Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
The ExtraTERRORestrial Files — Part 2
Jim Hill delves into the troubling story behind the creation of that controversial Tomorrowland attraction, “The ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter.”

OUR STORY SO FAR:
1984 was a dark time for the Disney empire.
Teens reportedly felt that all the rides and shows found at the Mouse’s theme parks were lame, preferring the edgier entertainment to be found at Universal Studios and Six Flags Magic Mountain. That’s why newly arrived CEO Michael Eisner ordered the Imagineers to come with concepts for attractions that would quickly broaden Disney’s appeal to the younger generation.
Buoyed by the success of “Star Tours,” WDI decided to design a ride around another highly successful 20th Century Fox science fiction film series. This time around, however, the Imagineers hoped to build an interactive attraction that featured the vicious, acid-drooling monsters from the “Alien” movies.
Naturally, several senior members of Imagineering management freaked out when they learned about this proposed Tomorrowland attraction. Arguing that an attraction this scary and intense really didn’t belong in a Disney theme park, they successfully got the project shut down. Or so they thought.
Little did these older Imagineers realize that several young turks at WDI were secretly scheming to bring the “Alien” based show idea back from the dead. In fact, the version of the show that these guys wanted to go forward with made the first incarnation of the “Alien” attraction look tame by comparison …
The Imagineers had decided to go for broke.
This being WDI’s first real attempt at a horror-based attraction, the “Alien Encounter” project team didn’t want to just frighten their audience. They wanted to break through the fourth wall and really assault the guest’s senses. That’s why they decided to push the envelope when it came to the proposed show’s use of in-theater effects.
Picture this: The audience sit in the darkened “Mission to Mars” theater. They’ve told that the monster from the “Alien” movies is loose in the building. They can hear the creature creeping up behind them. They can feel its drool dribbling onto their clothes. And as the monster’s tongue begins flicking through the hair on the back on their head … AIEEE!
All these atmospheric elements that WDI wanted to use to make “Alien Encounter” a sensory break-through show may sound cutting edge and expensive. In truth, they were all low-tech effects that were incredibly easy to do. The sensation that the monster is right behind the audience member, breathing down their neck? Simple. That’s just warm, moist air being blown through a hole in the guest’s headrest — synchronized to raspy breathing sounds on the show’s soundtrack. That dribble of monster drool? That’s less that a teaspoon of warm water — dripped from a precisely positioned pipe, hidden high in the ceiling of the theater. The monster’s tongue, flicking through the guest’s hair? That’s a single strand of plastic coated wire, that quickly pokes out of the headrest and lightly brushes the guest’s hair. All ingenious illusions, it’s true. But — more to the point — they were in-theater effects that could be produced on a bargain basement budget.
Keeping the installation costs down of their proposed new Tomorrowland show was one of the “Alien Encounter” team’s main goals. With the hopes of impressing Eisner with their ingenuity, these Imagineers deliberately designed “Alien Encounter” so that it could be staged in the pre-existing “Mission to Mars” theaters with minimal structural changes to the show building. If all went according to plan, Disney could get a brand new cutting edge attraction at cut-rate prices. Best of all, WDI would finally give Eisner what he’d been begging for all these years: a Disney theme park attraction that had some real teen appeal.
On paper, it looked like this idea couldn’t miss. By combining all these in-theater effects and the “Alien” movie series mythology, Imagineering wouldn’t just be creating a thrilling new show for the “Mission to Mars” theater. They would be moving the Disney theme park experience to a whole new level. This time around, guests wouldn’t just passively sit, watching a show. They’d feel like they were right in the middle of the action.
When Eisner heard the pitch for “Alien Encounter,” he loved the idea. He immediately saw the show as a franchise, an attraction that the Disney Company could install at each of its theme parks worldwide. He quickly okayed development of the project, with the hope that “Alien Encounter” would be ready in time to serve as the centerpiece of Disneyland and WDW’s long overdue Tomorrowland overhauls which were tentatively scheduled to get underway in the early 1990s.
