kick off September with a packed episode of Fine Tooning, covering the biggest stories in the world of animation: The record-shattering success of KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix and what’s next for the franchise Updates on Big Mouth, its Emmy legacy, and the upcoming series Mating Season Aardman’s latest projects, including …

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The Most Educational Anime | Golden Boy 1:42:46

1d ago1:42:46

1:42:46

Quest 018: The party watches Golden Boy, discuss hidden gems of anime, then for their side quest: A quickfire round of questions, that sometimes is less than quick. Since the beginning of time, man has been in search of the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. Three friends set off to answer the greatest question of them all: What are the best 100…

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The Case For (and Against) Park Hopping at Walt Disney World (Ep. 1) 28:04

4d ago28:04

28:04

Is park hopping the best way to squeeze every drop of Disney magic out of your vacation - or just an overpriced bus pass with extra steps? In this first episode of The Case For with Chris Cox, mind reader and performer Chris Cox squares off against theme park expert Len Testa, while Disney historian Jim Hill dons judge’s robe to deliver a verdict. …

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Birds, Booze & The Beak & Barrel: Magic Kingdom’s New Pirate Lounge Sets Sail (Ep. 547) 48:18

4d ago48:18

48:18

Len Testa and Jim Hill return with a packed episode of The Disney Dish to discuss Magic Kingdom’s brand new Beak & Barrel Lounge, an immersive pirate-themed bar near Pirates of the Caribbean. Len shares firsthand impressions of the decor, the elusive animatronic pirate Rummy, and why it’s already drawing Trader Sam’s comparisons. Also in this episo…

1
Manufacturing the Magic: Disneyland’s sister parks – Part One 52:24

6d ago52:24

52:24

In the 21st installment of this educational series, Shelly and Noe Valladolid talk about what happened when C.V. Wood (the original president of Disneyland) went off in 1956 and set up his own theme park design company. This episode takes a close look at Freedomland & Magic Mountain Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: …

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Deathly Afraid Necklaces and the Origins of Dueling Dragons (Ep. 66) 1:00:51

7d ago1:00:51

1:00:51

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with another packed episode of the Epic Universal Podcast, diving into the latest Universal news, fan reports, and theme park history. Highlights this week include: Firsthand impressions of Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, thanks to listener John T. – from house walkthroughs to surprisingly short wait times. …

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The Man Who Sold Mickey: Kay Kamen’s Merchandising Magic (Ep. 62) 48:19

8d ago48:19

48:19

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dig into the world of Disney merch and history with a mix of spooky snacks and fascinating backstories: Why Jim bought Count Chocula, Boo Berry, and Franken Berry cereal he can’t eat—thanks to new Jim Henson puppet designs The launch of Bath & Body Works’ Disney Villains collection, from Maleficent’s plum scents to the Ev…

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Box Office Surprises, “KPop Demon Hunters” Rise, and Muppets on Broadway (Ep. 321) 38:59

10d ago38:59

38:59

Jim Hill is solo this week and breaks down the end of the 2025 summer movie season and why traditional blockbusters are struggling at the box office. From shocking second-weekend drop-offs to Netflix’s “KPop Demon Hunters” taking the No. 1 spot in theaters, Jim covers the hits and misses of the season. How films like Fantastic Four: First Steps and…

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God Forbid a Woman Has a Hobby! | Princess Jellyfish 1:43:18

8d ago1:43:18

1:43:18

Quest 017: The party watches Princess Jellyfish, discuss good, bad, and ugly anime, then for their side quest Geoff shows off his shelf. The one that's actually behind him. That has always been behind him. We Promise*. Since the beginning of time, man has been in search of the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. Three friends set off to answer th…

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The Vanishing Act: David Copperfield’s Lost Disney-MGM Studios Attraction (with Chris Cox) (Ep. 546) 1:02:17

11d ago1:02:17

1:02:17

Len Testa and Jim Hill welcome award-winning mind reader and performer Chris Cox (BBC and Broadway) for a deep dive into one of Disney’s most fascinating “what could have been” stories. The ambitious plans for David Copperfield’s Magic Underground restaurant How the New York flagship nearly opened before money troubles pulled the plug Michael Eisne…

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Vegas Goes Scary: Universal Horror Unleashed and Jaws the Revenge (Ep. 65) 53:48

14d ago53:48

53:48

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with another packed episode of the Epic Universal Podcast. This week, they cover everything from nostalgic movie anniversaries to Universal’s latest projects, before diving deep into the troubled history of Jaws: The Revenge. Universal’s fall movie lineup, including The Breakfast Club’s 40th anniversary and Casper’s …

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Disney’s First Witches and Why They Still Cast a Spell (Ep. 61) 37:51

15d ago37:51

37:51

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are back with a Halloween-packed episode of I Want That Too, diving into the latest spooky Disney merch and a century of witchy stories from the Mouse House. Haunted Mansion peel-and-stick wallpaper and Guillermo del Toro’s obsession The viral Cutie Ghost collection and why the Minnie Mouse ghost lamp is selling out fast …

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The Voice of Your Childhood: Jim Cummings Joins Fine Tooning (Ep. 320) 46:26

17d ago46:26

46:26

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with a packed episode of Fine Tooning, highlighted by an interview with legendary voice actor Jim Cummings. From Pooh and Tigger to Darkwing Duck, Jim shares behind-the-scenes stories from a career that shaped generations of animation fans. The shifting release date of Shrek 5 and what it means for DreamWorks Why Dis…

