About this episode

Len Testa and Jim Hill discuss various Disney-related topics including holiday events, resort changes, and listener questions.

Len Testa and Jim Hill start with snow shovels, snapping turtles, and New Hampshire’s ongoing audition for “America’s Australia,” then move into a packed Disney Dish. This week, they cover Disney’s holiday party calendar, the Grand Floridian gingerbread house retirement, tightening resort-access rules, the BoardWalk’s new Hurley Burley lounge, Disneyland’s Celebrate Soulfully Yardfest, and Universal Kids Resort’s very sunny Texas debut. They also dig into new DVC survey perks, listener questions about Europa Park, Australia in World Showcase, and whether Epcot is due for a monorail-adjacent hotel. Then Jim continues Disney’s living-character history with Dinotopia’s odd but memorable second life at Walt Disney Studios Park. NEWS • Disney’s Hollywood Studios may be targeting August for Magic of Disney Animation, though the building may have opinions of its own. • Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights return with schedules that neatly zip together across the holiday season. • The Grand Floridian gingerbread house is being retired, raising questions about resort crowds, access rules, and guest satisfaction. • Disney’s resort-access language continues to tighten…

People in this episode

Host: Jim Hill

Guest: Len Testa

Topics covered

• Disney holiday events
• gingerbread house retirement
• resort access rules
• new lounge openings
• DVC survey perks
• listener questions
• Disney character history

Keywords

• Disney
• gingerbread house
• holiday party calendar
• BoardWalk
• Hurley Burley
• DVC survey
• Epcot
• Dinotopia
• Universal Kids Resort
• Celebrate Soulfully

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Disney, Universal Kids Resort

Books & works: Dinotopia

Places: New Hampshire, Disneyland, Walt Disney Studios Park, Texas, Australia, Europa Park

More episodes of The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

• Why Turtle Talk Outlived Stitch’s Great Escape (Ep. 593) · July 20, 2026 · 1h 5m
• How Finding Nemo Taught Disney Characters to Talk (Ep. 592) · July 13, 2026 · 60 min
• Luxo Jr. Takes a Rain Check at Pixar Place (Ep. 591) · July 6, 2026 · 59 min
• Lucky the Dinosaur, Allegedly (Ep. 589) · June 22, 2026 · 58 min
• The Night Disneyland Locked In 8,500 High School Seniors (Ep. 588) · June 15, 2026 · 1h 5m

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