History YMMV / UniversalStudios

** Speaking of ''Shrek 4-D'', despite many being happy about the attraction's closure and feeling it was inevitable, many fans of the ogre were immensely disappointed by the rumors of a second ''WesternAnimation/{{Minions}}'' attraction seemingly being confirmed.
** Similar to the Nickelodeon Studios example, many {{Series/Barney|AndFriends}} fans felt this way when ''A Day in the Park with Barney'' closed and was replaced by the ''{{Creator/Dreamworks|Animation}} Destination''.

** ''Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit'' tends to be a source of heavy fan division, as many feel that it's a tacky coaster that ruins a lot of the park's atmosphere, while others highly enjoy it and think that its theming intrusions are no big deal.

** A [[https://vine.co/v/iiTPxlubd3O clip]] of a costumed Squidward dabbing during a ''[=SpongeBob=]'' float for the ''Universal's Superstar Parade'' became a viral and memetic sensation, to the point the Orlando attendants tell patrons not to ask their characters to dab.

** Over the years, Universal Studios Japan has moved away from the theme of "The Power of Hollywood" in favor of filling the park with animated properties and soon video game properties. Whether or not this is for better or worse varies among Universal's Japanese fanbase.

** ''Ride/{{Kongfrontation}}''[='=]s closure and subsequent replacement by ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'' got lots of flak from longtime Universal fans, especially since, unlike ''Kongfrontation'', ''Revenge of the Mummy'' [[NetworkDecay did not take place in New York despite being part of the New York section of the park]]. While ''Revenge of the Mummy'' was well-received, fans felt the park was empty without Kong. It wouldn't be until the next decade when Universal announced an [[Ride/SkullIslandReignOfKong attraction]] based off of Creator/PeterJackson[='=]s ''Film/{{King Kong|2005}}'' for Islands of Adventure, to the rejoicing of many.

** ''Fear Factor Live'', which opened in 2005 (replacing ''The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show'' in Orlando and ''ComicBook/SpiderMan Rocks'' in Hollywood), is the source of much ire in Universal fans. While the Hollywood attraction closed in 2008 to make way for ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon: The Musical'', it survives to this day in Orlando, long after [[Series/FearFactor the show itself]] was canceled.[[note]]The last episode aired in 2012 -- and that was for a short-lived {{revival}} of the show that only lasted eight episodes. Before that season, there hadn't been a new episode of ''Fear Factor'' since '''2006'''.[[/note]] Universal fans are completely baffled as to how it's been able to stick around while virtually everything else in the park has been getting replaced.

** Bill Paxton's ultra-dramatic narration in the former ''Ride/TwisterRideItOut'' pre-shows.

** Similarly, most of the dialogue in the Orlando version of ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', but especially Brendan Fraser's performance at the ride's conclusion:

** The smell of the ''Ride/ETAdventure'' queue line.

** In some ways, the current direction of the parks is a case of this. Many fans are upset that Universal has tossed out more timeless franchises like ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'', and ''Franchise/TheTerminator'' in favor of focusing on "what's hot" in terms of properties, as they feel this isn't a good long term strategy considering that what's popular now may not be so in a couple of years. This has proven to be true to an extent, with one particular example being ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', which is based off of a franchise that has now long since fallen out of relevance. Fans also tend to point towards ''Ride/RaceThroughNewYorkStarringJimmyFallon'' as another example, saying that the ride will become dated very quickly the moment Creator/JimmyFallon leaves ''Series/TheTonightShow''. Other fans, however, think that it's good that the parks are keeping up with the times and introducing new franchises to the parks. It's also been pointed out that those "timeless" franchises were what was trendy back when the park opened in 1990, with ''Jaws'' being the only one that was more than a decade old.

