EPISODE · Jun 25, 2026 · 58 MIN
Toy Story 5, Lorcana Mania, and Disney’s Summer of Smart Merch (Ep. 105)
from I Want That Too - Disney History and Merchandise · host Jim Hill
This week on I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey look at how Toy Story 5 is already reshaping the summer box office, the Disney collector market, and the fast-food promotional landscape. Lauren digs into Lorcana’s sudden surge, Disney Springs’ new merch-drop rules, and the growing trading-card gold rush around Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Magic: The Gathering. Then Jim and Lauren unpack Disney Store’s AI shopping experiment, the new Hakuna Matata Lion King Broadway collection, Cinderella Castle snow globe nostalgia, and why Disney picked Papa John’s, Wendy’s, Subway, and McDonald’s for this summer’s movie tie-ins. NEWS • Toy Story 5 opens huge at the box office, with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Smarty Pants helping Disney dominate the summer conversation. • Disney Lorcana enters a new collector frenzy as older cards become harder to find and Pixar characters arrive in the Wild’s Unknown set. • Disney Springs introduces new merch-drop procedures, including later garage openings, wristbands, and designated waiting areas. • Topps Chrome Disney and Marvel’s Magic: The Gathering collaboration show how Disney is leaning deeper into trading cards and tabletop fandom. • Disney Store begins testing a generative AI shopping assistant designed to recommend gifts and products through natural-language prompts. FEATURE • Jim explains why Disney chose Papa John’s for Toy Story 5, turning Pizza Planet into a real-world promotional hook. • Wendy’s answers with a Minions and Monsters drive-thru activation that reportedly drew massive crowds in California. • Subway gets in early with a live-action Moana meal, collectible cups, and a Fandango ticket-code incentive. • McDonald’s remains in Disney’s promotional orbit, with Hexed positioned for a Thanksgiving push tied to Happy Meal visibility. 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 I Want That Too 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 summer or fall of 2026, head 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
This week on I Want That Too, Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey look at how Toy Story 5 is already reshaping the summer box office, the Disney collector market, and the fast-food promotional landscape. Lauren digs into Lorcana’s sudden surge, Disney Springs’ new merch-drop rules, and the growing trading-card gold rush around Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Magic: The Gathering. Then Jim and Lauren unpack Disney Store’s AI shopping experiment, the new Hakuna Matata Lion King Broadway collection, Cinderella Castle snow globe nostalgia, and why Disney picked Papa John’s, Wendy’s, Subway, and McDonald’s for this summer’s movie tie-ins. NEWS • Toy Story 5 opens huge at the box office, with Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and Smarty Pants helping Disney dominate the summer conversation. • Disney Lorcana enters a new collector frenzy as older cards become harder to find and Pixar characters arrive in the Wild’s Unknown set. • Disney Springs introduces new merch-drop procedures, including later garage openings, wristbands, and designated waiting areas. • Topps Chrome Disney and Marvel’s Magic: The Gathering collaboration show how Disney is leaning deeper into trading cards and tabletop fandom. • Disney Store begins testing a generative AI shopping assistant designed to recommend gifts and products through natural-language prompts. FEATURE • Jim explains why Disney chose Papa John’s for Toy Story 5, turning Pizza Planet into a real-world promotional hook. • Wendy’s answers with a Minions and Monsters drive-thru activation that reportedly drew massive crowds in California. • Subway gets in early with a live-action Moana meal, collectible cups, and a Fandango ticket-code incentive. • McDonald’s remains in Disney’s promotional orbit, with Hexed positioned for a Thanksgiving push tied to Happy Meal visibility. 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 I Want That Too 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 summer or fall of 2026, head 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/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Toy Story 5, Lorcana Mania, and Disney’s Summer of Smart Merch (Ep. 105)
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