Without further ado, let’s dive into the very interesting developments at the site of Despicable Me and the ever-evolving Universal Plaza.

The day begins! Moderate crowds starting to become the norm as the area schools let out.

The new price increases are already up. They wasted no time changing the signs around. Still, with only a 4$ price increase on one day admission, and the prevalence of Buy A Day, Get A Year, 84$ is a good value for an entire year compared to other vacation and entertainment destinations.

A new podium near the main entrance and a gated off entrance to the VIP Experience Lounge. An attempt to make it look more intriguing and exclusive perhaps?

Minions EVERYWHERE! And fluffy unicorns galore. Despicable Me is certainly making its presence known around the park. They even have the cookies that the girls were selling in the film available. Love it or hate it, Despicable Me spawned a merchandise powerhouse.

Fairly light crowd up near the entrance - and a huge metal structure in the distance! Universal Plaza is taking shape, enough so that you can see it almost from the moment you enter the park.

A closer look. We're still leaning towards this being one of the dining options taking shape, but it's still a bit too early to tell for certain.

From the start of Baker Street, you can see a smaller wooden structure taking shape near Mel's Diner, which WAS opened last weekend, but not open today. Wondering if Mel's will end up being a weekend-only option...

So from here, the wooden structure looks like a small quick-dining option could be going in. Or, it could be a small shop. It could be anything at this point. But let's take a look at a few other features in here.

What's with the center of the Plaza? Could this be the water play area we've been speculating about? Either that or they're summoning something and we're gonna need a bigger plaza...

The metal structure could also very well be the rumored stage. Each time we get an update on it, it looks like it's getting bigger. The next few weeks will be very telling if it keeps developing at this rate.

Off down Baker Street to check on the progress at the site of an old friend...

Now THIS is the first real sign of facade work we've seen in a good while. Note the triangular shaped points at the top of the mesh. These heavily resemble the houses of Gru's neighbors in the film Despicable Me. This could be a clear sign of a very detailed facade soon to come.

Meanwhile on the other side of the facade, nothing much has changed. But the scaffolding is a sure sign that something is still going on in that area, and will continue on for awhile.

And in true Hollywood fashion, the hottest stars pose with the hottest cars as Vin Diesel came to - oh. Nevermind. It's just a figure created by the famous Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum that the park has on display with other vehicles from Fast and the Furious 6. It's a nice touch for fans of the franchise to enjoy and a distraction from all the construction work in the area.

A look at the Universal Plaza progress from the Mel's side of things. They are definitely not afraid of building upwards for this.

Slight road and concrete work going on near Animal Actors and Special Effect Stages. Still unsure of what it's for, but in the case of Animal Actors, it's likely just a light refurbishment in preparation for summer.

Again, note how high this metal structure is. This spot is going to be quite large when completed.

A few of the good folks working on this project hard at work. And a ridiculous amount of dirt as far as the eye can see. I personally am loving the way that the design is already looking.

Disney has the backside of water, and we have the backside of...dirt. The poles and such here are interesting. Will there be some kind of shaded walkway going around the plaza?

This view from a possible pathway into the Plaza gives a great sense of the scope of it. It's much more elaborate than we first thought, and I think the space is bigger than we thought too.

The workers are even at it during the day now, not just after park hours. They must really be putting the jets on now to finish it during the summer.

Casual reminder that Despicable Me 2 is coming. In case you forgot, Universal was very sure to make it very, very obvious for you.

The restrooms near the tour entrance are still undergoing their expansion. Despite rumors of other things happening here, it's really just a bathroom expansion.

It looks like they're strengthening or putting in a foundation for something over here, possibly water related as it looks like piping could be fitted into those grooves. There's been a lot of work in the hillside areas of the backlot these past few months.

Did we mention there's a lot of dirt in the park right now?

The new talking Transformers interactions are a hit with fans. The voice actors and stilt walkers are doing a beautiful job of working together, though the stilt walkers are getting worked over twice as hard now in terms of gesturing and directing their focus.

This shot shows a bit more of the permanent background for photos - which also hides the voice actor somewhere in its midst.

