All things Universal Studios Hollywood

[waltography]

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.

Jurassic World has the unfortunate reality of a lack of space, so for all my misgivings with the aquarium scene it does make more sense for USH than it does USO. I hope if and when USO rethemes their River Adventure ride, they don't take the aquarium with them since they have a luxury of space to create a sense of scale. Also, I agree that Three Broomsticks is great! I want more eateries like that at Universal, and I hope when Super Nintendo World comes, Kinopio's Cafe (and all the cute details!) comes with it.

 

[Ryan120420]

Nice!

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

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

Yes, Minion Mayhem use to have 3D, it was removed from the ride about 3 years ago. It's not COVID related, it was a response to guest satisfaction surveys telling Universal that there were too many 3D and screen attractions in the park.

Removing the 3D from the ride was seen as a easy and quick attempt to fix that.

At its peak a few years ago Hollywood use to have the following 3D attractions:

-Minion Mayhem
-Shrek
-Supercharged
-King Kong
-Transformers
-Forbidden Journey


Now only Supercharged, King Kong, and Transformers are presented in 3D.

 

[mickEblu]

Yes, Minion Mayhem use to have 3D, it was removed from the ride about 3 years ago. It's not COVID related, it was a response to guest satisfaction surveys telling Universal that there were too many 3D and screen attractions in the park.

Removing the 3D from the ride was seen as a easy and quick attempt to fix that.

At its peak a few years ago Hollywood use to have the following 3D attractions:

-Minion Mayhem
-Shrek
-Supercharged
-King Kong
-Transformers
-Forbidden Journey


Now only Supercharged, King Kong, and Transformers are presented in 3D.

I think that’s a step in the right direction. Kung Fu Panda isn’t 3D either?

At DLR it’s only what now, TSMM and Star Tours? Spider-Man isn’t supposed to be 3D is it?

 

[waltography]

Spider-Man isn’t supposed to be 3D is it?

It is, unfortunately. You can see in the concept art and the training video (?) that they filmed with Tom that they're wearing glasses.

 

[Professortango1]

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.

My biggest issue with the opening screen is the fact it doesn't connect to the waterfall tunnel. We don't feel like we're going through a giant tank, it feels like sets of screens propped up. I almost wish they had replaced Predator Cove with the Mosasaurs scene. The Hadrosaur knocks us into the tank. For the first scene, they could have built a false berm with some tall fake trees/foliage to obscure the building. I would have even been okay with them moving the Stegosaurs to the opening scene and had some plot take place in the 2nd scene.

I give the finished Jurassic World a solid B whereas I think the original River Adventure was an A- when everything was working. The new ride's finale is more impressive, but the storytelling and impact are lost a bit for me.

 

[Ryan120420]

I think that’s a step in the right direction. Kung Fu Panda isn’t 3D either?

At DLR it’s only what now, TSMM and Star Tours? Spider-Man isn’t supposed to be 3D is it?

Kung Fu Panda is in 2D. They do however use projection mapping to engulf the theater with the attraction film so it makes it seem like it's 3D at certain times in the film.

It's pretty neat little attraction. Huge upgrade over Shrek 4D.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The most charming thing on the JP ride was the truck falling down the wall. At IOA they replaced it with a Raptor Cage that's a bit unnerving when it falls on top of the boat, but the truck was so chintzy it's great.

 

[mickEblu]

The most charming thing on the JP ride was the truck falling down the wall. At IOA they replaced it with a Raptor Cage that's a bit unnerving when it falls on top of the boat, but the truck was so chintzy it's great.

It rarely worked in Hollywood in its later years or at least when I rode it.

 

[mickEblu]

Kung Fu Panda is in 2D. They do however use projection mapping to engulf the theater with the attraction film so it makes it seem like it's 3D at certain times in the film.

It's pretty neat little attraction. Huge upgrade over Shrek 4D.

Sound cool. I’ll have to get my son to watch the movie before it reopens.

I saw Shek 4D once and was pleasantly surprised. I remember it being one of the highlights of the day... partly because I wasn’t expecting much. I was kind of bummed to see Panda had taken over a few weeks ago. Especially since my son knows the Shek Ip.

 

[Robbiem]

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.

I feel the same way about Star Wars. I saw the original when I was three, its my earliest memor. I still get excited when i hear the fox fanfare

 

[Emmanuel]

Los Angeles County has qualified for Yellow Tier officially today. County will implement Yellow Tier changes on Thursday with county guidelines to be issued tomorrow.

