Is USF still a 'Studios' Park?

[UniversalRBLX]

Yup. Horror Makeup, Animal Actors, E.T., Mummy, and HRRR all have at least one aspect that aligns with the behind-the-scenes and production angle that some (certainly not all) of the 90s attractions relied on, and New York is an actual working backlot set. This doesn't even count the real functional soundstages that I just found out are apparently not part of the park anymore after reading this thread.

What behind-the-scenes angle does E.T. take? The preshow is essentially "in-universe" with Spielberg, not even mentioned as the Director of the film, asking you to save E.T.

If you are talking about the passport area being "themed" to a studio set with movie images, I don't think that counts it's just misplaced theming lol

 

[Tbad556]

What behind-the-scenes angle does E.T. take? The preshow is essentially "in-universe" with Spielberg, not even mentioned as the Director of the film, asking you to save E.T.

If you are talking about the passport area being "themed" to a studio set with movie images, I don't think that counts it's just misplaced theming lol

From Wikipedia:

"Prior to the ride's refurbishment in 2002 celebrating the film's 20th anniversary, the pre-show displayed a different video with Spielberg telling guests they were being cast as actors in new scenes inspired by the original film. The passports were instead described as "passes" that allowed access on set, and ride attendants were referred to as "stagehands"."

Doesn't really help an argument of whether the park is a studio park in 2023, but it may explain why it initially was relevant to the discussion hah.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

From Wikipedia:

"Prior to the ride's refurbishment in 2002 celebrating the film's 20th anniversary, the pre-show displayed a different video with Spielberg telling guests they were being cast as actors in new scenes inspired by the original film. The passports were instead described as "passes" that allowed access on set, and ride attendants were referred to as "stagehands"."

Doesn't really help an argument of whether the park is a studio park in 2023, but it may explain why it initially was relevant to the discussion hah.

Yeah prior to the refurb... not anymore. Universal was just too cheap to remove the studio theming from it lol

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Nope. Just like Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the “studio park” was a “good”* concept in theory but once they realized nobody really wants to film in Florida and the whole logistics of it (reportedly there was no music in the park in the early years because of sound issues), they realized “yeah this was a doomed project from the start” and mostly axed it. I’ll give props though to Uni for actually filming stuff within the park itself (I don’t know if Disney actually used the park itself for their movies)… even if I’m sure none of the Universal movies filmed at the parks were any good (who really cares about any of the Psycho movies sans the first one?).

*given that Hollywood is kinda a hellhole, I’d personally count this as a blessing thank you very much.

And if we’re counting rides (specifically theming) as part of the “studio park”… well JAWS, Kongfrontation and BTTF didn’t really have any studio theming to them and they were the originals. There were a few “studio rides” like Twister and Mummy but other than that there’s not really a lot that fits in that. I never been there and most likely never will but judging from photos and vids Diagon Alley sure as hell does not fit under the “studio theme”.

Point is; well technically going by productions USF has not been a proper studio for a long while, and if we’re solely judging on rides and attractions, it was barely a “studio park” when it began and now is even less so. And it’s for the best that it shouldn’t be so. It’s really awkward to have these cheap lands like Production Central and New York when Diagon Alley is right freakin there.

 

[Joe]

It’s really awkward to have these cheap lands like... New York...

Yeah no.

 

[Mad Dog]

Kind of a 'semantics' argument so far. @UniversalRBLX comment 'it's a studio themed park , not a studio park', probably sums up the argument and the confusion best. Kind of depends on how an individual's thought processes look at it and whether it matters to them if the studio buildings belong to the park or the film division. I'd guess most people look at that as it's all Comcast/Universal, especially since the sound stages get used for park events like HHN. My feeling is that the answer could be yes or no, depending on the person's individual understanding of the term. So there's probably no wrong answer. They can both be correct,, on whether it's a Studio park, or not.

 

[Nick]

Kind of a 'semantics' argument so far. @UniversalRBLX comment 'it's a studio themed park , not a studio park', probably sums up the argument and the confusion best. Kind of depends on how an individual's thought processes look at it and whether it matters to them if the studio buildings belong to the park or the film division. I'd guess most people look at that as it's all Comcast/Universal, especially since the sound stages get used for park events like HHN. My feeling is that the answer could be yes or no, depending on the person's individual understanding of the term. So there's probably no wrong answer. They can both be correct,, on whether it's a Studio park, or not.

