Disney Stores Return… Sort Of (Ep. 96)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Places & Travel, Society & Culture, Tv & Film

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey unpack Disney’s latest retail experiment with pop-up stores, explore how movie theaters are turning merch into must-have experiences, and dig into the surprising origins of Disney fandom and collecting. From Pittsburgh store openings to high-fashion popcorn buckets, this episode connects the dots between Disney’s past and its evolving strategy to turn every experience into something you can take home. NEWS • Disney Store “comeback” revealed as limited-time pop-up retail experiences in select cities • First pop-up location announced for Pittsburgh, with another coming to Paramus, New Jersey • Disney partners with Go Retail Group to reduce overhead while testing physical retail demand • Movie theaters lean into merch with The Devil Wears Prada 2 collectible bundles and fashion-themed popcorn containers • Disney introduces “Infinity Vision,” a premium large-format theater experience to compete with IMAX availability FEATURE • How the 1970 MGM auction helped spark the rise of Disney collecting culture • Roy O. Disney’s response: creating the Disney Archives to preserve company history • The role of early guidebooks in shaping the Disneyana marketplace • Celebrity collectors like Carrie Fisher and Michael Jackson driving up prices in the early 1980s • Fan-driven events and communities laying the groundwork for modern Disney fandom HOSTS • Jim Hill (@JimHillMedia) • Lauren Hersey (@laurenhersey2) 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 discounted Disney and Universal tickets. If a 2026 trip is on your radar, they’ll help you lock in the best deals with expert support every step of the way. 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

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to I Want That Too, the podcast where Disney merch meets Disney history.
0:05.6	I'm entertained writer Jim Hill, and as always I'm joined by the lovely Lauren Herssey,
0:10.3	who is just now unthawing from last night's adventure, right?
0:15.3	You know, you were a good mom.
0:17.2	You went out to two miles.
0:19.0	Was this a softball game or a Little League game?
0:21.6	What was it?
0:22.3	Yes, a Little League baseball.
0:25.6	And it's kid pitch for the first time.
0:29.0	But the joy of that, it was, you know, a good game.
0:32.8	But there was another Disney family there who just got back from Disney World.
0:37.4	And so I was grilling her about the new Buzz Light Year. another Disney family there who just got back from Disney World.
0:42.7	And so I was grilling her about the new Buzz Light Year refurb.
0:45.2	So got some tea on that.
0:51.8	Now, I will tell you, she said that she's like, oh, yeah, you can take the guns out now.
0:55.2	You have to get the, you know, right in the target.
0:58.4	And I was asking her, like, specifics.
1:02.6	And she's like, all I know is I almost tripped and fell on the way out from the cord.
1:05.6	Oh, dear.
1:06.6	Yeah.
1:08.0	So there was that. But I was ready for some Florida sun after sitting in the, you know, 30-degree weather.
1:14.3	So I got to make a trip sooner than July.
	...

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