From Pop-Up to Permanent: Disney’s Tent Obsession and the Accidental Origins of Toontown (Ep. 533)

The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Leisure, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.8 • 979 Ratings

🗓️ 26 May 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill reveal how Disney’s “temporary” structures - from party tents to prefab domes - have a habit of overstaying their welcome. What starts as a stopgap often becomes a staple, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the strange evolution from Mickey’s Birthdayland to Toontown. Mickey’s Birthdayland - The 18-month quick fix that morphed into a 20-year land. Festival of the Lion King - The show that squatted in a space meant for dragons... and thrived. Magic Kingdom Strategy - How early entry and Lightning Lane stacking can knock out every headliner by noon. Disney’s Indoor Parks - From DisneyQuest to Abu Dhabi, a look at the past and future of enclosed theme parks. It’s a celebration of Disney’s most beloved “temporary” projects - and the ones that just refused to leave. SHOW NOTES Support Our Sponsors DVC Resale Market Thinking about joining Disney Vacation Club or selling your contract? DVC Resale Market is the leader in the secondary market, with over 70,000 satisfied DVC members. Their expert team of 21 former DVC Cast Members brings unparalleled knowledge and experience to every transaction, making buying or selling DVC simple and stress-free. Learn More DVC Rental Store Dreaming of deluxe Disney accommodations at a fraction of the cost? The DVC Rental Store connects guests with incredible savings on Disney Vacation Club resorts. Whether you’re a DVC member looking to rent your points or a guest looking to stay in style, the DVC Rental Store offers a seamless process for both. Don’t forget—they also offer exciting point swaps for unforgettable experiences like cruises and adventures! Learn More Be Our Guest Vacations Planning your next Disney vacation? Be Our Guest Vacations is a Platinum-level Earmarked travel agency with concierge-level service to make every trip magical. Their team of expert agents plans vacations across the globe, from Disney and Universal to cruises and adventures, ensuring you have the best possible experience without the stress. Learn More Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to another edition of the Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill.
0:04.0	It's me, Landtesta, and this is our show for the week of Shmursday, May 26th, 2025.
0:09.0	On the show today, news and listener questions, how to save money on a Disney cruise.
0:13.9	And in our main segment, Jim gives us the history of temporary Disney park things that became permanent.
0:20.2	Let's get started by bringing in the man who says that any job can be remote if you
0:24.3	disassociate hard enough.
0:26.1	It's Mr. Jim Hill.
0:26.9	Jim, how's it going?
0:27.6	It's going well, Lynn.
0:28.7	But speaking of jobs, this week, my job is being a nurse to Nancy, who folks may know
0:36.8	she had hip replacement earlier this week. And
0:40.4	Len, modern medicine is absolutely fascinating. I am old enough to remember that when somebody
0:47.2	had a hip replacement, I mean, you literally stayed in the hospital at least a week. Okay?
0:53.5	Yeah. And we brought Nancy in it at 745 in the hospital at least a week. Okay? Yeah. And we brought Nancy in it at 7.45 in the morning,
0:58.8	dropped her off at the hospital. And by 545, we were in the car driving home. Holy cow.
1:05.2	They had her up, I want to say, after the operation, two hours in, walking around, and once they saw she could handle
1:12.0	stairs, it's like, okay, you're free to go. All right. Nothing more for us to do here.
1:17.0	And this is the thing, Lynn, can anyone else corroborate that this is going on in other parts
1:23.6	of the hospital? I mean, I have this uneasy feeling that somewhere up in obstetrics,
1:28.2	it's like, well, the kid is mostly out of the birth canal. You're good to go.
1:33.3	We're going to start wheeling you towards the exit when you dial it 10 centimeters, right?
1:39.2	There we go. There we go. The baby just comes out of the birth canal and directly into the parking lot.
	...

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