USH can increase capacity to 35% soon

 

[Professortango1]

The most charming thing on the JP ride was the truck falling down the wall. At IOA they replaced it with a Raptor Cage that's a bit unnerving when it falls on top of the boat, but the truck was so chintzy it's great.

Yeah, I LOVED the falling Jeep. The first time I rode it wasn't working. The next time I visited, I was so surprised when that thing came crashing down with a giant splash.

 

[DavidDL]

Jurassic World has the unfortunate reality of a lack of space, so for all my misgivings with the aquarium scene it does make more sense for USH than it does USO. I hope if and when USO rethemes their River Adventure ride, they don't take the aquarium with them since they have a luxury of space to create a sense of scale. Also, I agree that Three Broomsticks is great! I want more eateries like that at Universal, and I hope when Super Nintendo World comes, Kinopio's Cafe (and all the cute details!) comes with it.

The Aquarium scene has another purpose in Hollywood: it hides our view of the parking garage and Super Silly Funland.

 

[Giss Neric]

Please keep your hands, arms and legs inside the vehicle and remain seated please....and please don't jump out of the tram.

 

[Professortango1]

The Aquarium scene has another purpose in Hollywood: it hides our view of the parking garage and Super Silly Funland.

They could hide that with some rockwork/trees. Its only super noticeable at the start when the gates open. Put a fake swamp tree in the water with some branches on our right and it'd obscure it.

 

[DavidDL]

They could hide that with some rockwork/trees. Its only super noticeable at the start when the gates open. Put a fake swamp tree in the water with some branches on our right and it'd obscure it.

S'more rockwork and trees definitely would have helped, both in the beginning and in Stegosaur Springs. One of the major issues our Hollywood version faces is how tight everything feels with all the roads and hotels around it. Unlike Orlando, it doesn't feel like an expansive park in some areas. Some more rockwork or trees would have really gone a long way in helping to sell that illusion at a couple points during the ride.

Not pictured above: the Minion Eye of Sauron who used to be visible, as well.

 

[DavidDL]

I was reading on another forum that Universal (supposedly) has plans to remove Revenge of the Mummy once Super Nintendo Land opens. I wonder what will take it's place.

A boring, but potentially safe bet would be some version of the Velocicoaster to further the Jurassic World theme in that area because without Mummy, Uni has no major coaster. But does Hollywood have some kind of rule against big, outdoor coasters like that? I would imagine the screams would really affect the nearby filming locations? I guess they could do an indoor version.. or maybe it'll be something else entirely.

 

[malice]

Please keep your hands, arms and legs inside the vehicle and remain seated please....and please don't jump out of the tram.

I’ve witnessed something similar years ago when a passenger I was sitting next to jumped out of the tram to relieve himself. I noticed something was awry midway though the tram tour when he began to fidget and constantly flatulate audibly. Surprisingly, the tram did not hold and continued on (most likely because it was near the end of the journey by Falls Lake). It is a lengthy ride, but the emergency cord is there for a reason!

 

[PiratesMansion]

I was reading on another forum that Universal (supposedly) has plans to remove Revenge of the Mummy once Super Nintendo Land opens. I wonder what will take it's place.

A boring, but potentially safe bet would be some version of the Velocicoaster to further the Jurassic World theme in that area because without Mummy, Uni has no major coaster. But does Hollywood have some kind of rule against big, outdoor coasters like that? I would imagine the screams would really affect the nearby filming locations? I guess they could do an indoor version.. or maybe it'll be something else entirely.

Hopefully not!

I know people love to crap on USH's Mummy, but I think it's better than people give it credit for. It's certainly the biggest draw for me personally to the lower lot as it stands now. Maybe Super Nintendo Land will surpass that, but we're not there yet.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I was reading on another forum that Universal (supposedly) has plans to remove Revenge of the Mummy once Super Nintendo Land opens. I wonder what will take it's place.

A boring, but potentially safe bet would be some version of the Velocicoaster to further the Jurassic World theme in that area because without Mummy, Uni has no major coaster. But does Hollywood have some kind of rule against big, outdoor coasters like that? I would imagine the screams would really affect the nearby filming locations? I guess they could do an indoor version.. or maybe it'll be something else entirely.

Not saying that's wrong, but Mummy has been rumored to be imminently removed for years and years now. I won't be surprised at all when it happens, cause Universal is clearly neglecting it now, but just saying this is a rumor that's been around for a long time.