The River That Never Flowed - EPCOT’s Lost German Cruise (Ep. 86)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Tv & Film, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 12 February 2026

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim and Lauren kick off Super Bowl Sunday by diving into the biggest toy expo in the world and what it reveals about the future of Disney licensing. From LEGO’s new screen-free “smart” bricks to Formula One collaborations and a surprising resurgence of theme park trash can merch, this episode blends breaking toy news with classic Disney history - including the Epcot attraction that almost was. NEWS • Highlights from Germany’s massive Spielwarenmesse toy fair - and what it signals for global licensing trends • LEGO unveils new Smart Play sets, including interactive Star Wars builds with light-and-sound “smart brick” technology • A global Mickey and Friends x Formula One collaboration races toward 2026 • Hong Kong Disneyland celebrates 20 years of Push the Talking Trash Can with a talking collectible and shoulder plush • Walt Disney World rolls out a sprawling line of vintage park map merchandise, from tumblers to Skyway-inspired planters FEATURE • The ambitious German River Ride once planned for EPCOT’s Germany pavilion • How the attraction would have blended miniatures, cultural history, and even a surprise Snow White moment • The financial realities of early EPCOT - and why World War II sensitivities may have sealed the ride’s fate • The mural inside Biergarten that quietly marks where the attraction entrance was supposed to be HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Lauren Hersey - IG: @lauren_hersey_ | X: @laurenhersey2 FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is brought to you by Unlocked Magic, your go-to source for discounted Disney and Universal theme park tickets. If a 2026 trip is on your radar, Unlocked Magic helps you secure great ticket prices without the stress - all handled by experts who know the parks and how to save you money. Start planning your next adventure at UnlockedMagic.com. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to I Want That to the podcast where Disney merch meets Disney history.
0:06.1	I'm entertainment writer Jim Hill and as always I'm joined by the lovely Lauren Hersey on Super Bowl Sunday.
0:13.5	Happy Super Bowl Sunday for those of you who enjoy a good game of sports ball.
0:20.3	Which hits the big one. Which is a play way of saying that there we go.
0:24.9	That's neither Lauren nor I.
0:27.2	We were pre-gaming and just admitting to each other that, you know, we'll walk into
0:31.4	the room and see what ads are on, you know, but, you know, I say this is somebody who lives
0:37.4	in New England and it's like,
0:38.5	yeah, it's a New England Patriots at the Super Bowl.
0:40.8	Like, what was the last time that happened?
0:43.9	Like five minutes ago, right?
0:45.5	You know, I think that I will watch the ads, but I think that we'll see at least one Disney
0:52.9	Cruise Line commercial. What do you think? It is, at least one Disney Cruise Line commercial.
0:55.0	What do you think?
0:55.8	It is hard to say.
0:58.2	I can't attack what was interesting.
1:00.3	I'll be recording a fine-tuning later today as well and was checking with Drew.
1:06.1	And they believe that Disney will be buying ad time for Toy Story 5, which arrives in theaters on June 19th.
1:17.0	And likewise, Hoppers, the new Pixar, that arrives in theaters on March 6th.
1:23.5	But after that, I mean, I think a lot of people were shocked that they didn't buy any ad time for Avengers Doomsday or didn't let anybody know in advance who were buying that ad.
1:34.2	Yeah. I mean, I don't know. I feel like, unless you're living under a rock, like, you know Doomsday is coming because to me it's everywhere, I see.
1:42.6	But I made the joke.
	...

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