The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is now officially open to the public. With guests lining up hours in advance with queues in front of the park and inside Universal Plaza, Universal Studios Hollywood finally let in eager guests after years of construction and weeks of technical rehearsals. The event – open to Early Entry participants – included members from the Harry Potter cast, including Warwick Davis, Oliver and James Phelps, Tom Felton and Evanna Lynch. Universal Studios Hollywood’s President and Chief Executive Officer Larry Kurzweil was also on hand, welcoming guests into the land before a fireworks and confetti…
Author: Jon Fu
On April 5, Hogwarts had come to Hollywood. Indeed, The Wizarding of Harry Potter is the capstone of Universal’s ambitious and incredibly comprehensive redevelopment plan – dubbed their “epic transformation” – aimed at redeveloping a significant portion of Universal City. In fact, Larry Kurzweil, Universal Studios Hollywood’s Chief Operating Officer and President, emphasized that over 75% of the property had been redeveloped or modified in a five-year span. As our readers will surely attest, that staggering figure was certainly the case. However, Mr. Kurzweil touched upon another point perhaps unnoticed by most in the audience: the completion of The Wizarding…
After a little over 15 years of operation, Back to the Future at Universal Studios Japan will close on May 31, according to an official press release from USJ Ltd. Based on the Back to the Future franchise, Back to the Future: The Ride originally premiered at Universal Studios Florida in 1991, quickly becoming one of the park’s flagship attractions. From then, the ride debuted at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1993, eventually closing down in 2007 to make way for The Simpsons Ride which would open a year later. Universal Studios Japan would open up their own version of Back…
In this episode, Jonathan Green, Kaley Cryino, Chris Glass and Tyler Crouch discuss Universal’s recent increase in pricing for annual passes and general admission, The Walking Dead Attraction and more! Agenda » Introduction – 0:30 » Platinum Annual Pass debuts – 2:30 » General admission increase – 22:00 » The Walking Dead Attraction – 41:45 » Listener questions – 57:45 Player Direct Download and iTunes You may download this episode directly here. You may also subscribe to the Inside Universal Podcast on iTunes.
With the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter just weeks away, Universal Studios Hollywood has begun the process of winding down some of the property’s ongoing construction in hopes of meeting the park’s ever-approaching April 7 deadline. These ongoing projects – which include the Lankershim entrance, the park entrance, Hollywood and Dine, Universal Boulevard, Mel’s Diner and much, much more – are now nearing their completion as Universal completes the first half of their epic transformation aimed at revitalizing and upgrading the property’s infrastructure. We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started. Park Update Index »…
With Annual Pass Previews for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter now underway, we thought we’d outline what exactly you need to know to attend a successful preview of Universal’s latest blockbuster addition to the Upper Lot. For those who are not Annual Pass holders, this article may also be helpful if you’re looking to attend a technical rehearsal on the day of an Annual Pass Preview event. We suggest scrolling to the bottom of this article if you’re in this category. How do I register to attend an Annual Pass Preview of Wizarding World? First things first: we’re going…
Universal Studios Hollywood has released their highest tier annual pass, Inside Universal has learned. Featuring much of the same features as Universal’s now-discontinued Premium Star Annual Pass, the Platinum Annual Pass features 365 days of admission, free parking before 5 PM, a 15% discount on food and merchandise, Front of Line access to the Studio Tour and one admission ticket to Halloween Horror Nights. Priced at $589 (with a list price of $599 if you purchase at the park’s main front gate), the new Platinum Pass is among Southern California’s most expensive pass, reflecting the impact of The Wizarding World…
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville is coming to CityWalk Hollywood, Inside Universal has learned. Featuring a variety of seafood in a relaxed island-themed environment, Margaritaville has long been a staple of CityWalk Orlando. With live entertainment and a full-service bar, Margaritaville will introduce a new type of venue to CityWalk Hollywood, fusing live entertainment and a family-friendly themed environment. Margaritaville is slated to replace Jillian’s Hi-Life Lanes, which closed earlier this year. The two-story bowling alley first opened in 2000, alongside Buca di Beppo, Howl at the Moon at others during a large two-story expansion of CityWalk. While Jillian’s did serve food…
Universal and AMC have announced that a new The Walking Dead attraction will debut at Universal Studios Hollywood. Featuring “landscapes, special effects, props, staging, costumes and makeup,” the attraction – titled “The Walking Dead Attraction” – is likely to occupy the back half of Universal’s latest expansion space, Universal Boulevard. While no definite announcement has been made concerning what type of attraction this is, concept art – included in the promotional video – suggest that The Walking Dead will be a year-round maze. The attraction is slated to debut this summer. Universal has previously used The Walking Dead franchise as…
After a few months after the closure of the NBCUniversal Experience, the attraction’s replacement – Studio Cafe – is now open. Featuring a selection similar to Palace Theater Cafe on the Upper Lot, Studio Cafe now hosts a variety of packaged sandwiches, pastries, fruits, desserts, donuts and cookies. Guests can also find packaged water, wine, drinks, Coke Freestyle machines, and chips for their convenience. Internally, the building now features two distinct sections – a section dedicated to food, and two lanes of checkout counters leading to the outdoor patio in the back. The refreshed building also features a new Art…