Also featured in the photo op spot now is one of the vehicles from the movies. This is near the entrance to the ride.

And lastly, a look at what will soon be a parking expansion to help ease the insane parking situations that arise in summer and fall during Horror Nights. It likely won't be finished for summer, but will be completed by the time HHN rolls around.

That wraps up this update. Universal Plaza continues in its ever-changing state, and Despicable Me looks to be developing quite nicely. For once, it looks like Hollywood might get the better facade.

Anyhow, be sure to check us out at USHForums.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. We love hearing from you, so be sure to continue the conversation in the comments below. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you in the next update.

Photos by Chris Lord. Captions by Adriana Morgan.

Putting aside the Evolution Plan for just a moment, we’ve received word that the Special Effects Stage should be getting a new segment to replace the existing ParaNorman bit on June 8th.

No additional information has been provided, but ParaNorman has been a staple of Special Effects since the film’s release in summer 2012.

If you’re a fan of the stop-motion film – don’t fret! As far as we’re aware, ParaNorman continues to have a presence in the NBCUniversal Experience located on the Lower Lot.

The hosts of the Special Effects Stage introducing a set-piece from ParaNorman.

Meanwhile, rumblings surrounding Universal Plaza continue to suggest a more elaborate dining, entertainment and shopping complex than we had originally imagined.

While we still expect the Plaza to be relatively subdued compared to Paradise Pier at Disney California Adventure, expect something greater and more elaborate than a simple "Central Park" as was envisioned before.

So in other words - if all goes to plan - Universal Plaza should be composed of a few dining options (Pink's Hot Dogs, Starbucks?), perhaps some shops, and a fountain with a central park figure.

One other thing: if a central park icon should emerge, expect it to be inspired by Art Deco design. Sounds nifty, huh?

As far as a completion date, it appears as if they're still aiming towards the end of summer at the latest, but given the current progress thus far, we wouldn't hold our breath. From what we've seen, they've begun planting trees and erecting structures alongside the pouring of cement - but nothing too major that would suggest a nearing completion date.

Progress of Universal Plaza as of May 25. Photo courtesy of jmills.

And finally, Universal's Animal Actors: we've received word that the show will be closed from June 3 to June 8.

While this is not major news in itself, it does prove puzzling given that Universal Animal Actor's almost certainly never closes for refurbishment or maintenance - at least to the extent of five days.

Given the show's unusual closure, we've gotten word that this may be due to Universal Plaza and the project's languishing pace. Regardless, it is an odd development.

Anyone else have word on what's going on? Is the show getting a paint job?

Edit: Looks like it is! Expect a new setup when the show reopens.

Anyhow, that's it for this edition of Rumor Rumblings. As always, be sure to check us out at USHForums.com, Facebook and Twitter. Thanks again for reading, and I'll see you in the next post.

Jon Fu

Jon Fu is the editor-in-chief of Inside Universal.

Jon originally founded InsideUniversal.net in 2006 as a summer hobby aimed at providing families and fans a resource for all things "Universal Studios Hollywood." Since then, the website has taken him throughout the United States and around the world - including to places like Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore.

Jon currently resides in Santa Cruz, California with his bamboo plant. You can reach him at jon@insideuniversal.net.

As always, video, audio download and show notes are located below. Thanks for watching and listening!

Video Cast

Audio

Download the show in audio form from SoundCloud.com. Do note that downloads are only available for one month after the initial recording.

Show Notes

- Member Meetup
- Universal Opens All-You-Can-Eat T-Rex Barbeque on the Lower Lot
- Universal Plaza
- Despicable Me
- Jurassic Cafe Mural By Greg Pro
- May 26, 2013 Park Update – Bill/span>
- May 25th Trip Report
- Transformers: The Ride – 3D
- Inside Universal’s GroupMe Account

Jon Fu

Jon Fu is the editor-in-chief of Inside Universal.

Jon originally founded InsideUniversal.net in 2006 as a summer hobby aimed at providing families and fans a resource for all things “Universal Studios Hollywood.” Since then, the website has taken him throughout the United States and around the world – including to places like Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore.

