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UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD
Hollywood, CA (Abbreviation: USH)
NBC Universal
 Park News - (5/2/08) Universal Studios Hollywood has been conducting a few guest surveys lately asking a lot of questions about how people feel about a variety of special events in the park. One such event mentioned was a “Homer For The Holidays” Simpsons themed Christmas event. More questions were asked about what people would like to see from future New Year’s Eve events and if there was any interest in a Rock The Universal Christian concert event similar to the one in Orlando.
More detailed questions were asked about ideas for Halloween Horror Nights, such as dividing the park into three areas. The description of the lower lot area indicated a Jurassic Park experience with a twist, Revenge Of The Mummy, updated versions of the Jason, Leatherface and Freddy mazes along with two brand new mazes. They then asked questions about a few specific films: Saw, The Fog, The Mist, and Halloween. The subject of bringing back Bettlejuice for a new Rockin Graveyard Revue was also mentioned. A second HHN themed area would focus more on famous horror movie directors such as Stephen Sommers, Clive Barker, Wes Craven, Steven King and others along with an updated Horror Tram Tour. The third area would be in the upper lot and hinted at a variety of ideas that might include the return of the Bill & Ted show, A Rocky Horror musical show, and classic Florida HHN icons from the past: Jack, Caretaker and The Storyteller.
(4/30/08) Look for a huge influx of NBC employees to be flooding the Universal City area over the next few years as a deal was finalized to sell off the old 34-acre NBC Studios property in Burbank to a local real estate developer. A main new facility will open on Lankershim in 2011, but the most visual move will be when Conan O’Brien takes over The Tonight Show and moves it to it’s new home on the Universal Studios backlot in 2009.
(4/30/08) Next time you visit Universal Studios Hollywood keep an eye out for Sleestaks, the reptile looking humanoids that may have haunted your childhood from the old Land of the Lost TV series on Saturday morning. According to Geeks of Doom a brand new comedic version of Land of the Lost staring Will Ferrell is currently shooting on the back lot.
(3/14/08) For a limited time Universal Studios Hollywood is offering two days for the price of one, though your second day much be used within a three day window.
(3/4/08) Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that they will add Universal Pin Trading to the park starting on March 14th, kicking things off with a limited edition release of over 100 different collectible pins and official lanyards.
(2/29/08) I received a good question from one of our readers today. With the launch of the all new Knight Rider TV pilot (I don’t think a full series run has been confirmed yet) has Universal Studios Hollywood put the all new KITT car on display anywhere in the park or along the backlot tour?
(2/6/08) For a limited time Universal Studios Hollywood is offering an online exclusive 2 Days For The Price of One deal. Your free second day is valid anytime between now and 12/31/08. Of course for the locals who may want to come back more often the park is still offering an annual pass for the price of one general admission ($64) as well, though there are a few blackout date restrictions.
2008 - The Simpsons and Curious George - (5/6/08) WestCoaster has added a new photo update from Universal Studios Hollywood.
(4/25/08) ThrillRide has posted a
quick photo trip report from Universal Studios Hollywood, including a good look at the Simpsons Ride. A reader has also sent in two new pictures for us to enjoy as well.
(4/23/08) Westcoaster has added all new construction pictures of The Simpsons Ride.
Universal is now promoting new “green” aspects of The Simpsons Ride in time to go along with Earth Day. For starters the ride will use a combination of new electric motors and software systems to save power during the actual ride itself. The entire attraction also features the largest installation of LED lamps in theme park ride history, using 2,582 LED lights that will use only 27,675 watts per hour compared to the 82,909 watts per hour that would be used with standard incandescent lighting.
(4/18/08) WestCoaster sent in two new pictures showing off the outside of The Simpsons Ride this week for us to use. Thanks guys!
(4/17/08) I must have missed the earlier announcement, but it seems that the new Adventures of Curious George interactive play-zone is now open.