The young Imagineers immediately threw themselves into their work. They quickly created a prototype chair for the “Alien Encounter” attraction that featured hidden speakers in its headrest. VIPs touring WDI during this period were often treated to a demonstration of Disney’s 3D sound system. They vividly recall being strapped into the chair — with the “Alien Encounter” test soundtrack playing through the speakers — squirming helplessly as a monster snuck up behind them.
The demo version of “Alien Encounter” proved to be a hit with WDI visitors. Even so, those same senior Imagineers who had earlier shut down the “Nostromo” project began whispering in Eisner’s ear about their concerns for the new “Alien” project. They still worried that a show built around a creature as frightening as 20th Century Fox’s “Alien” monster didn’t belong in a Disney theme park.
In response, the “Alien Encounter” team insisted that their proposed attraction had to be built around 20th Century Fox’s monster. Their argument was simple: by using a character that most theme park visitors were already familiar with, the Imagineers didn’t have to waste precious showtime on needless exposition. In-park surveys showed that the average Disneyland guest already knew who the “Alien” monster was. Upwards of 80% of those polled had seen one or more of the films in the series.
This — the Imagineers argued — was the added bonus of using the monster from the “Alien” film series for their proposed attraction. Guests who’d seen the “Alien” movies and liked them would rush to see an attraction based on the series. Those Disney theme park visitors who hadn’t cared for the movies would just steer clear of the new show. It was a win-win situation.
Having listened to both arguments, Eisner sided with the “Alien Encounter” team. Recalling the boffo business Disneyland did when “Star Tours” opened, he reasoned that another attraction based on a popular sci-fi film series could have a similar impact on attendance. Besides, having a direct tie-in to 20th Century Fox’s movies would make “Alien Encounter” that much easier to promote. It seemed like the logical choice to Eisner.
This news appalled the senior Imagineering staff. They were horrified at the thought of the “Alien” movie monster starring in a Disney theme park attraction. Since Eisner hadn’t heeded their counsel, these Imagineers decided to appeal to a higher authority: George Lucas.
At the time, Lucas was working closely with Walt Disney Imagineering. He was helping WDI finalize plans for the “Indiana Jones Adventure,” a ground-breaking new attraction that the Imagineers hoped to install at Disneyland’s Adventureland in the mid-1990s. Given Lucas’s extensive experience with special effects and sound effects, he and his staff at ILM were also doing some consulting on the “Alien Encounter” project.
Who actually spoke with George and what was said … no one today is willing to say. Why for? Well, relations between Lucasfilm and Disney are at an all-time low right now (that’s why “Star Tours” still hasn’t gotten its new ride film — the one inspired by the pod race sequence from “Phantom Menace” — yet) and no one at WDI wants to be the guy that says something that makes George even madder.
What is known is that these senior Imagineers discreetly approached Lucas and voiced their concerns about “Alien Encounter” being too intense for small children. George allegedly listened politely, then agreed that 20th Century Fox’s movie monster probably didn’t belong in a Disney theme park. Lucas promised to talk to Eisner about the proposed attraction, and then …
A few days later, Eisner called a meeting with the “Alien Encounter” production team. He announced that he’d had a change of heart and no longer believed the show should be built around 20th Century Fox’s movie monster. Eisner went on to say that he felt that the “Alien” monster was just too scary to serve as the central character of a Disney theme park attraction. He then said — while he appreciated all the hard work the Imagineers had put into the Fox monster version of the show — he was certain that WDI could come up with a monster of its own that would be just as good. One not quite as frightening as the first monster was, mind you, but something that would still work within the confines of the show.
Oh … and one other thing Eisner mentioned: George Lucas would now be acting as an unofficial producer on the “Alien Encounter” project.
While the senior Imagineers were secretly thrilled with this news, the “Alien Encounter” team was aghast. Rework the show so that it no longer featured the movie monster? Was that possible? Would “Alien Encounter” still work under these conditions? And why was Lucas suddenly riding herd on the project?
