How Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland Almost Changed New Fantasyland (Ep. 530)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Tv & Film, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Jim reveals Disney World’s scrapped plan to retheme the Mad Tea Party with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland—a move that would’ve introduced clever nods to the film like “Drink Me” and “Eat Me” food stands and tied directly into Pixie Hollow. Len adds context with stories about Fantasyland’s expansion, while the duo discusses why Haunted Mansion Holiday never came to Florida, and why Tim Burton’s working relationship with Disney ended with Dumbo. Scrapped plans for a Burton-inspired Mad Tea Party overlay How Walt Disney World hoped to tap into the Nightmare Before Christmas merch model Why Haunted Mansion Holiday won’t come to Magic Kingdom Fantasyland expansion budget and leadership changes Tim Burton’s final Disney film and his “Dumbo” disillusionment Plus, listener questions about endangered Disney World attractions and ideas for a Muppets-themed rock bar. 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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0:30.0	Welcome back to another edition of the Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill. It's me, Len Testa.
0:35.4	And this is our show for the week of Shmursday, May 5th,
0:38.0	2025. Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone. On the show today, news. In listener questions,
0:44.7	would you visit a Muppets-themed bar? And what ride should you ride now? Because they might not be
0:49.7	here in five years. Then in our main segment, Jim tells us about the ideas Disney considered for
0:54.7	new fantasy land but didn't use. Let's get started by bringing in the man who doubts this is the
1:00.3	future that Dippin Dots was the ice cream of. It's Mr. Jim Hill. Jim has it going.
1:06.4	Fine, Lenn, but Dipping Dotsch, you've seen these things, right? I've had them frozen to the roof of my mouth, like everyone. What?
1:13.3	Okay. That's the thing. For me, other people look at dipping dots. They go,
1:17.5	ooh, look, a fun variation of my usual dessert. Me. Len, I look at the teeny tiny little
1:22.8	balls of ice cream and think, this wasn't something that someone did deliberately. This was an industrial
1:28.3	accident. Okay, that somebody in a panic. I meant to do that. I mean, you know what I loved about
1:35.0	them? What? It combines three bonkers things. Well, three great things. One, ice cream. Two,
1:40.6	nitrogen. And then three, frosting. Like, who puts frosting on ice cream?
	...

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