The eagerly anticipated Super Nintendo World expansion at Universal Studios Hollywood is now open to guests for technical rehearsals. Mario Kart: Bowser Challenge, Toadstool Cafe, 1-Up Factory, and interactive elements are all open during technical rehearsals, but may close at any time. Access to the land may be limited to Virtual Line holders or capped at a certain amount of guests all day. Technical rehearsals are never promised. There is no guarantee the land, ride, interactive elements, or restaurants will be open. The land might only open for a period of time, all day, or not at all depending on any…
Author: Joe Matt
Today, Universal announced plans for two mini-park attractions – one located in Frisco, Texas and another in Las Vegas, Nevada. These two new properties will be smaller than Universal’s traditional theme parks but still offer Universal’s high-quality entertainment and world-renowned attractions. The biggest attraction will be a mini-park in Frisco, Texas dedicated to young families. This new park will be scaled smaller for younger children and usher in a new Universal design language made for young families. While smaller, the park will still have major attractions, meet and greets, themed dining, and entertainment you expect at a Universal Park. “We…
Cafe La Bamba counter service restaurant reopened to guests this week after being used for private events for several years. Cafe La Bamba’s new menu features Tex-Mex inspired items such as burritos, tacos, taco bowls, and salads. Other menu items include a salsa flight served with fresh tortilla chips, horchata tres leches cake, margaritas, and beer. Entree prices range from $13.50 to $16.50 and a full menu is available on Universal’s website. Cafe La Bamba opened in 1990 as a counter service location with the park. In recent years the venue was closed to most guests as the location was…
Joe from Parkscope takes a look at the history and themes of the Blue Man Group in Orlando.
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…