April 23, 2026

100 Episodes In, Still Sneaking Into Universal (Ep. 100)

Show Notes

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey celebrate their 100th episode of the Epic Universal Podcast with listener reviews, a surprise surprisingly heartfelt message from the Broadway cast of Wicked, and a look at the latest developments at Epic Universe. They break down how new facial recognition technology may shape guest flow, explore what annual passes could mean for crowd levels, and recap Universal’s recent CinemaCon reveals. Then Jim delivers a standout story tracing how Walt Disney’s early, unauthorized visits to Universal Studios helped inspire the creation of Disneyland.

NEWS
• Epic Universe confirms facial recognition will be used to manage land capacity
• Ongoing speculation about annual passes and attendance strategy for Epic Universe
• Universal previews upcoming films at CinemaCon including Disclosure Day and The Odyssey
• Universal Orlando Resort rolls out special Mother’s Day dining experiences

FEATURE
• The origin story of Herbie Ryman’s iconic Disneyland concept artwork
• Walt Disney’s early ambitions as a live-action filmmaker in Hollywood
• How Walt secretly explored Universal’s backlot using a fake business card
• The influence of Universal Studios’ layout on Disneyland’s design philosophy
• Roy Disney’s surprisingly calm contingency plan if Disneyland failed

HOSTS