Universal Studios Hollywood
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| Universal Studios Hollywood | |
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| Location | Universal City, California, USA |
| Website | Official site |
| Owner | NBC Universal, The Blackstone Group |
| Operating season | Year-round |
| Rides | 12 total
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Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio in Universal City, California, and is the original Universal Studios theme park. Woody Woodpecker is the mascot for Universal Studios Hollywood and the rest of the Universal Studios Theme Parks. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use. Its official marketing headline is "The Entertainment Capital of LA," though during the summer it is often advertised as "The Coolest Place in LA." It was initially created to offer tours of the real Universal Studios soundstages and sets. It is the first of many fully-fledged Universal Studios Theme Parks, along with Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Japan, and the upcoming Universal Studios Singapore, Universal Studios Dubai, and Universal Studios South Korea theme parks.
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[edit] Universal Hollywood tour
From the beginning, Universal has offered tours of its studio. In the silent-film days, Carl Laemmle's tour included a chance to buy fresh produce, since then-rural Universal City was still in part a working farm.
Shortly after MCA took over Universal Pictures in 1962, accountants suggested a tour stop in the studio commissary would increase profits, and in 1964, the modest tour was expanded to include a series of dressing room walk-throughs, peeks at actual production, and later, staged events. This grew over the years into a full-blown theme park - the narrated tram (formerly "Glamortram") tour still runs through the studio's active backlot, but the staged events, stunt demonstrations and high-tech rides overshadow the motion-picture production that once lured fans in Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal City also includes hotels Universal Hilton & Towers, the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts), a multi-screen theater, and Universal CityWalk, which offers a collection of shops and restaurants, as well as the Gibson Amphitheatre, a concert venue.
The company has since created Universal parks in other locations: Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan. Universal once owned Port Aventura, Spain, which was sold in 2004.
[edit] Back lot fire
A Three Alarm fire broke out on the backlot of Universal Studios on June 1, 2008.[1] The Los Angeles Fire Department had reported that Brownstone Street, New York Street, New England Street, the King Kong ride, some structures that make up Courthouse Square, the War of the Worlds movie[2] set, and the Video Vault had burnt down. (Not to be confused with the actual Film Vault, The Video Vault contains the duplicates of the films). Aerial news footage later showed, the actual Courthouse facade survived the fire, although the west side of it was slighty chared. Over 516 firefighters[3] from various local fire departments, as well as two helicopters dropping water, had responded to the fire. 14 Firefighters, & 3 Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy sustained minor injures. It was the seventh serious back lot fire to strike Universal since 1932. The fire was finally out after 12 hours, since firefighters encountered low water pressure. Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk allowed over 600 people to come in and park. The fire was raging, but staff told patrons that the park and CityWalk would be opened at noon. At noon they told the growing crowd it would open at one, then two and finally three. At three thirty they issued a statement that the entire complex would be closed on the day itself, angering many tourists who had been waiting since eight thirty in the morning to enter the park.[4] Destroyed were 40,000 to 50,000 archived videos chronicling Universal's movie and TV classic shows, dating back to the 1920s, including the films Knocked Up and Atonement, the NBC series Law & Order, The Office, and Miami Vice, and CBS's I Love Lucy.[5] Universal Studios' workhorse sets, buildings and rides were lost, however, YouTube stands as de facto memorial to Universal Studios' lost rides and buildings.[6] The result was a completed disaster. The back lot was on fire, not the theme park, as some sources claimed. The Universal president Ron Meyer made a statement saying nothing that cannot be replaced was lost, which means that everything will be rebuilt again spending at least 50 million dollars however days after the fire it was reported that the King Kong attraction will not be rebuilt and will eventually replaced with a new attraction[7].
[edit] Admission prices
General Admission for Universal Studios Hollywood is $64.00. However those under 48 inches tall are admitted for $54.00, and children 2 years and under are admitted for free. Visitors may also choose to buy an annual pass with or without black out days.
[edit] Attractions
The attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood are split into two areas on different levels, connected by a series of escalators called the Starway.
[edit] Upper lot
- Waterworld-A Live Sea War Spectacular
- Shrek 4-D
- The Adventures of Curious George
- Studio Tour ("Earthquake-The Big One" , "Jaws" , "Flash Flood" , "The Fast And The Furious: Extreme Close Up" , "The Mummy's Tomb" , and famous movie sets from Universal movies) [8]
- The Simpsons Ride
- Fear Factor Live!
