Studio Souvenirs

[Ryan]

If you're in the park this upcoming week, you may want to check this shop out and the Jaws photo op while you can.

 

[Jerry 92602]

Why is that? :huh:

 

[Allen The Actor]

Not sure what this is about (Simpsons expansion? Making more space for the Studio Tour entrance to combat Potter crowds?) BUT I'm sure the Jaws photo opp will survive and be moved. It's been moved before in USH's history, and the one in Florida was still saved even after the ride got torn out. However, it'll be sad to see the Studio Souvenirs shop gone. Even though most of the merchandise is available elsewhere, it's smart to have a shop with studio tour and studio merchandise right outside of the studio tour... (are we getting a similar shop in Universal Plaza?) Either way, the shop has some great Studio Tour specific merchandise that is fairly new that I'd like to get!

Gosh, USH is transforming so damn fast....

 

[Ryan]

BUT I'm sure the Jaws photo opp will survive and be moved.

I really hope it will.

 

[Allen The Actor]

I hope so. Management knows it's hella popular, and it barely takes up any space. They can easily put it elsewhere. The thing is...where? My mind is a blank. Realistically it needs to be next to the Studio Tour but somewhere where it won't cause lots of roadblocks. You can put it next to Special Effects Stage, but that's a random place. How about after the first escalator that leads you to the tour entrance? Nahh...too close to the entrance....bottleneck area. I kind of don't care where it goes as long as it stays in some form.

 

[Ryan]

I was thinking the tour exit.

And for those wondering, the entire area will be blocked off from guest access for a very, very long time.

 

[Jerry 92602]

Wait so the studio souvenirs shop is gone or going to be? So then I could take a picture and get a souvenir coin.

 

[Allen The Actor]

I was thinking the tour exit.

And for those wondering, the entire area will be blocked off from guest access for a very, very long time.

I guess the Jaws photo opp could replace the lonely Jimmy Fallon photo opp! That would maybe be a good replacement location!

And...a very, VERY long time? If it WAS turned into a Springfield expansion location, I wouldn't think it would take THAT long.....like, obviously not instantaneous but...you know, not more than a year, right?

 

[Ryan]

I guess the Jaws photo opp could replace the lonely Jimmy Fallon photo opp! That would maybe be a good replacement location!

And...a very, VERY long time? If it WAS turned into a Springfield expansion location, I wouldn't think it would take THAT long.....like, obviously not instantaneous but...you know, not more than a year, right?

Probably because it's not Springfield. 

 

[Allen The Actor]

Probably because it's not Springfield.

See what I made you do there, bud? haha

 

[Jon Fu]

I have to admit, hearing this makes me very depressed for some reason. Oh well. Not much we can do.


Time to embrace change.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Well, whatever it is, I have faith in Universal that it'll be nice. I'm very curious what in the world it could possibly be though if not Springfield....

I have to admit, hearing this makes me very depressed for some reason. Oh well. Not much we can do.

Time to embrace change.

You know what I think it is? I think it's because of how fast it's all moving and how fast everything is changing. We're barely having enough time to breathe in and get used to the new and upcoming changes. I think that's what's a little difficult....how FAST USH is changing.

But....if it's as nice as what Universal Plaza will look like and will be a great new thing for that area, ill embrace it. Very curious what the hell it might be if not Simpsons related....

 

[Jon Fu]

You know what I think it is? I think it's because of how fast it's all moving and how fast everything is changing. We're barely having enough time to breathe in and get used to the new and upcoming changes. I think that's what's a little difficult....how FAST USH is changing.

It's not the speed.


Not to sidetrack too much (and please follow me on this), but I hear a lot of Disney fans complain about change and the fact that Disney has a tendency to replace and take out beloved attractions. Let me be honest: change is good. Change is needed. Theme parks - as one Imagineer so brilliantly put it - are not museums (nor should they be). Fans typically have the habit of romanticizing the past, and that the past is always better than the present.


That being said, it still stings to see old locations being removed. Whether you like it or not, Universal is relentless in this regard. There's really nothing on the Upper Lot (besides the Animal show) that has stood the test of time. Nothing. Besides some aspects of the Studio Tour (and arguably Jurassic Park and WaterWorld), there's really not much I can see from my childhood at Universal. Sorry for rambling. Just a collection of my thoughts.


Anyway, it's bittersweet knowing that this location will change in just a few weeks time.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Disney doesn't have that tendency as much in California as it does in Florida. In California, the management is good with minimally replacing or sometimes just updating to keep things fresh. In Florida, Disney removes classic things, while leaving other stale things around in horrible condition. Anyway, that's off topic.