Jon currently resides in Santa Cruz, California with his bamboo plant. You can reach him at jon@insideuniversal.net.

Now as we arguably head into Universal’s second “golden era,” let’s take a brief look back at some of Universal’s publicity stills from 1999 to 2001 – just before the dawn of the digital age.

Opening in 2001, Nickelodeon Blast Zone replaced the War Lord Tower with three distinct play areas – an elaborate water playground, a ball room and a miniature play area for toddlers. Despite having “closed in 2008″ due to licensing rights, much of the playground exists today in the form of the Adventures of Curious George.

 

Continuing the theme of Nickelodeon-branded attractions, Rugrats Magic Adventure! opened in 2000 as a live stage show featuring Tommy, Phil, Lil and Chuckie partaking in one of Angelica’s more elaborate schemes to become a world-class magician. The live stage-show featured a mix of special effects, costumed live characters and catchy show-tunes.
 
Rugrats would eventually close a year later, leaving the theater empty until the opening of Shrek 4D in 2004.

 

Opening in 1986, Kongfrontation sparked the modern-day Universal theme park you see today. Featuring two distinct scenes – the death of helicopter reporter Kelly King and the big gorilla himself attacking the tram – the experience was destroyed in 2008 in a massive backlot fire.
 
However, King Kong continues to live on the backlot today in the form of Peter Jackson’s wildly successful King Kong 360 – 3D – albeit in animated form.

 

Recognize some of the shops in this press photo?
 
Though not explicit in this specific shot, CityWalk underwent a massive expansion in the early 2000s to become the entertainment district you see today. Judging by the copyright of this photo, this shot was taken in the midst of CityWalk’s relaunch.

 

Opening in 1995, WaterWorld continues its run at Universal to continued widespread acclaim after entertaining millions of guests.
 
In fact, WaterWorld has proven to be so successful that modified copies of it have opened at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore. Sorry Florida.

 

No surprise here, Jurassic Park still continues to scare people till this very day.
 
Considered to be Hollywood’s equivalent of “It’s a Small World,” Jurassic Park: The Ride was eventually ported to Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Japan. Singapore – on the other hand – utilizes a similar plot structure in the form of a tamed down water raft attraction.

 

Opening in 1999, Terminator 2:3D was a live-action 3D thriller featuring the original cast and crew of the first two Terminator movies. Unfortunately, Terminator would eventually close in 2012 to make way for Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem.

 

What was once a simple stop on the Studio Tour, the famous Psycho House now plays a central role in Halloween Horror Nights. In fact, you can even take a picture with Norman and wander through his infamous motel.
 
Just be sure not to mention his mother.

 

No description needed here – it’s the world famous Studio Tour! Unfortunately, the facade you see above was replaced after the backlot fire of 2008.

 

Here’s Woody!
 
While you may be delighted to know that the character still wanders throughout the park, his clubhouse has since closed. Sorry Woody.

 

And finally, Animal Planet Live!
 
Opening in 2001, Animal Planet Live! was one of the most drastic changes to Universal’s classic animal show. Featuring the introduction of a large LED screen to coincide with the cable television network’s presence, Animal Planet Live! featured cameos from some of the channel’s most recognized personalities – including Jeff Corwin.
 
Though show would eventually close in 2006, much of its plot continues to live through Universal’s Animal Actors.

 

That does it for us! Be sure to look for future installments in our Studio Vault series as we continue to detail Universal during the 1990s and 2000s.

For now, be sure to check us out at USHForums.com, Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next post.

Scans by Chris Lord. Text by Jon Fu. Special thanks to theStudioTour.com for some of the information referenced above.

May 22, 2013 – We’ve just gotten word that Universal is in the process of opening a new restaurant on the Lower Lot, titled “All-You-Can-Eat T-Rex Barbeque” above Jurassic Park: The Ride. The new eatery takes the place of the former “Treetop Cafe,” which had been operating on a seasonal schedule.

