All things Universal Studios Hollywood

[BubbaisSleep]

I miss the Mexican food restaurant that had the patio cover that made it look like it was raining outside. There were two model ships in the pond firing at each other with canon ball explosions in the water.

That was always our go to spot. Especially when Universal had the unlimited meal plans. Very good, nostalgic times.

 

[mickEblu]

I miss the Mexican food restaurant that had the patio cover that made it look like it was raining outside. There were two model ships in the pond firing at each other with canon ball explosions in the water.

I don’t remember that. When did they get rid of it?

 

[BubbaisSleep]

I don’t remember that. When did they get rid of it?

When they brought the Simpsons over. It was across the street from the simpsons pizza & bumblebee taco truck. Zorro used to frequently meet there, even sliding down a pole from the roof.

 

[Phroobar]

It is the upper right corner of the map. You could talk to KITT next to the River Princess. Simpsons destroyed it all.

All that is left is the French street and Mel's diner. I bet that whole area ends up becoming part of Illumination soon.

 

[Phroobar]

I enjoyed yesterday's article from Ratchat where they lead with rumor that Gringotts will replace the special effects & animal actors stages. They completely missed the confirmed concept art for the F&F coaster calling it a rumor. Amazing how behind they are on news.

 

[D.Silentu]

Wow. That's a farm's worth of egg on their face, so much I nearly feel bad. At this point it's almost hard to miss the obvious, unless they're the only ones who have the real story!

 

[Phroobar]

Wow. That's a farm's worth of egg on their face, so much I nearly feel bad. At this point it's almost hard to miss the obvious, unless they're the only ones who have the real story!

They even deleted my post saying it will be F&F coaster with concept art.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

I enjoyed yesterday's article from Ratchat where they lead with rumor that Gringotts will replace the special effects & animal actors stages. They completely missed the confirmed concept art for the F&F coaster calling it a rumor. Amazing how behind they are on news.

They've let what they want to be true cloud their vision so much that they can't see the obvious in front of them!

 

[DCBaker]

 

[Phroobar]

It's amazing how crammed in there that land is.

 

[TwilightZone]

Welp, it's official. I'm glad I got a chance to see the Special Effects Show one last time this past summer.

Special Effects Show and Animal Actors to permanently close at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that Animal Actors, the Special Effects Show, and the Production Central store will be permanently closing on January 8, 2023. No details have been given other than the area is closing to make way for a "future attraction". In a press release, Universa

www.insideuniversal.net

Oh man, I had no idea. I get closing the animal actors show, I am sure there's probably still people that are weary about using animals in theme parks at all, but they could've at least moved Special Effects.

 

[BubbaisSleep]

Oh man, I had no idea. I get closing the animal actors show, I am sure there's probably still people that are weary about using animals in theme parks at all, but they could've at least moved Special Effects.

It was moved before so it could happen again. I personally thought the show was a lot better & funnier when it was in the lower lot next to Backdraft.

 

[CaptinEO]

Welp, it's official. I'm glad I got a chance to see the Special Effects Show one last time this past summer.

Special Effects Show and Animal Actors to permanently close at Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that Animal Actors, the Special Effects Show, and the Production Central store will be permanently closing on January 8, 2023. No details have been given other than the area is closing to make way for a "future attraction". In a press release, Universa

www.insideuniversal.net

These shows seemed like they never got updated over 20 + years.

It is sad though, when I used to go to Universal they had many shows. In the same day my family would see Terminator 2 3D, Blues Brothers, Animal Actors, Special Effects, Spiderman Rocks, Backdraft, Water World.

Now 3 of those venues have been closed to make rides. I also just looked it up and in 2014 the Blues Brothers outdoor stage was also demolished.

It's also sad to think many of these rides aren't for children due to height requirements.

 

[Phroobar]

They are both going the way the western stunt show did a few years ago. I liked the bit where the guy sank in the quicksand. Even Knotts doesn't have a stunt show running daily anymore.

 

[PiratesMansion]

These shows seemed like they never got updated over 20 + years.

It is sad though, when I used to go to Universal they had many shows. In the same day my family would see Terminator 2 3D, Blues Brothers, Animal Actors, Special Effects, Spiderman Rocks, Backdraft, Water World.

Now 3 of those venues have been closed to make rides. I also just looked it up and in 2014 the Blues Brothers outdoor stage was also demolished.

It's also sad to think many of these rides aren't for children due to height requirements.