** The parks' usage of screens and motion-simulation rather than ''actual'' motion leaves fans divided as well. At Universal Studios Florida, as of 2018, seven out of the park's 13 attractions are entirely screen-based attractions (and an eighth, ''Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts'' is a combination of screen-based and dark-ride). This leaves some fans deriding the park for its overusage (see ItsTheSameNowItSucks, below), while others laud it for its use of modern day technology. The parks have made a push away from screen-based motion simulators in the late 2010s, however; ''Ride/HagridsMagicalCreaturesMotorbikeAdventure'' was praised for being a largely practical experience, while the success of Ride/SuperNintendoWorld shows that technology can be integrated with physical sets while keeping the benefits of both.

** In some ways, the current direction of the parks is a case of this. Many fans are upset that Universal has tossed out more timeless franchises like ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'', and ''Franchise/TheTerminator'' in favor of focusing on "what's hot" in terms of properties, as they feel this isn't a good long term strategy considering that what's popular now may not be so in a couple of years. This has proven to be true to an extent, with one particular example being ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', which is based off of a franchise that has now long since fallen out of relevance. Fans also tend to point towards ''Ride/RaceThroughNewYorkStarringJimmyFallon'' as another example, saying that the ride will become dated very quickly the moment Creator/JimmyFallon leaves ''Series/TheTonightShow''. Other fans, however, think that it's good that the parks are keeping up with the times and introducing new franchises to the parks.

** ''Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit'' tends to be a source of heavy fan division, as many feel that it's a tacky coaster that ruins a lot of the park's atmosphere, while others highly enjoy it and think that its theming intrusions is no big deal.
** The parks' usage of screens and motion-simulation rather than ''actual'' motion leaves fans divided as well. At Universal Studios Florida, as of 2018, seven out of the park's 13 attractions are entirely screen-based attractions (and an eighth, ''Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringots'' is a combination of screen-based and dark-ride). This leaves some fans deriding the park for its overusage (see ItsTheSameNowItSucks, below), while others laud it for its use of modern day technology.

** Universal Orlando enthusiasts deem the period during and ''after'' the 1999 resort redesign as this. During this period, many of Universal Studios Florida's classic attractions, such as ''Theatre/GhostbustersSpooktacular'', ''Ride/{{Kongfrontation}}'', ''Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies'', ''Stage 54'', ''Ride/TheFuntasticWorldOfHannaBarbera'', ''The Wild Wild West Stunt Show'', and ''Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide'' were closed in an attempt to "[[WereStillRelevantDammit modernize]]" the theme park in order to keep it competitive with Disney. The enthusiasts' reactions to most of the replacements for these rides ranged from [[Ride/JimmyNeutronsNicktoonBlast extremely polarizing]] to [[WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD heavy backlash]]. The only rides that didn't have any backlash against them were ''Ride/MenInBlackAlienAttack'', ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', and ''Ride/TheSimpsonsRide'', and even the latter two had something of a BrokenBase due to them having replaced ''Kongfrontation'' and ''Back to the Future: The Ride'', respectively. It also didn't help that during this time, Universal scrapped plans for building a second resort just a few miles away for economic reasons, with nearly disastrous consequences.

* WinBackTheCrowd: As mentioned below, the Universal Studios park's heavy reliance on screen-based attractions has led to something of a BrokenBase among fans, so ''Ride/HagridsMagicalCreaturesMotorbikeAdventure'' was warmly received for being almost entirely animatronics-based and not having a single screen outside of the queue space.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: As mentioned below, the Universal Studios park's heavy reliance on screen-based attractions has led to something of a BrokenBase among fans, so ''Ride/HagridsMagicalCreaturesMotorbikeAdventure'' was warmly received for being almost entirely animatronics-based and not having a single screen outside of the queue line.

* VindicatedByHistory: Many people would be surprised if you told them that upon opening, Islands of Adventure was a '''flop'''. It failed to get even ''half'' of its projected attendance in 1999, and as a result put all of Universal Orlando into a ''billion'' dollars in debt for over a decade. It wasn't until the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2010 that the park at last became a financial success and gained recognition from people all around the world.

