Universal's Superstar Parade | |
---|---|
Universal Studios Florida | |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | May 8, 2012[1] [2] |
Closing date | June 4, 2022 |
Replaced by | Universal Mega Movie Parade [3] |
Ride statistics | |
Attraction type | Parade |
Designer | Universal Orlando's Entertainment Division |
Theme | Despicable Me Hop The Secret Life of Pets SpongeBob SquarePants Dora the Explorer Go, Diego, Go! |
Universal's Superstar Parade was a parade at Universal Studios Florida. It was first announced at a live webcast on January 25, 2012. The parade included characters, floats, and themed-vehicles based on Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment's Despicable Me and Hop films, as well as Paramount and Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants , Dora the Explorer , and Go, Diego, Go! television series. Each section of the parade had a unique mix of performers, from aerialists to drummers to acrobatics. The parade was notable for having “show stops” in the New York and Hollywood sections of the park where an elaborate choreographed dance routine would take place. Leading up to the parade, each individual unit would make appearances throughout the day for smaller shows and meet-n-greets. [4] The parade debuted on May 8, 2012, as part of Universal Orlando's "Year To Be Here". [1] [2] [5]
In November 2016, Universal announced that the Hop unit would be replaced by Illumination Entertainment's The Secret Life of Pets -themed floats. This unit introduced break dancers performing stunts, bicyclists, and puppets of the film’s main characters. [6]
Following a week of rumors, Universal officially announced the parade's ending date on May 18, 2022. [7] The parade ended its 10-year run with its last performance on June 4, 2022. The final performance utilized an additional float from the theme park's Mardi Gras parade, to allow additional Universal team-members to participate in the festivities.
The individual parade units continued to do meet-n-greets and shows in the park after the parade's closure, with The Secret Life of Pets’ last appearence on August 13th, 2022, and Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants and Despicable Me units closing on September 10, 2022.
Universal's Superstar Parade's replacement, Universal Mega Movie Parade, debuted on July 3, 2024.
A performance of this parade in January 2016 led to the "Dabbing Squidward" meme. The original Vine video of a Universal team-member dabbing inside a Squidward Tentacles mascot costume garnered 22 million views within a week. [8] The video led to widespread virality, and even officially-licensed merchandise of the meme by Nickelodeon. [9]
SpongeBob SquarePants is a fictional character and the protagonist of Nickelodeon's eponymous American animated television series. Voiced by Tom Kenny, he is characterized by his optimism and childlike attitude. SpongeBob is a denizen of Bikini Bottom, where he regularly gets into absurd and humorous scenarios.
Mrs. Penelope "Poppy" Puff is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants and all three films based on the franchise. Voiced by Mary Jo Catlett, Mrs. Puff debuted in the season one episode "Boating School" on August 7, 1999. Mrs. Puff was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He developed the character in response to a request from Nickelodeon that the show star a schoolteacher. Hillenburg did not want to portray SpongeBob as a school-age child, so Mrs. Puff was introduced as his driving instructor instead of an elementary school teacher.
Sandy Cheeks is a fictional character in the American animated comedy television series SpongeBob SquarePants and the Nickelodeon franchise of the same name. She is voiced by Carolyn Lawrence and first appeared in the episode "Tea at the Treedome", which premiered on May 1, 1999. She was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg who is also the creator of the series. Sandy is portrayed as an intelligent anthropomorphic flying squirrel who wears an astronaut-like diving suit and lives underwater.
Squidward J. Q. Tentacles is a fictional character voiced by actor Rodger Bumpass in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, produced by Nickelodeon. Squidward was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He first appeared on television in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999.
Rodger Bumpass is an American actor. He is known for his role as Squidward Tentacles on the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He voices several other characters on the show as well, including the purple doctor fish and various anchovies.
