Anaheim Before Disneyland: From Vineyards to the Packing House (Ep. 597)

Len Testa and Jim Hill are on the ground in Anaheim for D23, where they dig into the week's Disney news before exploring how Anaheim evolved from vineyards and citrus groves into the home of Disneyland. Along the way, they examine a Disney patent that could create the illusion of elevation changes on future attractions, a proposed Spaceship Earth television series, and Bob Chapek's upcoming book. Then Jim traces the fascinating history of the Anaheim Packing House and the agricultural economy that helped make Walt Disney's land purchase possible.

NEWS

• A newly published Disney patent could make riders feel as though they're climbing or dropping while their ride vehicle remains on a flat surface.

• Could the technology be destined for the upcoming Encanto attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom?

• Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is already selling out select dates at both ends of the 2026 event calendar.

• Another infrastructure problem hits Disney's Wilderness Lodge, this time involving water service at Boulder Ridge.

• Disney is developing a Spaceship Earth-inspired television project built around teenagers, time travel, and a threat to Earth's future.

• Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek prepares to tell his side of the story in his upcoming book, Behind the Castle Walls.

FEATURE

• Jim traces Anaheim's beginnings to 50 German families who established a thriving wine-growing community in the 1850s.

• Root rot pushed the region from vineyards toward orange groves and walnut farms, helping reshape Anaheim's agricultural economy.

• Railroad expansion turned the Anaheim Packing District into a major hub for shipping fresh California produce across the country.