** As a joke about Universal's habit of being extremely secretive regarding upcoming projects even as they become increasingly visible visible, jokes about the under-construction ''Velocicoaster'' actually being a churro stand took off. Universal even began playing into these jokes, and gave opening-day riders of the coaster a free churro.

** Similar to the Nickelodeon Studios example, many {{Series/Barney|AndFriends}} fans felt this way when ''A Day in the Park with Barney'' was replaced by a {{Creator/Dreamworks|Animation}} meet and greet area.

* CriticalResearchFailure: The ''Pteranodon''-themed coaster that Universal Studios Japan added to its Jurassic Park area in 2016 is called ''The Flying Dinosaur'', which is a fallacious title, as pterosaurs were ''not'' dinosaurs; they were flying reptiles.
* DorkAge:
** Universal Orlando enthusiasts deem the period during and ''after'' the 1999 resort redesign as this. During this period, many of Universal Studios Florida's classic attractions, such as ''Theatre/GhostbustersSpooktacular'', ''Ride/{{Kongfrontation}}'', ''Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies'', ''Stage 54'', ''Ride/TheFuntasticWorldOfHannaBarbera'', ''The Wild Wild West Stunt Show'', and ''Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide'' were closed in an attempt to "[[WereStillRelevantDammit modernize]]" the theme park in order to keep it competitive with Disney. The enthusiasts' reactions to most of the replacements for these rides ranged from [[Ride/JimmyNeutronsNicktoonBlast extremely polarizing]] to [[WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD heavy backlash]]. The only rides that didn't have any backlash against them were ''Ride/MenInBlackAlienAttack'', ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', and ''Ride/TheSimpsonsRide'', and even the latter two had something of a BrokenBase due to them having replaced ''Kongfrontation'' and ''Back to the Future: The Ride'', respectively. It also didn't help that during this time, Universal scrapped plans for building a second resort just a few miles away for economic reasons, with nearly disastrous consequences.
** Universal Studios Hollywood had it ''even worse'' than Orlando. Most of the park's attractions from the late 80's all the way up to the ''early 2010's'' got replaced left and right just to keep the park competitive to Disneyland, and even then most people just visited the park just to ride the iconic Studio Tour.[[note]] Although the ''Nickelodeon Blast Zone'' was definitely one of the reasons some kids went [[/note]] The most negatively received of the newer attractions at the time was ''Spider Man Rocks'', a live stage show that replaced ''Theatre/BeetlejuicesGraveyardRevue''. It was frequently mocked by almost everyone who watched it, and it made ''Theatre/SpiderManTurnOffTheDark'' look like a Tony Award-winning musical by Bob Fosse. It ended up being the only Creator/{{Marvel|Comics}}-related attraction Universal Studios Hollywood had; it closed in 2004 to be replaced by ''Fear Factor Live'' (which didn't fare much better reputation-wise), and Marvel regained the California theme park rights for their characters in 2008, which fell into Disney's hands the following year when they bought Marvel. Only with the opening of Hollywood's ''Wizarding World of Harry Potter'' and ''Springfield'' areas, along with ''Super Silly Fun Land'' seemed to signal the age was starting to die down.
*** To underscore just how turbulent Universal's Dork Ages were, there's an infamous part in Universal's [[Film/TheCatInTheHat adaptation]] of ''Literature/TheCatInTheHat'' where, during the Ms. Kwan ride near the end, the Cat suddenly stops the film and holds up two pamphlets [[ProductPlacement advertising the Universal theme parks]] before winking at the audience and resuming the movie. Judging by how blatant this form of product placement is, it's doubtful that most executives who worked at Universal during the film's production are still employed.
** As of now, some enthusiasts have come to see Universal Orlando as having fallen into another Dork Age. In particular, they cite a perceived over-reliance on motion simulator rides at the expense of more traditional rides and stage shows, especially now that, with both the original Studios park and Islands of Adventure mostly filled in, Universal had to close old attractions to make way for these new rides. While the replacement of ''Ride/TwisterRideItOut'' with ''Ride/RaceThroughNewYorkStarringJimmyFallon'' wasn't too bad (''Twister'' was a [[BrokenBase polarizing attraction]] to begin with, so replacing it with an equally polarizing one didn't change much), replacing the well-received ''Ride/{{Disaster}}'' (one of the few remaining attractions at the park to date back to its 1990 opening, albeit in the form of ''Ride/EarthquakeTheBigOne'') with ''Ride/FastAndFuriousSupercharged'', which met a scathing reception even from casual park guests, wasn't. Volcano Bay, Universal Orlando's third theme park (and first water park), also received very mixed reviews on opening day in 2017 for being an ObviousBeta, with complaints about the rides breaking down frequently, the wireless [=TapuTapu=] wristbands used for the virtual lines being glitchy, and said virtual lines being several hours long, such that Universal was forced to cap ticket sales in order to prevent overcrowding (leading to guests being turned away from the gate as early as noon). It's possible that this age has come to an end with the opening of the universally acclaimed ''Ride/HagridsMagicalCreaturesMotorbikeAdventure'' along with the announcement of the highly promising Epic Universe theme park, which is slated to feature the long waited ''Ride/SuperNintendoWorld''.

