Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Ruminations

Crab cakes and baseball… and that was only the beginning! It was one heck of a week in the East and Roger’s got the tales to tell. So, settle in. It’s a long and interesting week to report on.

Published

21 years ago

April 15, 2004

Roger Colton

Ok boys and girls… It’s baseball season, officially! Started Sunday, April 4th in Baltimore at Oriole Park at Camden Yards with the Red Sox in town to take their chances with the Orioles…

So, let’s start with a little baseball humor — heck, the king of all baseball humor!

And would you believe it? Team jerseys to go along with this! I’m torn between “Who” and “I Don’t Give A Darn!” They even have hats to match, too!

This trip to Baltimore was all Ken Mitchroney’s fault. (And all of these pictures are his, too!) So, credit where credit is due. And despite fun with airlines and weather, it truly was worth every moment spent there.

You see… there is this baseball team with a certain bird as their mascot. Going back to days when he lived in Florida, Kenny fell for the Orioles. There were his team. So much so, that when he got into cartooning, he managed to get some of his drawings into the team offices and found himself doing art, specifically that bird. Most recognizable is the Fun Bird he designed for the Junior Orioles Dugout Club.

So, when in the middle of February, he asked me if I would like to join him for opening day, well… It was an offer I could not refuse. Ken has also done work for the Oakland Athletics drawing their mascot elephant, Stomper. Now I knew that good things seem to happen because of those drawings. Investigating airfares, the best deal I could find with nonstop flights, coming and going, was Southwest from San Jose to Baltimore. I considered several other options (specifically Jet Blue) but they only had flights into Dulles in Washington. Gave up my hard earned cash and had the plans all set to go.

The weeks passed and we both looked forward to the trip. Then things changed a bit as Kenny took on a new position that demanded a change of scenery. Irving, Texas to be precise. So he came home to get a few essentials like his wife, Beth, their cats, assorted household items and the big screen TV. A final clean up of the old homestead (with help from folks like myself) and he was off on the road, bound for the Lone Star State.

That departure was bright and early on the morning of Tuesday, March 30th. His route from the Bay Area to Texas required a detour through Utah for some business along the way, and then he was back off across Highway 70 to Colorado and then on to Irving. They all managed to make it in late Thursday, appropriately arriving on April Fools Day. Then it’s another busy day at work on Friday, complete with the arrival of some seventeen boxes from home. (Thanks, UPS!) So by the time his flight to Baltimore was scheduled to depart for the east, he was really ready to go for some industrial strength relaxation.

Now for me, things were slightly less hectic in the week before. Between medical appointments for myself and the cat (a good cold, complete with sneezing and a runny nose! Yuck, kitty snot…), there was enough to keep us busy. So I found myself up until the early hours of Saturday morning packing for the oh-dark thirty flight out of Norman Minetta International Airport. Thanks to a short shift at work the night before, I was all set to go when flight time rolled around.

Now on a Sunday morning one might think that a flight from San Jose to Baltimore wouldn’t be very crowded. Well, I’m here to tell you that is just plain all wrong! Not only was every seat full, there was a large number children (under ten including a gaggle of newborns) making the flight as well. But the airport had surprises to share. One of the better ones was Max’s Deli. It’s the fast food version of some great restaurants here in the area. Armed with a fine turkey and havarti dill cheese on rye sandwich with great red onions and marinated red and yellow bell peppers, I was ready for anything! (Boy did it smell good, at least to me, every time I opened my carry on bag! Yeah, onions!!!)

The flight was uneventful until we neared Utah. I enjoyed the view from over 35,000 feet as we crossed Nevada. In particular, I spotted the open pit copper mines and towns near Ely along with the remaining portions of the Nevada Northern Railroad. (One of the better… make that the best, preserved railroad facility of the twentieth century at the Museum in East Ely.)

Not long after, our pilot came on the public address system to let us know about turbulence ahead. He wasn’t kidding either! With some of the best ups and downs and side to sides since my last visit to Big Thunder Mountain, it was one heck of a ride across Utah and Colorado. Things didn’t smooth out until we were well east of Denver.

