Studio Tour

[Paulio]

I know that this might be ridiculous, but I think Universal Studios Hollywood should have done a drive in studio tour with guest taking the tour through their vehicles, entering the backlot main gate, using the Universal app for the studio tour, given 3D glasses to keep for King Kong 360, and Fast & Furious while the cast members let’s the vehicle go through the soundstage one vehicle at a time while having the vehicles after being locked in to the soundstage interact with King Kong 360, Earthquake, Jaws, and Fast & Furious ending with the option to buy souvenirs on the app as the vehicle reaches the exit gate, and the guest pick up the bought souvenirs as they stop at the exit gate of the backlot.

Cool idea, but impractical though, because of the liability on the part of the guests, even in attractions like Earthquake and Jaws.

 

[tacalert]

In all the things that legitimately somewhat surprise me--the lack of Universal doing a holiday drive-along the Universal Backlot holiday style with actors in safe distances kind of makes me confused.

It’s like they gave up. I remember when I worked at USH one Christmas they decorated the whole backlot for all employees.

The cars would be in park or neutral mode, and the mechanism for the interaction shows would lock in the vehicles like the car wash then released when the show is done.

 

[coaster31]

At least someone is keeping busy while universal is closed...

An L.A. County Sheriff's deputy allegedly had sex on the Universal Studios lot, and the guy had his mic open for all to hear ... and the recording is now the talk of the department.
Apparently one of the participants was a movie buff, because the encounter went down right by the Bates Motel on the lot.
You hear a woman moaning as a dispatcher from the Sheriff's station repeatedly tries to get her deputy's attention, telling him he had an open mic.
The deputy doesn't respond ... but the woman does, throughout the clip.
We don't know whether the deputy was in the patrol car or nearby.

 

[Jamesh22]

I'll just leave this one here for everyone's enjoyment, stick with it, from a few mins in had me laughing out loud.
I will never be able to look at Doc Brown in the same way ever again!

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I'll just leave this one here for everyone's enjoyment, stick with it, from a few mins in had me laughing out loud.
I will never be able to look at Doc Brown in the same way every again!

Omg I DIED at this last nignt, so good!!!

 

[Jerroddragon]

Let the Man Speak...lol (love Kenan)

This is without the coffee me doing one man stand up on the tram off script for sure.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yes, saw it last night. It's a classic routine. Hilarious.

 

[JawsVictim]

I got to go on the Studio Tour for the first time this weekend (not counting Terror Tram in 2016). Overall, really enjoyed the experience, especially Earthquake and Jaws. Loved the old school Universal feel of those attractions. Plus, we got to skip F&F for some reason, which may have made the experience even better!

 

[theblueblurr]

I will probably get shot for saying this but.. I'd like to see the Studio Tour leave the park. At least, in it's current form.

USH doesn't have much room for expansion. The way I see it, each of those Studio Tour encounters (Kong/F&F/War of the Worlds/Jaws/Flash Flood/Lost World/Earthquake/etc.) are eating up valuable theme park expansion space, in a sense. I would demolish those encounters and build soundstages/outdoor sets over them. Then, demolish the soundstages closest to the Lower Lot's theme park and use all that for future expansion space. This way the park can grow and the studio can still use the backlot to film.

I don't know.. the attraction just feels so.. tired to me. I know I'm spoiled and have been on it a lot but it almost feels like a chore to me at this point. I realize out-of-towners are likely thrilled by the experience but on our most recent trip, we didn't get to drive through the metro sets because they were filming American Ninja Warrior. I had a realization here. If we're not gonna go anywhere near the action when it's happening, then what is the point of taking the tour? To see where it has happened has some thrill, yes but you could still offer that as guided tours in smaller numbers for those willing to book them with something akin to the VIP tour.

I don't think access to the studio backlot as a tour needs to go away entirely. I just think it needs to be.. re-imagined. The fun of seeing the sets should be something folks can do without having to mix in all the other "theme park attraction" stuff like Kong, etc. I want to ride the rides but I really, realllllly don't want to drive down Wysteria lane, again.

So, I think they should knock all the "ride stuff" on the tour out, build soundstages and sets on top of them, then knock out the no longer needed stuff closest to the theme park for future rides, lands, etc.

Just my two cents. Please don't kill me.

 

[Jamesh22]

While I see your thinking and reasons behind what you say... its the one historic thing about the park and something that makes it unique. I do wonder if the park would loose some appeal wihout it.

Plus it's a huge people eater :shrug:

 

[SailwiththeTide]

The world famous studio tour is fine. Your idea has merits but the reality is the tour is not going anywhere. I think getting rid of fallon an do a mix of hosts would be good.

I will probably get shot for saying this but.. I'd like to see the Studio Tour leave the park. At least, in it's current form.

USH doesn't have much room for expansion. The way I see it, each of those Studio Tour encounters (Kong/F&F/War of the Worlds/Jaws/Flash Flood/Lost World/Earthquake/etc.) are eating up valuable theme park expansion space, in a sense. I would demolish those encounters and build soundstages/outdoor sets over them. Then, demolish the soundstages closest to the Lower Lot's theme park and use all that for future expansion space. This way the park can grow and the studio can still use the backlot to film.

I don't know.. the attraction just feels so.. tired to me. I know I'm spoiled and have been on it a lot but it almost feels like a chore to me at this point. I realize out-of-towners are likely thrilled by the experience but on our most recent trip, we didn't get to drive through the metro sets because they were filming American Ninja Warrior. I had a realization here. If we're not gonna go anywhere near the action when it's happening, then what is the point of taking the tour? To see where it has happened has some thrill, yes but you could still offer that as guided tours in smaller numbers for those willing to book them with something akin to the VIP tour.

