All things Universal Studios Hollywood

Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
George Lucas on a Bench said:
The tram tour IS Universal Studios Hollywood. There isn't much of anything aside from it.
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  • For a short time, an unauthorized golden E.T. figure was placed by a crew member in the treasure room of the Revenge of the Mummy attraction as a tribute to the former tenant of the building. This didn't last long, unfortunately.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
mickEblu said:
For whatever reason the highlights of the tram tour at USH are more vivid than my oldest memories of DL.
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Oh my gosh, I never thought about it but you are right!

I have such vivid memories of Universal Studios and its tram tour of the 1970's and early 80's. The landslide scene with those big foam boulders, the spinning avalanche tunnel, the flash flood, and the Battlestar Galactica thing with the Cylons. I also have vivid memories of the Airport '77 stunt show, with the stewardess pushing lucky audience members into the pool.

My memories of Disneyland of that era are much hazier and vaguer. I only have one distinct Disneyland memory of that era; standing in line for Space Mountain in the summer of '77 while two very stern looking hostesses with feathery hair checked you for contraband gum and snacks and Cokes before they allowed you to step onto the speedramp that took you up to the queue. NO EATING OR DRINKING IN THE QUEUE! SPIT OUT YOUR GUM SIR! Can you imagine if they tried to pull that sort of thing today? We so often romanticize Yesterland as a very happy place, but CM's back in the day could be really strict and not very nice if you dared to disobey with your illicit chewing gum or your half-finished Space Mist.

Other than that one Disco Era memory of the Speedramp Nazis guarding Space Mountain, my memories of Disneyland are nowhere near as distinct and clear as those of Universal Studios of that same era. There was something about Universal Studios back then that seemed very genuinely impressive and awe-inspiring. It imprinted on your memory. Now it's just another theme park with a few good rides.
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
Oh my gosh, I never thought about it but you are right!

I have such vivid memories of Universal Studios and its tram tour of the 1970's and early 80's. The landslide scene with those big foam boulders, the spinning avalanche tunnel, the flash flood, and the Battlestar Galactica thing with the Cylons. I also have vivid memories of the Airport '77 stunt show, with the stewardess pushing lucky audience members into the pool.

My memories of Disneyland of that era are much hazier and vaguer. I only have one distinct Disneyland memory of that era; standing in line for Space Mountain in the summer of '77 while two very stern looking hostesses with feathery hair checked you for contraband gum and snacks and Cokes before they allowed you to step onto the speedramp that took you up to the queue. NO EATING OR DRINKING IN THE QUEUE! SPIT OUT YOUR GUM SIR! Can you imagine if they tried to pull that sort of thing today? We so often romanticize Yesterland as a very happy place, but CM's back in the day could be really strict and not very nice if you dared to disobey with your illicit chewing gum or your half-finished Space Mist.

Other than that one Disco Era memory of the Speedramp Nazis guarding Space Mountain, my memories of Disneyland are nowhere near as distinct and clear as those of Universal Studios of that same era. There was something about Universal Studios back then that seemed very genuinely impressive and awe-inspiring. It imprinted on your memory. Now it's just another theme park with a few good rides.
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I totally agree. We would go to Disneyland at least twice a year because of relatives showing up and probably once a year for Universal. Universal was definitely the treat. I remember Universal would hand out Tour times when you entered the park. If you got to the park early you could go directly to the Trams otherwise you waited until later that day. I remember being really scared of the Dracula show because they showed real bats flying at the audience on TV (they were actually doves). Dracula would roam the audience for 'victims'. I remember the Screen Test Comedy show where everyone got a pie in the face. The Special Effects stop on the tram tour was way better than it is today. I remember going opening day of King Kong and sitting at the back of the tram chanting Kong! Kong! Kong! the entire time.

Outside of riding rides at Disneyland I really don't remember much besides eating tuna sandwiches on Captain Hook's pirate ship and getting lost on Tom Sawyer's island right before the island closed for the night and being found by security. I bet if I hid better I could spend the night in those caves!
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
Oh my gosh, I never thought about it but you are right!

I have such vivid memories of Universal Studios and its tram tour of the 1970's and early 80's. The landslide scene with those big foam boulders, the spinning avalanche tunnel, the flash flood, and the Battlestar Galactica thing with the Cylons. I also have vivid memories of the Airport '77 stunt show, with the stewardess pushing lucky audience members into the pool.

My memories of Disneyland of that era are much hazier and vaguer. I only have one distinct Disneyland memory of that era; standing in line for Space Mountain in the summer of '77 while two very stern looking hostesses with feathery hair checked you for contraband gum and snacks and Cokes before they allowed you to step onto the speedramp that took you up to the queue. NO EATING OR DRINKING IN THE QUEUE! SPIT OUT YOUR GUM SIR! Can you imagine if they tried to pull that sort of thing today? We so often romanticize Yesterland as a very happy place, but CM's back in the day could be really strict and not very nice if you dared to disobey with your illicit chewing gum or your half-finished Space Mist.

Other than that one Disco Era memory of the Speedramp Nazis guarding Space Mountain, my memories of Disneyland are nowhere near as distinct and clear as those of Universal Studios of that same era. There was something about Universal Studios back then that seemed very genuinely impressive and awe-inspiring. It imprinted on your memory. Now it's just another theme park with a few good rides.
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The tour was great back then! Don’t forget the original Kong and Jaws! Don’t remember the Galactica thing- was that still there in the late 80s? I also loved me some E.T. And the Conan the Barbarian show. I even appreciate the Lucy tribute. I also have a fond memory of a some character pretending to be a statue near the entrance of the park.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
mickEblu said:
The tour was great back then! Don’t forget the original Kong and Jaws! Don’t remember the Galactica thing- was that still there in the late 80s? I also loved me some E.T. And the Conan the Barbarian show. I even appreciate the Lucy tribute. I also have a fond memory of a some character pretending to be a statue near the entrance of the park.
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I doubt the Battlestar Galactica thing lasted past the first half of the Reagan administration. It was turned into the current Earthquake scene at some point.

I remember an earlier version of the Lucy tribute thing. It was just Miss Ball's dressing room, including a peek into the bathroom and her rose pink toilet.

Seriously, how does Universal Studios do that to our memories??? Disneyland seems mostly hazy and vague circa 1975-1982 by comparison.

I remember longing to be picked out of the audience to participate at the Airport '77 show.
USH_Airport77_1.jpg


I wanted to be pushed out of the plane and into the water tank by that stewardess so badly! It just looked like so much fun!
USH_Airport77_2.jpg
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
I doubt the Battlestar Galactica thing lasted past the first half of the Reagan administration. It was turned into the current Earthquake scene at some point.

I remember an earlier version of the Lucy tribute thing. It was just Miss Ball's dressing room, including a peek into the bathroom and her rose pink toilet.

Seriously, how does Universal Studios do that to our memories??? Disneyland seems mostly hazy and vague circa 1975-1982 by comparison.

I remember longing to be picked out of the audience to participate at the Airport '77 show.
USH_Airport77_1.jpg


I wanted to be pushed out of the plane and into the water tank by that stewardess so badly! It just looked like so much fun!
USH_Airport77_2.jpg
Click to expand...

Lol I’m not sure. I thought it was strange too.
 

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