Update: jmills from USHForums.com has generously sent some photos in of T-Rex Barbeque in action. Scroll down to read his initial impressions alongside our latest updates on T-Rex’s latest development.

Like Treetop Cafe, T-Rex Barbeque will be a sit down restaurant located on the secluded patio above the Jurassic Park splashdown.

Details are currently scarce, but sources have told us that the new restaurant will host an all-you-can-eat barbeque – similar to that of Big Thunder Ranch BBQ at Disneyland Park. The new eatery is expected to undergo soft-openings this Memorial Day weekend.

Reasons for this unexpected development are unknown, but we’ve been told that T-Rex Barbeque has been seen as a temporary replacement for Mel’s Diner located on the Upper Lot near the former Wild West arena.

The future of Mel’s Diner – which has been closed throughout the Spring season – remains unknown.

May 25, 2013 – Reports are trickling in, and initial impressions have been positive. From many accounts, T-Rex turned out to be a relative hit, and attendance is expected to increase as the summer season approaches. Universal appears to be expanding the idea given the reaction thus far, so don’t be all-too surprised to find the patio inaccessible to normal park guests. Still no update on Mel’s, but its future isn’t looking good.

Editor’s note: jmills went to Universal Studios Hollywood on May 25 to experience T-Rex Barbeque first hand. These are his photos. (doink-doink)

T-Rex Barbecue – located above Jurassic Outfitters and near the Jurassic Park splashdown. According to Jonathan, prices are $21.95 per adult, $9.95 per child.

Sit-down seating with servers - a first for Universal.

From Jonathan: "The cheeseburger, hot links and chicken were good. The ribs, not so much."

"The pulled pork was quite tasty."

"I don't care for bread pudding, but this was wonderful."

Jon Fu

Jon Fu is the editor-in-chief of Inside Universal.

Jon originally founded InsideUniversal.net in 2006 as a summer hobby aimed at providing families and fans a resource for all things "Universal Studios Hollywood." Since then, the website has taken him throughout the United States and around the world - including to places like Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore.

Jon currently resides in Santa Cruz, California with his bamboo plant. You can reach him at jon@insideuniversal.net.

May 19, 2013 – Chances are, you have a picture with at least one of them. Many of them work long hours, especially in peak seasons, and have to deal with extreme heat under costume and makeup without complaint. Over the course of their careers in the park, they will be in photos with hundreds – if not thousands – of strangers. They will cross paths with people from all over the world one time, and never meet them again – but they will remain a part of their lives forever through a photo and a memory.

These relationships will be built and broken in a matter of moments. But for those moments, smiles and hugs will be exchanged, children will meet their heroes, and adults will get to relive childhood dreams.

What would a place that brings movie magic to life be without its characters?

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of taking photos of and with many of the characters in the Hollywood theme park, and spent a good deal of time watching them interact with others. This is part two of my musings on a few of the many talented performers that stand out in my mind.

Fievel Mouskewitz

When I was a little girl, An American Tail was one of my favorite movies, despite how depressing it was. So after having visited Fivel’s Play Land at Universal Studios as a child, it was a sort of homecoming to meet the mouse again.

Full costumed characters have a harder job than face characters for many reasons – the bulky and stifling costuming in unkind weather, the limited range of motion, and the ease with which not-so-nice guests can take advantage of and even injure the performer inside. So typically, your interactions with them will be limited at best as they move from you to the next person in line.

Not so with Fievel.

After a lengthy absence of about 4 years from the park, I saw him on the upper lot in December of 2009. When I mentioned rather sheepishly that I had enjoyed running through the play land as a child, he patted my hand. I asked if he missed it too, and he nodded in that big exaggerated way that costumed actors must. In a fit of childish exclamation, I told Fievel that I had enjoyed playing with him at the play land when I was small, and was happy to see him again. And at that, he hugged me.

It was a particularly touching moment for me, although my 20 year old self knew that the actor – or more likely, the actress, as most of the strict height requirements for those costumes necessitate that tiny women wear them – was almost positively not the same Fievel. But that didn’t matter. In that moment, without saying a word, this person playing a cartoon mouse that most park-goers under the age of 24 generally don’t recognize gave me something back from my youth.