** [=CityWalk=] Orlando at one point had several individual merchandise kiosks for ''Series/DoctorWho'', ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''[[note]]Although Universal has associated themselves with Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} in the past (who currently own the franchise), they only officially have ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' and ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'' licensed from them at the moment[[/note]], and even ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''[[note]]Ditto, but replace "Nickelodeon" and "''[=SpongeBob SquarePants=]'' and ''Dora the Explorer''" with "Creator/{{Hasbro}}" and "''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''"[[/note]]. As of now, there's currently a kiosk featuring merchandise from various anime properties.

* TearJerker: Among the many killed in the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting was Luis Vielma, a Universal employee who worked for the ''Ride/HarryPotterAndTheForbiddenJourney'' attraction. Shortly after the tragedy, a small event was held in front of the ride where all those in attendance raised their wands up into the air in his memory. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZcsgsLRiJw Here's a video of the ceremony]], but be forewarned that it's not easy to watch.

** Plenty of people were happy when ''WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD'' closed at Hollywood in late 2017, although it being replaced by a mostly-similar ''Kung-Fu Panda'' 4D movie came as a disappointment to fans hoping for an entirely new ride in the space.

** The New York City area of the park. The original major attractions in the land that opened with the park were ''Ride/{{Kongfrontation}}'' and ''Theatre/GhostbustersSpooktacular'', both of which take place in New York City. By 1998, ''Ghostbusters'' was gone and replaced with ''Ride/TwisterRideItOut'', based on the film ''Film/{{Twister}}'', but the subject of tornadoes had nothing to do with the culture or society of New York, a city where tornadoes are almost completely unheard of. Then, by 2004, ''Kongfrontation'' was replaced with ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', which, like ''Twister'', has nothing to do with New York City whatsoever; only the exterior of the attraction, resembling the entrance to a museum (which New York ''does'' have a ton of), can arguably be seen as fitting the theming. The most shameless part about it was that the area remained under this state for over a ''decade''. With Comcast taking over [=NBCUniversal=] and trying to improve the image of the theme parks, however, the ''Twister'' ride was shuttered to make room for ''Ride/RaceThroughNewYorkStarringJimmyFallon'', which, [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment regardless of what you think about that]], is a much better fit as the show is taped in New York. Whether or not ''Revenge of the Mummy'' will be removed to something more New York-y once again remains unknown.

