Universal Orlando adding new nighttime water show this spring

Universal Orlando will debut the “Cinematic Spectacular” nighttime water show this spring as part of a new entertainment lineup at the Florida theme park that includes an upgrade to one ride, a re-theme of another attraction and the addition of a nightly parade.

PHOTOS: New attractions coming to Universal Orlando this spring and summer

“Cinematic Spectacular” will celebrate a century of Universal Studios movie memories with a nighttime water show that features film clips projected on 30-foot-by-30-foot waterfall screens and colorful fountains that rocket 100 feet into the air along with laser lights and pyrotechnic displays on the Orlando theme park’s central lagoon.

Similar to “World of Color” at Disney California Adventure, the new Universal water show will incorporate iconic movie clips from “Frankenstein,” “Jurassic Park,” “Apollo 13,” “Back to the Future,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Jaws” and “E.T.” into a nighttime spectacular narrated by actor Morgan Freeman.

Visible from any location around the lagoon, the 20-minute “Cinematic Spectacular” will run throughout the summer and then on select nights through the end of the year.

Superstar Parade, the first daily parade at Universal Studios Florida, will also debut this spring with hundreds of characters, dancers and drummers performing alongside four floats themed to “Despicable Me,” “Hop,” “Dora the Explorer” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Universal also unveiled the official name for a re-themed motion-simulator ride opening this summer at the park: Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.

The new 3-D ride, a re-theme of Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast attraction, borrows elements from the animated “Despicable Me” movie and several film shorts to create a new story line featuring the supervillain Gru, his adoptive daughters and the little yellow minions.

Next door at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man motion-simulator ride will keep the same story line but get a complete digital makeover with 13 reanimated 3-D scenes in time for a March reopening.

Conspicuously absent from Universal’s big unveiling of new attractions for 2012 was any mention of a certain boy wizard.

Universal recently announced plans to expand the wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida without revealing any further details.

Plans leaked to Theme Park Insider indicate Wizarding World will expand into an area formerly occupied by the recently shuttered Jaws attraction at Universal Studios Florida.

The expanded Harry Potter-themed land would feature a faithful re-creation of Diagon Alley from the film series complete with a Leaky Cauldron restaurant and a Gringotts Bank ride that combines elements of a roller coaster with a motion simulator, according to Theme Park Insider.

The new land would be connected to the original Wizarding World at Islands of Adventure via a Hogwarts Express train ride.