I do know where you're coming from man. It's supr tough being a Universal fan on either coast. We do gain great new attractions and areas but we lose so much of the past. I think we're right for romanticizing the past. The 90s and early 2000s truly was an amazing period for both the park AND the studio!

But yeah, it's definitely bittersweet.....so much from my childhood is gone too. Again, we're fans of Universal parks. We gotta embrace it, as hard as it is sometimes. I b#ch about the Simpsons ride and ET on every visit. I sincerely can't help myself. It just comes out. *shrug*

Damn, I'm rambling too

On a different note, I know we don't like rumors, but any educational guesses as to what might replace the Jaws photo opp and the Studio Souvenirs store if NOT something Simpsons related....?

I'm honestly clueless....

 

[Jon Fu]

The 90s and early 2000s truly was an amazing period for both the park AND the studio!

That's the thing. They weren't. Can you make the argument that the 90s/early 2000s felt better from a fan perspective? Sure. But as some older employees would tell you, the Seagrams period for Universal was dark, and 9/11 practically destroyed the park.


As fans, we always need to understand that we're always given a partial picture for what actually goes on behind-the-scenes. What seems good to us may be horrid for the management and crew that actually have to run the park and/or day-to-day guests. It's very easy to think the past is better than the present. Very easy. I guess my difficulty is separating the past objectivity with the progress the park has made thus far for the future.


I'm rambling again, but I guess I'm having trouble describing my point. I'll try tomorrow because it's late, haha.

 

[Ryan]

On a different note, I know we don't like rumors, but any educational guesses as to what might replace the Jaws photo opp and the Studio Souvenirs store if NOT something Simpsons related....?

I'm honestly clueless....

This is kind of a dead giveaway, but when all the construction walls go up next week everything should become fairly obvious.

 

[Allen The Actor]

That's the thing. They weren't. Can you make the argument that the 90s/early 2000s felt better from a fan perspective? Sure. But as some older employees would tell you, the Seagrams period for Universal was dark, and 9/11 practically destroyed the park.

As fans, we always need to understand that we're always given a partial picture for what actually goes on behind-the-scenes. What seems good to us may be horrid for the management and crew that actually have to run the park. It's very easy to think the past is better than the present. Very easy. I guess my difficulty is separating the past objectivity with the progress the park has made thus far for the future.

I'm rambling again, but I guess I'm having trouble describing my point. I'll try tomorrow because it's late, haha.

Oh no, I definitely get your point man. I meant from a fan perspective of course. From the mid 80s to mid 90s, Universal was releasing hit after hit after hit. And then the parks translated that into epic attractions in the 90s. Just look at Bruce's thread with that advertisement pamphlet from Universal. From a fan perspective, from the movies to the rides, THAT was the Golden Age of USH and Universal in my eyes. Politically what was happening and with management, I was never aware of it until recently, so I have a very romanticized outlook on that time. Of course I see more clearly now thanks to you and the site, but I'm sure you get what I meant it's nostalgia from when all the movies and rides made sense and were perfect and were actually BY Universal.

This is kind of a dead giveaway, but when all the construction walls go up next week everything should become fairly obvious.

Ahhh....gotcha. I was THINKING along those lines but I didn't think the Potter walls would come down THAT far. Unless I'm totally off again. I probably am hahaha. Ill just wait till next week then

 

[UniversalFan]

Oh my gosh. Wow, Universal Studios Hollywood, drastically changing since 2008 from that fire. 5 years ago, the park dramatically changed. I have faith in Universal to improve the park like how TF drastically made the park better. Oh boy, I cannot imagine it. But yeah, change is good, but only in certain places in my opinion.


That's going to be a big studio vault Inside Universal will have in the future.

 

[BruceTheShark]

Sad day indeed. That shark always draws a crowd. I think a suitable new home for it could be on the star way. Who knows if they would go through the effort to put it there. I hope the changes in the area aren't Potter related, but I'm sure they are.

I hope so. Management knows it's hella popular, and it barely takes up any space. They can easily put it elsewhere. The thing is...where? My mind is a blank. Realistically it needs to be next to the Studio Tour but somewhere where it won't cause lots of roadblocks. You can put it next to Special Effects Stage, but that's a random place. How about after the first escalator that leads you to the tour entrance? Nahh...too close to the entrance....bottleneck area. I kind of don't care where it goes as long as it stays in some form.

It would oddly fit somewhere in between Special FX and Animal Actors. Isn't a shark somewhat of an animal actor?

 

[William]

All of this is just making me depressed. Why must Potter be so monstrous?