Universal Orlando Resort, commonly known as Universal Orlando or simply Universal, formerly Universal Studios Escape, is an American theme park and entertainment resort complex based in Orlando, Florida. The resort is operated by Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. Universal Orlando is the second-largest resort in Greater Orlando, after nearby Walt Disney World Resort. Universal Orlando covers 541 acres of land.
Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Primarily themed to movies, television and other aspects of the entertainment industry, the park opened to the public on June 7, 1990. It is owned and operated by NBCUniversal and features numerous rides, attractions and live shows. Universal Studios Florida was the first component of the larger Universal Orlando Resort to open, ranking eleventh in the world and sixth in North America for attendance among amusement parks in 2019 while hosting approximately 10.9 million visitors.
Shrek 4-D is a computer-animated 4D film based on the Shrek franchise created by DreamWorks Animation, itself based on the book by William Steig. It also is a 4D simulator ride attraction with motion-based effects and water sprayers located at various theme parks around the world. It is currently shown at Universal Parks & Resorts in Japan, Singapore, and previously in Universal Studios Orlando and Hollywood, where it closed on August 14, 2017, in Hollywood to make way for the DreamWorks Theatre attraction while the one in Orlando closed on January 10, 2022. Outside the Universal parks, the movie was shown at Movie Park Germany in Germany from May 2008 until July 2011, and Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia from September 2005 until August 2010. A spin-off attraction titled Donkey's Photo Finish is located at the Florida venue while Meet Shrek and Donkey is located at the Hollywood venue. In Universal Studios Japan, the attraction is shown in the same theater as Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic, with the Shrek 4-D film shown for the first half of the day, and the Sesame Street film shown for the second half of the day.
Kongfrontation was a ride located at Universal Studios Florida theme park in Orlando, Florida. As one of the original attractions featured during the park's grand opening on June 7, 1990, it quickly became one of the most popular. It was closed in 2002 to make way for Revenge of the Mummy, which opened in its place in 2004. Kongfrontation was based on the 1976 King Kong film and King Kong Encounter, a defunct attraction once located at Universal Studios Hollywood. It was themed to the evacuation of civilians from Kong's rampage on Roosevelt Island.
The Studio Tour is a ride attraction at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in Universal City, California near Los Angeles. Studio Tour is the theme park's signature attraction, it travels through a working film studio, with various film sets on the Universal Studios Lot. Guests sit in multi-car trams for the duration of the ride. The tour lasts about 45–60 minutes and the tour is led by a live tour guide who can be seen throughout the tram on video screens. It travels through the Front Lot, Backlot and various attractions, passing sets and properties from movies along the way.
A haunted attraction is a form of live entertainment that simulates the experience of visiting haunted locations or storylines typical of horror fiction. They usually feature fearsome sets and characters, especially demons, ghosts, monsters, possessed people, witches or wizards, serial killers, and slashers. Humorous characters may also be included.
Universal Classic Monsters is a media franchise based on a series of horror films primarily produced by Universal Pictures from the 1930s to the 1950s. Although not initially conceived as a franchise, the enduring popularity and legacy of the films and the characters featured in them has led the studio to market them under the collective brand name of Universal Studios Monsters. Steve Jones of USA Today described Universal's most famous monsters as "pop culture icons", specifically Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy and the Wolf Man.
Universal Studios Singapore is a theme park located within the Resorts World Sentosa at Sentosa, Singapore. It features 28 rides, shows, and attractions in seven themed zones. It is one of the six Universal Studios theme parks around the world.
This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Universal-owned theme parks, amusement parks, or water parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
The Blue Man Group Theatre was an indoor theatre located at Universal Orlando Resort's CityWalk, which housed a live show and residency by the Blue Man Group, featuring their unique musical and humorous performances. It opened on June 6, 2007 in the former Nickelodeon Studios building, which was re-zoned into Universal CityWalk Orlando. As a stand-alone experience within CityWalk, it required separate admission from the theme parks.
Howl-O-Scream is an annual Halloween seasonal event that occurs during the month of October at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, SeaWorld San Antonio, and as of recently began at SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Diego. The parks remain operational during the day and transition to Howl-O-Scream at night. The event features haunted houses, "scare zones", and live entertainment.
Creature From the Black Lagoon: The Musical was a live performance show formerly located at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in Los Angeles, California. It debuted on July 1, 2009, replacing Fear Factor LIVE. As of March 9, 2010, this show was officially closed. The musical at Universal Studios Hollywood was loosely based on the basic plot of the 1954 Universal film.
Universal Monsters Live Rock and Roll Show, is a live musical revue stage show based on the film of the same name and Universal's Classic Monsters. It is located at Universal Studios Japan, and formerly played at Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida.
Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride…Starring You! was a dark ride attraction at Universal Studios Florida. Set on a soundstage of a fictitious movie company, Disaster! was based on the park's former Earthquake: The Big One ride, which comically illustrates how special effects are filmed for use in movies. The attraction's climax cast the riders as movie extras for a movie finale scene involving an earthquake in a subway station. Using high-speed editing techniques, the riders got to see themselves in the form of a movie trailer that included film sequences shot throughout the attraction's pre-show and main ride.
Fear Factor Live was a stunt stage show attraction located in World Expo at Universal Studios Florida and previously, the Upper Lot at Universal Studios Hollywood. Both attractions opened in spring 2005. The Hollywood attraction was closed on August 14, 2008, to make way for Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical, which opened in spring 2009. The Florida attraction began operating on a seasonal schedule on June 3, 2005. The attraction began running again on a full-time basis in summer 2010. The attraction was based on the NBC television series Fear Factor and featured theme park guests becoming contestants in various stunts inspired by the show. After temporarily closing in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Universal confirmed in October 2021 that the attraction would not reopen.
Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show is a live show located at Universal Studios Florida that opened on June 7, 1990, along with the theme park. It is a live demonstration of Universal Pictures' legacy of horror movies, with particular emphasis on prosthetic makeup. It was inspired by the former The Land of a Thousand Faces show (1975–1980) at Universal Studios Hollywood. It is also notable for being one of two original opening-day attractions still in operation at Universal Studios Florida, the other being E.T. Adventure.
Halloween Horror Nights 'began at Universal Studios Florida in 1991 under the title but was re-branded Halloween Horror Nights in 1992, advertised as the "second annual event". It began as a 3-night event but has since evolved into an over 30-night scare-a-thon spanning late September through the first weekend of November. It normally operates from Wednesday to Sunday.
Curse of Chucky is a 2013 American slasher film and the sixth installment of the Child's Play franchise. The film was written and directed by Don Mancini, who created the franchise and wrote the first six films. It stars Fiona Dourif, Danielle Bisutti, Brennan Elliott, Maitland McConnell, Chantal Quesnel, Summer H. Howell, A Martinez, Jennifer Tilly, Brad Dourif, and Alex Vincent. The film grossed $3.8 million in DVD sales.
Motiongate Dubai is a Hollywood-inspired theme park located in Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, showcasing themed areas and attractions based on DreamWorks Animation, Columbia Pictures, Lionsgate, and The Smurfs and was opened on December 16, 2016.
