Trivia / E.T. Adventure

• Executive Veto:
  • During the earlier years of Halloween Horror Nights, Universal planned on putting scare actors in the queue line for the attraction. When Steven Spielberg found out about these plans, he shot them down instantly (not wanting E.T. to be associated with the content in the event).
  • It's rumored the reason the Orlando version is still up and running is because Spielberg was so angered by management closing the Hollywood version and replacing it with Revenge of the Mummy that he threatened to never work with Universal again if they closed that one too.
• Invisible Advertising: While it was initially heavily advertised back in the 90's, the ride no longer receives any mentions in any of Universal Orlando's promotional material.
• Orphaned Reference: In his holographic message, Botanicus tells the guests to bring E.T. home with either a spaceship or their bikes. When the attraction first opened, there was a special vehicle for wheelchair-bound guests that resembled E.T.'s mothership, which is what Botanicus is referring to when he says "spaceship". For unknown reasons, the special vehicles were taken out at some point ^note There's still vehicles that disabled guests can use, they just look like bikes now., leaving this part of the distress call a bit of a headscratcher.
• Prop Recycling:
  • After the ride closed at Universal Studios Hollywood, its props went on to be used in several different locations, many of them being re-used in the "House of Horrors" attraction (which has also since been closed).
  • In Japan, most of the ride's props were moved into an exhibit that paid tribute to the attraction.
• What Could Have Been:
  • An alternate version of the ride was in the initial plans for Universal Studios Singapore, where it would've been called E.T.: The Ride Home, however, it ended up being scrapped, with the Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase ride taking up the spot it would have gone into.
  • The aforementioned proposal to have scare actors in the queue line during Halloween Horror Nights.
  • Around 2013, a proposal to replace the ride with one based on The Smurfs, specifically the CGI film series, was proposed. It was rejected reportedly due to backlash against the idea in guest surveys, and due to the underwhelming performance of The Smurfs 2. It is noteworthy that just about every subsequent proposal for KidsZone, even ones that want to completely replace the area, still keep E.T. Adventure open.

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