Line #16 Trivia/UniversalStudios


1	* AdoredByTheNetwork: Ever since its opening, ''The Wizarding World of Harry Potter'' has dominated the marketing for all the Universal resorts. ''Ride/DespicableMeMinionMayhem'' also gets this treatment to an extent, especially in Universal Studios Japan, where Minion merchandise manages to outsell even the merchandise for ''Potter''.
2	* AllStarCast: Most of the movie-based attractions incorporate the original actors to varying degrees; since the movies are ''extremely'' popular & have ''very famous stars''…
3	* ApprovalOfGod: ''ComicBook/TheTransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye'' writer James Roberts was [[https://twitter.com/jroberts332/status/1435572790346801156 pleasantly surprised]] to know that Universal Beijing {{defictionaliz\|ation}}ed Swerve's Bar from his series.
4	* ContentLeak: Information about almost all of Universal's upcoming attractions tend to get leaked onto the internet way before they get officially announced. Universal Studios Beijing in particular had its entire park layout leaked along with its themed lands and most of its attractions, which may have contributed to it entering DevelopmentHell.
5	* DevelopmentGag: As ''Velocicoaster'' at Islands of Adventure was being built, an osprey attempted to build a nest at the very top of the ride, becoming a bit of a celebrity among fans tracking the ride's construction. Eventually, Universal was able to safely encourage the osprey to relocate its nest, and the osprey was honored in the ''Velocicoaster'' pre-show on a video where it is included among the various dinosaurs [=InGen=] has been tracking.
6	* DevelopmentHell:
7	** Universal Studios Florida was a project that Universal had been trying to get done throughout the entirety of the '80s, but due to a variety of circumstances, including quarrels with Disney, the park wouldn't open until 1990. This notably allowed Disney to preemptively strike by opening Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, but Universal's park became a SleeperHit in spite of that.
8	** Plans for Universal Studios Japan went all the way back to the ''late '80s'', but for reasons unknown, it took the park until 2001 to finally materialize.
9	** The third theme park in Universal Orlando Resort. It was first thought of during the expansion of the resort in 1998, and they even bought the land to build the park. But the economic fallout of the September 11th attacks along with the initial financial failure of Islands of Adventure made the project less viable and the land was sold off a few years later. Eventually, with the success of the ''Harry Potter'' rides and the purchase of [=NBCUniversal=] by Comcast, the land was bought back by the end of 2015 for $130 million, leading to many, including local news outlets, to speculate that the third theme park[[note]]Or fourth, if you count Volcano Bay[[/note]] will finally be coming within the next few years. These speculations were confirmed in 2019 when the third park was finally announced as Universal's Epic Universe for an intended late 2023 opening. Once construction began on the park, it was quickly put on a year’s long hiatus due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic and is now looking to open between late 2024 and mid-2025.
10	** Universal Orlando had been trying to develop its own water park throughout the 2000s, but like the idea of a third theme park, it was put on hold due to the financial issues they were facing at the time. The water park finally came to be in 2017, under the name Volcano Bay.
11	** ''The High In The Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!'' did not open until seven years after the rest of Islands of Adventure opened, despite the fact that the track, loading station, and queue line had been at the park since opening day. This is because the ride that was originally going to open there (''Sylvester [=McMonkey=] [=McBean=]'s Unusual Driving Machines'') was built improperly by its original manufacturer, leading to Universal delaying its opening until they could get the money to hire a new manufacturer to properly redo the attraction, something that wouldn't happen until the mid 2000s.
12	** Universal Studios Beijing was originally planned to open in 2018, and the project was in talks as early as Hong Kong Disneyland's opening in 2005. Construction only broke ground in 2016, and for one reason or another was delayed repeatedly until opening in late 2021.
13	* DuelingProducts: With the US Ride/DisneyThemeParks, primarily, as both are in roughly the same areas (southern California and central Florida). Due to their proximity, it is very common for visitors in one area to "double-dip" and visit both resorts, however.
14	* FandomNod: Universal tends to leave many references to their past attractions around throughout the park, such as a hieroglyphic and golden statue of King Kong in ''Revenge of the Mummy'' as well as the ''Back to the Future'' and ''JAWS'' props still on display in the park.
