All things Universal Studios Hollywood

[PostScott]

I think the reason for it (aside financially, of course) is that Illumination animation are the ones doing the new Super Mario Bros. movie. Since Universal owns them, they're likely just getting a head start on the synergy between the park and the movie when it releases. I've even heard that there's concept art for a Citywalk version of the Nintendo NY store (maybe something has changed with COVID, though).

That would make sense as the land does look like it should open sometime next year, and the Super Mario Bros movie is slated to released on September 16, 2022. I'd assume the land will open around somewhere around then.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

That would make sense as the land does look like it should open sometime next year, and the Super Mario Bros movie is slated to released on September 16, 2022. I'd assume the land will open around somewhere around then.

Super Mario Bros movie is getting a re-release???

 

[The Grand Inquisitor]

Not only do I save money on the on USH annual passes compared to Disney passes but I save money on merch too because almost nothing there appeals to me. Except for 80’s / 90’s USH nostalgia of course. This image on the license plate encapsulates what USH was during my childhood. Really like the cup too. They had a Jaws and King Kong one. Might have to finish the set.

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That's awesome! Universal was so dumb for replacing ET. ET should still be in the park.

 

[mickEblu]

That's awesome! Universal was so dumb for replacing ET. ET should still be in the park.

A damn shame

 

[Darkbeer1]

 

[denyuntilcaught]

USH has struggled with this as well. They've gone back and forth over the years from "Ride the movies" to "See how the movies are made." Often they are stuck somewhere in between. They need someone in charge to unify the overall vision of their park. It's such a hodge podge of different things.

I agree but my question is, and really, does it matter? We expect congruency from a Disney park, for example, but I've never needed that from Universal. So, I don't care if it's "ride the movies" or "behind the scenes" since I, personally, expect both from Universal Studios.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Just saw the new Indominous twice earlier today, and holy cow, that thing is amazing!! It really does get close to the boat, and I love how they made it look as if it really was standing on a rocky platform. In other words, I felt that there was a nice little vignette of vegetation and theming surrounding the figure once he was fully visible.

 

[TP2000]

America is a joke.

That depends on the sense of humor you have.

A very current example of how America kicks butt is not just with how many Universal Studios we have (2!), but with Covid-19 vaccinations. We lead the world with this stuff, behind Israel.

The European Union is an incompetent mess, and Canada is a nightmare of low single digits and literally months behind the USA.

Australia, New Zealand, and Japan have barely started. And Japan has to host an Olympics in three months!

Israel = 55.3% Fully Vaccinated
United States = 27.0% Fully Vaccinated
United Kingdom = 16.8% Fully Vaccinated
European Union = 7.2% Fully Vaccinated
Mexico = 3.5% Fully Vaccinated
Canada = 2.2% Fully Vaccinated
Japan = 0.7% Fully Vaccinated
New Zealand = 0.6% Fully Vaccinated
Australia = 0.1% Fully Vaccinated

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

 

[Californian Elitist]

That depends on the sense of humor you have.

A very current example of how America kicks butt is not just with how many Universal Studios we have (2!), but with Covid-19 vaccinations. We lead the world with this stuff, behind Israel.

The European Union is an incompetent mess, and Canada is a nightmare of low single digits and literally months behind the USA.

Australia, New Zealand, and Japan have barely started. And Japan has to host an Olympics in three months!

Israel = 55.3% Fully Vaccinated
United States = 27.0% Fully Vaccinated
United Kingdom = 16.8% Fully Vaccinated
European Union = 7.2% Fully Vaccinated
Mexico = 3.5% Fully Vaccinated
Canada = 2.2% Fully Vaccinated
Japan = 0.7% Fully Vaccinated
New Zealand = 0.6% Fully Vaccinated
Australia = 0.1% Fully Vaccinated

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

I simply said that to mock the “Sacramento is a joke” rhetoric we keep seeing here.

Still no big fan of America though.

 

[PostScott]

That depends on the sense of humor you have.

A very current example of how America kicks butt is not just with how many Universal Studios we have (2!), but with Covid-19 vaccinations. We lead the world with this stuff, behind Israel.

The European Union is an incompetent mess, and Canada is a nightmare of low single digits and literally months behind the USA.

Australia, New Zealand, and Japan have barely started. And Japan has to host an Olympics in three months!

Israel = 55.3% Fully Vaccinated
United States = 27.0% Fully Vaccinated
United Kingdom = 16.8% Fully Vaccinated
European Union = 7.2% Fully Vaccinated
Mexico = 3.5% Fully Vaccinated
Canada = 2.2% Fully Vaccinated
Japan = 0.7% Fully Vaccinated
New Zealand = 0.6% Fully Vaccinated
Australia = 0.1% Fully Vaccinated

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Yay go murica!

 

[TP2000]

I simply said that to mock the “Sacramento is a joke” rhetoric we keep seeing here.

Still no big fan of America though.

Oh.

Well, before you leave, please make sure you get all your Covid shots! The other countries (except for Israel and the UK) are horribly behind us on that.

And the Adult Immunization Schedule for even the UK, but especially the European Union, leaves out several key vaccines that are regularly given to American adults. Like Shingrix, Flu Shots, Pneumovax23, etc. Most European countries don't even offer Flu shots until an adult reaches 65 years of age; it's just too expensive to vaccinate the younger adults with a Flu shot for them.

Vaccine Scheduler | ECDC

Giving insight in the vaccine schedules in all countries of the EU, provided by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

vaccine-schedule.ecdc.europa.eu

 

[Californian Elitist]

Oh.