Yeah, there's 55 votes on the poll and it's essentially 53% 'yes' and 47% 'no'.

What that tells me is that this is clearly a more in the weeds conversation and not a black/white conversation where it's more than just "yes" or "no". Based on the conversation, it seems that almost everyone seems to have a differing view of what a "Studio Park" is, which is really what is making this such a tough conversation to have since there really is no concrete definition of what a "Studio Park" is.

This whole conversation reminds me a bit of Tom Bricker's article on WDSP entitled Is The Walt Disney Studios Park a Disney Park?

The answer to his rhetorical question there is obviously yes in terms of fact, but Disney Parks have a certain quality standard that is not met by WDSP which is his angle. I feel like that's the type of debate some of us are having here. Some are just saying, yes, it's production themed in some ways and Universal says it is so it's a "Studio Park".

I don't know about the entire 47%, but I know for me on the other side of that coin, I simply want the park to be as good as it can be. I don't think the "Studio Theme" is relevant anymore so all I see when I look at these beige, unthemed soundstages is untapped potential. I see the park using the Studio theme as a crutch, not an actual theme, which is my biggest issue.

 

[Jwhee]

Their newest snack stand is studio themed

 

[DodgsonHere]

What behind-the-scenes angle does E.T. take? The preshow is essentially "in-universe" with Spielberg, not even mentioned as the Director of the film, asking you to save E.T.

If you are talking about the passport area being "themed" to a studio set with movie images, I don't think that counts it's just misplaced theming lol

Themed soundstage show building, the outdoor queue video that features behind the scenes commentary and footage, and yes, the passport rooms with studio equipment theming and behind the scenes images that acts as a transition from the soundstage to the set/adventure. Spielberg is also not even playing a character in the pre-show, he appears as himself, the director of the movie.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Themed soundstage show building, the outdoor queue video that features behind the scenes commentary and footage, and yes, the passport rooms with studio equipment theming and behind the scenes images that acts as a transition from the soundstage to the set/adventure. Spielberg is also not even playing a character in the pre-show, he appears as himself, the director of the movie.

I hate being this guy... the original intention of the E.T. Adventure was Spielberg casting you to film some shots, hence the studio theming. The ride's storyline was modified to bring you "in-universe" and rescue ET, so the studio theming comes as cheap/unrelated to the current storyline.

• Soundstage exterior is a cheap look for a place that is no longer trying to pass itself as a working studio
• The outdoor queue video is of poor quality and has no connection to the current ride experience
• Studio equipment theming in the passport section are relics of the original intention of the attraction when it was originally meant for a studio pass... not an interplanetary passport for space travel.
• Current preshow never mentions himself as a director, just a friend of ET. In the original preshow, he calls himself the director.

 

[DodgsonHere]

I hate being this guy... the original intention of the E.T. Adventure was Spielberg casting you to film some shots, hence the studio theming. The ride's storyline was modified to bring you "in-universe" and rescue ET, so the studio theming comes as cheap/unrelated to the current storyline.

• Soundstage exterior is a cheap look for a place that is no longer trying to pass itself as a working studio
• The outdoor queue video is of poor quality and has no connection to the current ride experience
• Studio equipment theming in the passport section are relics of the original intention of the attraction when it was originally meant for a studio pass... not an interplanetary passport for space travel.
• Current preshow never mentions himself as a director, just a friend of ET. In the original preshow, he calls himself the director.

I mean I agree that it was much more closely aligned with the original studio theme when it opened, but I still think it’s a pretty blatant “studio” attraction in tone and remaining theming if that makes any sense. Starting on a backlot/soundstage then transitioning into a set that is completely in-universe is a trademark of Universal’s early attractions, such as Kong, Mummy, Earthquake, and even the studio tour in Hollywood. E.T. still really isn’t any different, and It’s pretty telling that every iteration around the world has been housed in a soundstage themed building, it was always designed to have that transition.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I mean I agree that it was much more closely aligned with the original studio theme when it opened, but I still think it’s a pretty blatant “studio” attraction in tone and remaining theming if that makes any sense. Starting on a backlot/soundstage then transitioning into a set that is completely in-universe is a trademark of Universal’s early attractions, such as Kong, Mummy, Earthquake, and even the studio tour in Hollywood. E.T. still really isn’t any different, and It’s pretty telling that every iteration around the world has been housed in a soundstage themed building, it was always designed to have that transition.

