June 3, 2026

The Animation Courtyard Has a Florida-Sized Footnote (Ep. 102)

The Animation Courtyard Has a Florida-Sized Footnote (Ep. 102)
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Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey dig into Disney’s latest wave of merch-driven experiences, from a London pop-up built around Disney UU collectibles to Trader Sam’s 15th anniversary tiki mug celebration. They also track the growing Toy Story 5 promotional push, including Papa John’s Pizza Planet packaging, movie theater collectibles, and Grogu’s new blue Nilla Nummies. Then Jim turns to Disney’s newly reimagined Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios and asks whether Disney will properly honor the Florida animation team that helped create Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, and more.

NEWS

• Disney tests another ticketed-style merch experience with a Disney UU collectible pop-up in London.

• Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar celebrates 15 years with a new anniversary mug and expanded food offerings.

• Papa John’s rolls out Pizza Planet boxes and Toy Story 5 personal pan pizzas tied to the film’s release.

• AMC, Cinemark, and Regal prepare exclusive Toy Story 5 popcorn buckets, cups, blankets, and collectible tie-ins.

• Grogu gets his own blue Nilla Nummies cookies as Mandalorian and Grogu merch keeps expanding.

FEATURE

• Jim looks at the newly opened Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

• The reimagined space pays tribute to Disney’s California animation history, from Hyperion to Burbank.

• The conversation turns to the often-overlooked legacy of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida.

• Jim hopes the finished Magic of Disney Animation attraction includes meaningful nods to Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, John Henry, and the artists who made them.

HOSTS

• Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com

• Lauren Hersey - X/Twitter: @laurenhersey2, Instagram: @lauren_hersey_

FOLLOW

• Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews

• YouTube: @jimhillmedia

• TikTok: @jimhillmedia

• Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/

SUPPORT

Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Edited by Dave Grey

Produced by Eric Hersey - https://strongmindedagency.com

SPONSOR

This episode is brought to you by UnlockedMagic.com, your go-to source for great deals on Disney and Universal tickets. If a 2026 park trip is on your radar, head over to UnlockedMagic.com and let their team help make your next vacation a little more magical.

If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. https://www.jimhillmedia.com/sponsor/

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