Playing a character that is no longer relevant or enjoying mainstream popularity is hard. But for those who do still remember and love those characters, little things like this make all the difference in the world.

Crash Bandicoot

This one is a little sad for me to write about, as he’s no longer featured in the park for some reason, likely due to the current state of his licensing agreements. As I mentioned above, costumed characters have it rough. But this doesn’t stop some of the actors under the fur and felt from giving it their all.

I grew up on my PlayStation games, the first of which was the original Crash Bandicoot. After playing the original three games, I was surprised and delighted to find him in the park during the Vivendi-Universal days.

No matter what day I was there, Crash always had high energy and loved to interact. At one point, I even saw him do his infamous Crash dance, as seen in the third game of the franchise, Crash Bandicoot: Warped. That extra little touch really made me smile, and it was appreciated by the kids nearby as well.

The thing that really made the difference for Crash was that the actors typically seemed very aware of the franchise their character belonged to. They were bouncy, they were cool, they danced and spun and occasionally, they made the same “WHOA!” that Crash would make if you died in the game.

Of all the characters I have interacted with, I remember Crash as being the most willing and ready to give and receive hugs from kids – even more so than Dora and Diego.

I miss Crash. If anyone has more information on his removal / absence from the park, please do let us know.

The Mummy

I’m not going to lie; when I was a kid, this character made me run and hide behind my dad’s legs. I lost it whenever he or Frankenstein’s Monster came anywhere remotely near me. But now that I’m older, I’ve overcome my fear of him. The way I overcame my fear of him is why he’s in this reflection article now.

In about 2005 I was in the park with my family (this would be my last ride on Back to the Future, but that’s another story for the next article that’s currently half-finished beside this one), and as we walked towards New York Street, out he came. Normally the actors playing the Universal monsters like giving you a bit of a fright, but as I was 14 at the time, and looked more like a chubby 10 year old, I suppose this one took pity on me. He waved at me as I cowered behind my dad and offered his hand. Something possessed me to take it, and the next thing I knew, he was offering me a hug. I accepted, and as he patted me on the back I thought that maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.

From then on, I’ve loved this character. I really enjoy watching them amble along towards people and scare unsuspecting guests, usually women on their cell phones. But beyond the initial scare, the people playing the Mummy are typically very nice.

A favorite encounter of mine was in the winter of 2011, on the lower lot. The Mummy had been walking around down there with Beetlejuice and ambled over to me. He noticed that I had a bandage on my finger from a cut, and grabbed my hand. He looked at the bandaged finger for a minute, pointed to it, and then pointed to his own bandages, and gave a thumbs up – or as much of one as he could in his costume.

Another fun meeting occurred just a few weeks ago, on the upper lot. As I was standing near a Despicable Me board advertising the minions coming to the park, the Mummy came up behind me and stood there looking at it too. I told him I wasn’t all that excited and asked him what he thought about it. He shrugged, and kind of shook his head in a so-so way. It was a funny moment, and really brightened up my day.

With so many forgettable films these days, it’s good to have the classic Universal monsters still making an impression.

Woody Woodpecker

Recent decades have not been kind to the legacy and public awareness of this icon of Hollywood cartoon history. For a character with his own star on the Walk of Fame, this screwball bird has been woefully underused as of late.

How many people do you know who are actually aware of Woody being the official mascot of Universal Studios? Nowadays if you mention a cartoon Woody, people picture a toy cowboy – not a red and blue bird. But I’ve never forgotten that grin – and who could forget that laugh?

Woody remains the official mascot of the theme park to this day, though the majority of the park guests are oblivious to this fact. It saddens and sometimes angers me that so many guests have no idea who Woody Woodpecker is. Being a costumed character who is easily recognized is tough, but being a barely recognized old character is ten times harder. You have to work harder to get recognition and to get asked to pose for photos. People are dismissive of you. And over time, you may have to try to justify the presence of your character in the park.

