Episode
Spirit Airlines’ Collapse, and the Great WDW vs. Disneyland Attraction Debate (Ep. 17)
- Published
- May 14, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1856
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663/episodes/spirit-airlines-collapse-and-the-great-wdw-vs-disneyland-attraction-debate-ep-17/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663/spirit-airlines-collapse-and-the-great-wdw-vs-disneyland-attraction-debate-ep-17.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is back at Magic Kingdom after a lengthy refurbishment, and Disney fans wasted no time flooding Frontierland for the reopening. Lauren and Eric break down the surprisingly massive crowds, debate whether the updated coaster was really worth a multi-hour wait, and compare Walt Disney World’s version of Big Thunder to Disneyland’s and even Disneyland Paris’. They also dive into one of the week’s biggest travel stories: the shutdown of Spirit Airlines and what Disney travelers can do to keep finding affordable flights in an increasingly expensive travel landscape. HIGHLIGHTS Big Thunder Mountain Railroad officially reopens at Magic Kingdom after a lengthy refurbishment Lauren and Eric react to the massive opening day crowds and multi-hour wait times A coast-to-coast debate over whether Disneyland or Walt Disney World has the better versions of classic attractions Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and It’s a Small World all enter the Disney attraction showdown Why Disneyland’s Fantasyland feels different and more nostalgic to longtime Disney fans Spirit Airlines officially shuts down after nearly 34 years in business The impact Spirit’s closure could have on Disney travelers looking for budget-friendly vacations Alternative budget airline options for Disney trips including Breeze, Allegiant, Frontier, and Southwest Travel hacks and booking strategies that can help Disney fans save money on flights Why flexibility and rebooking may be the key to cheaper Disney vacations moving forward For this episode’s full show notes, click here. HOSTS Eric Hersey – X: @erichersey | Instagram: @erichersey Lauren Hersey – X: @laurenhersey…