Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are back with a merch-packed episode that starts at Target, swings through Walt Disney World, and lands deep in Mickey Mouse history. Lauren shares what she spotted on her latest Florida trip, from Muppets merch and Uncle Deadly deep cuts to Disney’s colorful new Logo Mania collections. Then Jim looks back at Disney’s repeated attempts to give Mickey Mouse a milestone birthday celebration big enough for the big screen, and why those plans often arrived late, changed shape, or became something else entirely.

NEWS

• Golden Girls returns to the bookstore with Death on the Lanai, the second mystery novel in Disney’s sitcom-inspired series.

• Target’s Disney Fan Snacks line brings character-shaped chips to the aisle, including Darth Vader corn chips and Grogu-inspired flavors.

• Toy Story 5 merch arrives early with Ginormous, a truly oversized plush pig that may require its own shopping cart.

• Lauren checks out Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets merch, including Kermit keychains, Miss Piggy gear, and Animal-focused designs.

• Walt Disney World’s Logo Mania collections lean into color-coded Disney fan moments, from Last Day of Trip Blues to Popcorn on Main Street.

FEATURE

• Jim revisits how The Sorcerer’s Apprentice began as a Mickey birthday short before growing into Fantasia.

• Disney’s planned Jack and the Beanstalk feature for Mickey’s 15th birthday was derailed by World War II and eventually reshaped into Fun and Fancy Free.

• Mickey’s 60th birthday brought a star-studded NBC special and the temporary Magic Kingdom land that became surprisingly permanent.

• The abandoned Search for Mickey Mouse would have sent Disney characters across the animated canon before evolving into Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers.

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 trip to the parks is on your radar for 2026, head over to Unlocked Magic and let their team help make your next vacation just a little bit 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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