{"podcast":{"title":"The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network","slug":"the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663","podcast_index_feed_id":530663,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/JHM1617826359","website_url":"https://jimhillmedia.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/51316670-7e1b-11e8-bd66-4b3c04cc213b/image/25e0d2f5f6c7b6924a27152f3eef6d92.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Jim Hill Media Podcast Network","episode_count":1565,"summary":"The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network features weekly shows hosted by Jim Hill and his collaborators. The lineup includes The Disney Dish with Len Testa, Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor, Epic Universal Podcast with Eric Hersey, I Want That Too with Lauren Hersey, Marvel Us Disney with Dan Graney, The Case For with Chris Cox, and more. Each series offers industry reporting, history, analysis, and insider stories spanning Disney, Universal, animation, film, streaming, and themed entertainment. With over 25 years of online storytelling and thousands of hours of content, the network delivers trusted, in-depth coverage for fans, enthusiasts, and industry professionals.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-24T12:18:41.355338+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663"},"episode":{"title":"Carousel of Progress Gets an Update as Fans Chase Real Disney Experiences (Ep. 20)","slug":"carousel-of-progress-gets-an-update-as-fans-chase-real-disney-experiences-ep-20","published_at":"2026-06-04T04:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663/carousel-of-progress-gets-an-update-as-fans-chase-real-disney-experiences-ep-20","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663","url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/JHM4669225003.mp3","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/traffic.megaphone.fm/JHM4669225003.mp3","summary":"Lauren and Eric explore why Disney fans seem to be craving real-world experiences again, from the surprising turnout at the reopening of the Disney Store in Pittsburgh to Disney's continued push toward immersive entertainment. They discuss what thousands of fans standing in line for a retail opening reveals about today's Disney audience, whether digital fatigue is driving people back to physical spaces, and how Disney may be adapting to that demand. Then they dive into Disney's newly announced overhaul of Carousel of Progress, examining the planned updates, fan reactions, and what the changes could mean for one of Walt Disney World's most historic attractions. HIGHLIGHTS Why thousands of Disney fans stood in line for the reopening of the Disney Store at Ross Park Mall and what it says about today's Disney audience. Lauren and Eric explore whether fans are craving real-world Disney experiences more than merchandise itself. Discussion of Disney's growing focus on immersive experiences, from retail concepts to theme park expansion. Could digital fatigue be driving fans back toward physical spaces, events, and shared fandom experiences? Ideas for how Disney could bring more regional experiences to fans who don't regularly visit the parks. Disney announces a major refresh of Carousel of Progress, including new scenes set in the 1960s, 1980s, and Y2K era. The hosts examine fan reactions to the changes and debate whether updating the attraction honors Walt Disney's original vision. Why Carousel of Progress remains one of Walt Disney World's most historically significant attractions and what its future could look like. For this episode’s full show notes, ⁠click here⁠. HOSTS Eric Hersey – X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@erichersey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…","meta_description":"Lauren and Eric explore why Disney fans seem to be craving real-world experiences again, from the surprising turnout at the reopening of the Disney Store…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1942,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663/episodes/carousel-of-progress-gets-an-update-as-fans-chase-real-disney-experiences-ep-20/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-jim-hill-media-podcast-network-530663/carousel-of-progress-gets-an-update-as-fans-chase-real-disney-experiences-ep-20.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}