Spring forward, fall back. So I got out all the electronics and made sure they all were time zone adjusted. (The cell phone had to wait until BWI as I was a good boy and kept it turned off like they asked. I noted that some folks didn’t now and then. Talk about your electronic leashes!) The battery on the trusty iBook is good for about two hours on a full charge so I puttered away on this column now and then as long as it lasted. Then the iPod took over and kept me distracted for the rest of the flight.

That sandwich and other snacks came in handy as the flight crew handed out snack packs full of carbs and sugars. While the total flight time was only a little longer than five hours, it seemed to go on forever. The final approach into BWI seemed to last over a half hour from start to touchdown. Passing through a fairly heavy cloud deck, I should have gotten the clue that weather was not going to be my friend that evening.

I expected cooler weather and packed a sweatshirt, long sleeve denim Henley and wore the big heavy jacket. I should have packed gloves, a scarf, hand-warmers and a polar suit. Weather was predicted to be in the forties, and there was the slight possibility of snow flurries as the evening progressed. Taxing to the gate, the pilot told us that and let us know that wind gusts had been up to 45 miles per hour.

Courtesy of the O’s, Kenny was all set at the Sheraton Inn Inner Harbor. After the quick (and price fixed) taxi ride from the airport, I was ready for some exercise. Kenny obliged and took me on the nickel tour of the Inner Harbor. With ESPN covering this opening night game, start time was 8:05 Eastern Daylight Time. So we had a fair amount of time to kill, and a healthy walk was just the way to do it. Using a series of elevated walkways, one can move (easily and quickly) from the hotels in the area to the convention center to the Inner Harbor.

(Cheerleaders! Again. I come thousands of miles… some kind of local competition. Actually, I was spared the worst of it as I managed to be there for the last couple of hours of events at the Baltimore Convention Center. Checking out of the hotel on Thursday afternoon, it was girl’s volleyball teams checking in. I guess I was spared the worst of it all. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t have anything personal against teenage girls. But they do seem to be, well, rude at times, such as when the travel in packs. Kind of like wolves…)

Baltimore is just chock full of things to do besides Orioles baseball. And it seems that we were off to explore a good deal of that in our short walk before the game’s 8:05 p.m. EDT start, courtesy of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball telecast (that was on actually broadcast on ESPN2 thanks to the last gasp of the NCAA basketball finals. (Anyone else find it curious that the ESPN web site is now part of the MSN empire? Microsoft and Disney more closely intertwined than one wants to imagine…)

Along the way on our walk, it became obvious that there was a serious thing about celebrating the 50th year of Orioles baseball in Baltimore. Banners of all kinds (short and tall) hung from various light poles offered images of the Orioles mascot in all of the varieties over those years.

Kenny’s bird (on the right).

The smaller version at Camden Yard with the Bromo Seltzer Tower in the background.
And yes, the tower glows blue (at least at the top) at night.

More on the Bird(s) later… Well, if you’re a nautical kind of guy or gal, then they’ve got you covered here. Let’s start off in the Inner Harbor with the “U.S.S. Constellation”. Launched at the Gosport Navy Yard, in Norfolk, Virginia on August 26, 1854, and commissioned July 28, 1855, the web pages proclaim her as “the only Civil War era vessel still afloat”, and “the last all sail ship built for the U.S. Navy”. That’s a heck of a lot of history… But it doesn’t stop with just this ship!

The Baltimore Maritime Museum is just next door with a few more temptations. The Coast Guard Cutter “Taney” is the “only survivor still afloat of the 101 warships that were present and fought during the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. TANEY was tied up at Pier 6 in Honolulu and was ready to fire within 4 minutes of the attack. It was the last active ship at the battle to be decommissioned (December 7, 1986)”.

The “Torsk” is a Tench class submarine built in 1944. She was a veteran of two patrols and torpedoed the last enemy warships sunk in World War II, as well as serving as part of the blockade fleet during the Cuban Missile crisis.

The lightship “Chesapeake” was once a vital aid to navigation. Today she an integral part of the Museum collection, offering visitors the opportunity to experience that mission as well as her history. As a counterpoint, the Museum also has preserved the 1856 Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse and has it open for visitors.

The city also has the “Pride of Baltimore II” as it’s sailing ambassador. She replaced the first ship of that name (which was tragically lost at sea in a white squall off Puerto Rico in 1986). Both were purpose built in the Inner Harbor as replicas of the 1812-era Baltimore Clippers. This link offers her 2004 itinerary.

