All things Universal Studios Hollywood

[mickEblu]

I'm not saying the story itself is totally illogical, I'm just saying the layout of the end of the attraction as it pertains to the story falls apart if one thinks too hard about it. Which, in fairness, we shouldn't be doing about either version. Here's what I mean:

We board the Jurassic Park River Adventure, an attraction in Jurassic Park, to see the dinosaurs. So we're imagining that we're on an attraction inside JP. But..

View attachment 553595

As we can clearly see, as Guests, there is no other connection point to the Unload zone. What you and others are saying about the maintenance building is fine, I get why a boat could end up in there. But why is the only "out point" for the attraction, a building that we were never supposed to be in?

The entire ending of the original JP ride relies on the fact that we didn't take the boat's intended course. Which means that course should exist, in some capacity, somewhere in order for things to make total sense if one thinks about it. The yellow line above is an example of maybe where something like a faux track/exit could have been placed to create the illusion that there was another path we missed the entire time.

We see the faux path in Hadrosaur cove:

View attachment 553596

But we don't have anything close to that for the end of the attraction when it was JP. JW addresses this issue by making that path the intended one the entire time, is all I'm trying to say. That's for better or worse, which is totally up to you.

I understand what you re saying but where does one draw the line? I’ve never considered loading, unloading and ride tracks or the like to be part of the show. These are practical things about theme park rides where we suspend disbelief. Wouldn’t turning your head to the right after the drop and seeing the Transformers ride be a bigger immersion or story breaker? I think when it came to the Jurassic Park ride, the “show” ended with the drop. Unless those people eating corn dogs outside the Mummy are part of the show too. Kind of like how POTC’s show ends after the final lift hill. Nobody is questioning why those people are in Line entering the show building staring at us.

 

[mickEblu]

And tbh Jurassic Worlds show also ends after the drop. Just because some imagineer changed the backstory doesn’t change the design of the attraction and the fact that there are theme parks guests staring at you get wet.

The people creating the attractions these days are so Caught up on the wrong things. A new age “imagineer” would enclose the drop and keep it out of view for the sake of “story” depriving theme parks guests of excitement and the land of kinetic energy.

 

[DavidDL]

And tbh Jurassic Worlds show also ends after the drop. Just because some imagineer changed the backstory doesn’t change the design of the attraction and the fact that there are theme parks guests staring at you get wet.

The people creating the attractions these days are so Caught up on the wrong things. A new age “imagineer” would enclose the drop and keep it out of view for the sake of “story” depriving theme parks guests of excitement and the land of kinetic energy.

I mean, it’s all up to your interpretation. As I’ve stated, I see JP/JW as taking the meta approach. It’s self aware that it’s calling itself a ride. Because that’s what the JP/JW movies have in their parks.

-and again, why I said one isn’t supposed to be thinking too hard. The entire issue I draw from folks nitpicking things that “don’t make sense” about JW is that, 1) they do and 2) those same nitpicks can be applied if you really want to go that route, to JP, as well.

Im not trying to argue which one is better or worse. I’m just trying to argue that they both make sense, from a story perspective. Especially if you turn your brain off, like you’re supposed to. It just feels like a lot of folks gave that courtesy to the original because they obviously like the film but weren’t willing to do so for the update and knew they weren’t going to do so in advance because they’ve got an emotional stake in the original going in.

So, again, I’m not saying which one is better. That’s up for the rider to decide, not me. -and whatever you choose is the “right answer”. I’m just trying to say that they both make “sense”. That doesn’t mean you have to think it’s “good”. A movie can make sense but you can still not enjoy it.

-and for the record, my interpretation of where the original Jurassic Park ride ends is the actual unload dock. Because we are played a spiel which says “This concludes your tranquil journey through the world of the dinosaurs..”

I contest: if this unload area wasn’t our predetermined unload area since the beginning of the “river adventure”, why on Earth would Jurassic Park be playing us an ending spiel for it like any other attraction?

But again, I’m going deep down the rabbit hole. I shouldn’t and your point is taken about “but where does it end, just enjoy yourself”. I just feel that same sentiment should be applied to JW, for fairness.

 

[DavidDL]

... It's almost like Universal Creative doesn't think an attraction is complete without a quick splash of water on your face and a screen or two.

Sorry to quote something from page one but I just wanted to confirm this, yet again. On our first ride through for Secret Life of Pets, as we were going through the “wash” scene, we were totally unprepared for the sudden blast of water to the face.