I actually saw the SE show each time I did USH ('13, 19, and 22). Each time the gist of the show was the same but context, properties, and emphasis was different. I actually thought they did a pretty good job of updating it so that it felt pretty current each time I saw it. As opposed to the Monster show in Florida that seems like the only change is which audience member gets picked.

Can't speak for AA in that respect. Still a bummer that it's going.

American parks really just don't do these sorts of edutainment rides and shows anymore and it's really a shame. I suppose the perception is that they aren't repeatable, but I never minded.

 

[Phroobar]

I actually saw the SE show each time I did USH ('13, 19, and 22). Each time the gist of the show was the same but context, properties, and emphasis was different. I actually thought they did a pretty good job of updating it so that it felt pretty current each time I saw it. As opposed to the Monster show in Florida that seems like the only change is which audience member gets picked.

Can't speak for AA in that respect. Still a bummer that it's going.

American parks really just don't do these sorts of edutainment rides and shows anymore and it's really a shame. I suppose the perception is that they aren't repeatable, but I never minded.

So you never saw the 70s and 80s version of the Special Effects show that was part of the Tram Tour? They took you down to the lower lot about where Transformers stands now and you enter the soundstage behind Transformers. It is the building where the Weekend HHN maze was this year. The show was in 4 parts. Each part was 10 minutes long. The audience would move from one room to the next as trams keep dropping people off and reloading. At the end, everyone got back on the tram to continue the tour with the collapsing bridge and city street sets.

 

[PiratesMansion]

So you never saw the 70s and 80s version of the Special Effects show that was part of the Tram Tour? They took you down to the lower lot about where Transformers stands now and you enter the soundstage behind Transformers. It is the building where the Weekend HHN maze was this year. The show was in 4 parts. Each part was 10 minutes long. The audience would move from one room to the next as trams keep dropping people off and reloading. At the end, everyone got back on the tram to continue the tour with the collapsing bridge and city street sets.

I was not alive to experience the 70s/80s version of the tour, but it sounds really cool! It kind of reminds me how Florida's setup with Earthquake (and presumably other attractions that I didn't experience or don't remember) used to be in 2003: start with a holding area that eventually had a demonstration with rain in film (aka milk), a film about the making of the original film (I believe?), followed by an elaborate simulated stunt filming with an audience member, before finally culminating in the actual Earthquake attraction.

Are we just less patient now? Are there not enough ways to make all of this interesting? Did the brief golden age of quality DVD bonus features make all of this somewhat redundant and/or delude us into believing we didn't need this any more (see also: streaming and physical media)? I'm not sure. All I know is that I clearly was not consulted when the world decided that all of this was bad and passe.

 

[TwilightZone]

I remember seeing the dvd argument ad nausem. "DVD special features made the studio theme passe". That is not true! I am sure there's many that would love to see cool special effects live in person. Studio theming is passe because it's quite boring, cheap looking and hard to update compared to traditional theme park themes. And now that special features are harder to come by, the argument is even worse.

 

[mickEblu]

I was not alive to experience the 70s/80s version of the tour, but it sounds really cool! It kind of reminds me how Florida's setup with Earthquake (and presumably other attractions that I didn't experience or don't remember) used to be in 2003: start with a holding area that eventually had a demonstration with rain in film (aka milk), a film about the making of the original film (I believe?), followed by an elaborate simulated stunt filming with an audience member, before finally culminating in the actual Earthquake attraction.

Are we just less patient now? Are there not enough ways to make all of this interesting? Did the brief golden age of quality DVD bonus features make all of this somewhat redundant and/or delude us into believing we didn't need this any more (see also: streaming and physical media)? I'm not sure. All I know is that I clearly was not consulted when the world decided that all of this was bad and passe.

Why were you in your 50s or 60s in my head? You just went from being 20 years older than me to being 8 years younger in one post. Lol. I must have conflated your with another poster over there years.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I remember seeing the dvd argument ad nausem. "DVD special features made the studio theme passe". That is not true! I am sure there's many that would love to see cool special effects live in person. Studio theming is passe because it's quite boring, cheap looking and hard to update compared to traditional theme park themes. And now that special features are harder to come by, the argument is even worse.

It is ironic that the least interesting aspect of Studio theme parks (the deliberately cheap backlot theming) is in no danger of going away completely, while the actually interesting things that could really only be done in studio parks (i.e. making of shows and attractions) feel like they're on their last legs and will be gone completely within the next decade.

Why were you in your 50s or 60s in my head? You just went from being 20 years older than me to being 8 years younger in one post. Lol. I must have conflated your with another poster over there years.

I have no idea, but I'll take it as a compliment!

Alas, I am one of those insufferable early 30s types instead