Author: Chris Glass

April 20, 2015 – Inside Universal has learned that Stop & Play, located at the far east end of CityWalk, has closed with no replacement currently announced. With the recent opening of Springfield, it seems prime time for other quick adjustments around the property right before the summer season begins. Pink’s was closed down in the park to be replaced by the unique Plaza Grill. And earlier, Gamestop in CityWalk closed, with Things From Another World moving into their new spot. Following that, American Express opened up in a newly vacant spot. As the name suggests, Stop & Play was…

April 1, 2015 – In preparation for the Studio Tour and the theme park’s continuing fiftieth anniversary celebration, we would like to take the time to point out the top 10 StarWays that make up Universal Studios Hollywood. If 10 sounds likes a tall order, it is. But sit back, take in the vistas, and see if your own list matches up with ours. #10 – Jurassic Parking Jr. To kick off our list, we start with a hidden treasure. First impressions mean a lot at the park and this StarWay has it in spades. You get fresh out of…

March 28, 2015 – Inside Universal has learned that the Pink’s Hotdogs inside the park (located within Universal Plaza) will be replaced by Plaza Grill. Universal’s newest park map labels Plaza Grill as an eatery that will serve “legendary 9 inch stretch hotdogs & chili dogs, burgers, chicken Cesar salad, chili fries & milkshakes” – mimicking much of Pink’s Hotdogs’ current menu. With the release of the new Springfield food options, the timing for this closing seems conspicuous. Up until recently, most food options in the park have not been branded, rather opting for unique experiences and leaving the licensed…

March 27, 2015 – First on Inside Universal – Universal has dropped their 12-Month Premium Star Pass, raised the price of No Black-Out Season Pass and increased the number of black-out days, Inside Universal has learned. Earlier this year we saw the price increase on the Buy a Day pass, and last year we saw the removal and reduction of core benefits from the passes. These changes have largely been assumed to be part of a core reworking of the annual pass system in preparation for the opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The biggest benefit of the…

March 10, 2015 – Hello, we’re back with another update from Universal Studios Hollywood – this time detailing the Lankershim projects, Victoria Station, Shrek 4D, Springfield, Wizarding World West and more! Let’s get started. Park Update Index » Lankershim Projects » Victoria Station » Shrek 4D » Springfield » The Wizarding World of Harry Potter » Psycho House » Nighttime Studio Tour Lankershim Projects With a large bulk of the Lankershim intersection walled off, crews continue to work on the Universal City pedestrian bridge while crowds are diverted from 10 Universal City Tower’s entrance plaza. Meanwhile, as we head up…

February 5, 2015 – Following its successful debut last year, Universal’s Lunar New Year celebration will return for a limited engagement from February 13 to February 28. Running just over two weeks and included in the price of admission, Universal Plaza will be redecorated to celebrate the year of the ram, along with the other animals that make up the zodiac calendar. In addition to the decorations, Universal’s classic characters will be decked out in traditional Chinese attire. However, the main draw of this event is Mandarin-speaking Megatron who proved to be a major hit last year. Late last year,…

January 23, 2015 – Early this morning, the 1-Day Pass on Universal Studios Hollywood’s official website was delisted from the choices of available tickets, leaving the least expensive option as the Buy-a-day-Get-a-Year 2015 pass at $92. Previously, guests were able to purchase a 1-Day Pass for $92, with an additional $5 discount online, effectively making the ticket price $87 for one day. Existing passholders are still able to purchase 1-Day Passes for friends and family at the reduced rate of $77 on the website, as well as AAA members. Additionally, since the 1-Day Pass was the only ticket with a…

January 2, 2015 – Welcome to the final installment of our journey through Universal Studios Japan. This update, while arguably less timely than the rest, wraps up the park with a Halloween theme. If you are just reading about this trip for the time, we encourage you to read the earlier installments first. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 are all ready, waiting for you to explore! But now let’s put a bow on this excursion! Halloweentime! It’s time. The final update! And it’s all about Halloween! Citywalk loves to decorate! Don’t believe me? Just watch! CityWalk…

December 24, 2014 – Well folks, this is it. The big update you all have been clamouring for from Osaka. The one and (close to) only Wizarding World of Harry Potter! There’s a lot of pictures to share, but unfortunately you will have to excuse my lack of Harry Potter knowledge. I’m a huge muggle. Additionally, I may repeat a few images from the last few updates, but this is all to make this as complete as possible. I also strongly encourage you to read part one, part two and part three before going on here. The Wizarding World of…

December 22, 2014 – Welcome to another park update, this time detailing progress on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Shrek 4D, Springfield and Soundstage 28. Normally this time of year would be focused on Grinchmas, but there’s a lot of other distractions happening, too! Let’s dive in! Park Update Index » Universal’s House of Horrors » Grinchmas » Shrek 4D » Grinchmas » The Wizarding World of Harry Potter » Springfield » Soundstage 28 Universal’s House of Horrors With the complete closure and demolition of Victoria Station in late November, we didn’t anticipate how fast they’d be razing the…