** Universal Studios Hollywood had it ''even worse'' than Orlando. Most of the park's attractions from the late 80's all the way up to the ''early 2010's'' got replaced left and right just to keep the park competitive to Disneyland, and even then most people just visited the park just to ride the iconic Studio Tour.[[note]] Although the ''Nickelodeon Blast Zone'' was definitely one of the reasons some kids went [[/note]] The most negatively received of the newer attractions at the time was ''Spider Man Rocks'', a live stage show that replaced ''Theatre/BeetlejuicesGraveyardRevue''. It was frequently mocked by almost everyone who watched it, and it made ''Theatre/SpiderManTurnOffTheDark'' look like a Tony Award-winning musical by Bob Fosse. It ended up being the only [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel]]-related attraction Universal Studios Hollywood had; it closed in 2004 to be replaced by ''Fear Factor Live'' (which didn't fare much better reputation-wise), and Marvel regained the California theme park rights for their characters in 2008, which fell into Disney's hands the following year when they bought Marvel. Only with the opening of Hollywood's ''Wizarding World of Harry Potter'' and ''Springfield'' areas, along with ''Super Silly Fun Land'' seemed to signal the age was starting to die down.

* HilariousInHindsight: The [[Creator/MarvelComics Marvel]] attractions and ''The Simpsons Ride'' are some of the biggest draws the Florida park has against the competing [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Walt Disney World]]. The fact that Creator/{{Disney}} now owns both franchises leaves both parks in a very awkward spot -- Universal Orlando because it's now promoting its competitor's properties (though it is also admittedly profiting off of them), and Disney World because, thanks to Universal's contract with Marvel and Fox, it is extremely limited when it comes to even referencing some of its parent company's biggest hit franchises.

--->"Hey, welcome back. Hope you enjoyed your ride. I would've enjoyed this interview a lot more if I had [[SuddenlyShouting GOTTEN MY CUP OF COFFEE!]]"

** ''Ride/{{Kongfrontation}}''[='=]s closure and subsequent replacement by ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'' got lots of flak from longtime Universal fans, especially since, unlike ''Kongfrontation'', ''Revenge of the Mummy'' [[NetworkDecay did not take place in New York despite being part of the New York section of the park]]. While ''Revenge of the Mummy'' was well-received, fans felt the park was empty without Kong. It wouldn't be until the next decade when Universal announced an [[Ride/SkullIslandReignOfKong attraction]] based off of Creator/PeterJackson[='=]s ''[[Film/KingKong2005 King Kong]]'' for Islands of Adventure, to the rejoicing of many.
** ''Ride/FastAndFuriousSupercharged'' at the Orlando park is widely regarded as possibly the worst "thrill ride" in any of the parks, thanks to a combination of several factors: 1) replacing two better-loved attractions, ''Ride/{{Disaster}}'' and ''Theatre/BeetlejuicesGraveyardRevue'', 2) [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks using the exact same]] ride video from the Hollywood version (and the [[TheyCopiedItNowItSucks exact same track and ride system]] from ''Ride/SkullIslandReignOfKong'' next door) despite the opportunity to create something new in the massive custom showbuilding, 3) and for being the third screen-reliant ride in as many years, as well as just being mostly a boring ride experience in general.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Many people within the industry, particularly Disney, were highly skeptical that Universal would find success in the Disney-dominated market of Central Florida. Said skeptics were proven wrong when Universal Studios Florida became a solid success in the '90s, and while they struggled throughout the '2000s, Universal Orlando would then become a ''massive'' success with the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the '2010s.

* GrowingTheBeard: Universal Studios Hollywood has gone through this in the eyes of many. For a long time, it had the perception of being more of a tacky tourist trap than a real theme park, but said perception changed in the '2010s when the park began to take a far stronger focus on creating immersive themed areas, with the entrance to the park receiving an elaborate and aesthetically-pleasing retheming, the addition of the Springfield area in 2015, and biggest of all, the addition of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in 2016.