Well, before you leave, please make sure you get all your shots! The other countries (except for Israel and the UK) are horribly behind us on that.

And the Adult Immunization Schedule for even the UK, but especially the European Union, leaves out several key vaccines that are regularly given to American adults. Like Shingrix, Flu Shots, Pneumovax23, etc. Most European countries don't even offer Flu shots until an adult reaches 65 years of age; it's just too expensive to vaccinate the younger adults with a Flu shot for them.

I won’t be making my escape anytime soon. Flu shots and vaccine availability are the least of my concerns.

 

[mickEblu]

I don’t think I realized just how how tiny USH until my last trip. For some reason I remember the upper lot being bigger when in fact it’s bigger now with Wizarding World.

Flight of the Hippogriff isn’t the best kiddie coaster in the world but the surrounding grounds are very charming. I’d imagine it’s like a mini version of Hagrids coaster.

Also why did they get rid of the hanging shark that people would take their pic with on the upper lot?

 

[DavidDL]

.. Flight of the Hippogriff isn’t the best kiddie coaster in the world but the surrounding grounds are very charming. ..

Agreed! I hadn't been on it since my original trip to Orlando's in 2010. It's definitely not worth any kind of extended wait but it was a walk-on during our most recent trip so we figured, why not? The attraction and queue as a whole are charming but I absolutely would not want to be standing there for anything longer than 10 or 15 minutes with the lack of shade.

.. Also why did they get rid of the hanging shark that people would take their pic with on the upper lot?

Springfield, I think. Before, the area was sort of a hodge-podge of themes and eateries and I think the hanging shark was a causality of desired thematic cohesiveness of the new Simpsons area. It probably should've been repurposed towards the front gate or maybe closer to Waterworld.

I imagine the reason they didn't move it further down the queue area for the Studio Tour would be because of potential walkway clogging as people stopped to take photos with it?

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

I don’t think I realized just how how tiny USH until my last trip. For some reason I remember the upper lot being bigger when in fact it’s bigger now with Wizarding World.

Flight of the Hippogriff isn’t the best kiddie coaster in the world but the surrounding grounds are very charming. I’d imagine it’s like a mini version of Hagrids coaster.

Also why did they get rid of the hanging shark that people would take their pic with on the upper lot?

for harry potter

 

[Darkbeer1]

 

[Professortango1]

I don’t think I realized just how how tiny USH until my last trip. For some reason I remember the upper lot being bigger when in fact it’s bigger now with Wizarding World.

Flight of the Hippogriff isn’t the best kiddie coaster in the world but the surrounding grounds are very charming. I’d imagine it’s like a mini version of Hagrids coaster.

Also why did they get rid of the hanging shark that people would take their pic with on the upper lot?

The upper lot used to feel bigger because of the Western Area. There was a stunt show and western street with photo ops and such. Now that area is the big open central plaza. It used to feel like the theme park area started sooner and expanded further whereas now the entry plaza and shops extend deeper into the park. Another change was when T2 was built. Before, Universal used the full extent of the wing of the park over the garage with Fivel's play land and a stage. When T2 replaced it, the attraction was incredible, but that extreme corner of the park became mostly unused aside from a Haunt Maze.

With Secret Life of Pets and Hogsmede, the upper lot is starting to feel fleshed out again.

 

[mickEblu]

The upper lot used to feel bigger because of the Western Area. There was a stunt show and western street with photo ops and such. Now that area is the big open central plaza. It used to feel like the theme park area started sooner and expanded further whereas now the entry plaza and shops extend deeper into the park. Another change was when T2 was built. Before, Universal used the full extent of the wing of the park over the garage with Fivel's play land and a stage. When T2 replaced it, the attraction was incredible, but that extreme corner of the park became mostly unused aside from a Haunt Maze.

With Secret Life of Pets and Hogsmede, the upper lot is starting to feel fleshed out again.

Whoaaa. Fivels play land. I forgot that existed. Did the Western area butt up all the way to Back to the Future?

 

[Professortango1]

Whoaaa. Fivels play land. I forgot that existed. Did the Western area butt up all the way to Back to the Future?

I believe so. They had that cantina restaurant right there that would have the fake rain.

 

[wityblack]

Perhaps it will be different from on-ride, but my impression is that while the AA is cool and lifelike, the impact of the final confrontation with T-Rex is greatly diminished.

Maybe the hope is that you'll be looking to the left at the shiny new animatronic only to be surprised by the T-Rex, but at least in this video, it almost looks like the Rex and the new dino, by the end of the scene, are attacking each other rather than you, the rider, who almost incidentally goes down the final drop at that point. That's a net negative, IMO. Furthermore, new dino isn't positioned to be the centerpiece of the scene, because the T-Rex is still there, and still the same exact T-Rex that has been there for more than 20 years.

There was a simplicity and directness to the original T-Rex attack that is now compromised, and as an additional con, we are less involved in what's happening than before. It's the modern industry's desire to overcomplicate on full display.

This is a super late response because I kept away from spoilers until I could go to the park. I actually think the story is pretty strong. In the finales both the original Jurassic Park movie, and Jurassic World movie, a T-Rex fights off another dino, letting the main characters escape. So really, in the ride, the position has changed, the Indominus is the one chasing us instead of the T-Rex, it catches up to us, almost gets us, but the T-Rex distracts it at the last second and we escape. It's quite a clever way to change an animatronic that was attacking us to defending us.