A Runaway Boulder and a Crumbling Fairytale (Ep. 566)

This week on Disney Dish, Jim Hill is joined by mind reader and showman Chris Cox, who steps in for Len Testa and immediately finds himself in the middle of some very Disney-sized mishaps. From a runaway Indiana Jones boulder at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the surprisingly fragile roof of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the conversation explores what happens when iconic park moments go just a little too far. Along the way, Jim and Chris dig into forgotten ceremonies, cutback entertainment, and the Imagineering decisions that quietly shaped Disneyland over the decades.

NEWS
• A 400-pound boulder goes off track during a performance of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and what that means for show safety going forward
• The temporary removal of the iconic boulder scene and why Disney is famously cautious after incidents like this
• The Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk cuts back to a three-night schedule and what that signals about nightlife at the resort
• Listener mail on working New Year’s Eve at Disney parks and why January 1 might secretly be the best day to visit

FEATURE
• The long and surprisingly complicated history of the Sword in the Stone ceremony and how it really worked behind the scenes
• How Imagineer Kim Irvine subtly transformed Sleeping Beauty Castle over four decades without sparking guest outrage
• Why holiday overlays and anniversary bling eventually caused serious structural damage to the castle roof
• The 60th anniversary decorations that led to a six-figure repair and a full castle roof replacement

HOSTS
• Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com
• Chris Cox - IG: @magiccox | X: @bigcox | Website: magiccox.com

FOLLOW
• Facebook: JimHillMediaNews
• Instagram: JimHillMedia
• TikTok: JimHillMedia

SUPPORT
Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia.

PRODUCTION CREDITS
Edited by Dave Grey
Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency

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