Throwback Thursday- Universal Studios Florida

Classic Universal Studios Logo

OK, this one comes a day early. I'm seeing an advanced screening of The Avengers tonight, and I'd like to talk to you about it tomorrow.


For someone who prides themselves on being a pop culture and retro nut, it is assumed that, for the most part, I would be up on major news. Oddly enough, it wasn't until last week that I found out that Universal Studios in Orlando had closed Jaws. I've gotta be honest with you, it breaks my heart to see things like this happen. Growing up in the Nickelodeon Generation, I had Universal Studios crammed down my throat. Anytime I saw those old rides, it would make me smile, because it reminded me of being a kid.

_________ was recorded in front of a live studio audience at Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios Florida.

When we were kids (for those of you born in the 1980's, raised in the 1990's), you remember Universal Studios as the place where you could "Ride The Movies". For me, that was what had peaked my interest. Don't get me wrong, I knew heading to Orlando meant going to Walt Disney World, which was nothing to sneeze at. Hell, it was one of the biggest thrills of my life. I went to Disney for the first time in 1990. I remember it well. We did not make it to Universal Studios though. I attribute this to one of two things: Either the park hadn't been opened yet (opened on June 7, 1990), or my parents thought it was "too adult oriented" for a kid.

Not that we had to wait long, we were back in Orlando four years later. My brother and I were significantly older, and could appreciate the park. After long last, in October of 1994, we were in Universal Studios Florida. I'll say this and I'm sure there will be a lot of backlash with this comment, but I actually favored Universal Studios over Walt Disney World. Universal had Nickelodeon Studios, plus it's where you rode the movies! I can't stress enough how cool I thought this was. You were actually interacting with your favorite heroes and villains. Some rides were carbon copies of the films, while others acted as sequels, or even extensions, of some of your favorite stories.

For what it's worth, most theme parks slap a character's name on a ride, advertise the crap out of it, and make you wait an hour to get on it. While these rides are cool and usually a lot of fun, there was just something different about the rides at Universal Studios. Rides like Jaws and Back To The Future made the park what they were. You took a boat ride, got attacked by Jaws, and had to figure out a way to kill him and get out alive, just like the movie. Back To The Future was no different. You and Doc had to stop Biff from ruining the space time continuum. The kicker is, you got to do it in The Delorean! Even a ride like the corny E.T. one had the same charm. Typical fun house style ride, but you hop on a bike and flew with E.T. You actually had a purpose, and E.T. personally thanked everyone on the ride. Given, you could barely understand what he was saying, but if you were lucky enough, you could hear him say your name.

Did Universal Studios have attractions that were typical of the other amusement parks? Of course they did, but they seemed to be few and far between. Besides, it was the cornerstone rides that had given the park its charm and identity. Safe to say though, the cash cow of the park was Nickelodeon Studios. There was no way you could go to Orlando and NOT go to Nickelodeon Studios. I remember walking up to it, overjoyed because I knew how special it was. Plus, I was the first of my friends to see it. There's a sense of pride when you know that you are the first.

Kids of the 90's celebrating outside of Nickelodeon Studios. A very famous promotional piece.

I remember walking up to the Gak Geyser and taking a picture with it. We made the rounds and took pictures with just about every cut out and fake character there was. We waited on line for the tour for about a half an hour, and I want to say that there were TV's playing Nick Toons, and Sega kiosks where you could play a game. The tour itself was fantastic. You got to see the sound stages and props. The best was when they took you into the "testing area". They slimed a kid in the audience, and scared your parents by faking a slime attack on them. Oh, the memories.

That's what its all about isn't it? Memories? Well unfortunately, that's really all that's left of Universal Studios. Over the years, they have started to eliminate those signature rides. Don't get me wrong, I understand as much as the next person that things need to change, but in my opinion, there are just some things that need to be left alone. The rides that helped make the park should have stood forever. They were there from the start. They weren't some fad that had come and gone. Those rides represented everything great about the park and old Hollywood, as well as timeless classics. Sure, plenty of shows closed up after the licensing contracts had expired, but that's to be expected.

Logo for the King Kong Ride: Kongfrontation

The first casualty was Kongfrontation. The ride that the adults loved and the kids were terrified of. This ride was fantastic. How often could you get that close to King Kong, or at least believe you were that close. Again, this was one that defined the park and what it stood for. The ride was shut down in September of 2002 to make way for Revenge Of The Mummy. Don't get me wrong, Revenge Of The Mummy is an AMAZING ride. It's got great special effects and is filled with thrills, but this one was a better fit for Islands Of Adventure. You could have had your great ride, plus your classic ride.

Nickelodeon Studios went next. The studio was getting older and wasn't seeing the crowds it had in the past, partially because the tour was stripped down to a shell of what it had been. Productions started moving out to California, and a piece of our childhood was executed on April 30th, 2005. What stands there now? A tribute? A new studio design? A new ride? No; the freaking Blue Man Group. I shot the video below back in November, it says it all.

Back To The Future: The Ride promotional piece.

Just when you think it couldn't get worse, Back To The Future is shut down. This was, hands down, the best ride in the park. This one really killed me. Anyone that rode this one remembers how special it was. If you never rode it, I actually feel bad for you. This ride was a classic, and can't be replaced. They tried though with that new Simpsons Ride. I haven't been on it, and I probably never will. I have no interest in paying for what Universal Studios has become, which is just another amusement park, combined with a mecca for Harry Potter.

Another great promotional piece.

When I heard Jaws had been shut down, I was enraged. It was to a point where I said, "What else?" Is there nothing special about any part of that park anymore? Only to find out that Amity is being destroyed so that they can keep building up the Harry Potter park. But here's the kicker: From what I have been told from people with knowledge, this new Potter park will not connect to the one at Islands Of Adventure. Apparently, people weren't buying passes for both parks. They were only buying passes for Islands Of Adventure so that they could get into the Harry Potter park. Now, you are FORCED to buy dual passes if you want the "full" Harry Potter experience.

What a shame Universal Studios has become. It isn't about "Ride The Movies" anymore. It's more or less, Harry Potter World now. Evidently, there are thousands of people who have taken to the net to vent about this. Apparently, there are thousands of people who were Universal Studios enthusiasts who are boycotting the park completely. I understand why. I keep repeating myself, but this place that used to be so different, has become so ordinary, and in the process, has alienated people who believed in what they were selling.

Don't cast a spell on me for this one!

 As far as I'm concerned, you could have had the best of both worlds. You could have renovated and revamped the old rides, let them run like new, and keep them there as a tribute to old Hollywood, cult classics, and the "Ride The Movies" mantra that you built this park upon. You could have taken Islands Of Adventure, with maybe the exception of Jurassic Park and Spiderman, and turned it completely into the Harry Potter Park, which is more or less what you did anyway. If you were going to do away with stuff, do away with the rides that strayed away from what you once believed in. Eliminate the fads and stay true to yourselves and your fans.

I will go to Universal Studios, but only for CityWalk. I love going to Margaritaville and smoking a cigar outside. To be clear, I will not pay to enter Universal Studios, or it's shrine to the wizards of the world. I have very little interest in paying to watch my childhood die. I don't go to Yankee Stadium often anymore, maybe once a year. I used to go to about 20 games a year in the old building, but if you read my article about Fenway Park, I don't need to rehash my feelings about Yankee Stadium. I have little interest in paying so that you can turn your back on what made you different. If I want to go on a ride that has a characters name slapped on it just for the sake of, I'll go to Six Flags...and they're in New Jersey.

-Sean
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