It was at this precise moment that many folks at WDI believe that “Alien Encounter” went off track. By not making use of 20th Century Fox’s well known monster, the show suddenly lost its hook. Without having the easily recognizable “Alien” creature driving the action of the show, the attraction’s storyline became harder for the average theme park guest to follow. The Imagineers would now have to make sure that the audience understood exactly what their new monster was capable of doing before they turned off the lights. Otherwise, the guests would just sit there in the dark, having no idea what was going on around them.
Since the initial concept for the “Alien Encounter” show had now been creatively compromised, many at WDI felt that Imagineering should have pulled the plug on the project. But Eisner was still so enthusiastic about the idea of Disney doing a “monster-in-the-dark” show. He seemed downright eager to give the Imagineers all the money they needed to develop all those special in-theater effects. And WDI did want to keep the boss happy.
So the Imagineers reluctantly began to revamp “Alien Encounter.” But — before they started on a new version for the show — one of the first things they did was called Disney’s publicity department. The Imagineers then asked the PR people to return all “Alien Encounter” pre-production art they had been given to help promote the proposed attraction. The reason the Imagineers did this? All that artwork was from the original version of “Alien Encounter,” which prominently featured 20th Century Fox’s movie monster.
Disney’s PR department ignored WDI’s request. In fact, they continued to use that “Alien Encounter” pre-production artwork — which clearly showed 20th Century Fox’s monster bursting out of the tube at the center of the proposed attraction — to promote the show for the next two years.
The Imagineers then turned their attention to producing a new script for “Alien Encounter.” For months, they labored — trying to come up a new plot line that audiences could grasp quickly. Finally, they settled on the ‘XS Tech’ scenario — where a sinister alien corporation tries to sell teleportation equipment to the people of Earth … when something goes horribly wrong! Admittedly, this version wasn’t nearly as much fun as the original 20th Century Fox’s “Alien” based story. But the Imagineers hoped that the show’s innovative use of in-theater effects would still put “Alien Encounter” across to the Disney theme park audience.
Eisner — who reportedly really enjoyed the jabs at greedy corporations the Imagineers slipped into this version of the script — okayed the ‘XS Tech’ scenario. Lucas also gave his approval of the new storyline. So WDI threw together a production team and gave the project a preliminary budget. With that, work on ‘Alien Encounter’ officially got underway in the fall of 1992.
Given the multi-media aspect of the show, lots of individual pieces had to be put together before Imagineering knew if “Alien Encounter” was actually going to work. Academy Award nominee Jeffery Jones, comic Kevin Pollak and TV favorite Kathy Najimy were hired to play XS Tech employees for the film vignettes to be featured in the attraction. Elaborate foley sessions were staged to record the numerous 3D sound effects used in the show. AA figures for the pre-show, as well as the two “Mission to Mars” theaters, were built at WDI’s Tujunga facility.
As work continued on “Alien Encounter,” Imagineers assigned to the project kept wondering when George Lucas was going to get actively involved with the show. During the development of “Star Tours” and the “Indiana Jones Adventure,” Lucas had played a very active part in the creative process on these attractions. But on “Alien Encounter,” Lucas offered very little input. After attending a few initial story meetings, he pretty much left the Imagineers working on the show alone. For all intents and purposes, George was the absentee landlord of this attraction, its producer in name only.
Now, it’s crucial to understand that — while “Alien Encounter” was actually in production — the Imagineering division of the Walt Disney Company was going through one of the worst periods in its corporate history. Euro Disneyland has just opened and was hemorrhaging money. The Westcot and Port Disney projects had stalled. And Disney management was putting tremendous pressure on the division to cut staff and contain costs.
So WDI was hit by wave after wave of layoffs, which left the remaining staff depressed and demoralized. Then Imagineering management — in a further attempt to keep costs down — decided to cut back on in-house testing on work-in-progress attractions.
This last bit of news terrified the “Alien Encounter” production team. WDI had never put together a theme park attraction that was as complicated as “AE” was. For this show to succeed, video clips, binaural sound, in-theater physical effects, and audio animatronic figures would all have to work in perfect synchronization. Without that split second blending of multimedia technology, “Alien Encounter” would be a hopelessly jumbled mess.