15	* FollowTheLeader: During the earlier years of Universal Studios Japan, the park constantly went out of its way to mimic Tokyo Disneyland. Firstly, they put a large amount of focus on making people view Woody Woodpecker (when he had an attraction there known as ''Animation Celebration'') as Universal's equivalent of Mickey Mouse, and secondly they featured several fairy tale-based attractions, including a nighttime show for ''Literature/PeterPan'' and a nighttime parade that showcased numerous fairy tales such as ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland''. In 2006, the park took it even further by adding an entire land for ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' that contained a shortened version of ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'', a show centered around Toto, and a carousel. When the 2010s came along, the park began to find its own identity and has since removed all traces of fairy tales, though it still continues to emphasize Woody Woodpecker as a mascot to an extent, at least far more than any of the other Universal parks.
16	* MemeAcknowledgement: Universal's habit for being extremely secretive about their current projects led to jokes during the construction of the ''Velocicoaster'' that Universal were merely building a churro stand. On the ride's opening day, guests who rode the ride received a free churro afterwards.
17	* InMemoriam:
18	** The Pantages Theatre at Universal Studios Florida features a window advertisement honoring six victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting who were both present and past employees at Universal: Jonathan Camuy, Anthony Laureano, Xavier Serrano, Shane Tomlinson, Luis Vielma, and Jerald Wright. A separate window at the Pantages Theatre also honors the late Blaine Kern, whose Kern Studios company is responsible for creating Mardi Gras floats for both New Orleans' parades and at Universal parks.
19	** After the passing of Robbie Coltrane in 2022, a bouquet of roses was placed next to the Hagrid animatronic in ''Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure''. Potterheads also organized a “Wands Up” ceremony in the ''Wizarding World'' in his honor.
20	* ProductionNickname: Although this is no longer done, many of the attractions Universal had done in the past had project titles during their development. For example, ''Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey'' was known as "Project Strongarm" (referring to the ride vehicles using the KUKA Arm technology), and ''The Simpsons Ride'' was known as "Project Fish" (referring to [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E4TwoCarsInEveryGarageAndThreeEyesOnEveryFish Blinky the three-eyed fish]]).
21	* ProductionThrowback: ''The Simpsons Ride'' includes a reference to a (bankrupt) Dr. Brown in its queue as a homage to the former occupant of the site, ''Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide''.
22	* ReleaseDateChange:
23	** The opening date for Universal Studios Florida changed a few times. The park was at one point slated to open as soon as 1984, but when it was decided to give the park's plans a massive overhaul, the opening date was eventually pushed back to 1989, and later finally to 1990.
24	** Epic Universe, the new park in Florida, was expected to open in late 2023 but has since been pushed back to roughly mid-2024 to early 2025 due to COVID-19 delaying construction.
25	* RoleReprise: Thanks to Universal's [[MoneyDearBoy deep pockets]], many rides based on licensed properties manage to bring in the original cast.
26	** Creator/ChristopherLloyd and Creator/ThomasFWilson returned to play [[Franchise/BackToTheFuture Doc Brown and Biff Tannen]] in ''Ride/BackToTheFutureTheRide''.
27	** For ''Ride/Terminator23DBattleAcrossTime'', they not only got the original cast (Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, Creator/LindaHamilton, Creator/EdwardFurlong, and Creator/RobertPatrick) of ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'', they also got the film's director, with Creator/JamesCameron filming a twelve-minute 3-D movie as the attraction's centerpiece.
28	** Creator/BillPaxton and Helen Hunt appear [[AsHimself as themselves]] in the pre-show for ''Twister...Ride it Out''.
29	** ''Ride/MenInBlackAlienAttack'' has Creator/WillSmith and Rip Torn as Agents J and Zed guiding you through your [[Film/MenInBlack MIB]] training.
30	** ''Ride/JimmyNeutronsNicktoonBlast'' had Creator/DebiDerryberry, Creator/RobPaulsen, S. Scott Bullock, Cheryl Chase, Creator/DaranNorris, Susanne Blakeslee, Creator/TomKenny, Creator/BillFagerbakke, Creator/RodgerBumpass, and Creator/ClancyBrown reprise their roles as [[WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresofJimmyNeutronBoyGenius Jimmy, Carl, King Goobot]], [[WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}} Angelica]], [[WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents Cosmo, Wanda]], [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants SpongeBob, Gary, Patrick, Squidward, and Mr. Krabs]].
31	** ''WesternAnimation/ShrekFourD'' has Creator/MikeMyers, Creator/EddieMurphy, Creator/CameronDiaz, and Creator/JohnLithgow returning as [[Franchise/{{Shrek}} Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and Lord Farquaad]]. Additionally, Gingy, Pinocchio, The Three Little Pigs, The Magic Mirror, Thelonius, and The Three Blind Mice are voiced by the same [[Creator/DreamWorksAnimation DreamWorks]] animators that played them in [[WesternAnimation/Shrek1 the film]].