But no matter how obscure the actors beneath the suit may feel, I have never once had a bad encounter with Woody. In fact, I have always been impressed by his energy. There is a definite expression of joy in the performer’s movements when someone calls out “Woody!” and rushes to his side for a photo. I find that so inspiring. The actors playing Woody always channel that same joyful and zany vibe the character is known for.

Woody Woodpecker is one of the few pieces remaining from the Universal Studios of my childhood – something I’ll be touching more on at a later time. I am grateful that despite the various changes over the years, he at least remains.

Doc Brown

As an avid Back to the Future fan, this is both the hardest and most fitting character to mention as the conclusion to this part of my character retrospective.

We all know by now the dreadful fate of the classic Back to the Future ride, which was closed for the abysmal and quite frankly sub-par and pitiful replacement, The Simpsons Ride. And many of us have at least one memory of the ride or the movies themselves, in some way.

I have no shame in admitting that the Back to the Future trilogy helped make me who I am. Through the classic characters and the lessons it teaches us, such as standing up for what’s right, finding true love, the strength of the bonds of family and friendship, and making the most of your life in the time you have, I have become a better person. I take Doc’s words from the end of the third film very seriously – seriously enough to have them on my bedroom wall and in my signature.

So it should come as a shock to no one that I consider Doc Brown to be one of the all time best theme park characters. I cannot express in words the joy that filled me when I saw him on a Segway scooter zooming around the upper lot one chance afternoon last fall. I didn’t know that he was still a character in the park after the removal of the ride. I had not seen him or heard about him in the years following the closure. But there he was, greeting guests with multiple watches on his arm, smiling and shaking hands with people. And then I managed to let my nervousness blow my chance at talking to him that day.

But thankfully, I got another chance a year later in Spring, in the early evening. I waited till he was done with a group of kids, and got my chance to talk to him. We chatted a bit about our mutual disappointments about the ride closure, and my excitement for the DeLorean being displayed on the lower lot. He was so animated and so into his role.

Similar to the Lucy actresses, this Doc Brown felt real. The adult in me forgot that Emmett Brown was not a real person, and the child in me confided in him a few of the college troubles that I’d had that week, which had brought me to the park that day to begin with.

That Doc Brown left an unforgettable mark on me that day. He put a hand on my shoulder, looked me in the eye, and smiled. He said to me “I’ll tell you what I told Marty a long time ago – your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one. You’ll be just fine.”

I managed to hold it together just long enough to say goodbye and walk away – and then I lost it. I don’t remember that last time in my life I cried that hard, especially in public.

People underestimate the emotional power that characters like Doc Brown have, especially on adults. Just as grown men feel giddy and anxious before meeting Optimus Prime on the lower lot, others feel a similar rush when meeting Marilyn Monroe or Spongebob in the park. What matters is not that the character is real, but that the performer makes you believe. For however long you are with that character, they are real to you, they exist, and they can make you smile, or laugh, or bring you to tears. They are every bit as important to the theme park world as the themed buildings and thrill rides, and work twice as hard as people think they do.

So thank them when you get the chance. Give them a high five, or a hug, or just say hi. Be kind to them, and for those that can talk back to you, give them an ear. Sometimes, like Doc Brown, they may just have a word of wisdom for you right when you need it most.

Adriana Morgan

Adriana Morgan – also known by her internet handle Miss Betty Juice – is an editor and one of the field reporters for Inside Universal.

Adriana made her first trip to Universal in 1995 during Nickelodeon’s Big Help-A-Thon, and was hooked from day one. Since that first trip, her passion for films and for Universal Studios has grown, and she continues to enjoy the park and its history today as an annual passholder and a reporter for Inside Universal. Her areas of Universal expertise include Jurassic Park, the Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue, and the Studio Tour.

Adriana currently resides in Los Angeles. You can reach her at her blog on Tumblr at MyUniversalExperience.tumblr.com, or at missb@insideuniversal.net.