Universal Studios Florida is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida, that opened on June 7, 1990. Owned and operated by NBCUniversal, it features numerous rides, attractions, and live shows that are primarily themed to movies, television, and other aspects of the entertainment industry. Universal Studios Florida was the first of three theme parks to open at Universal Orlando Resort, joined later by Universal Islands of Adventure in 1999, and the first water theme park called Universal Volcano Bay in 2017. In 2019, it ranked eleventh in the world – sixth in North America – for overall attendance among amusement parks with approximately 10.9 million visitors. A fourth theme park, Universal Epic Universe, is expected to open in 2025.
"Band Geeks" is the second segment of the 15th episode of the second season, and the 35th overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September 7, 2001. It was written by C.H. Greenblatt, Aaron Springer, and Merriwether Williams, and the animation was directed by Frank Weiss. Springer served as director, and Greenblatt served as storyboard artist.
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It first aired as a sneak peek after the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards on May 1, 1999, and officially premiered on July 17, 1999. It chronicles the adventures of SpongeBob SquarePants and his aquatic friends in the underwater city of Bikini Bottom.
"The Sponge Who Could Fly", also known as "The SpongeBob SquarePants Lost Episode", is the 19th episode of the third season and the 59th overall episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It was written by Paul Tibbitt, Kent Osborne and Merriwether Williams, with Andrew Overtoom, Tom Yasumi and Mark O'Hare serving as animation directors. The episode was produced in 2002 and aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on March 21, 2003.
Gavin Lee is an English actor who has appeared on the stage in musical theatre, notably as Bert in the musical Mary Poppins, in both the West End and on Broadway, and as Squidward Tentacles in the original Broadway cast of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical.
Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast was a simulator ride at Universal Studios Florida that replaced The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera based on the 2001 movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and it is set to take place after the events of the film. The storyline revolves around Ooblar, from the Yolkian planet that has stolen Jimmy's newest rocket creation, the Mark IV. Jimmy, along with his best friend Carl and robot dog, Goddard, invite the audience to give chase in other rockets through the worlds and sound stages of the Nicktoons.
Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island is an action-adventure video game developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment, Halfbrick (GBA), Natsume (DS), published by THQ, and it is the sequel to the 2005 video game Nicktoons Unite!. The game was first released on October 24, 2006.
Since the 1990s, Nickelodeon, a worldwide children's television network and franchise, owned by Paramount Global, has had an involvement in the creation and theming of amusement parks rides.
"Christmas Who?" is the eighth episode in season two of SpongeBob SquarePants and the 28th episode overall, which serves as the first double-length episode of the series. The episode aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on December 7, 2000. The episode marks the first appearance of both Patchy the Pirate and his pet parrot, Potty in the main show. The episode follows SpongeBob as he learns what Christmas is about, and as he creates excitement for everyone in Bikini Bottom.
"Help Wanted" is the series premiere and pilot episode of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. It first aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on May 1, 1999, following the television broadcast of the 1999 Kids' Choice Awards. The episode follows the series' eponymous protagonist SpongeBob, a yellow anthropomorphic sea sponge, attempting to get a job at a local fast food restaurant called the Krusty Krab.
The eighth season of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by former marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg, originally aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from March 26, 2011, to November 23, 2012, and contained 26 half-hour episodes, with a miniseries titled SpongeBob's Runaway Roadtrip. The series chronicles the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the fictional underwater city of Bikini Bottom. The season was executive produced by series creator Hillenburg and writer Paul Tibbitt, who also acted as the showrunner. In 2011, SpongeBob's Runaway Roadtrip, an anthology series consisting of five episodes from the season, was launched.
"Graveyard Shift" is the first part of the 16th episode of the second season, and the 36th episode overall, of the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The episode was written by Mr. Lawrence, Jay Lender and Dan Povenmire, and the animation was directed by Sean Dempsey. Lender and Povenmire also served as storyboard directors. The episode was copyrighted in 2001 and aired on Nickelodeon in the United States on September 6, 2002.