...the problem is that the attraction isn't selling you on the idea that you are on an actual set, it's trying to convince you that we are an active participant in the ET story. I sincerely doubt any real movie studio has an Immigration and Customs area inside one of their soundstages.

 

[Brian G.]

I think we can all agree that it's a theme park with studio aspects. It can get away with certain things and be a hodgepodge compared to other parks, for better or worse.

 

[Ken96]

I was always under the impression that the mission of USF was to “ride the movies”, not necessarily how to make them. Looking at it that way, the park has absolutely kept that theme. Every single attraction at USF places you directly into an original story from tv shows and movies.

 

[Nick]

I think we can all agree that it's a theme park with studio aspects. It can get away with certain things and be a hodgepodge compared to other parks, for better or worse.

I agree mostly, I just think a lot of the Studio aspects that are in place aren't something that can't be replaced with something more immersive than is currently in place. The only thing that I think works great the way it is and couldn't be improved by removing the studio aspects is Horror Makeup Show.

DHS sort of has itself in a similar (and actually in many ways worse) situation where they've gone towards being an immersive theme park, but it's still has studio aspects lurking in probably more places than USF does and it's more distracting than at USF since DHS isn't as good of a park and many of the soundstage/studio themed buildings just simply aren't being used (Mermaid, Launch Bay is hardly being used) which is way worse than USF since at least they are using the buildings that some of us are complaining are a bit lazily themed.

 

[Legacy]

The whole marketing angle of Universal in the beginning was “ride the movies.” They tried really hard to present a world where, once you were in it, you were IN the movie. Not in a movie being filmed, but in the movie’s world. This was especially true with Jaws, Kongfrontation, ET, and BttF, none of which played heavy on the “studio” aspect on their conceits past the first 10 meters of queue. Jaws’ whole thing was “this is where they filmed the thing that really happened.”

Taken in that context, nothing has changed about the park. Its focus is still immersing you in the movies/properties that brought you there.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

The whole marketing angle of Universal in the beginning was “ride the movies.” They tried really hard to present a world where, once you were in it, you were IN the movie. Not in a movie being filmed, but in the movie’s world. This was especially true with Jaws, Kongfrontation, ET, and BttF, none of which played heavy on the “studio” aspect on their conceits past the first 10 meters of queue. Jaws’ whole thing was “this is where they filmed the thing that really happened.”

Taken in that context, nothing has changed about the park. Its focus is still immersing you in the movies/properties that brought you there.

This is more where I’m at, even though I voted No on the poll. The fact is studio production has changed, so the idea of a park around studios is more evolving than they probably ever expected when opening DHS and USF.

Villain-Con will add to this notion of throwing us inside the movies. Villain-Con is making a stop in Orlando and it’s our turn to test out their new gadgets. It’s simple but clever. As I’ve always said, for lack of other places to compare, many Disney rides are “look at this! Look!” Where Universal makes you the star of every attraction in some way. It’s always why I’ve felt more connected to Universal attractions than Disney’s.

 

[Mad Dog]

Today is the Anniversary of the park's opening, which was disastrous since hardly any attractions worked. Universal has come a long way, and is just about as crowded as AK, DHS, and Epcot on a daily basis.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

I sure do enjoy the studio park EPCOT, which celebrates the movie-making magic of Guardians, Frozen, Nemo, Rattatouie…

The difference here is that EPCOT has more or less abandoned its theme as a whole, and isn't really shy about letting you know that. At its core, yes these are all attractions that would belong at a Studio park (or in Frozen's case, I would lean more towards Fantasyland).

I think using film IP is a natural extension of a Studio park as long as it's in conjunction with, not in replacement of, the production elements. By that definition, I still consider USF a Studio park but find it much tougher to still consider DHS one.

 

[Joe]

I think we can all agree that it's a theme park with studio aspects. It can get away with certain things and be a hodgepodge compared to other parks, for better or worse.

It’s a studios park and this all has been a fruitless endeavor to appease terminally online weirdos who write paragraphs about USF.