32	** ''Ride/TheSimpsonsRide'' and the accompanying Springfield USA area feature Creator/DanCastellaneta, Creator/NancyCartwright, Julie Kavner, Yeardley Smith, Creator/HankAzaria, Creator/KelseyGrammer, Pamela Hayden, and Russi Taylor all voicing their characters from [[WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons the show]], as well as a cameo by Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown (''The Simpsons Ride'' [[MythologyGag having replaced]] ''Back to the Future: The Ride''). One who they ''[[AvertedTrope couldn't]]'' get, however, was Creator/HarryShearer.
33	** Ride/TheWizardingWorldOfHarryPotter managed to get the actors who played [[Creator/DanielRadcliffe Harry himself]], [[Creator/RupertGrint half of]] [[Creator/BonnieWright the Weasley]] [[Creator/DomhnallGleeson family]], [[Creator/EmmaWatson Hermione Granger]], [[Creator/MatthewLewis Neville Longbottom]], [[Creator/MichaelGambon Albus Dumbledore]], [[Creator/MaggieSmith Minerva McGonagall]], [[Creator/RobbieColtrane Hagrid]], the Hogwarts founders, [[Creator/TomFelton Draco Malfoy]], [[Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter Bellatrix Lestrange]], [[Creator/GaryOldman Sirius Black]], [[Creator/KennethBranagh Gilderoy Lockhart]], [[Creator/RalphFiennes Lord Voldemort]], and many others.
34	** ''Ride/TransformersTheRide'' brings back Creator/PeterCullen, Creator/FrankWelker, Creator/CharlieAdler, Robert Foxworth, Creator/JessHarnell, Creator/TomKenny, Creator/JamesRemar, and Creator/JohnDiMaggio as [[Film/TransformersFilmSeries Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Ratchet, Ironhide, Wheelie, Sideswipe, and Grindor]]. Note that Creator/HugoWeaving had voiced Movie!Megatron in the movies before the ride's worldwide debut at the end of 2011, with Welker voicing the same character in the video game tie-ins beforehand and taking over Weaving's role in the movies after the ride's opening; Welker also voiced [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers the original cartoon]], ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime'', and ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'' incarnations of Megatron. Also, the ride footage was animated by Creator/IndustrialLightAndMagic, who provided the CGI for the movies themselves.
35	** Creator/SteveCarell, Creator/MirandaCosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher return as [[Franchise/DespicableMe Gru, Margo, Edith, and Agnes]] for ''Ride/DespicableMeMinionMayhem''. Also, ''Despicable Me'' director Pierre Coffin recorded a couple of new lines for the Minions.
36	*** ''Illumination's Villain-Con: Minions Blast'' managed to bring back the voice actors of ''all the villains'' across the entire franchise. This includes Creator/JasonSegel as Vector, Creator/BenjaminBratt as El Macho, [[Creator/TreyParkerAndMattStone Trey Parker]] as Balthazar Bratt, Creator/TarajiPHenson as Belle Bottom, Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme as Jean Clawed, Creator/LucyLawless as Nun-Chuck, Creator/DannyTrejo as Stronghold, and Creator/DolphLundgren as Svengeance.
37	** ''Ride/FastAndFuriousSupercharged'' has Creator/VinDiesel, Creator/MichelleRodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, and Wrestling/DwayneJohnson returning as Dominic Toretto, Letty Ortiz, Roman Pearce, and Luke Hobbs, with Luke Evans also reprising his ''Fast & Furious 6'' villain Owen Shaw as the BigBad for the ride. The Orlando version also has Ludacris and Jordana Brewster as Tej Parker and Mia Toretto.
38	** While Creator/JackBlack and Creator/DustinHoffman didn't return for ''Ride/KungFuPandaAdventure'', they were able to get Creator/MickWingert and Creator/FredTatasciore to reprise their roles as Po and Shifu from [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness the TV show]] and video games. Additionally, Creator/JamesHong once again plays Mr. Ping. When it comes to the [[Creator/DreamWorksAnimation DreamWorks]] characters in the pre-show, [[Franchise/{{Shrek}} Shrek, Donkey]], and [[Franchise/{{Madagascar}} Marty]] are voiced by [[Creator/MichaelJGough their]] [[Creator/PhilLamarr usual]] [[TheOtherDarrin stand-ins]], and secondary characters like Gingy, Pinocchio, The Magic Mirror, and Skipper were voiced by Creator/ConradVernon, Cody Cameron, Chris Miller, and Tom [=McGrath=] once again. Creator/AnnaKendrick reportedly returned as [[WesternAnimation/{{Trolls}} Poppy]], but this hasn't been confirmed.
