Super Nintendo World just celebrated its first anniversary at Universal Studios Hollywood. The award-winning new land has helped drive a surge in attendance for the park over the past year, much like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter did when it opened in 2016.
But these lands have been just two steps in what has been an almost complete transformation of the park over the past two decades. A time traveler from Disneyland’s opening in 1955 likely would be surprised by the changes around that park, but they would still recognize it. Someone who hasn’t visited Universal since it opened as the Universal Studios Tour in 1964 would struggle to believe that today’s park is the same place.
Heck, someone who last visited in 2003 might feel the same way.
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The number of changes is stunning. The E.T. Adventure closed that year to make way for Revenge of the Mummy. Its nextdoor neighbors, Backdraft and Special Effects Stages, closed to make way for Transformers: The Ride 3D. Super Nintendo World moved in next door to that, evicting the historic “Phantom of the Opera” Stage 28. The Jurassic Park ride remains, but it has transformed into Jurassic World —The Ride.
On the Upper Lot, the upcoming Fast and Furious roller coaster will take over the space formerly occupied by the Animal Actors show and the old Castle Theater, which hosted two versions of the Special Effects Stage show, plus Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical, Fear Factor Live and Spider-Man Rocks! over the past two decades.
The Simpsons Ride replaced Back to the Future: The Ride, and there might be something new coming there again, as Universal’s license for The Simpsons is expected to expire upon that ride’s 20th anniversary, in 2028.
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter replaced the Universal (later Gibson) Amphitheatre and the Curious George play area, which replaced the Nickelodeon Blast Zone. Ku Fung Panda replaced Shrek 4-D. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem replaced Terminator 2: 3D, and Super Silly Fun Land replaced the Coke Soak play area. The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash took over the old Globe Theater space. Universal Plaza stands on the site of the former Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show theater. And the Universal Boulevard entrance street remade much of the front of the park, including the former Universal House of Horrors, which replaced Van Helsing: Fortress Dracula.
Besides the revamped Jurassic World ride, only Waterworld and the Studio Tour remain from two decades ago, and the Studio Tour has seen plenty of changes since then, including the elimination of the parting of the Red Sea and the collapsing bridge and the debuts of Fast and Furious Supercharged and King Kong 360 3-D, which replaced the old King Kong Encounter that was destroyed in the 2008 backlot fire.
Universal Studios Hollywood will celebrate its 60th anniversary later this year. Clearly, it’s been a busy 60 years. No other single theme park that I know of has done as much to change — and improve — itself over its history as Universal. This park definitely has earned a celebration.