- Universal's Animal Actors
- T2 3-D: Battle Across Time
- The Blues Brothers
- Universal's House of Horrors
[edit] Lower lot
- Jurassic Park: The Ride
- Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
- Backdraft
- Special Effects Stages
- The Universal Experience
[edit] Park characters
Universal Studios has a number of costumed characters roaming the park grounds, representing many different genres. Some are portrayals of Hollywood icons, like the Marx Brothers, Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball. Others are based on Universal's vast media library, such as:
- The characters of Walter Lantz (examples include Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda)
- The characters of Hanna Barbera
- Universal's collection of classic monsters (such as Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man)
- Characters from Universal's various film releases (such as Back to the Future's Emmett "Doc" Brown, Beetlejuice, and Curious George)
To augment its collection, Universal Studios Hollywood has licensed many other popular characters, like those from, Shrek, Nickelodeon shows SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Most recently, as promotion for their movie and in preparation for their future attraction, the Simpsons can now be seen in the park. The Marvel superheroes used to be here, but Marvel's contact with Universal ended.
[edit] Former attractions
Upper lot:
- Star Trek (1984 - 1994), replaced by The Flintstones Show (1994 - 1997), replaced by Totally Nickelodeon (1997 - 2000), replaced by Rugrats Magic Adventure 3-D (2000 - 2001), replaced by Shrek 4-D
- The War Lord Tower (1965 - 2001), replaced by Nickelodeon Blast Zone (2001 - 2008), replaced by The Adventures of Curious George
- Castle Dracula Live Show (1980 - 1983), replaced by Conan the Barbarian (1983 - 1992)
- Back to the Future: The Ride (June 4, 1993 - September 3, 2007), replaced by The Simpsons Ride
- Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue (1992 - 1999), replaced by Spider-Man Rocks (2002 - 2004), replaced by Fear Factor Live
- Rocky and Bullwinkle Live (1992 - 1996), The Land Before Time show (1997 - 1998), replaced by Coke Soak
- Fievel's Playland (1990 - 1997) and An American Tail (1990 - 1995), both replaced by T2 3-D: Battle Across Time
- Walk-through exhibits of Chicken Run, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas , Van Helsing , and The Mummy, replaced by Universal's House of Horrors
- Wild, Wild West Stunt Show (1980s - 2002)
- The Land of a Thousand Faces (1975-1980)
- King Kong- Tram tours encountered King Kong on the streets of New York. The exhibit was burnt down on June 1, 2008.
Lower lot:
- The World of CineMagic (June 1991 - July 2001) replaced by Special Effects Stages
- E.T. Adventure (June 1991 - March 14, 2003) replaced by Revenge of the Mummy (Hollywood)
- Lucy - A Tribute (March 1991 - December 2007), replaced by the Universal Experience
[edit] Dining
Upper lot:
- Doc Brown's Chicken
- Cyber Grill (T2 3-D: Battle Across Time)
- Shrek Snacks (Shrek 4-D)
- Hollywood Cantina
- Hollywood Grill
- Flintstones Drive-In
- Mel's Diner
Lower lot:
- Jurassic Cove (Jurassic Park: The Ride)
- Jurassic Cafe (Jurassic Park: The Ride)
- Panda Express
- Ben and Jerry's
[edit] Shopping
Upper lot:
- Kwik-E-Mart (The Simpsons Ride)
- Cyber Image (T2 3-D: Battle Across Time)
- Shrek Shack (Shrek 4-D)
- Marvel Mania
Lower lot:
- Tomb Treasures (Revenge of the Mummy)
- Jurassic Outfitters (Jurassic Park: The Ride)
[edit] Former shops
Upper Lot:
- Time Depot (a.k.a Back to the Future: The Ride store) Closed in 2004, Now a Kwik-E-Mart (The Simpsons Ride)
Lower lot
- E.T.'s Toy Closet closed in 2003 and are now lockers for Revenge of the Mummy
[edit] Future attractions
- Creature from the Black Lagoon - The Musical, coming Spring 2009
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/01/studio.fire/index.html
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/01/studio.fire/index.html
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/01/studio.fire/index.html
- ^ http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/index.html#fire
- ^ ap.google.com, Fire at Universal Studios destroys sets, videos
- ^ latimesblogs.latimes.com, YouTube enshrines Universal Studios' lost attractions
- ^ travel.latimes.com, Universal Studios Hollywood to replace ‘King Kong’ with new attraction
- ^ Ann Brigham, “Behind-the-Scenes Space: Promoting Production in a Landscape of Consumption,” pp. 207-223 in The Themed Space: Locating Culture, Nation, and Self, ed. Scott A. Lukas (Lanham, MD, Lexington Books, 2007), ISBN: 0739121421
[edit] External links
- Official Universal Studios Hollywood website
- Universal Studios Hollywood fansite covering history and development
- Universal Studios Hollywood fansite covering the theme park and CityWalk
- Photos of 2008 back lot fire
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