Sail Baltimore is the organization that welcomes visiting ships of all kinds to the city. Looking at their 2004 schedule, it’s going to be a busy spring and summer for them — complete with the Fourth of July week Sailibration!

And observant readers may recall a column from last summer on World War II Merchant Marine ships. Yes, Baltimore is also home to the Liberty Ship, “John Brown”. Normally, she’s moored at Pier One on Clinton Street and has a series of interesting cruises set for this year.

Wow! That’s one heck of a lot of maritime heritage activity for one city… And that doesn’t even mention the National Aquarium, the Port Discovery Kid’s Museum, the Maryland Science Center and a whole lot more! Check out the Harbor Pass for all kinds of great deals and discounts with admission to many of these Inner Harbor attractions for a very reasonable price for both adults and children. It’s good for two days, so you can spread out your time and take it all in!

But that’s not all. Would you expect Roger to go anywhere that doesn’t have some kind of rail activity? Of course not!

When I knew I was flying into BWI, I checked the transport alternatives. Kenny suggested a taxi at about twenty bucks from there to the hotel. I knew that Baltimore and the State of Maryland have well invested in rail transit, so I explored all of the possibilities. Light rail (streetcars) does have a route from the airport into and then out of downtown. It even has a big stop right at Camden Yards. And the MARC Train service also has routes from the airport to downtown (to Penn Station), as well as service to and from Camden Yards. (Which came in handy later in the week, but that’s a tale for the next column…)

Amtrak also serves both BWI and Penn Station, but that’s a fair walk to where we were staying. MARC does not offer train service on weekends, so the Sunday afternoon arrival made that a non-option. As attractive as light rail would appear, there is a small obstacle. Seems how the line between the airport and Camden Yards is out of service for a while due to construction to upgrade the line to double track. There is shuttle bus service to take it’s place while this is going on, but a bus ride wasn’t all that attractive. In the end, the taxi won out as the easiest way to and from BWI.

Baltimore is home to one of the nation’s oldest and finest railway museums. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum is located in a former locomotive roundhouse and shop complex on Mount Clare. The Museum has roots dating back to the B&O Railroad’s participation in the 1893 Columbian Exposition with the World’s Rail Way exhibition. To celebrate the centennial of the corporation, it hosted the Fair of the Iron Horse in 1927. From the Museum’s web pages, “This historical pageant, exhibition and trade show took place in Halethorpe, Maryland and attracted over 1.25 million visitors in 3 weeks. The company intended to retain the Fair’s exhibitions and buildings as a museum, but the Depression, a destructive hurricane, and World War II postponed such plans.”

That event has set the tone for every railroad fair or pageant in North America since. This museum is unique in that it was created by the railroad to recognize and promote it’s heritage. While it is owned and operated by a foundation today, that link to it’s past is something no other railroad has done to this level. (The Union Pacific does have a heritage program, and supports a museum in Omaha, but the B&O Museum is much larger in scope and size of both property and collection of equipment.)

Sadly, the B&O Museum faced a challenge no museum wants to take on. The historic roundhouse roof structure collapsed due to the weight brought on by a heavy snow storm over the Presidents Day weekend in 2003. However, reconstruction is well under way, and the Museum is planned to reopen now in November of 2004. We did manage to walk around the property and view some of the collection as well as the construction projects underway.

Now, the city has many other fine attractions. And I know I only sampled a few. But I did enjoy more than my share of seafood during the five days I was in town. There was the Orioles Grille and Bar at the hotel where we dined several times. The Wharf Rat Pub made for a great pre-game lunch. As an English pub, we got food one might expect. Kenny had Bangers and Mash, and I enjoyed a heaping Shepherd’s Pie. English style ales (from the Oliver’s Breweries) are on tap. I enjoyed a hearty wheat style ale called “The Darkness”. And good t-shirts for sale, too!

But the real attraction — food wise, at least for Kenny, is and was Phillips Seafood Buffet. So much so that in six days in town, he ate two dinners and one lunch here. (It was my pleasure to join him for one of those dinners and the lunch.) I signed him up for their “Friends of Phillips” card so he can get all the benefits. A glance at the menu tells the tale much better than I can. But one thing is for certain. I never left hungry, and ate one heck of a lot of crab there.