(4/11/08) I don’t know how true this really is, but according to a Screamscape reader there is a reason why certain Simpsons characters have not been listed as appearing in the ride… and they all seem to have one thing in common… Harry Shearer. According to our reader, you’ll notice that none of the characters voiced by Harry Shearer are included on the list of characters the LA Times posted. Shearer provides the voices for Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, Smithers, Dr. Hibbert, Rev. Lovejoy, Lenny, Otto, Principal Skinner and Kent Brockman. Now… he is also credited with being the voice of Scratchy (the cat) and Kang (the alien) who ARE listed as being in the ride, but Scratchy never really talks and half the time Kang just laughs along with Kodos, the other alien.
According to our reader, Shearer apparently declined any offers to do voice work for  the ride and by opting out, apparently he’s taken most of the characters he does along with him. Readers will remember the many early rumors claiming that the Simpsons ride was delayed for quite some time due to troublesome negotiations with the cast members. You may also remember an early rumor claiming that the ride’s story would deal with Mr. Burn’s nuclear power plant, possibly with the plan to re-theme the BTTF ride building to look like a pair of nuclear cooling towers. (Obviously this look would have been much easier with the Hollywood building than the Orlando one.) Of course this leads us back to why it may have been called Project FISH in the first place, named after Blinky the 3-Eyed Fish that came from the toxic waste. So if you connect all the dots here correctly, our source believes that the ride’s entire delay and original storyline revolving around Mr. Burns as the villain was likely due to Harry Shearer opting out of the project.
(4/10/08) The LA Times has posted one final update about the new Simpsons Ride, this time including a list of the 29 characters from the show who will appear in the six minute ride, all of which are voiced by the original voice actors.
(4/9/08) The LA Times has posted a series of articles previewing the new Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. The first one talks more about the outside of the ride and confirms a rumor that guests will enter through Krusty’s mouth, walking on a giant squishy tongue and taking a swing at a uvula punching bag hanging at the back of his throat. The next article talks about the ride vehicals themselves, which will still hold 8 passengers in two rows of four but will not be the same old ride cars from the old ride with new bodies. The Simpsons Ride will feature all new ride vehicals, scissor lifts, motion platforms and a new digital projection system for the ride film. Even better, they claim that there is a nod to Back To The Future: The Ride in the new ride with a brief appearance of an animated Doc Brown. After navigating the queue your group of 8 will be left to wait in a “funhouse holding room” just before you board the ride. The last article in the series talks about the attractions in the fictional Krustyland theme park, such as the Tooth Chipper coaster, Yard Work Simulator, the Impervo the Painless show, Captain Dinosaur’s Pirate Rip Off and my favorite… the Screamatorium of Dr. Frightmarestein.
(3/27/08) A new website has launched to promote The Simpsons Ride here. In addition to what looks like the official animated ad for the ride (“Are we there yet?”) the About the Ride section mentions that you’ll enter through Krustyland’s carnival midway, past games being run by Apu, Groundskeeper Willy, Patty and Selma. The FAQ section confirms that the seating layout will be exactly the same as Back To The Future with the cars featuring two rows of four, with a height limit of 40 inches. Meanwhile the Magic 8-Ball on the website gives May 17th as the ride’s opening date.
(3/25/08) New construction pictures from Universal Studios Hollywood can be found at InsideUniversal.net. It includes shots of The Simpsons Ride and the new Curious George area.
(3/19/08) According to this website, Universal Studios Hollywood will open The Simpsons Ride on May 24th.
(3/12/08) Today we’ve been sent four new pictures of The Simpsons Ride building, a look at the Curious George conversion taking place and an extra shot looking inside the former Wild Wild Wild West Show stadium (now empty of seats). You can also see a few more pictures over at InsideUniversal.
(3/3/08) New construction pictures of the Simpsons ride at Universal Studios Hollywood can be found here.
(2/13/08) A construction update from Universal Studios Hollywood can be seen at Coaster Dimension with some of the latest pictures of The Simpsons.
(1/14/08) The LA Times has confirmed our story that the former Niceklodeon Blast Zone will indeed be converted into a new Curious George themed play area in time for Spring 2008.
(1/8/08) A Screamscape reader has sent in two more shots showing off the front of the Simpsons building. We’ve also heard a few other odd rumors for new projects coming to the park this year. From what I understand it seems the park may be ready to close the Lucy tribute area and replace it with some other movie themed museum attraction. We’ve also heard that the Nickelodeon Blast Zone has been closed down for the winter, but when it opens it may have a new Curious George theme in place. Anyone know more?