We should’ve been but we foolishly let our guard down. Immediately after getting wet I went “oh yeah, we’re at Universal..”

It must be a location thing. It gets hot out there.

 

[MidwestStitch]

Have they been opening the park before 9?

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

Well, it does as it is part of the Halloween Franchise. Meyers isn't in the film and its not about a slasher, but its still part of that IP that they keep parading out.

Its not really apart of the franchise though except in Name only. It really is its own thing and very stand alone.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Interesting article about USJ possibly getting a Pokémon ride through a retheme of their Spider-Man ride:

Is Pokemon Taking Over An Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man Attraction? - Theme Park University

Some way, some how Pokemon will find its way into a Universal Studios Park. If what we are hearing is correct, Pikachu and the gang are going to evict Peter Parker from their NYC digs at Universal Studios Japan. Wasn’t there supposed to be another Pokemon attraction opening at a Universal Park...

themeparkuniversity.com

Wonder if they'd consider bringing it over here through a Transformer's retheme, though if I had to guess Mummy probably has the bigger target on it's back for a retheme/new ride right now.

 

[mickEblu]

Possible unpopular opinion but I rode Jurassic World today again and think that the aquarium actually creates more of a sense of place than the old pond with the Brachiosaurus. Not because of the screens (although they work pretty well as far as screens go) but because of the “aquarium” structure they built around them. I think that greater sense of place/ experience makes up for the loss of suspense building from losing the original opening scene. You still get a little bit of the build up as you still have the waterfall and the Stegosaur scene. I liked the finale more this time too (Indominus Rex AA is quite impressive) but still think the suspense and climax was better with the original. Overall though, sitting front row and riding solo I enjoyed the ride a lot this morning.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Interesting article about USJ possibly getting a Pokémon ride through a retheme of their Spider-Man ride:

Is Pokemon Taking Over An Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man Attraction? - Theme Park University

Some way, some how Pokemon will find its way into a Universal Studios Park. If what we are hearing is correct, Pikachu and the gang are going to evict Peter Parker from their NYC digs at Universal Studios Japan. Wasn’t there supposed to be another Pokemon attraction opening at a Universal Park...

themeparkuniversity.com

Wonder if they'd consider bringing it over here through a Transformer's retheme, though if I had to guess Mummy probably has the bigger target on it's back for a retheme/new ride right now.

Can anybody in the know confirm whether it's true that Marvel at USJ is time limited and that Disney has the ability to not renew? That's what this article is premised on and I've never heard that before.

 

[mickEblu]

Missed out on the Studio tour again today. 0 for 2 in 2 weeks. USH just doesn’t have the ride capacity to deal with the COVID protocol. By noon, most of the wait times are north of 45 minutes to an hour and climbing and most of them just aren’t worth it. My wife did Despicable Me with my son and her review has me thinking that the simulator wasn’t working when I went on it 5 years ago. Did Flight of the Hippogriff twice. Ate at 3 Broomsticks again. Really loving the ambiance there. The food is good although every time I go I’m eating cold weather London food on hot spring or summer days. BTW that little back path from the Studio tour exit to Hogsmeade is Charm Central. Love me an off the beaten path path with lots of trees. The exterior queue for Potter looks cool too but I’ve never walked through it. Did Jurassic World front row, middle solo which I really enjoyed. I’ll tell you though, seeing the Animals actors show twice in 2 weeks was rough, especially since I threw out my back last week and don’t necessarily have enough @$$ meat for those bleachers.

I’ll probably go back in a few days with just my son. (Is this what Disneyland local APs used to feel like?) That way we can get on the tram and not leave Mom and baby behind for 1.5 hours. He’s also very intrigued by the Simpsons facade even though he’s never seen an episode in his life.

 

[180º]

Possible unpopular opinion but I rode Jurassic World today again and think that the aquarium actually creates more of a sense of place than the old pond with the Brachiosaurus. Not because of the screens (although they work pretty well as far as screens go) but because of the “aquarium” structure they built around them. I think that greater sense of place/ experience makes up for the loss of suspense building from losing the original opening scene. You still get a little bit of the build up as you still have the waterfall and the Stegosaur scene. I liked the finale more this time too (Indominus Rex AA is quite impressive) but still think the suspense and climax was better with the original. Overall though, sitting front row and riding solo I enjoyed the ride a lot this morning.