39	** ''[[WesternAnimation/TheSecretLifeOfPets The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash]]'' had Creator/PattonOswalt, Eric Stonestreet, Creator/KevinHart, Creator/JennySlate, Creator/LakeBell, Creator/DanaCarvey, Creator/BobbyMoynihan, and Creator/TiffanyHaddish return to play Max, Duke, Snowball, Gidget, Chloe, Pops, Mel, and Daisy respectfully.
40	** In ''Ride/SuperNintendoWorld'', Creator/CharlesMartinet and Samantha Kelly once again voice Mario, Luigi, and Peach for a series of meet and greet opportunities and are joined by Kenny James voicing Bowser in some of the interactive experiences and in the headlining ''VideoGame/MarioKart Koopa's Challenge''. Kelly also voices Chef Toad, Toadette, and several other Toads in the Hollywood version of Toadstool Cafe.
41	* ScrewedByTheLawyers:
42	** Thanks to a [[http://attractionsmagazine.com/seaworld-announces-major-plans-u-s-theme-parks/ licensing agreement]] [[Ride/SeaWorld [=SeaWorld=] Parks & Entertainment]] entered with [=DreamWorks=] Classics (owner of the classic 1964 special) and The Rudolph Company in November 2015, it is unlikely WesternAnimation/RudolphTheRedNosedReindeer will appear in Universal's Hollywood and Florida parks for a while as long as the agreement stands despite [=NBCUniversal=] acquiring the rights to the namesake special and [=DreamWorks=] Classics's parent company Creator/{{DreamWorks Animation}} in 2016. However, Universal is free to build Rudolph attractions, provided that they receive blessings from The Rudolph Company of course, in their Japan and Singapore parks.
43	** This ''almost'' happened to the ''Franchise/{{Madagascar}}'' series as well, since [=SeaWorld=] had a stage show in several of their parks. But [=SeaWorld=] Parks & Entertainment gave the theme park rights back to [=DreamWorks=] Animation in 2015... one year before Universal purchased the studio.
44	* SeriesHiatus: In an unprecedented move, Universal's parks in Florida and Hollywood closed briefly in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Florida park's relatively early reopening is suggested to be what spurred Disney to reopen sooner than anticipated. The park in Japan also went through a series of closures due to the outbreak.
45	* SleeperHit: Universal Studios Florida, when it first opened. It was a project that was openly mocked by Disney executives, who predicted that it was doomed to fail. However, the park opened to modest numbers and received generally positive reviews (once the kinks of its disastrous opening got worked out, at least), whereas Disney-MGM Studios received more mixed reviews upon opening, and continued to slump through the '90s.
46	* TroubledProduction:
47	** When MCA/Universal announced that they were building in Florida, Michael Eisner over at Disney was furious. He attempted to get them to back down through various means, including proposing a second Disney-MGM Studios park to be built near the Burbank studios, which would've hurt Universal Studios Hollywood's business. It is even believed by many that the original Disney-MGM Studios park was built solely in an attempt to "beat Universal at their own game," though Eisner has repeatedly denied this.
48	** At the Hollywood park, the ''Film/CreatureFromTheBlackLagoon: TheMusical'' show abruptly closed after just a few months due to a phenomenal case of bad luck: a fire breaking out during the ''Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure'' show for Ride/HalloweenHorrorNights in 2009. While nobody was hurt, the fire exposed numerous code violations in the building, forcing them to close it for several months' worth of renovations. The show had trouble connecting with park visitors to begin with, but the fire and the subsequent closure only made the problem worse. It eventually made way for a new version of the Special Effects Stage in 2010.
49	* ViralMarketing:
50	** Done with Transformers in Florida. One of the buildings in Downtown Orlando had been temporarily made to look like a Decepticon just crashed right through it. Plus an internet video was made to look like an amateur video of someone suddenly filming the appearance of the Decepticon through the building.
51	** Was also done with King Kong 360 at Universal Studios Hollywood, with random videos and pictures being posted that depicted areas of Los Angeles looking as if Kong had stormed right through them.
52	* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/UniversalStudios Has its own page.]]
53	* WorkingTitle:
54	** Universal Orlando Resort was originally going to be called 'Universal City Florida'.
55	** The [=CityWalk=] restaurant, ''Toothsome Chocolate Emporium'', was originally announced as ''Toothsome Chocolate Factory''. The name was changed after several media outlets inaccurately reported that Universal was opening a ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory'' restaurant, and also to avoid making people think that the restaurant was a ride.

Context Trivia / UniversalStudios