(1/4/08) Today we have a few new pictures showing off some construction taking place to the side of the Simpson’s ride building where they’ve had to put up quite a bit of scaffolding for some reason.
(11/6/07) A few new pictures from Universal Hollywood have been added to Coaster Realm including the last night of Horror Nights, the inside of the Kwik-E-Mart and more.
(11/1/07) You can find a new new photos of the Kwik-E-Mart building at Universal Studios Hollywood at InsideUniversal, where the back  half of the building has been painted to look like The Android’s Dungeon… the Comic Book Guy store.
(9/4/07) Labor Day and come and gone and Back To The Future: The Ride has now closed down for good at Universal Studios Hollywood. The only place left on Earth to experience BTTF anymore on the other side of the globe at Universal Studios Japan.
(4/24/07) Since last July we’ve swam through the rivers of speculation and rumor, but once again Screamscape has proven to be right on the pulse of the industry today as Universal finally announced the new Simpsons ride that will replace Back To The Future. The yet to be named Simpsons simulator ride will open in Orlando and Hollywood in Spring 2008 but the deal will allow for parks to start using the Simpsons walk-around characters this year in time to take advantage of the Simpsons feature film. The Orlando ride is already closed and construction has begun, but the Hollywood version will close after Labor Day weekend.
Few details of the ride itself were revealed, only that guests will be, “rocketed along with the Simpson family on a hysterical, almost unimaginable adventure. They’ll experience a side of Springfield previously unexplored as they enjoy the new ride’s interpretation of thrill rides, dark rides and “live” shows that make up a new fantasy amusement park dreamed up by the show’s cantankerous Krusty the Clown.“ During your trip through Krusty Land, you’ll encounter most of your favorite cast members from the long running show, all voiced by the original actors. On the rumor side of things, we did hear that we can expect to see a few funny Simpson-ized takes on Universal characters such as King Homer (Kong) and a Mr. Burns version of Dracula. The article at the Orlando Sentinel did confirm that the simulator ride would continue to use the 80 foot tall screens from the old Back To The Future ride. More as we find it.
2009 - New Show Attraction Ideas - Rumor - (5/2/08) If the latest rumors are true Universal may be kicking area ideas to update some of their entertainment options once again in 2009. Apparently this includes looking into new show ideas that could take over for the Waterworld, Fear Factor and even Shrek 4D theaters. I’m still thinking Shrek is fairly safe for now, especially with a fourth film in the works, but the other two are certainly possible. Anyone know more?
(3/21/07) For the past several years the old Wild West Stadium has sat empty, but sources tell us that something new is finally in the works to bring it back to life in the next couple of years. Anyone know more?
2009 - The Tonight Show Relocation - In Development - (10/12/07) NBC confirmed plans yesterday to move The Tonight Show as well as the entire NBC Studios production facility to a new state of the art facility at Universal Studios Hollywood over the next four years. It also confirms that they will renovate Universal’s Stage One into a new theater to serve as the home for The Tonight Show in 2009 when Conan O’Brien takes over as the host.
(8/17/07) Remember back in mid 2006 when I mentioned that there were plans in the works to Relocate the Tonight Show to the Universal Studios Hollywood from its current location in NBC’s Burbank studios? Looks like that move is going forward as Hollywood Today has reported that ABC’s Desperate Housewives production has been served notice that they will be removed form Universal’s historic Stage One and moved to a new and larger soundstage on property. The plan is to transform Stage One into a new theater home for the Tonight Show in 2009 when Conan O’Brien takes over the reigns from Jay Leno. Conan and his entourage were seen on site Wednesday being given a tour of the facility which is planned to undergo a 18 months renovation that will include new public areas, a bigger state of the art theater, dressing rooms and a four story office complex for the Tonight Show staff who has outgrown their confined space at the NBC Studios in Burbank.
The Vision Plan - All Details about the proposed Vision Plan that will trim nearly 125 acres from the famous Universal Studios backlot have been moved to it’s own page.
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