Everything Keeps Catching Fire: Universal’s Backlot Blazes (Ep. 106)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Places & Travel, Society & Culture, Tv & Film

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey cover a busy Universal news week, from Universal Kids Resort pricing and seasonal operations to new rotating experiences planned for Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas. They also check in on Universal Studios Hollywood’s Mega Movie Summer, including Wicked meet-and-greets, Minions menu items, Fast and Furious teases, Jaws treats, and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey getting some serious backlot synergy. Then Jim digs into the surprisingly fiery history of Universal Studios Hollywood, tracing nearly a century of backlot blazes, rebuilds, and close calls. NEWS • Universal Kids Resort in Frisco now has a July 1 grand opening date, with one-day tickets, two-day tickets, annual passes, and resort packages revealed. • Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas appears to be leaning into a year-round event calendar, with rotating seasonal experiences planned through 2027. • Universal Studios Hollywood’s Mega Movie Summer includes The Odyssey props, Minions meet-and-greets, Fast and Furious food, Jaws-themed treats, and Wicked photo opportunities. • Jim and Eric speculate that all the Fast and Furious activity at Universal Hollywood may point to Hollywood Drift getting closer to opening. FEATURE • Jim walks through the major fires that have hit Universal Studios Hollywood, from brush fires in the 1930s and 1940s to suspected arson on the lower lot. • The episode revisits the devastating 1990 fire that destroyed portions of New York Street, Courthouse Square, classic cars, and parts of the tram tour. • Jim explains how the 2008 backlot fire destroyed the King Kong Encounter and led to King Kong 360 3D becoming part of the Studio Tour. • The conversation also touches on Universal’s repeated rebuilding efforts, its water-pressure problems, and why so much of the backlot is more recreation than original movie history. HOSTS • Jim Hill - X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia, Instagram: @JimHillMedia, Website: jimhillmedia.com • Eric Hersey - X/Twitter: @erichersey, Instagram: @erichersey, Website: strongmindedagency.com 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 Planning a trip to Universal Orlando or Walt Disney World? Epic Universal listeners can save up to 12% on theme park tickets and now purchase ExpressPass through UnlockedMagic.com. 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

Transcript

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0:29.5	for more welcome back to the epic universal podcast i am entertainment writer jim hill and this is the podcast
0:36.6	where we cover the latest universal news, rumors, and history.
0:41.0	And as always, I'm joined by Eric Hersey, who tonight is phoning in from an undisclosed location.
0:49.5	Where are you now?
0:50.6	I think it's like a fair field in, to be quite honest, here in Charleston, West Virginia.
0:54.6	Yeah, so business has called, and they said that I need to be in Charleston for a week,
0:59.1	hanging out with a whole bunch of other small business owners.
1:01.6	So we're making this happen, so that way we get this episode out on time.
1:06.2	So thank you, Dave, for getting this edited.
1:08.9	Yeah, as always, you know, we wouldn't get this stuff done without Dave.
1:15.0	Dave is the miracle worker, you know, especially given some of the lack of quality audio I've handed him over the past year or so.
1:23.0	Always amazed he can do decent stuff.
1:25.2	Well, let's see what he can do with my hotel audio today.
1:27.6	There we go.
1:29.1	All right.
1:29.9	So, uh, picking up here, uh, and again, I apologize, folks.
1:35.9	I know you're, this is where we, we share the wicked news.
	...

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