Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida, owned by Universal Studios. The park features numerous themed areas and attractions based on popular movie and TV franchises, and forms a part of the larger Universal Orlando Resort.^[1] It also operates as a film and television studio.^[2] The park opened on June 7, 1990,^[3] and was founded by Jay Stein,^[4] the recreation director for MCA Inc., which owned Universal at the time.

The theme park has grown to become a rival to Disney World, as Universal Studios Florida has increasing attendance while nearby Disney World attendance declined in 2016:^[5]

“

At Magic Kingdom, the most visited attraction in the world, numbers fell 0.5 percent to just under 20.4 million visitors for the year, according to a report released by the Themed Entertainment Association and AECOM on Thursday But Universal Studios park jumped 4.3 percent, landing just a shade under 10 million visitors, the report said. Islands of Adventure, its sister attraction, was down 0.2 percent for 9.4 million.

”

Park areas[edit]

Universal Studios Florida is split up into seven (with a planned eighth) different themed areas which each hold attractions, shows, dining establishments and gift shops.

Production Central[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem^[6]
• Shrek 4-D
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Transformers: The Ride - 3D
• The Universal Music Plaza Stage
• Donkey's Photo Finish

Shopping[edit]

• The Universal Studios Store
• Super Silly Stuff
• Shrek's Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe
• It's a Wrap!

Dining[edit]

• Universal Studios' Classic Monsters Cafe
• Studio Sweets

New York[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
• The Blues Brothers Show
• Delancey Street Preview Center

Shopping[edit]

• The Tonight Shop
• Sahara Traders
• Rosie's Irish Shop

Dining[edit]

• Louie's Italian Restaurant
• Finnegan's Bar and Grill

San Francisco[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• Fast and Furious: Supercharged

Shopping[edit]

• San Francisco Candy Factory

Dining[edit]

• Richter's Burger Co.
• Lombard's Landing

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• Hogwarts Express - King's Cross Station
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Ollivanders' Wand Shop Experience
• Knockturn Alley
• The Tales of Beedle the Bard Puppet Show

Shopping[edit]

• Ollivanders' Wand Shop
• Borgin and Burkes
• Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

Dining[edit]

• The Leaky Cauldron

World Expo[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Fear Factor Live

Shopping[edit]

• MIB Gear

Springfield[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• The Simpsons Ride
• Kang and Kodos' Twirl n' Hurl

Shopping[edit]

• Kwik-E-Mart

Dining[edit]

• Squishee Stall
• The Krusty Burger
• Moe's Tavern
• Springfield Food Court:
  • Cletus' Chicken Shack
  • Lard Lad Donuts
• Duff Gardens

Woody Woodpecker's Kidzone[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• E.T. Adventure
• Animal Actors on Location
• Fievel's Playland
• A Day in the Park with Barney
• Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster
• Curious George Goes to Town
• StarToons: 80's Rewind

Shopping[edit]

• E.T.'s Toy Closet
• The Barney Store

Dining[edit]

• Kidzone Pizza Company

Hollywood[edit]

Attractions[edit]

• Universal's Horror Make-Up Show
• Mel's Drive-In Concert
• Street Breakz

Shopping[edit]

• Cyber Gear
• Theatre Magic
• The Brown Derby Hat Shop
• Hello Kitty Shop Featuring Hello Kitty and Friends

Dining[edit]

• Mel's Drive-In
• Cafe La Bamba
• Schwab's Pharmacy

Lagoon[edit]

• Universal's Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories

Other[edit]

• Universal's Superstar Parade

Previous attractions[edit]

Production Central[edit]

• Nickelodeon Studios (June 7, 1990 - April 30, 2005) Replaced by Blue Man Group Sharp Aquos Theatre in Universal CityWalk Orlando
• The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (June 7, 1990 - October 20, 2002) Replaced by Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast
• Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies (June 7, 1990 - January 3, 2003) Replaced by Shrek 4-D
• Production Studio Tour (June 7, 1990 - 1995)
• The Boneyard (June 7, 1990 - September 9, 2008) Replaced by The Universal Music Plaza Stage
• Murder, She Wrote Mystery Theatre (June 7, 1990 - 1996) Replaced by Hercules and Xena: Wizards of the Screen
• MCA Recording Studio (June 7, 1990 - 1996) Replaced by Stage 54
• The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (February 16, 1992 - 1993) Replaced by StarToons
• StarToons (1993 - 1996)
• Hercules and Xena: Wizards of the Screen (1997 - 1999)
• Stage 54 (1997 - 2003) Replaced by Donkey's Photo Finish
• Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast (April 11, 2003 - August 18, 2011) Replaced by Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem

New York[edit]

• Ghostbusters Spooktacular (June 7, 1990 - November 8, 1996) Replaced by Twister...Ride it Out
• Kongfrontation (June 7, 1990 - September 8, 2002) Replaced by Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride
• The Screen Test Home Video Adventure (March 1991 - November 11, 1996) Replaced by Islands of Adventure Preview Center
• StreetBusters (1991 - 1992) Replaced by Extreme Ghostbusters: The Great Fright Way.
• Islands of Adventure Preview Center (May 1997 - May 1999)
• Extreme Ghostbusters: The Great Fright Way (2002 - February 2005)
• Twister...Ride it Out (May 4, 1998 - November 2, 2015) Replaced by Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

San Francisco/Amity[edit]

• Earthquake: The Big One (June 7, 1990 - November 5, 2007) Replaced by Disaster! A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You!
• Jaws (June 7, 1990 - January 2, 2012)^[7] Replaced by Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley
• An American Tail Theatre (1991 - 1992) Replaced by Beetlejuice's Rock n' Roll Graveyard Revue
• The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show (July 6, 1991 - September 4, 2003) Replaced by Fear Factor Live
• Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You! (January 17, 2008 - September 8, 2015) Replaced by Fast and Furious: Supercharged
• Beetlejuice's Rock N' Roll Graveyard Revue (May 1992 - January 6, 2016) Replaced by Fast and Furious: Supercharged

World Expo[edit]

• The Swamp Thing Set (June 7, 1990 - 1997) Replaced by Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Back to the Future: The Ride (May 2, 1991 - March 30, 2007) Replaced by The Simpsons Ride
• The Bates Motel Set (June 7, 1990 - 1995) Replaced by A Day in the Park with Barney
• The Bates Mansion Set (June 7, 1990 - 1998) Replaced by Curious George Goes to Town

Hollywood[edit]

• Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time (April 27, 1996 - October 8, 2017)
• How to Make a Mega Movie Deal (1991 - 1993) Replaced by AT&T at the Movies
• AT&T at the Movies (1998 - 2001)
• Lucy: A Tribute (May 1992 - August 16, 2016) Replaced by Hello Kitty Shop Featuring Hello Kitty and Friends

Lagoon[edit]

• Dynamite Nights Stunt Spectacular (June 7, 1990 - February 17, 2000) Replaced by Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular
• Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular (July 1, 2006 - September 6, 2011) Replaced by Universal's Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories

References[edit]

1. ↑ http://www.universalorlando.com/Theme_Parks/Universal_Studios_Orlando/universal_studios_florida.aspx
2. ↑ http://studio.florida.universalstudios.com/
3. ↑ http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1990-06-08/news/9006080556_1_sylvester-stallone-grand-opening-universal-studios
4. ↑ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,970420,00.html
5. ↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-bz-disney-attendance-down-20170601-story.html
6. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/19/local/la-trb-universal-studios-despicable-me-05201119
7. ↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/universal-to-close-jaws-20111202,0,917627.story