To avoid this sort of disaster, the Imagineers needed as much time as possible to run tests on the “Alien” attraction at WDI headquarters in Glendale, CA. At least there — if they ran into problems — the “Alien Encounter” team would have other talented Imagineers right on hand to help them quickly debug the attraction.
WDI management wouldn’t hear of it. They insisted that — after the physical pieces of “Alien Encounter” were completed — they were to be immediately shipped out to the field for installation. After the equipment was loaded into the “Mission to Mars” show building, then the “Alien Encounter” team could make all necessary adjustments to make the show succeed.
The “Alien Encounter” team begged for more time, but WDI management turned a deaf ear to their pleading. They couldn’t be bothered with the production staff’s complaints that their show wasn’t getting enough advance in-house testing. The heads of Imagineering were far more concerned with determining which Disney theme park would get the “Alien Encounter” attraction first.
Television & Shows
The Untold Story of Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios: How Daytime TV Took Over the Parks

A long time ago in a galaxy that … Well, to be honest, wasn’t all that far away. This was down in Florida after all. But if you traveled to the WDW Resort, you could then experience “Star Wars Weekends.” Which ran seasonally at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney World from 1997 to 2015.
Mind you, what most folks don’t remember is the annual event that effectively plowed the road for “Star Wars Weekends.” Which was “Super Soap Weekend.” That seasonal offering — which allowed ABC soap fans to get up-close with their favorite performers from “All My Children,” “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live” and “Port Charles” — debuted at that same theme park the year previous (1996).
So how did this weekend-long celebration of daytime drama (which drew tens of thousands of people to Orlando every Fall for 15 years straight) come to be?
Michael Eisner’s Daytime TV Origins and a Theme Park Vision
Super Soap Weekend was the brainchild of then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner. His career in media began with short stints at NBC and CBS, but it truly took off in 1964 when he joined ABC as the assistant to Leonard Goldberg, who was the network’s national programming director at the time.
Eisner quickly advanced through the ranks. By 1971, he had become Vice President of Daytime Programming at ABC. That meant he was on the scene when One Life to Live joined the lineup in July 1968 and when All My Children made its debut in January 1970. Even after being promoted to Senior Vice President of Prime Time Programming in 1976, Eisner stayed close to the daytime division and often recruited standout soap talent for ABC’s primetime shows.
Fast forward nearly two decades to July 31, 1995. The Walt Disney Company announced that it would acquire ABC/Cap Cities in a $19 billion deal. Although the acquisition wasn’t finalized until February 1996, Eisner was already thinking ahead. He wanted to use the stars of All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital to draw people to Disney’s theme parks.
He had seen how individual soap stars were drawing huge mall crowds across America since the late 1970s. Now he wanted to bring dozens of them together for something much bigger.

Super Soap Weekend Takes Over Disney-MGM Studios
The very first Super Soap Weekend was announced in June 1996, just a few months after the ABC deal closed. The event was scheduled for October 19 and 20 at Disney-MGM Studios and was a massive success.
The weekend featured panel discussions, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities with the stars of ABC’s daytime dramas. Thousands of fans packed the park for the chance to meet their favorite actors. Due to the overwhelming response, the event became an annual tradition and was eventually moved to Veterans Day weekend each November to better accommodate attendees.
Longtime fans like Nancy Stadler, her mom Mary, and their close friend Angela Ragno returned year after year, making the event a personal tradition and building lifelong memories.




West Coast Events and the ABC Soap Opera Bistro
Disney even tried to recreate the event out west. Two Super Soap Weekends were held at Disneyland Resort, one in April 2002 and another in June 2003.
At Disney’s California Adventure, Eisner also introduced the ABC Soap Opera Bistro, a themed dining experience that opened in February 2001. Guests could dine inside recreated sets from shows like General Hospital and All My Children, including Kelly’s Diner and the Chandler Mansion. The Bistro closed in November 2002, but for fans, it offered a rare opportunity to step into the world of their favorite soaps.