Opening its doors in July 2009, the show closed months later in March 2010 after a set piece caught fire during a production of Halloween Horror Nights’ Bill and Ted. With Creature needing extensive retooling to comply with the building’s fire code, poor audience engagement resulted in Universal’s decision to shutter the production in favor of a new direction. Special Effects Stage was introduced just a few months later.

Despite the Creature’s short run, the show continues to live on in history as one of Universal’s most “interesting” endeavors. We’ve uploaded the full performance below as well as the original press release sent to us back in 2009 to let you decide. (And for the record, I thought the performance was fine. But obviously others disagreed.)

The Black Lagoon-A Raging Rockin’ Show debuts!

Universal City, California, June 30, 2009 – Universal Studios Hollywood introduced “Creature from The Black Lagoon—A Raging Rockin’ Show,” featuring an all-original score and dazzling Broadway-level production values in a hip, musical stage adaptation of the Universal cult classic, opening exclusively at The Entertainment Capital of L.A.

The “Creature” made a grand entrance to the theme park in an enormous traveling aquarium. Among those on hand to witness his arrival was actress Julie Adams, who was the “Creature’s” leading lady in the 1954 classic Universal Pictures film production that inspired the new musical production.

The new musical attraction has an approximate 25 minute running time and a storyline that has been updated from the original screenplay to infuse romance and comic relief with extravagant stagecraft, acrobatic choreography and a hilarious and contemporary musical score certain to keep the production moving at a sizzling pace.

Audiences will be immersed within a menacing Amazon environment, completely enveloped by the exotic sounds of the jungle as they watch the twisted love story between beauty and beast unfold. From the production’s first moments, guests will be thrust into an unexpectedly outrageous, bizarrely romantic, melodic and often outlandishly comic adventure as this monster classic is re-imagined for the 21st Century.

“Creature from the Black Lagoon—A Raging Rockin’ Show” is being realized for the stage by Universal Creative and an award-winning theatrical production team drawing from the best of Broadway that includes, Tony Award®-nominated Director and Choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett, whose credits include Footloose, starring Kevin Bacon, Bewitched, starring Nicole Kidman and Broadway’s “Swing!”; Scenic Designer James Youmans, whose credits include Broadway’s “West Side Story” and “Gypsy,” starring Patti LuPone as well as Barry Manilow’s Showstoppers International Tour; Creature & Puppet Designer Michael Curry, one of the world’s leading production designers and whose credits include “The Lion King,” the 1996 and 2002 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies and Cirque du Soleil®; Fly Sequence Designer Paul Rubin, whose accomplishments include elaborate aerial stunts for “Wicked,” “Peter Pan,” and the Tony Awards®; and Producer Marc Routh, whose Broadway credits include, “Little Shop of Horrors” “Gypsy,” starring Patti LuPone, Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein” and “The Producers.”

Universal Studios Hollywood (www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com), The Entertainment Capital of L.A., includes a movie-based theme park and Studio Tour, the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the Universal Cinemas and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event venue. The theme park features the groundbreaking attractions “The Simpsons Ride,” “Revenge of the Mummy—The Ride,” “Shrek 4-D,” “Jurassic Park—The Ride” and the newly enhanced Studio Tour in HD, with a state-of-the-art Hi-Def monitor system and new movie and TV sets on the historic backlot. Universal CityWalk features over 60 entertainment-themed restaurants, nightclubs, shops and dynamic entertainment options. The Universal CityWalk Cinemas, which includes California’s largest IMAX venue, features the best movie-going experience in Los Angeles.

Universal Studios Hollywood is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios, a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May of 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.

Video by Chris Lord. Text by Jon Fu.

Opening its doors in 1992, Backdraft was a live-action fire effects show housed in the now-current site of Transformers: The Ride 3D. Featuring three distinct scenes – two video preshows and one final special effects finale – Backdraft brought guests up-close and personal to some of Hollywood’s most intense fire effects. Inside Universal’s Chris Lord was able to capture the entire experience in the midst of the attraction’s final months.

Photos and video below:

Backdraft’s old studio directory post.

One of two preshow videos. For fans of Ron Howard, this was your go-to show.

One last look at the first preshow room.

