Disney History Institute Podcast

Follow Disney History Institute Podcast
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

The Disney History Institute Podcast explores the history of animation and early cinematic amusement parks.

Disney History Institute


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 38m AVG DURATION
    • 414 EPISODES

    4.7 from 515 ratings Listeners of Disney History Institute Podcast that love the show mention: love disney history, pierce's, walt disney company, animation, institute, todd, theme parks, disney parks, best disney, historians, disney podcasts, disneyland, published, louis, extremely well, history podcast, james, straightforward, well researched, nonsense.


    Ivy Insights

    The Disney History Institute Podcast is a must-listen for any Disney fan. This podcast stands out from others in its meticulous research and well-written content. The episodes provide a deep dive into various topics of interest, offering a meaty exploration that keeps listeners engaged and informed. Whether it's the development of Disney attractions or detailed biographies of key creators, the podcast presents high-quality information that is both entertaining and educational.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is the level of research and attention to detail. The host, Todd James Pierce, clearly puts a significant amount of effort into each episode, ensuring that the content is well-researched and accurate. The stories presented go beyond surface-level discussions and provide in-depth insights into Disney history. This makes the podcast a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about the company.

    Another strength of this podcast is its focus on all facets of the Disney company. It goes beyond just discussing recent news or popular attractions but delves into different aspects that may be overlooked by other podcasts. From exploring the contributions of below-the-line workers to examining historical events that shaped Disney's traditions and personalities, this podcast offers unique content that sets it apart from others in the genre.

    However, one criticism of this podcast is that at times it may not give enough credit to certain groups involved in Disney's operations. Specifically, some listeners have noted that episodes may overlook or downplay the contributions of IATSE crew members, teamsters, writers, actors, and studios during strikes or other significant events. Offering a more comprehensive perspective on these topics would provide a more balanced view.

    In conclusion, The Disney History Institute Podcast is an exceptional podcast for Disney enthusiasts who crave well-researched and well-written content. It goes beyond casual conversations about current news to provide deep dives into various aspects of Disney history. With its unique focus on all facets of the company and attention to detail, this podcast stands out from others in the genre. It is a must-listen for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and appreciation of Disney.



    Search for episodes from Disney History Institute Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Disney History Institute Podcast

    DHI 310 - The Disney Update - June 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 46:38


    This week we have a set of stories focused on the battle between Disney and Universal in Florida: - Opening Crowds at Epic Universe - Two new shows at Disney's Hollywood Studios - Two new shows at Epic Universe - And More Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Twelve

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2025 34:52


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Twelve. Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Eleven

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2025 39:04


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Eleven. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 309 - Epic Universe - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2025 39:41


    What works well at Epic, what needs work, and how this park changes the power dynamic between Disney and Universal in Florida?  Part Two Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 308 - Disneyland Abu Dhabi

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2025 8:32


    Disney plans to open a park in Abu Dhabi. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 307 - Epic Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2025 52:32


    What works well at Epic, what needs work, and how this park changes the power dynamic between Disney and Universal in Florida? Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 306 - The Disney Update - April 2025 - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 64:36


    This week we have a half dozen stories about the Disney parks, films, streaming and more, including: -    The State of the Company -    Bob Iger's Vision for Disney+ -    New Attractions – And Delays -    Discounting the Magic Kingdom -    Disney Films – What's Working and What's Not -    And More Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 305 - The Disney Update - April 2025 - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2025 45:17


    The competition between Disney and Universal heats up again. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 304 - Walt's Lost Mini-Parks Part Six

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 47:04


    The story of mini-parks that Disney once designed but never built. Part Six.

    DHI 303 - Walt's Lost Mini-Parks Part Five

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2025 45:06


    The story of mini-parks that Disney once designed but never built. Part Five. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 302 - Walt's Lost Mini-Parks Part Four

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 40:35


    The story of mini-parks that Disney once designed but never built. Part Four. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 301 - Walt's Lost Mini-Parks Part Three

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2025 58:50


    The story of mini-parks that Disney once designed but never built. Part Three. Bandcamp subscriptions - dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 300 - Walt's Lost Mini-Parks Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 37:22


    The story of mini-parks that Disney once designed but never built. Part Two. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 299 - The Disney Update - March 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 40:56


    In this update, we cover: New details about the Cars attraction at Magic Kingdom Big reveals about the Door Coaster and more at Hollywood Studios Problems with new theatrical films And more Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 298 - Walt's Lost Mini-Parks - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 46:10


    The story of mini-parks that Disney once designed but never built.  Part One. Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Ten

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 34:29


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Ten. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Nine

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 34:21


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Nine. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 297 - Disney Mid-Week Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 13:33


    After months of delay, Disney has state approval to fill in Rivers of America at the Magic Kingdom. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 296 - The State of the Disney Company - 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2025 63:44


    An in-depth look at what is working, what needs to be fixed, and where the Disney Company is going in the near future: from streaming to theatrical releases to the cruise line to the parks. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 295 - The Disney Update - February 2025 - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2025 51:21


    In this update, we cover: - Recent changes to the Haunted Mansion - Construction updates for Disneyland and Disney World - The new dining scene at Downtown Disney - And more Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 294 - The Disney Update- February 2025 - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2025 45:51