SOAPnet, Port Charles, and the Expansion of Daytime TV at Disney
Eisner’s enthusiasm for soaps extended beyond the parks. In January 2000, he launched SOAPnet, a cable channel dedicated to prime time replays of ABC’s daytime dramas.
During his time at Disney, General Hospital also received a spin-off series titled Port Charles, which aired from June 1997 to October 2003. The show leaned into supernatural plotlines and was another example of Eisner’s commitment to evolving and expanding the soap genre.
The Final Curtain for Super Soap Weekend
In September 2005, Eisner stepped down after 21 years as head of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Iger, who had previously served as President of ABC and Chief Operating Officer of ABC/Cap Cities, took over as CEO. While Iger had deep ABC credentials, he didn’t share Eisner’s passion for daytime television.
In the fall of 2008, Disney hosted the final Super Soap Weekend at what was then still called Disney-MGM Studios. That same year, the park was rebranded as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney began shifting away from television-focused experiences.
Within the next five years, the rest of Eisner’s soap legacy faded. One Life to Live was canceled in January 2012. SOAPnet was rebranded as Disney Junior in February 2013. Later that year, All My Children ended its 41-year run on ABC.
Only General Hospital remains on the network today, the last standing soap from the golden age of ABC Daytime.
A New Chapter for Daytime TV and Super Soap Fans
The soap genre may have faded from its former glory, but it’s not gone. On February 24, 2025, CBS premiered a brand-new daytime drama called Beyond the Gates, marking the first new soap launch in years.
Meanwhile, All My Children alum Kelly Ripa has been actively working on a revival. In September 2024, she mentioned a holiday-themed movie set in Pine Valley that would bring back many original cast members. The project was in development for Lifetime, though its current status is unclear.
And what about Super Soap? Fans like Nancy and Angela still hope Disney will bring it back. Even if it only featured the cast of General Hospital, it would be a welcome return for longtime viewers who miss that one weekend a year where the magic of Disney collided with the drama of daytime TV.
If you want to hear firsthand what it was like to be part of Super Soap Weekend, be sure to listen to our I Want That Too podcast interview with actor Colin Egglesfield. He shares behind-the-scenes memories from his days as Josh Madden on All My Children and what it meant to be part of one of the most unique fan events in Disney park history.
History
The Super Bowl & Disney: The Untold Story Behind ‘I’m Going to Disneyland!’

One of the highlights of the Super Bowl isn’t just the game itself—it’s the moment when the winning quarterback turns to the camera and exclaims, “I’m going to Disney World!” This now-iconic phrase has been a staple of post-game celebrations for decades. But where did this tradition begin? Surprisingly, it didn’t originate in a stadium but at a dinner table in 1987, in a conversation involving Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and aviation pioneers Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager.

The Unlikely Beginning of a Marketing Sensation
To understand the origins of this campaign, we have to go back to December 1986, when the Rutan Voyager became the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. Pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the nine-day journey on December 23, 1986, flying over 26,000 miles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Their historic achievement earned them national recognition, and just days later, President Ronald Reagan awarded them the Presidential Citizen Medal at the White House.
Meanwhile, Disney was gearing up for the grand opening of Star Tours at Disneyland, set for January 12, 1987. Following its usual playbook of associating major theme park attractions with real-world pioneers, Disney’s PR team invited astronauts Gordon Cooper and Deke Slayton to the launch event. But in a twist, they also invited Rutan and Yeager, who were still making headlines.

A Dinner Conversation That Changed Advertising Forever
After the Star Tours opening ceremony, a private dinner was held with Disney CEO Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and Eisner’s wife, Jane. During the meal, Eisner asked Rutan and Yeager, “You just made history. You traveled non-stop around the planet on a plane without ever refueling. How are you ever going to top that, career-wise? What are you two gonna do next?”