I don't think access to the studio backlot as a tour needs to go away entirely. I just think it needs to be.. re-imagined. The fun of seeing the sets should be something folks can do without having to mix in all the other "theme park attraction" stuff like Kong, etc. I want to ride the rides but I really, realllllly don't want to drive down Wysteria lane, again.

So, I think they should knock all the "ride stuff" on the tour out, build soundstages and sets on top of them, then knock out the no longer needed stuff closest to the theme park for future rides, lands, etc.

Just my two cents. Please don't kill me.

 

[theblueblurr]

I understand the appeal of keeping it. -and to an extent, I agree and don't think they should totally obliterate the backlot sets (they need them for filming). I just think there's so much "theme park" mixed into the tour right now that it's not allowing either studio or theme park side to fully blossom.

To further illustrate my point quickly:



Red are current "attractions" on the back lot tour which could be lost and replaced with sound stages/other sets for filming. While Green marks the soundstages to be "moved" away into the old red zones and this area be used for actual theme park expansion. I seems small I'm sure looking at it from space but most of these areas and stages are pretty large. Plus, you wouldn't need the upper lot loading zone any longer.

Instead, you could still offer a studio tour, but you could board it on the lower lot and immediately enter the sets/soundstages. Guests could still get a kick out of being able to see the sets and filming locations without having to dedicate a larger portion of their day to it while simultaneously opening large amounts of theme park attraction experience space to make up for the lost elements on the studio tour.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I mean if they save space by moving the Q fine but I would not destroy Jaws/Eatchquake both are very cool and no way they can move them. So I saw just find a way to move the Q to maybe the lower lot or over by the I Fly in Citywalk like another poster said in another thread but the only thing that could move is the the Psycho house/motel which has moved before.

Also with the Grinchsets gone they could move the cars to that section of the tram and then redo the old FF area/car area into some new attraction for the tram and keep the JP stuff after it which is REALLY fun when they do the nightime tour

 

[chris.g]

Instead, you could still offer a studio tour, but you could board it on the lower lot and immediately enter the sets/soundstages. Guests could still get a kick out of being able to see the sets and filming locations without having to dedicate a larger portion of their day to it while simultaneously opening large amounts of theme park attraction experience space to make up for the lost elements on the studio tour.

I might get killed for saying this but one of the ideas about moving the Studio Tour to the Lower Lot involved starting off the tour exactly like this but within modified soundstages (ala Hollywood Studios' old tour). It was a blue sky-ish concept though.

 

[highdefrex]

I think getting rid of fallon an do a mix of hosts would be good.

This alone would do wonders. Either have a mix of hosts on a single tour, like you said, or - and I think this is what I’d personally love, ideally - have, say, several different full tour hosts, so that you could ride the tour one day with one host, but get a whole different host the next time you ride it. Then you’re not listening to the same singular host’s jokes (or whatnot) each and every time, because who knows who you may get any time you ride it.

 

[JawsVictim]

Again, because I didn’t have to experience F&F, Jimmy Fallon was the worst part of the Studio Tour.

 

[Paulio]

Maybe instead of going through the same routes as usual, the Tour could expand to new routes in the lot that hasn't been done before and build newer attractions there. Since the 2010s, nothing new was added except King Kong 3D (a cheaper, downgraded replacement for King Kong Encounter) and Fast and Furious 3D (which replaced the rolling Mummy tunnel).

 

[Ron101]

I'm all for removing or changing the studio tour. There's so much potential for a second park that the tram, one attraction, limits entirely. The tram nowadays just seems to quickly get through all the attraction elements like King Kong, the plane crash, Fast and Furious, etc without going into depth. Just the other day we didn't go through any of the backlot elements such as the metro sets, wysteria lane, etc. The tram now feels less of a tour and more of a long ride. I understand the historical significance of the tour but its definitely not what it used to be. That survey the park sent out to alter the tour to paid guests seemed like a good idea since then, your allowed to get off the tour, like in the old days, and roam around with the tour guide.
USH will never expand like people want it to if they keep the aging tram tour, which is nothing like it was decades ago.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I'm all for removing or changing the studio tour. There's so much potential for a second park that the tram, one attraction, limits entirely. The tram nowadays just seems to quickly get through all the attraction elements like King Kong, the plane crash, Fast and Furious, etc without going into depth. Just the other day we didn't go through any of the backlot elements such as the metro sets, wysteria lane, etc. The tram now feels less of a tour and more of a long ride. I understand the historical significance of the tour but its definitely not what it used to be. That survey the park sent out to alter the tour to paid guests seemed like a good idea since then, your allowed to get off the tour, like in the old days, and roam around with the tour guide.
USH will never expand like people want it to if they keep the aging tram tour, which is nothing like it was decades ago.

Back in the day when they surveyed the guests (this is when it was the 2-hour tour with assigned times) it was listed as the best AND worst attraction in the park. Best because it was unique. Worst because you had the plan your day around it. They elimintated the part people hated. backlot "attractions" you'd simply be riding through empty facades. It would be interesting for about 15 minutes. By breaking it apart with attractions keeps interest in it. Its why Disney-MGM Backlot portion was a snooze. Other than Catastophe Canyone not much to see (and worse, it was a facade of facades... the majority or the facades had never been used or the shows they were attached to).

 

[Paulio]

I'm all for the removal of the Studio Tour provided that USH build a total of two theme parks and a resort. But you have to explain to the general public why you think removing a landmark attraction from the park is a good idea. I remember when USH announced it would consider charging people to go on the Studio Tour, it was widely criticized by theme park fans. The Studio Tour is one of the major reasons why people go to the park and is an iconic landmark attraction and given USH's limited amount of space (unless the Golf Course is purchased), I don't think we should expect something new in this decade.