From Boo Buckets to Big Macs: Inside Disney’s Golden Era with McDonald’s (Ep. 69)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Tv & Film, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 16 October 2025

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey are joined by former Disney Imagineer Jim Shull to unwrap the fascinating (and sometimes funny) story of Disney’s long-running partnership with McDonald’s. From the birth of the Happy Meal to fry carts in Frontierland, this episode explores how two of the world’s biggest brands became the ultimate marketing duo - and what really ended their 10-year deal. The surprising Star Trek connection that inspired Disney’s early talks with McDonald’s How Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg turned burgers and fries into box office gold The untold story of the McDonald’s-themed Splash Mountain that almost happened Why the partnership ended amid public pressure over kids’ meals and health The legacy of Disney Happy Meal toys—and how the relationship quietly returned today Whether you remember Boo Buckets, fry carts, or those elusive Happy Meal collectibles, this supersized episode proves that food and nostalgia are a marketing match made in Disney heaven. 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	Imagine a delicious patty nestled between two buns with cheese and ketchup.
0:04.7	It's not a burger.
0:05.6	That patty is actually sausage, which makes this a sandwich.
0:08.6	A breakfast sausage sandwich, the new 199 sausage sandwich from McDonald's.
0:12.8	Made with RSPCA, short pork.
0:15.6	Until 11am.
0:16.6	Price and participation may vary.
0:17.8	Up charges and fees apply to delivery.
0:19.2	Subjects of availability.
0:20.1	Welcome back to I Want That Too, the podcast where Disney merch meets Disney history. I'm
0:26.1	entertainment writer Jim Hill and as always I'm joined by the lovely Lauren Hersey and we've just
0:32.5	kibbissing before we got the show started recording here today folks Lauren, you got to do something really cool last night.
0:39.0	You got to see the, what is it?
0:40.8	Is it the national tour of Six that came to town?
0:44.7	Yeah.
0:45.7	So Six, the music, I saw it in Pittsburgh at the Benadum.
0:50.1	And they're here from October 7th through the weekend.
0:56.3	So you would assume that it's a very popular show to get that many dates.
1:01.8	But it was something.
1:04.1	Are you familiar with that show?
1:05.8	Yeah.
1:06.1	I was mentioning as we were chatting a bit about it.
	...

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