Without hesitation, Jeana Yeager replied, “Well, after being cramped inside that tiny plane for nine days, I’m just glad to be anywhere else. And even though you folks were nice enough to fly us here, invite us to your party… Well, as soon as we finish eating, I’m gonna go over to the Park and ride some rides. I’m going to Disneyland.”
Jane Eisner immediately recognized the power of Yeager’s statement. On the car ride home, she turned to Michael and said, “That’s a great slogan. I think you should use that to promote the theme parks.” Like many husbands, Michael initially dismissed the idea, but Jane persisted. Eventually, Eisner relented and pitched it to his team.
The Super Bowl Connection
With Super Bowl XXI just around the corner, Disney’s PR team saw an opportunity. The game was set for January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena—just miles from Disney Studios. What if they convinced the winning quarterback to say, “I’m going to Disneyland” live on-air?
Disney quickly struck a deal with both quarterbacks—Phil Simms of the New York Giants and John Elway of the Denver Broncos—offering each $75,000 to deliver the line if their team won. Simms led the Giants to victory, making history as the first athlete to say, “I’m going to Disney World!” on national television.
A Marketing Triumph
That year’s Super Bowl had the second-highest viewership in television history, with 87 million people watching Simms say the famous line. The next day, Disney turned the clip into a national commercial, cementing the phrase as a marketing goldmine.
Since then, “I’m going to Disneyland” (or Disney World, depending on the commercial) has been a staple of championship celebrations, spanning the NFL, NBA, and even the Olympics. What started as a casual remark at dinner became one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history.
A Lasting Legacy
Jane Eisner’s keen instinct and Disney’s ability to act quickly on a great idea created a tradition that continues to captivate audiences. The “I’m going to Disneyland” campaign remains a testament to the power of spontaneous inspiration and smart marketing, proving that sometimes, the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.
To learn more about Disney’s ties to the world of sports, check out I Want That Too: A Disney History and Consumer Product Podcast.
Television & Shows
How the Creators of South Park Tricked A-List Celebrities to Roast Universal – “Your Studio & You”

Universal Studios has a rich and storied history, but few moments are as peculiar—and as hilariously cutting—as the creation of Your Studio & You. This 14-minute parody film, commissioned in 1995 to celebrate Universal’s new ownership under Seagram’s, brings together an all-star cast, biting humor, and the unmistakable comedic fingerprints of Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
Long before South Park debuted on Comedy Central in 1997, Stone and Parker were already carving out a reputation for their irreverent style, and Your Studio & You perfectly encapsulates their knack for turning even the most corporate project into something delightfully subversive.
Matt Stone & Trey Parker Before South Park
Stone & Parker were already known out in Hollywood as funny guys. Thanks largely to “The Spirit of Christmas,” which was this video greeting card that they’d crafted for a Fox executive – who then distributed this infamously funny thing (which had Our Lord Jesus Christ & Santa Claus literally duking it out for the holiday affections of Cartman, Kenny, Stan & Kyle) to friends & family.
This was the early 1990s. No internet. Each copy of “The Spirit of Christmas” was made on VHS tape and then mailed. Went viral the old-fashioned way. It’s rumored that George Clooney made over 300 copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” and passed these VHS taps along to friends and family.
Things didn’t move as fast as they do today. “The Spirit of Christmas” still became a sensation out West.
Zucker Brothers
Matt & Trey also had other supporters in the entertainment industry. Among them David Zucker, who was one of the members of ZAZ (i.e., Zucker Abrahams Zucker), the talented trio that made “Airplane!” in 1980, “Top Secret!” in 1984 and the three “Naked Gun” movies.
- The original “Naked Gun” in 1988
- “Naked Gun 2 & 1/2 : The Smell of Fear” in 1991
- and “Naked Gun 33 & a 1/3: The Final Insult” in 1994
All five of these parody films had been made for Paramount Pictures. But in the Late Winter / Early Spring of 1995, Universal had persuaded the Zucker Brothers to come over and set up shop in a bungalow on their lower lot. With the hope that – at some point further on down the line – David & his brother Jerry would start making funny films for Universal.