Crab also came into play on that first night in town. Walking around Oriole Park at Camden Yards, we were in search of a place to enjoy a pre-game snack. Kenny knew just the place, and before I knew it, we were ordering Sautéed Crab Cake sandwiches in one of the stadium’s walk-up dining areas.

Another crab cake, Mr. Colton?

Baseball was the real reason for why we came here, right? It’s spring and time for the nation’s pastime to begin it’s annual rituals. Spring??? Are you kidding? Try a forecast of temperatures in the high Thirties and possible snow flurries! Okay, so we didn’t get any snow, but with forty-five mile wind gusts, it was just damn cold! I packed the big heavy coat, a sweatshirt, long sleeve denim Henley, and more. That night, I should have worn every piece of clothing I brought with me to Baltimore. Again, with the wind, it was just damn cold. We toughed it out until the 8th inning when our Boston fan windbreak disappeared, and then went in search of warmer quarters. We found them temporarily in the team store, but so did everyone else. So, in the middle of the 9th inning, we headed back to our hotel. Turning the corner, we were confronted by Kenny’s artwork being projected onto the side of the B&O Warehouse, some four or five stories tall. Once the shock wore off, we continued on, back to the hotel. We did come back on Tuesday night for a longer visit with the projection team. Very impressive, all in all, with a great bunch of images for the O’s 50th projected until midnight all week.

Big Damn Birds!

Imagine how you would feel seeing your artwork this big?

Baltimore did beat Boston that night, much to the appreciation of all the frozen fans.

Now, I will admit that a visit to the stadium here is a bit interesting for me. Having been to Seattle’s Safeco Field, and Pac Bell Park in San Francisco, it was definitely “de ja vu all over.” The brick façade covering the structure and the ramps and escalators to the upper decks are almost exactly the same in all three stadiums. And while the seating arrangements differ slightly, one can’t deny the similarities between this trio of throw-back ball parks.

Here at Oriole Park, there is the B&O Warehouse, now converted into offices and other uses (such as the Camden Club). At Pac Bell Park (or SBC Park now), right field has McCovey Cove, where kayaks, canoes and rowboats all vie for those home run balls. (The same guy managed to get Barry Bonds home runs 660 and 661 balls there this week.) At Safeco, there is the retractable roof. They make a big deal about closing it at the end of every game. And I’ve always been curious why they don’t sell rides on it! But the concept of a downtown ball park seems to be a good one. In all three locations, it seems to have been good for business with urban redevelopment spurred on by the projects. In Baltimore, it’s spreading into the rest of the city, as we saw during several long walks.

Thanks to the stay in town, we had opportunities to do a bit more, but that’s on tap for next week. As for the Orioles versus the Red Sox, let’s just say it is a great rivalry, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see both teams in contention for their division title, if not the Wild Card spot in the American League Division series, come October. And their fans could easily agree on one point. “Yankees Suck!”

So, here’s hoping you enjoyed this tale from Baltimore. I know there’s a whole lot more we missed, but that’s what another visit can be for…

Now, next week? Well how about you too can cram a visit to Washington D.C. into about 9 hours and manage to visit four parts of the Smithsonian all in the same day. Roger will be back with the tale of how he and Kenny did just that.

Okay folks. We’ve tried letting you know the simple facts. We’ve tried outright begging. For some reason, that just has not worked. Would it really hurt all that much to show some financial support for the Jim Hill Message Boards? A buck or two would do the trick. For the price of that trendy cup of coffee, you can belly up and sponsor this fine area of ongoing social intercourse on all of the Disney and entertainment topics.

Or we can cut through the bull and just say that every small amount helps. Join the team, give a dollar people! Please? It’s either that or more reminders from Roger, week after week… Do your part to make those pesky advertisements go away!

Television & Shows

The Untold Story of Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios: How Daytime TV Took Over the Parks

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2025

Jim Hill

Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios

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!’

Published

3 months ago

February 6, 2025

Jim Hill

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”

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2025

Jim Hill

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.

Zucker Brothers featured in "Your Studio and You"

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: