Archive for the 'Universal Studios Hollywood' Category
L.A. earthquake: Thrill rides and theme parks remain open
July 29, 2008 1:48pm
Was it the roller coaster or a quake? L.A.’s 5.4 magnitude earthquake that struck just before noon rattled amusement parks throughout Southern California, but rides are pretty much back on track.
Disneyland in Anaheim initially closed all its attractions to test and restart them. But by 1:20 p.m., Disneyland spokeswoman Lisa Haines reported that “we’ve already started to bring up attractions again… We hope to have them all up shortly.”
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia reported that rides were closed for inspection for about 10 minutes after the quake, according to spokeswoman Sue Carpenter. The Hurricane Harbor water park next door is open.
“No damage was reported in the park, and all rides are open,” Carpenter said, noting that the larger roller coasters took longer to inspect and reopen.
The theme park at Universal Studios Hollywood was up and running again almost an hour after the quake, said Eliot Sekuler, vice president for public relations. Rides were operating and lines were forming again.
Sekuler said the park has evacuation plans in the event of such emergencies but said they were not used in today’s quake. He said the gentle, rocking quake lasted 20 to 30 seconds in Universal City, where average daily attendance is estimated at 12,000.
“This one was mild and it was quickly relegated to water-cooler conversation,” he said.
La Mirada water park; Toy Story Mania; Disney Dream Home; Indiana Jones stunt show
June 28, 2008 6:00am
La Mirada mini water park
The city of La Mirada just opened a $42-million aquatic center that includes the pirate-themed Buccaneer Bay mini water park with a water-slide tower and 500-foot-long lazy river.
The admission fee ($14 for adults, $9 for children) seems about double what I’d be willing to pay. I could go to a real water park for less than $30.
Howard Johnson mini water park
Another mini water park is under construction at the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel in Anaheim near Disneyland. (Check out Mice Age for photos.)
Scheduled to open in July, the pirate-themed Castaway Cove (I sense a trend here) will include slides, a bucket dump and water cannons. (Check out Laughing Place for concept art.)
Best new California ride of 2008
With more than 600 ballots cast, X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain leads our online poll of the best new California amusement park ride for 2008 with more than half the vote. The current runner-up: Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure. (VOTE HERE)
The big surprise: Firefall at California’s Great America holding down the bronze medal position (and stomping the Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood and Pony Express at Knott’s Berry Farm.)
Taking up the rear: Tony Hawk’s Big Spin at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
Universal Studios Hollywood adds movie memorabilia exhibit
June 25, 2008 11:35am
Universal Studios Hollywood has replaced the “I Love Lucy” tribute exhibit with a movie memorabilia attraction featuring props, costumes, jewelry and artifacts from the studio’s extensive archives.
“The Universal Experience: Behind the Scenes of Universal Pictures,” now open to the public, includes the theme park’s first-ever Oscar display featuring the 1974 best picture statuette for “The Sting.”
Props and artifacts include:
* Original matte paintings from Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”
* Mechanical shark drawings from “Jaws”
* An animatronic doll from “Chucky”
* Dinosaur maquettes from “Jurassic Park”
* Eddie Murphy’s prosthetic makeup from “The Nutty Professor”
* Miniature DeLorean from “Back to the Future”
* Set plans for the “Psycho” house
* The diary from “Bridget Jones’s Diary”
* The mechanical horse from “Seabiscuit”
Vote for the best new California amusement park ride of 2008
June 23, 2008 1:02pm
Now that summer is upon us, it’s time to pick the best new California amusement park ride of 2008. (VOTE HERE)
And before you say you can’t possibly compare this ride to that ride, or “I haven’t ridden everything yet” … just vote for your favorite already! It’s an online poll, not a presidential election!
Best new ride in California for 2008
> Firefall thrill ride (California’s Great America — Santa Clara)
> Pony Express horseback coaster (Knott’s Berry Farm — Buena Park)
> The Simpsons Ride simulator ride (Universal Studios Hollywood)
> Tony Hawk’s Big Spin rotating coaster (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom — Vallejo)
> Toy Story Mania dark ride (Disney’s California Adventure — Anaheim)
> X2 roller coaster (Six Flags Magic Mountain — Valencia)
And after the jump, vote for your favorite among the new kiddie lands.
Read the rest of this entry »
Becks and Posh at Disneyland; Cute baby camel; Universal CityWalk concerts
June 14, 2008 7:00am
THEME PARK NEWS
Camel naming contest
A 3-month-old Bactrian camel made his debut this week at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. (Hat tip to Screamscape)
Born March 11 at Tautphaus Park & Zoo in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the vocal, personable and defiant camel moved to Vallejo in April, according to the Vallejo Times-Herald.
The amusement park-marine park-zoo will hold a contest to name the 5-foot-tall, 230-pound, two-hump cutie.
Becks and Posh do Disneyland
David Beckham and Victoria Beckham took the kids to Disneyland this week and quite naturally the paparazzi tagged along. (Hat tip to Mickey News)
Fashionistas focused on Posh Spice’s casual, dressed-down look: T-shirt, flip-flops and Becks’ baggy blue jeans. Gasp!
Read the rest of this entry »
Theme park news: Thomas Town kiddie land; Universal Studios fire aftermath; Disney World in 3-D
June 7, 2008 7:25am
Magic Mountain opens Thomas Town
The new Thomas Town kiddie land debuted at Six Flags Magic Mountain this week with a train ride and a junior coaster themed to the children’s television show “Thomas & Friends.”
Theme Park Review offers a nice round-up of the grand opening with video and a photo gallery.
I had my doubts about the need for a second kiddie land at Magic Mountain, but I must admit the cute train and adorable coaster look like a ton of fun for the toddler set.
Universal Studios Hollywood back lot fire
In the wake of the back lot fire that destroyed part of the New York sets and King Kong attraction, Universal Studios Hollywood offers a “Salute to Firefighters” with free admission to fire personnel (with badge and photo identification) during the month of June. Up to three family members or friends get in at half price.
Westcoaster found an aerial photo of the 1990 Universal Studios back lot fire that burned virtually the same area — save for King Kong. (Go to page 6 of photo gallery to see 1990 photo.)
Mice Age columnist David “Darkbeer” Michael toured the fire-damaged back lot and offers a photo gallery of the devastation. (Times photo gallery)
Hard Rock Park grand opening
Screamscape provides complete coverage of the grand opening ceremonies at Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with links to interviews, photos and video.
The new theme park’s innovative Maximum RPM coaster with the giant revolving lift wheel isn’t expected to open for another month or so.
Costumed walk-around characters include: the Banana Splits, Winston the Bulldog and the Heavy Metal Bears.
Read the rest of this entry »
'Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Musical' coming to Universal Studios Hollywood in '09 - Seriously!
June 4, 2008 12:51pm
Somebody at Universal Studios Hollywood certainly has a hilarious sense of humor — or a grave misunderstanding of popular entertainment.
In spring 2009, the movie and television theme park will debut a romantic-comedy stage show with “dazzling production numbers” and special effects (including Amazon jungle odors) called “Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Musical.”
Yes, I’m serious. And no, you haven’t stumbled onto The Onion.
Replacing the “Fear Factor” stage show, the “Creature From the Black Lagoon” Broadway-style spectacular will feature “state-of-the-art stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and hilarious, toe-tapping music.” This is not a joke. Read the rest of this entry »
Universal Studios Hollywood to replace ‘King Kong’ with new attraction
June 2, 2008 6:06pm
Universal Studios Hollywood officials said the “King Kong” attraction, a key element of the movie and television theme park’s back lot tram tour destroyed by Sunday’s fire, won’t be rebuilt and will be replaced with an all-new, yet-to-be-determined attraction.
The studio tour resumed abbreviated operations on Monday, with tram-bound visitors whisked up to the cusp of the burn area and encouraged to snap photographs of the devastated New York back lot streets, which Universal officials said would be rebuilt.
Visitors reported that some elements of the normal tour, such as the “Earthquake — The Big One” attraction and the “Parting of the Red Sea” effect at Park Lake, were not included. Fire trucks and emergency personnel blocked parts of the studio back lot Monday as crews continued their investigation of the blaze.
Universal Studios backlot fire forces closure of theme park
June 1, 2008 1:58pm
Despite word from 
Universal Studios Hollywood theme park officials that they plan to reopen today (Sunday, June 1, 2008), the park remained closed as of 1:30 p.m. due to a fire that broke out in the adjacent studio backlot just before dawn.
The famed backlot tour, which takes visitors by tram around the movie and television studio, will not be running today if and when the theme park reopens, officials said. The tram tour is expected to resume Monday with a diverted route.
The theme park was not affected by the blaze that destroyed a soundstage and several sets, but fire officials had kept the tourist attraction closed for safety reasons and concerns about heavy smoke. Visitors continued to wait outside the gates of the theme park into the afternoon, which was scheduled to be open today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The nearby CityWalk shopping esplanade also remains closed and will reopen when visitors are permitted to enter the theme park.
Find the latest amusement and theme park news at the
Los Angeles Times Funland blog: www.latimes.com/funland
— Brady MacDonald, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
[Photo: Associated Press]
Toy Story Mania review (plus Jonas Brothers); Indy at Disneyland; Pony Express on eBay
May 17, 2008 3:34pm
Reviews roll in for Toy Story Mania
The first reviews of the Toy Story Mania interactive dark ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, prove mostly positive:
> Mice Age: “A solid D-Ticket attraction: well-planned, charmingly created, thrillingly executed and thoroughly enjoyable.”
> Mickey News: “The most fun and interactive offering Disney has to date.”
> The Disney Blog: “The 3-D and interactive effects raise it to a D-Ticket.”
> Mouse Extra: “High energy, fast-paced and pretty fun.”
> Theme Park Rangers: “Disney purists who think each attraction should carry a strong story line might be disappointed.”
An identical version of Toy Story Mania opens at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim on June 17, 2008. Kevin and Joe of the Jonas Brothers took a test ride of the new attraction in Florida (see photo).
EBay auction for first Pony Express rides
Knott’s Berry Farm is auctioning off the first public rides for the Pony Express horseback roller coaster on EBay through Monday, May 19, 2008, according to Mice Age’s Monday in the Parks column.
