Before D23: The Mouse Club Fans Who Changed Disney Forever (Ep. 98)
About this episode
Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey discuss Disney merchandise and fandom news, including the history of Disney fan conventions leading up to D23.
Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dive into a packed week of Disney merch and fandom news, from Burger King’s surprising Mandalorian and Grogu promotion to the return of toys inside cereal boxes for Toy Story 5. Along the way, Lauren shares how she finally became a Grogu fan after binge-watching The Mandalorian, while Jim unpacks Disney’s rumored “super app” plans and the surprising history behind Disney fan conventions that eventually inspired D23. NEWS • Lauren officially joins the Grogu fan club after binge-watching two seasons of The Mandalorian ahead of the upcoming movie release. • Burger King rolls out a Mandalorian and Grogu menu promotion complete with collectible cups and augmented reality features. • Jim explains why McDonald’s landed Toy Story 5 while Burger King secured the Star Wars promotion. • Kellogg’s brings toys back to cereal boxes with creepy Toy Story 5 spoon figures hidden inside select cereals. • Disneyland quietly phases out MagicBand sales as Disney leans harder into phone-based park technology. • Disney’s rumored “super app” sparks debate online as fans react to the idea of one app connecting parks, streaming, cruises, shopping, and rewards. FEATURE • Jim…
People in this episode
Host: Jim Hill
Guest: Lauren Hersey
Topics covered
- Disney merchandise
- Disney fandom
- Mandalorian
- Toy Story
- Disney conventions
- super app
Keywords
- Disney
- Mandalorian
- Toy Story 5
- D23
- fan conventions
- Burger King
- super app
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Burger King, McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, Disneyland, Disney
Books & works: The Mandalorian, Toy Story 5, Mouse Club, NFFC
More episodes of The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
- Casper and the Universal Walkthrough That Almost Became a Ride (Ep. 102)
- Is Disney Actually Listening… (Ep. 16)
- Lightning Lanes, Skyliner Dreams, and the Great Disney Mailbag Debate (Ep. 18)
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