And it’s during this same window of time (We’re now talking April of 1995) that news breaks that Seagrams (Yep, the adult beverage company. Who – at the time – was making an absolute fortune on the sales of wine coolers) was about to buy a majority stake in MCAUniversal. We’re talking control of 80% of that company’s stock. Which would effectively make Seagrams the new owners of Universal Studios.
Edgar Bronfman
And Edgar Bronfman – the owner of Seagrams – knew that Universal had had a tough time with its previous owners – which had been the Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. of Japan. Matsushita had bought MCA back in November of 1990 for $7.5 billion but had never really understood the entertainment industry.
This is why – after repeatedly butting heads with Lew Wasserman & Sidney Sheinberg (i.e., the heads of Universal Studios & the Universal theme park respectively) when it came to creative control of this company – Matsushita decided to wash it hands of the entire enterprise. Agreeing to sell their holdings in MCA to Seagrams for $5.7 billion (effectively taking a nearly $2 billion loss on this investment).

And Bronfman … He knew that some bad feeling had developed between Hollywood’s creative community and the Japanese owners of Universal. The thinking was that executives at Matsushita Electric had just not gotten what it took to make movies & TV shows.
And Edgar? Right from the get-go, he wanted to show that Seagrams was NOT going to be Matsushita Electric Redux. Bronfman was looking for a way to send a clear message to Hollywood’s creative community that Universal’s new owners got it. That they were willing to work with Hollywood to make the best possible movies & TV shows at Universal.
And how did Edgar decide to get this message across? By making a funny movie.
Zucker Commissions Trey Parker for “Your Studio & You”
Mind you, Bronfman himself didn’t make this film. The owner of Seagrams reached out to David Zucker. Who – after initially agreeing to produce this introduction-to-Universal film – then farmed out the production of the actual project to Trey Parker. Who – just two days before shooting was supposed to star on the Universal Lot – persuaded Matt Stone to come help him on this project.
Which brings us to “Your Studio and You.” Which is a parody of an educational film from the 1950s, right down to being shot in black & white and featuring a very generic soundtrack.
Now what’s amazing about watching “Your Studio and You” today is that this 14-minute-long film features some of the biggest names working in Hollywood back in the mid-1990s. We’re talking about people like recent Golden Globe winner Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Michael J. Fox and Angela Lansbury. Not to mention two of the most powerful men in all of Hollywood, Steven Spielberg & Jeffrey Katzenberg.
And what’s especially interesting about watch “Your Studio and You” is that – as you watch these performers go through their paces in this motion pictures (which – most of the time – involves doing some innocuous task while holding a Seagram’s wine cooler) – you often get the feeling that this star is not in on the gag.
So how did Matt & Trey get away with this? Simple. There was never actually a script for “Your Studio and You.”
Filming “Your Studio & You” at Universal Studios Hollywood
Mind you, David Zucker would always insist that there was. Especially when he’d phone up celebrities on the Universal Lot and say “Hey, I’m sending over a couple of college kids later today. They’re working with me on a new parody film. It’s something that we’re doing for the new owners of Universal. I need just a half hour of your time. We’re shooting something special for the party we’ll be holding when the Seagrams people first arrive at the Studio. Absolutely. You’ll definitely get an invite to that party. So can I count on you to help these kids out? Beautiful. They’ll be over there later this morning.”
And then Matt & Trey would show up and say “… Dang, Miss Lansbury. We’re sorry. We must have left our copy of the ‘Your Studio and You’ script back in our office. Which is clear on the other side of the Lot. So – rather than waste your time – why don’t we do this instead? Follow us over to the Psycho House. Where we’re then going to get footage of you painting the front porch on Mother Bates’ house while you say ‘Gosh, with all of the wonderful improvements going on around here, everyone is going to want to work at Universal.’ Oh, and can we also get you to wear this button on the front of your blazer which reads ‘Universal is A-OK’ ? “

And over & over again, the biggest names who were working for Universal at that time took part in the production of “Your Studio & You” because A) David Zucker vouched for Matt Stone & Trey Parker and B) this was something that was being made for the new owners of Universal. And it’s just natural to want to get in good with the new boss.