Agree on all counts 100%. Florida still has a great brachiosaurus scene. Ours was painful for me because of that dang hill. It was a great backdrop to the scene and made it feel like the real Jurassic Park. EXCEPT. for. that. Parking garage. And in recent years, Super Silly Fun Land. The mosasaurus scene has a few positives and a few negatives, but a couple of positives are that it obscured the parking garage views, and the execution of the projection is really, really well done for what it is.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The long neck dinosaur robot in Florida always looks broken

 

[Californian Elitist]

“Cold weather London food” lol.

 

[Rich Brownn]

The long neck dinosaur robot in Florida always looks broken

And today he totally was (broken that is).

 

[mickEblu]

Agree on all counts 100%. Florida still has a great brachiosaurus scene. Ours was painful for me because of that dang hill. It was a great backdrop to the scene and made it feel like the real Jurassic Park. EXCEPT. for. that. Parking garage. And in recent years, Super Silly Fun Land. The mosasaurus scene has a few positives and a few negatives, but a couple of positives are that it obscured the parking garage views, and the execution of the projection is really, really well done for what it is.

Yeah is by far the best execution I’ve seen on screens in person at this level. Riding solo today allowed me to kind of take it all in and it dawned on me just what a top tier attraction that Jurassic Park/ World really is. It has everything. Takes you on a journey. Great AAs and perhaps the most impressive large AA on Earth the moment. Suspense. Indoor/ outdoor with beautiful scenery outside and then the dark contrast with the show building. Water. Thrilling climax. Nostalgic music. It’s the only thing outside of the Harry Potter queue and maybe the beginning of the Mummy that is on par with the best of Disneyland. In fact, if you plopped it in Disneyland, would it not be a a Top 3, Top 4 ride in the park?

Then it got me thinking about when I was 11 and Jurassic Park came out. I still don’t think I’ve experienced a blockbuster hit/ pop culture phenomenon like it since.

 

[mickEblu]

Agree on all counts 100%. Florida still has a great brachiosaurus scene. Ours was painful for me because of that dang hill. It was a great backdrop to the scene and made it feel like the real Jurassic Park. EXCEPT. for. that. Parking garage. And in recent years, Super Silly Fun Land. The mosasaurus scene has a few positives and a few negatives, but a couple of positives are that it obscured the parking garage views, and the execution of the projection is really, really well done for what it is.

Forgot to say, I think it’s unnecessary for the Mosasaurus to break the glass. I think the little splash does the job just fine. I think it’s a little too soon into the ride to be insinuating that things are going wrong especially since we go back to a more peaceful/ passive tone with the Stegosaur.

I have to go back and watch some old Jurassic park ride thrus. I can’t remember being able to see the parking structure or whatever they had staged to our right during that scene.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Missed out on the Studio tour again today. 0 for 2 in 2 weeks. USH just doesn’t have the ride capacity to deal with the COVID protocol. By noon, most of the wait times are north of 45 minutes to an hour and climbing and most of them just aren’t worth it. My wife did Despicable Me with my son and her review has me thinking that the simulator wasn’t working when I went on it 5 years ago. Did Flight of the Hippogriff twice. Ate at 3 Broomsticks again. Really loving the ambiance there. The food is good although every time I go I’m eating cold weather London food on hot spring or summer days. BTW that little back path from the Studio tour exit to Hogsmeade is Charm Central. Love me an off the beaten path path with lots of trees. The exterior queue for Potter looks cool too but I’ve never walked through it. Did Jurassic World front row, middle solo which I really enjoyed. I’ll tell you though, seeing the Animals actors show twice in 2 weeks was rough, especially since I threw out my back last week and don’t necessarily have enough @$$ meat for those bleachers.

I’ll probably go back in a few days with just my son. (Is this what Disneyland local APs used to feel like?) That way we can get on the tram and not leave Mom and baby behind for 1.5 hours. He’s also very intrigued by the Simpsons facade even though he’s never seen an episode in his life.

Minion Mayhem reopened?

 

[mickEblu]

Minion Mayhem reopened?

Yeah. Simpsons too. Wife said they removed the 3D from Minion Mayhem. It used to be 3D right?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Yeah. Simpsons too. Wife said they removed the 3D from Minion Mayhem. It used to be 3D right?

Nice!

It did. Removed that in Florida awhile back as well.

 

[mickEblu]

Nice!

It did. Removed that in Florida awhile back as well.

Interesting. I thought it may have been a Covid thing.