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Best Anime You'll Never Watch Again | Takopi's Original Sin 1:57:25

15d ago1:57:25

1:57:25

Quest 016: The party watches Takopi's Original Sin, discuss dogs in anime, and for their side quest they review a bunch of anime from Spring 2025. Since the beginning of time, man has been in search of the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. Three friends set off to answer the greatest question of them all: What are the best 100 anime of all time…

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What Disney’s Firework Ratings Reveal About the Future (Ep. 545) 52:01

18d ago52:01

52:01

Jim Hill and Len Testa dig into how fans really rate Disney’s nighttime spectaculars — and why those scores decide which shows stay and which ones fade away. Along the way, they cover the latest park news and wrap up the story of how Jack Sparrow sailed into Pirates of the Caribbean. TouringPlans survey data reveals the winners and losers among Dis…

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The Orlando Theme Park That Made Jaws 3D Possible (Ep. 64) 52:16

21d ago52:16

52:16

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with a jam-packed episode of the Epic Universal Podcast, starting with a surprising WWE–Disney streaming deal and ending with a behind-the-scenes look at the wild production of Jaws 3D. From scare zones to SeaWorld, this week’s show has it all. WWE’s $1.625 billion ESPN+ deal and what it means for fans and streaming …

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Jim Hill’s Big Break and his Untold Origin Story (Ep. 60) 47:26

22d ago47:26

47:26

Jim and Lauren serve up a feast of Disney news, collectibles, and one unforgettable personal tale. Recap of Disney’s quarterly earnings call, including streaming’s first profitable quarter Details on Hulu’s full integration into Disney+ by 2026 and the shift away from subscriber count reporting Hidden perks for Disney+ subscribers, including a free…

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From Dog Stars to “Fixed” and What’s Next for The Bad Guys (Ep. 319) 44:41

24d ago44:41

44:41

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor return with another jam-packed episode of Fine Tooning, covering everything from Sirius the Dog Star to the latest in animated film and TV news. This week’s stories span box office winners, Netflix premieres, and the challenges of recasting beloved characters. • The history of the “Dog Days of Summer” and why Sirius is more…

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Queen of SEGGS | Cleopatra 1:19:48

22d ago1:19:48

1:19:48

Quest 015: The party watches Tezuka's Cleopatra, discuss bad anime that they loved, and for their side quest they pull up IGN's Top 25 Anime List. Since the beginning of time, man has been in search of the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. Three friends set off to answer the greatest question of them all: What are the best 100 anime of all time…

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Disney’s Big Earnings Surprises and the Pirate Makeover of Magic Kingdom (Ep. 544) 45:32

25d ago45:32

45:32

Len Testa and Jim Hill break down Disney’s latest earnings call, including park attendance trends, hotel occupancy shifts, and how Epic Universe may be quietly impacting Orlando tourism. They also review a fascinating new Disney Cruise Line survey that tests potential discounts and onboard perks — plus what those offers could mean for future sailin…

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Charting the Future of Epic Universe with Parklore’s Brian Krosnick (Ep. 63) 1:08:48

28d ago1:08:48

1:08:48

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey return with a packed episode of the Epic Universal Podcast featuring news from Universal Orlando, Hollywood, and Las Vegas - plus a deep-dive interview with Brian Krosnick, the creative force behind Parklore. First, the guys pay tribute to Rip Ride Rockit as its closure looms, reminisce about secret soundtracks, and preview…

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How Walt Disney Turned Orange Juice and Peanut Butter into Theme Parks (Ep. 59) 58:14

29d ago58:14

58:14

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey trace the surprising origins of Disney’s licensing empire - back to a time when Walt needed just $300 to keep the studio running. From the Alice Comedies to Donald Duck orange juice and Peter Pan peanut butter, this episode explores how early merchandise deals weren’t just about profit - they were survival. Jim unpacks ho…

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How “The Simpsons” Took Over America (with Author Alan Siegel) (Ep. 318) 59:13

1M ago59:13

59:13

Jim Hill and Drew Taylor sit down with Alan Siegel from The Ringer to discuss his new book Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed Television and America Forever. Together, they revisit how Matt Groening’s crude interstitials on The Tracey Ullman Show evolved into a cultural juggernaut, what nearly derailed the series b…

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Two Uncanny Thumbs Up | Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within 1:51:37

29d ago1:51:37

1:51:37

Quest 014: The party watches Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, discuss what anime might need a remake, and for their side quest Miles get's his first taste of some Canadian food staples. Since the beginning of time, man has been in search of the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. Three friends set off to answer the greatest question of them all…

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From Disney Food Blog to Bookstore Shelves: AJ Wolfe’s Disney Adults (Ep. 543) 48:36

1M ago48:36

48:36

While Len Testa enjoys a well-earned week off, Jim Hill is joined by special guest AJ Wolfe of the Disney Food Blog to talk about her new book Disney Adults: Exploring and Falling in Love with a Magical Subculture. But first, Jim shares updates from around Walt Disney World, including real demolition progress for the Monsters Inc. Door Coaster, the…

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Manufacturing the Magic: Drawing up plans for Disneyland 24:14

1M ago24:14

24:14

In the 19th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about what happened in September of 1953 prior to Roy O. Disney’s fateful flight out to NYC. They also talk about how the material that Walt’s brother showed to executives at CBS, NBC & ABC to sell them on Disneyland was created. Throughout this episode, listeners will…