Steven Spielberg, Jeffery Katzenberg, and Jaws
But no one at Universal anticipated that “Your Studio & You” would wind up being as sharp edged as the finished product turned out to be. I mean, it’s one thing to bite the hand that feeds you. But “Your Studio & You” ? It doesn’t just bite the hand. It takes the hand off at the wrist.
It’s a brutally funny film. With one of the meanest moments reserved for Steven Spielberg, who plays a driver on the Universal Studio Tour who’s trying to persuade a tram full of bored tourists (one of whom is played by Jeffery Katzenberg) that the “Shark Attack” scene down by Jaws Lagoon is actually exciting.
Spielberg actually says lines like “ … Whoa, whoa. What is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen, this never happens. Look out! It’s a shark! Whoa, that is one big scary shark.”

Mind you, as footage of this mechanical shark repeatedly coming up out of the water is shown, “Your Studio & You” ‘s off-screen narrator (who is voiced by Trey Parker says):
“But what about tomorrow? If we don’t keep in step with the times, things that were once neat and thrilling can become old and stupid.”
“Your Studio & You” Reception
This film was supposed to be shown only once at the welcoming party for Seagrams executive on the Universal Lot. And I’m told that – when Edgar Bronfman saw the finished product at that party – he reportedly turned to David Zucker and said “ … That’s a little more mean-spirited that I think it needed to be.”
And with that, “Your Studio & You” was supposed to go back into the Universal vault, never to be seen again. But when “South Park” debuted on Comedy Central in August of 1997 and then became a sensation for its biting humor, there was suddenly a lot of interest in what else Matt & Trey had done. Which is why copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” began to circulate. And – over time – copies of “Your Studio & You” began to bubble up.
Which – as Stone & Parker have repeatedly pointed out – was just not supposed to happen. Largely because none of the celebrities who appeared in “Your Studio & You” had never signed releases for Universal’s legal department. Because – again – this was for a movie that was only going to be shown once at a private function on the Universal Lot.
Matt mentioned (as part of a career retrospective at the Paley Center in LA back in 2000) that “ … they wouldn’t even let us keep a copy of the finished film.”
It’s a funny but brutal movie. And worth taking a look at today especially if you’re a theme park history buff because it shows Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Jurassic Park: The Ride” still under construction on the Lower Lot. That attraction would finally open to the public in June of 1996.
“Your Studio & You” became a lot easier to see after Seagrams sold off its share of Universal to Vivendi in 2000. Copies began propagating online after that. Though Universal Legal will periodically make an effort to get the latest copy of “Your Studio & You” taken off the Internet because – again – none of the performers who appear on camera ever signed the proper releases and/or were paid for their efforts.
That said, if you’re up for a mean-spirited laugh, “Your Studio & You” is well worth 14 minutes of your time. That said, once you watch this thing, be warned:
- You’re immediately going to be thirsty for a Seagram’s wine cooler
- And you’re going to have a sudden desire to go out & buy a porcelain deer.
-
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment7 months ago
Disney’s Forgotten Halloween Event: The Original Little Monsters on Main Street
-
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment8 months ago
The Story of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: From One Night to a Halloween Family Tradition
-
Film & Movies8 months ago
How “An American Tail” Led to Disney’s “Hocus Pocus”
-
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment6 months ago
Disney and Macy’s 90-Year Thanksgiving Day Parade Partnership: From Mickey’s First Balloon to Minnie’s Big Debut
-
Television & Shows4 months ago
How the Creators of South Park Tricked A-List Celebrities to Roast Universal – “Your Studio & You”
-
History3 months ago
The Super Bowl & Disney: The Untold Story Behind ‘I’m Going to Disneyland!’
-
Podcast4 weeks ago
Epic Universal Podcast – Aztec Dancers, Mariachis, Tequila, and Ceremonial Sacrifices?! (Ep. 45)
-
Television & Shows7 days ago
The Untold Story of Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios: How Daytime TV Took Over the Parks