Universal Wants to Be Your Week-Long Vacation (Ep. 92)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Tv & Film, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 27 February 2026

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey unpack Universal’s latest ticketing survey, the studio’s continued confidence in Wicked, and the surprising Epcot-inspired expansion that reshaped Universal Studios Hollywood in the late 1980s. NEWS • Universal tests “Make it a week you’ll never forget” messaging in a new survey, hinting at a major push to reposition Universal Orlando Resort as a full-week destination • Guest perception questions compare park counts at Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World, signaling confidence in the four-park narrative • Wicked crosses $1.2 billion globally across its two films, as NBCUniversal leadership confirms interest in expanding the Oz universe • Universal Studios Hollywood named the official theme park partner of the LA 2028 Olympic Games • Jurassic Park and Jurassic World props spotted backstage in Hollywood, fueling speculation about possible additions to Fan Fest • All the Books You Can Read in Seuss Landing quietly closes, raising questions about retail strategy inside Islands of Adventure FEATURE • Why Universal executives studied EPCOT’s World Showcase before expanding the Hollywood upper lot • The creation of “Streets of the World,” a $75 million expansion designed to let guests walk through detailed movie-quality sets • How Parisian cafés, Sherlock Holmes’ 221B Baker Street, and even an Animal House façade briefly brought film environments to life • The surprising ways these sets were actually used in production, including scenes for Beverly Hills, 90210 • How character encounters and celebrity lookalikes helped this area function like a Disney-style themed land • Why much of this expansion eventually gave way to newer attractions like The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Eric Hersey - IG: @erichersey | X: @erichersey | Website: strongmindedagency.com FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by Unlocked Magic. Epic Universal listeners can take advantage of a limited-time ticket offer: get seven days in the parks for the price of five at Universal Orlando Resort. Visit UnlockedMagic.com to secure this special offer and start planning your next Universal vacation. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to the Epic Universal podcast. I'm entertainment writer Jim Hill, and this is the podcast where we cover the latest universal news, rumors, and history. And as always, I'm joined by Eric Hersey, who you came through the snowstorm this past week. Okay, right?
0:19.3	Well, I was more worried about you, Jim.
0:21.0	We might only got a couple inches.
0:22.4	It kind of came out of nowhere.
0:23.7	We had a 60-degree day on Friday, and then, of course, we get snow, I think, on Sunday. So, you know, this is when colds all start happening. But tis the season. How about you, Jim? Well, up here, I mean, that's the thing. I feel kind of bad because I have friends and family down in Massachusetts,
0:39.0	and they were posting these pictures of... That's the thing. I feel kind of bad because I have friends and family down in Massachusetts,
0:39.0	and they were posting these pictures of 18 inches of snow and 24-inch drifts.
0:47.7	And, you know, Nancy and I got maybe 8 inches.
0:51.7	But as I was telling, Eric, as we were pre-gaming on this week's show,
0:55.8	we did have this flock of turkeys that decided to ride out the storm at our house. And
1:01.8	when I got up this morning, they were basically all on the deck. And I'm talking like 30 or 40
1:08.8	turkeys. And, you know, they were looking in the window like fat man, get out here with the bird seed.
1:14.3	Jim, that could have been a lot of thanksgivings. You know, like, I mean, I'm pretty sure you can put turkeys in the freezer and they're good for a long period of time. I was more content.
1:21.9	There were 40 of them, all right?
1:23.7	Just sort of like my odds of taking one down as versus then.
1:27.9	You know, I mean, if you've ever looked at a full-sized turkey, they're basically a raptor, you know, I mean, you know, big claws and, eh, anyway. No, I don't know if I'd want to mess with them either. I'd probably stayed in the house and kept my distance. So smart on you.
1:44.3	You made it here today. So you obviously didn't pick a fight with the turkeys. I did not. I did not.
1:48.7	But speaking of turkeys, and what's interesting is that I'm just fascinated by people's
1:54.2	attitudes toward wicked for good now, you know, because what? No Oscar nominations.
2:02.1	People are talking about how it's this disappointment somehow,
2:05.7	and it's like, Eric, it's, to date it's made $528 million worldwide.
2:11.9	The franchise itself, the two films, has made, what is it,
	...

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