** In some ways, the current direction of the parks is a case of this. Many fans are upset that Universal has tossed out more timeless franchises like ''Film/{{Jaws}}'', ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'', and ''Franchise/TheTerminator'' in favor of focusing on "what's hot" in terms of properties, as they feel this isn't a good long term strategy considering that what's popular now may not be so in a couple of years. This has proven to be true to an extent, with one particular example being ''Ride/RevengeOfTheMummy'', which is based off of a franchise that has now long since fallen out of relevance. Fans also tend to point towards ''Ride/RaceThroughNewYorkStarringJimmyFallon'' as another example, saying that the ride will become dated very quickly the moment Creator/JimmyFallon leaves ''Series/TheTonightShow''.

** As of now, some enthusiasts have come to see Universal Orlando as having fallen into another Dork Age. In particular, they cite a perceived over-reliance on motion simulator rides at the expense of more traditional rides and stage shows, especially now that, with both the original Studios park and Islands of Adventure mostly filled in, Universal had to close old attractions to make way for these new rides. While the replacement of ''Ride/TwisterRideItOut'' with ''Ride/RaceThroughNewYorkStarringJimmyFallon'' wasn't too bad (''Twister'' was a [[BrokenBase polarizing attraction]] to begin with, so replacing it with an equally polarizing one didn't change much), replacing the well-received ''Ride/{{Disaster}}'' (one of the few remaining attractions at the park to date back to its 1990 opening, albeit in the form of ''Ride/EarthquakeTheBigOne'') with ''Ride/FastAndFuriousSupercharged'', which met a scathing reception even from casual park guests, wasn't. Volcano Bay, Universal Orlando's third theme park (and first water park), also received very mixed reviews on opening day in 2017 for being an ObviousBeta, with complaints about the rides breaking down frequently, the wireless [=TapuTapu=] wristbands used for the virtual lines being glitchy, and said virtual lines being several hours long, such that Universal was forced to cap ticket sales in order to prevent overcrowding (leading to guests being turned away from the gate as early as noon). It's possible that this age has come to an end with the opening of the universally acclaimed ''Ride/HagridsMagicalCreaturesMotorbikeAdventure'' along with the announcement of the highly promising Epic Universe theme park.

** One of the biggest criticisms about the parks is that, unlike Disney, management frequently closes fan favorite attractions that are based on the studio's older properties so they can replace it with one based on whatever is currently popular. As of 2017, the only remaining opening day attraction at the Florida park is ''E.T. Adventure'' (mostly because Steven Spielberg was angered by the closing of the Hollywood version and threatened to never work with Universal again if they closed the Florida one too).

** A [[https://vine.co/v/iiTPxlubd3O clip]] of a costumed Squidward dabbing during a ''[=SpongeBob=]'' parade became a viral and memetic sensation, to the point the Orlando attendants tell patrons not to ask their characters to dab.

** Fans of ''Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide'' didn't have nice things to say about ''Ride/TheSimpsonsRide'', though the backlash seems to have cooled down over the years. It helps that fans applauded the use of the same ride technology ''Back to the Future: The Ride'' utilized, as well as the tribute included in the queue show. Not to mention the ride is absolutely hysterical for many.

** ''WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD'' which replaced ''Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies'' is also largely unpopular with Universal fans. It is often seen as a giant step backwards for Universal that's nowhere near as elaborate or impressive as its predecessor, due to it being a simple 3-D theatre show when Universal had previously taken 3-D to a whole new level with ''Ride/TheAmazingAdventuresOfSpiderMan''. It's telling that, despite a prime location near the front gate in a huge building at the Orlando park (and formerly at the Hollywood park), lines are typically about ten minutes long even on busy days, making it little more than a crowd sink.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Many people within the industry, particularly Disney, were highly skeptical that Universal would find success in the Disney-dominated market of Central Florida. Said skeptics were proven wrong when Universal Studios Florida became a solid success in the '90s, and while they struggled throughout the '2000s, Universal Orlando would then become a ''massive'' success with the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the 2010s.