Transformative Multi-Year Expansion Announced for WDS Paris

ryno1982

Active Member
I tried to watch an interview the Site That Cannot Be Named conducted with him a couple years ago for Disneyland Paris's 30th anniversary and barely made it 10 minutes in, mainly because he had nothing interesting to say and the projects he seems to have worked on as others have said aren't that iconic. Unless you're an uber fan of the Aladdin walkthrough I guess.
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
He essentially seems to believe that he was an amazing (like, top ten) Imagineer, even though most of the stuff he worked on was less than great. He wants to have what Morris and Sotto have, where they post actually cool stuff from amazing things they worked on. Unfortunately, the stuff he worked on was not cool, and most of his behind the scenes photos are of the creation of giant cartoony props. So he is often steals images by people who are not Jim Shull, and add his “insights” which are usually just obvious things. “This logo is different”. “If this ride is built in Florida guests should expect to see construction”. “If these leaves are not properly secured, they could be blown all the way to downtown Orlando in a storm.”
Thus the theory that he’s trolling (I don’t think he is).
Additionally, he’s very critical of everything that Disney builds that he did not work on. The criticisms are pretty obvious too, though.
Thanks for that! It does explain my initial impressions of what seems like such an odd account. He certainly seems fairly ungracious to current projects in between posting pictures of his work on stuff like RC Racer, which did have me scratching my head!
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
There's currently a new video series created by Jim Hill (via Jim Hill Media) called Disney Unpacked similar to the Disney Dish Podcast series where he co-hosts the show. Jim Hill and Shull started the series in August 2023.

The Youtube channel has a short version of the episodes with the extended versions hosted on Patreon. Jim Hill and Len Testa promotes Disney Unpacked on various podcast episodes.
View attachment 781344

Unlike the Disney Dish Podcast, Disney Unpacked only uploads new episodes once or twice a month.
I must say this is a curious episode. They outline quite an ambitious and possibly cool concept for RnRC that a group of Imagineers was working on involving a Hollywood Hills facade and being shot through the "O" in the Hollywood sign. Then Shull comes in to say that he independently came up with his own 'cheap and cheerful' alternative to their project that was essentially just an indoor coaster with props based on a coaster at regional theme park Kings Dominion. It makes what was built seem quite disappointing!

Back on topic, RnRC at WDS is one of those cases where I wonder if the attraction had to be quite so ugly even if budgets were tight. Surely they could have come up with something better than that miserable grey warehouse with an ugly billboard out front?
 

X-filed

New Member
Thanks for that! It does explain my initial impressions of what seems like such an odd account. He certainly seems fairly ungracious to current projects in between posting pictures of his work on stuff like RC Racer, which did have me scratching my head!
He's ungratious cuz he knows he'll get more likes/views if he acts as such, he's in desperate need of attention and playing dumb is one of the options he chose to achieve this goal. And it kinda works since those same tweets go viral and everyone talks about it.
 

Gusey

Well-Known Member
Just to add, whilst he did work on a lot of small attractions, they added additional capacity to the parks through lots of small-scale family attraction which we've seen less of recently from Disney. He left Imagineering in 2020, so anything in development after that, he wouldn't have knowledge of, like Lion King which went into development after Star Wars was cancelled by 2022. From what's he mentioned online, Jim Shull's "Imagineering credits" include:
  • Toontown @ Disneyland (1993)
  • Disneyland Paris Additional Capacity Program: The Old Mill, Casey Jr., Storybookland & Aladdin's walkthrough (1993-1994)
  • Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aersomeith @ Hollywood Studios (1999) & @ WDS (2002)
  • The Magic Carpets of Aladdin @ MK (2001) & @ WDS (2002)
  • TriceraTop Spin (2001)
  • Toon Studios @ WDS (2007)
  • Mater's Junkyard Jamboree (2012)
  • Toy Story Hotel @ Shanghai (2016)
  • Toy Story Playland @ WDS (2010), @ Hong Kong (2011) & @ Shanghai (2018)
  • Avengers Assemble: Flight Force @ WDS (2022)
 
Last edited:

ryno1982

Active Member
The point I was trying to make was that like others pointed out Jim isn't known for anything as big as Tony Baxter or Tom Morris. I regret using condescending language about liking the Aladdin walkthrough and apologize for anyone who is a fan.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom