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The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

72 Hours Before a Disney Park Opens (featuring Jim Shull) (Ep. 551)

The Disney Dish with Jim Hill

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Places & Travel, Leisure, Society & Culture

4.81.1K Ratings

🗓️ 29 September 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With Len Testa away this week, Jim Hill is joined by Imagineer Jim Shull and Eric Hersey. Shull shares first-hand stories of the frantic 72 hours before Disney parks open - from sod being laid overnight at the Contemporary Resort in 1971 to carloads of flowers on Main Street Paris. Meanwhile, Eric helps cover the latest Universal Studios news, including surprising plans for Scooby-Doo and a deep dive into the popcorn bucket craze. Why opening a Disney park always comes down to a last-minute scramble Jim Shull’s behind-the-scenes account of preparing Euro Disneyland in 1992 How media crews and Imagineers clashed during opening-week chaos Universal FanFest Nights 2026 and its Scooby-Doo/Monsters mashup The future of collectible popcorn buckets and wild new flavors Theme park history isn’t always polished - sometimes it’s messy, funny, and unforgettable. This episode pulls back the curtain on those final 72 hours. Unlocked Magic Unlocked Magic, powered by DVC Rental Store and DVC Resale Market, offers exclusive Disney & Universal ticket savings with TRUSTED service and authenticity. With over $10 MILLION in ticket sales, use Unlocked Magic to get the BIGGEST SAVINGS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey, Anna, I've got a new secret weapon for print.

0:02.3

Print.

0:02.9

Vista print, right? That's not a secret. Print everything for your business with Vistaprint. Business cards, stickers, t-shirt, signage, even photo books from your last holiday. If you need it, we print it at vistaprint.co.uk. Welcome back to Disney Dish. It is me, entertainment writer Jim Hill, and I know, I know. This is the part of this weekly

0:21.8

podcast where you typically hear Mr. Testa, but Lenz not with us this week. To be honest, I'm not

0:28.8

sure where Mr. Tess is right now. Just to be clear here, I am not suggesting that Lenn's

0:35.2

absence this week has anything to do with that recent robbery at Disney Springs.

0:39.4

All right.

0:40.1

So, okay.

0:42.0

Len did recently quiz me about extradition treaties.

0:45.8

And as who was headed out of town, Mr. Testin did ask me if I mind returning some scuba equipment that he'd rented.

0:53.5

But this is entirely circumstantial evidence, folks.

0:58.6

I mean, something that I seriously doubt would ever stand up in any court of law.

1:04.7

Though, that said, before I say anything, Marcia probably confer with Chris Cox, that magician and mind reader who is

1:10.9

lend my co-host on the Case 4 with Chris Cox. A brand new podcast takes a somewhat judicious

1:19.7

look at the Disney parks. Please check out that podcast if you get the chance. Well, anyway,

1:26.8

while lens evading the long arm of the law, kidding, just kidding, or am I?

1:32.3

I've decided it will take two men to fill in for Mr. Tess, and those two men are Laurel and Hardy.

1:40.3

No, no, no, just kidding again.

1:42.3

First up is my able-bodied co-host of Disney Unpacked.

1:48.0

That's a video series that Mr. Tess and I do over on Patreon.

1:52.0

Please welcome, Veteran Imagineer Jim Schull.

1:56.0

I want to know Jim Hill. Who gets the mustache?

...

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