Welcome back for this week’s Universal Studios Hollywood (USH) update! Not much happening at the park this week, but I found some things to show all of you. Let’s start outside of the park at the NBCUniversal Campus project.
Here is a shot of what the building looks like from Lankershim Blvd.
This taller building is 11 stories and will house office and production space for the studio. The smaller building is 5–7 stories and will have more office and production space. This project is expected to wrap up later this year and is being built to consolidate space so more of the backlot can be demolished for eventual theme park expansion.
Here is a view of the project from inside the park and I found it interesting that there are construction fences surrounding the other existing buildings as well. I was talking to some others about that and we think they are building a new gate to the backlot as part of the overall campus project.
Halloween Horror Nights Construction
Moving on to the loads of Horror Nights (HHN) construction happening throughout the park at the moment. All houses are currently under construction except for The Mummy (which just had its permits filed so it should be starting any day now) and Waterworld. Now with the Special Effects and Animal Actors stages going down, I heard a rumor that this year the show at HHN will be using the plentiful seating and large stage at Waterworld. I hope it is a different show than the Jabbawockeez because that is just not a Halloween-themed show!
I am still trying to figure out what that dirt patch is next to the under-construction house. The only house announced is CHUCKY, but in May we should be getting at least one, maybe two more announcements.
Super Nintendo World Operations Update
Interesting operations update at Super Nintendo World. They have two lines, one for Early Entry/Express and the other for just a regular reservation. If you have a regular reservation, they send you into the extended queue for Transformers and hold everyone there. If you have Early Entry passes or Express, you take the other line which is a straight shot into the land. I already noticed this really helping the crowds on the Lower Lot that tend to just bunch up and sit there figuring out which line is which. It also helps crowds in the Warp Pipe plaza with the photo op and with bunching issues going into the pipe itself.
Universal CityWalk Update
I have a quick update from CityWalk. ZenZone and Fossil have no movement so far. The expanded Starbucks location is still being worked on heavily. Jamba Juice is undergoing a refurb of its own that must have started last week and I am not sure how long the refurb is scheduled to last.
Well, that is it for this week’s quick update from the park, I hope you had a great time walking through the park with me and seeing what’s new. In the coming weeks, there should be some big updates such as Fast and Furious coaster construction ramping up, also permits were filed for a new locker configuration for Forbidden Journey just as they did with Orlando’s version, GradBash starts May 12th which means by then the massive refurb of the Universal Plaza will be complete, Death Eaters are coming back to the park this Summer and much more so stay tuned every week right here at the Boardwalk Times.
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Ethan Becker is a columnist for the Boardwalk Times