Bad photo of the second room. Again, preshow video with a small surprise.

Second room dressed as a fire house.

Here's the surprise I mentioned earlier.

A corridor between the second-preshow and the final warehouse scene.

The main show!

Very impressive overall, and it did get quite hot!

A team member manning the booth.

Backdraft's two-page fold in Universal's 1993 guidebook.

Second half.

Thanks for reading. If you have any photos of Backdraft, feel free to send it in and we'll update this post accordingly.

As always, be sure to check out our "rumors" section on the top of this page for our perspective on the latest rumors surrounding Universal Studios Hollywood. And as always, you can find us on USHForums.com, Facebook and Twitter.

Video by Chris Lord. Fantastic supplemental photos provided by DirectorErik from the forums - thanks Erik! Captions and bad photos by Jon Fu.

So without further pause, let’s get started!

…and we’re back!

Glamor trams still getting use at the bottom of the hill.

Heavy promotion for Despicable Me 2. Here's hoping the sequel is just as good as the first (God knows Universal needs the success).

They're so cute...

Moving on to Universal Plaza, we've received multiple confirmations that Universal is planning to build entertainment and dining options alongside a water play area.

But for now, we're left with steel beams.

Beam.

A sneak preview inside.

Oh, this looks interesting.

Just so you know.

Beam. Beam.

Meanwhile, over at the construction site for Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem...

Not much really happening in terms of exterior work.

Looking over the barriers...

Hmm. I wonder what's happening here?

Could this possibly be the future site of Xtreme: The Ride?

Looking over at the Simpsons, we can see that they're repainting the ride's entrance in preparation for the summer season. Something tells me that the purple flooring will continue to introduce problems for as long as the ride exists.

Tram time!

Earthquake finally had its fire effects restored...

...and George (or Kenny) got a new suit and a few new moves.

Bruce doing his thing.

And the Red Sea is back!

Why such the long hiatus for the Red Sea? Hint: look below.

Construction. They've removed all the exterior props that stood next to the Edith Head Property Department in preparation for a new satellite site (or so we've heard - don't quote us on that). Either way, expect this entire area to be cleared if Universal chooses to follow the Evolution Plan bit by bit.

...and to wrap this update up, we now have a brighter cutout of Kevin, Hank and Gary. That Hollywood skincare lotion must really work.

That's it for now. Construction continues to have an overbearing presence at the park, and Universal continues to add a slew of projects to its plate - especially with the recent approval of the NBCUniversal Evolution Plan. That being said, construction isn't unlikely going to subside for the next two months, but expect interesting additions once the construction walls are down.

For now, be sure to check out our "rumors" section on the top of this page for our perspective on the latest rumors surrounding Universal Studios Hollywood. And as always, you can find us on USHForums.com, Facebook and Twitter. We love hearing from you, so be sure to continue the conversation in the comments below. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you in the next update.

Photos by Adriana Morgan. Captions by Jon Fu.

As always, video, audio download and show notes are located below. Thanks for watching and listening!

Video Cast

Audio

Download the show in audio form from SoundCloud.com. Do note that downloads are only available for one month after the initial recording.

Show Notes

- L.A. City Council Unanimously Approves NBCUniversal Evolution Plan
- Curious George & The Gibson Amphitheatre: Closing Summer 2013
- The Price of Progress: Universal’s Past, Present and Potential Future
- The Hollywood Minute: Red Sea/Edith Head, Jaws, Transformers and Shrek
- Tour Guide: An Inside Look at the Interview Process
- Inside the NBCUniversal Evolution Plan – January 7, 2013 Framework
- Inside Universal’s GroupMe Account

Jon Fu

Jon Fu is the editor-in-chief of Inside Universal.

Jon originally founded InsideUniversal.net in 2006 as a summer hobby aimed at providing families and fans a resource for all things “Universal Studios Hollywood.” Since then, the website has taken him throughout the United States and around the world – including to places like Universal Orlando Resort, Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore.

Jon currently resides in Santa Cruz, California with his bamboo plant. You can reach him at jon@insideuniversal.net.