The Disney Dish with Jim Hill Annual Passes and the Mystery of Disney’s Vanishing Resort (Ep. 517)
This week, Len Testa and Jim Hill explore the surprising history of annual passes—how Disneyland accidentally created a theme park membership program and what Disney might have in store next. Plus, Jim continues the saga of Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge, the resort that made it to the concept art phase but never to reality.
- The Origins of Annual Passes: How Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom Club set the stage for the modern theme park pass and why Disney might be rethinking it.
- Hollywood Studios Updates: What’s closing, what’s opening, and why Muppet*Vision 3D, Mama Melrose’s, and Pizza Rizzo are all saying goodbye.
- Universal’s New Events: Mardi Gras, Volcano Bay Nights, and Butterbeer Season—because Universal understands that food-based festivals are the true theme park superpower.
- Reflections: A Disney Lakeside Lodge: Jim dives into Disney’s big plans for Bay Lake, why they hit pause, and whether this project will ever return.
- Muppets at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?: Is Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem really taking over from Aerosmith? And is that actually a bad thing?
Join Len and Jim as they break down Disney history, park updates, and whether we’ll ever see a new resort built before the next iteration of Genie+.
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