    In this update, we cover: - The wildfires impact on Disney in California - Construction changes and updates to Disney World - Quiet new changes at EPCOT and Fort Wilderness - And more Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Eight

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2025 35:34


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Eight. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Seven

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2025 43:04


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Seven. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    ENGL 293 - Ward Kimball and the Disney Strike

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 56:29


    Ward Kimball and the infamous Disney animators strike of 1941. Link to Red Cross Disaster Releif Fund - https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/ Bandcamp Subscriptions - dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Six

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 40:50


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Six. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    Walt's Last New Year's (2024)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 24:30


    The story of Walt Disney and the 1966 Tournament of Roses Parade. Bandcamp subscriptions - dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 292 - The Holiday Lights of Fort Wilderness

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2024 21:18


    The early history of holiday displays at the Fort, along with a discussion of this year's lights. Disney Video Update Winter 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7HTuTN_A2M Bandcamp Subscriptions - dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Gingerbread Houses at Walt Disney World - 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2024 20:59


    The story of how a culinary sense of competition eventually produced one of the most iconic gingerbread houses in the world. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 291 - The Disney Update - Holiday Edition 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 46:17


    In this episode: The Opening of the New Polynesian Tower Rivers of Americas Construction Update  Bluey at Disneyland and Disney World Holiday Parties at Disney World Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com  

    Disney World's First Christmas

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 39:17


    The story of Disney World's First Christmas in 1971. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Five

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2024 45:39


    he story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Five. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    Disneyland's First Christmas (2024)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2024 33:36


    The story of Disneyland's first Christmas in 1955. Link to Disneyland's First Christmas video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLt3XdZ_LTs Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 290 - The Disney Update - December 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2024 66:38


    This week we have a chunky episode with many stories. In this episode: The "Tower" Trend at Disney World Updates to Six Attractions at Disney World Permits and Closure for Avengers Campus at Disneyland Disneyland's 70th Anniversary More Controversy around the Walt Disney Animatronic The Good and Bad of the Revised Haunted Mansion Tiana's at Disneyland Is Better than Tiana's at Disney World And More Regulatory Trouble for the Cars Project at Magic Kingdom Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Story of the Osborne Family Festival of Lights - 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2024 33:37


    The Story of the Osborne Family Festival of Lights. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 289 - Monsters & Muppets at Hollywood Studios

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 40:33


    What the future plans at Hollywood Studios mean for Monsters Inc and the Muppets. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 288 - The Disney Update - Nov 2024 - Cake Bake Fiasco

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2024 47:47


    The story of two troubled restaurants at Disney World--ESPN Club and the newly-opened Cake Bake Shop--and what their stories demonstrate about how the Disney resorts work.  Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Thanksgiving Episode - 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2024 44:18


    Thanksgiving stories, from balloons in the sky to turkeys on Main Street.  Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Four

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2024 41:47


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Four. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Three

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 37:32


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Three. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 35:24


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist. Part Two. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The Life and Art of Mary Blair - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2024 45:22


    The story of Mary Blair, the person who is often described as Walt Disney's favorite artist.  Part One. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    The History of Disney and Halloween (2024)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2024 45:34


    The story of how Disney changed Halloween and how Halloween changed Disney. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 287 - The Disney Update - October 2024 - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2024 48:29


    In this update, we cover: - Developments with Villains Land at Magic Kingdom - New Resort Being Built at Disney World - Trouble with Aulani - Updates on Disneyland Projects - The Opening Strategies of Epic Universe DVC Aggregator Sites: - DVC for Less -  https://www.dvcforless.com/ - DVC Market - https://dvc.market/listing/ Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 286 - Disney World and Hurricane Milton

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2024 39:39


    The moment-by-moment story of how Hurricane Milton affected Disney World. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 285 - The Disney Update - October 2024 - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2024 42:36


    In this update, we cover: - Developments with the forthcoming Cars area at the Magic Kingdom - Trouble in the land of DVC - Likely ticket price increases Bandcamp Subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 284 - Walt Disney and the Story of Color - Part Three

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2024 43:16


    The story of Walt Disney, Herbert Kalmus, and the invention of full-color animation. Part Three. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 283 - Walt Disney and the Story of Color - Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2024 43:08


    The story of Walt Disney, Herbert Kalmus, and the invention of full-color animation. Part Two. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 282 - Walt Disney and the Story of Color - Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2024 39:47


    The story of Walt Disney, Herbert Kalmus, and the invention of full-color animation.  Part One Bandcamp subscriptions - dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 281 - Strange Stories of Disney History - Volume Four

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2024 45:18


    The story of early 3D efforts in Hollywood, including how the Disney team created new processes to film hand-drawn 3D cartoons in the 1950s. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 280 - The Future of Disney Films & TV

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2024 47:39


    A detailed discussion of the future of Disney Films and TV. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    DHI 279 - The Future of Disneyland (2024)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2024 43:59


    A detailed discussion of the future of Disneyland. Bandcamp subscriptions: dhipodcast.bandcamp.com

    Claim Disney History Institute Podcast

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel