Universal Studios Florida

Entrance to the theme park
Location	Universal Orlando Resort,Orlando, Florida, US
Coordinates	28°28′31″N81°28′01″W / 28.4752°N 81.4670°W /28.4752; -81.4670
Status	Operating
Opened	June 7, 1990 (1990-06-07)
Owner	NBCUniversal
Operated by	Universal Destinations & Experiences
Theme	Show business
Slogan	"It's More Than Magic. It's Real."
Operating season	Year-round
Attendance	9.75 Million in 2023
Attractions
Total	15
Roller coasters	3
Website	Official website

Universal Studios Florida is atheme park located inOrlando, Florida, that opened on June 7, 1990. Owned and operated byNBCUniversal, it features numerous rides, attractions, and live shows that are primarily themed to movies, television, and other aspects of theentertainment industry. Universal Studios Florida was the first of three theme parks to open atUniversal Orlando Resort, joined later byUniversal Islands of Adventure in 1999, and the first water theme park calledUniversal Volcano Bay in 2017. In 2019, it ranked eleventh in the world – sixth in North America – for overall attendance among amusement parks with approximately 10.9 million visitors. A fourth theme park,Universal Epic Universe, is expected to open in 2025.

The success of its sister location,Universal Studios Hollywood, in the 1980s fueled the desire to build a similar park in the Orlando area to compete withWalt Disney World. Two of its early projects were partially developed by famed Hollywood directorSteven Spielberg, and many themed attractions over the years were developed in close collaboration with the directors, producers, and actors of the films they are based on. An early layout and design of the park also incorporated active production studios, similar to the Hollywood location, which provided guests a behind-the-scenes look at film and television. As the interest to produce films in the Orlando area quickly faded, the design of the park transitioned to a more immersive, first-person perspective.

Universal Studios Florida operates a well-known annual event during the fall season calledHalloween Horror Nights, where the park transitions to a Halloween theme featuring haunted houses and scare zones on select nights. One of the park's biggest draws is Diagon Alley, aHarry Potter-themed portion ofThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter that opened in 2014.E.T. Adventure, another notable attraction, is the only remaining ride in the park which debuted with the park's grand opening in 1990.

In 1982,Universal contemplated the idea of opening an amusement park in Florida to compete withDisney.^[1][2] They considered building a similar version of theirStudio Tour tram ride located atUniversal Studios Hollywood, retaining thestudio backlot tour theme to set it apart from what Disney was offering atDisney World.^[1] However, Universal abandoned the idea after attempts to partner with a skepticalParamount Pictures failed to materialize.^[1] The Studio Tour in Los Angeles continued to thrive, especially with the addition of a new, massive scene based on the 1976 filmKing Kong.^[1] It opened in 1986 asKing Kong Encounter and became an instant hit with guests, boosting attendance and prompting Universal to revisit the idea of building a theme park in Orlando.^[1]

That same year, formerDisney Imagineer Peter Alexander, who worked on the life-size King Kong animatronic and later became an executive atUniversal Creative, met with his friend and renowned directorSteven Spielberg to discuss the creation of aBack to the Future simulator ride.^[1][2]Star Wars creatorGeorge Lucas, who recently helped Disney design the well-receivedStar Tours attraction atDisneyland, had previously boasted to Spielberg that Universal was incapable of building such a ride.^[1][2] Spielberg and Alexander gladly accepted the challenge and began working on the ride's concept.^[1][2] Universal was already working on the design for its backlot tram tour attraction in Florida, which would include multiple scenes depicted at the Hollywood location.^[3]

In 1987, Disney CEOMichael Eisner – previously the CEO at Paramount when Universal pitched their Florida park idea several years earlier – announced intentions to create their own studio backlot tour atWalt Disney World.^[1][3] The new area, to be calledDisney-MGM Studios, was a preemptive move to counter Universal's planned introduction into the Orlando market.^[1][3] Universal claimed that Eisner took advantage of his prior access to their plans for Orlando, borrowing some of the concepts, but Disney denied Eisner ever saw them.^[4] They also noted that planning for Disney-MGM Studios began in 1981, long before Eisner was hired.^[4] The corporate war between the two had spilled over into the public relations sector, described as a "nasty feud" by theNew York Times in 1989.^[4]

Universal had publicly revealed their plans for Orlando ahead of Eisner's announcement, but Disney was in a better position to fast-track construction and open sooner.^[3] This forced Universal to rethink their approach and abandon the tram tour concept design for the park.^[3] Instead, they opted to build standalone attractions while retaining the overall studio backlot theme.^[3] Their projected opening day lineup would includeKongfrontation,Jaws, and the Spielberg-Alexander collaborative project,Back to the Future: The Ride.

A large theme park with separate attractions was a new concept for Universal, and their creative team ran into multiple obstacles during development and testing.^[2] Among the casualties from the early troubles was theBack to the Future ride, which had its opening delayed by nearly a year.^[2]

Many of the attractions over the years were developed in close collaboration with directors, producers, and actors from the films on which they were based. In many cases, actors reprised their roles, contributing new dialogue and footage to fill pre-show queues and action sequences within the attractions.Rip Torn andWill Smith contributed toMen in Black: Alien Attack,Revenge of the Mummy featured footage ofBrendan Fraser andArnold Vosloo, and multiple members ofThe Simpsons cast collaborated onThe Simpsons Ride. Other examples involved directors, such as Steven Spielberg's assistance on the development of several rides includingE.T. Adventure,Back to the Future: The Ride, andJaws.^[5]

Universal Studios Florida was originally designed to function as both a theme park and working production studio. Several movies, television series, commercials, music videos, and other forms of media have been produced onsite throughout its history.Nickelodeon Studios was one of the early pillars behind the working studio concept, and it was featured in various locations throughout the park in the form ofsoundstages.^[6] Popular kids' shows such asDouble Dare were produced on location, and guests could tour the facilities for a behind-the-scenes experience.^[6]

Film production also occurred onsite.^[6]Psycho IV: The Beginning was the first film to be produced at the Florida park location while it was open to the public,^[6] and visitors during the park's first month of operation were able to get a glimpse of live production.^[7] In 1991,John Landis was forced to move from Universal Studios Hollywood to Universal Studios Florida to finish filming the comedy filmOscar, after a disgruntled employee set a fire that destroyed most of the set at the Hollywood location.^[7]

For a brief time, Universal Studios Florida featured a backlot tour tram ride attraction, called the Production Studio Tour, with elements that were similar to the version at Universal Studios Hollywood.^[6] Guests toured active production set facilities in use for film and television.^[6] Disney heavily invested in the same working studio concept, but shortly after Universal Studios Florida opened, filming at the parks and even in the state was becoming less attractive.^[6] Producers complained of the logistics, expenses, and limited available resources.^[6] Consequently, Universal ended the Production Studio Tour only five years into the park's history in 1995, and Nickelodeon's TV production moved to California in 2005.^[6] Smaller shows and commercials continued to be produced, but the backlot studio concept was becoming less of a draw for visitors.^[6]

With each new attraction, Universal gradually moved away from the incorporation of thefourth wall convention, where cast and crew directly addressed guests. Instead of a behind-the-scenes filmmaking experience, the perspective shifted in the direction of putting guests in the middle of the action.^[6]The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – with the completion of Hogsmeade in 2010 and Diagon Alley in 2014 – accelerated this transition and reflects the park's modern strategy and approach to the guest experience.^[6]

Despite the evolution and growing emphasis being placed on the theme park aspect, some soundstages at Universal Studios Florida remained active. In 1999,Wheel of Fortune was relocated to the park for three days of filming, helping to promote the upcoming debut ofIslands of Adventure.^[8] Nickelodeon returned temporarily in 2008 for the shooting ofMy Family's Got Guts. The 2010–11 season ofRTL Group'sFamily Feud was filmed on site, coinciding with the show's debut of new hostSteve Harvey, but the show was relocated in 2011 toAtlanta, Georgia. The revival ofHowie Mandel'sDeal or No Deal in 2018 was filmed in Soundstage 21 forCNBC.^[9] Local and national commercials were also shot at various soundstages.^{[citation needed]}

Universal Studios Florida was built for an estimated $631 million, with 50% ownership in the hands ofMCA Universal and 50% belonging toThe Rank Organisation leisure company.^[10] While owned bySeagram, MCA Universal would again partner withThe Rank Group (corporate successor to The Rank Organisation) a decade later in a major $2.5 billion expansion that would transform the park into a resort.^[11] The expansion led to the creation ofUniversal Orlando Resort with the addition ofIslands of Adventure,Universal CityWalk, and several hotels.^[11] In 2000,The Rank Group sold its 50% stake toBlackstone Capital Partners for $275 million,^[12] who in turn sold it to NBCUniversal in 2011 for $3.165 billion, giving the company 100% ownership of the resort.^[13][14]

Slogans marketed by Universal Studios Florida over the years included:See the Stars. Ride the Movies. (1990–1998);No one makes believe like we do! (1990–1998);Ride the Movies (1998–2008);Jump into the Action (2008–2012);Experience The Movies (2012–2015) andVacation Like You Mean It (2013–2019). The slogan was last changed in 2020 to "Let Yourself Woah" for the Universal Orlando Resort. It was eventually applied to all global tourist locations, including Universal Studios Hollywood.

Universal Studios Florida features eight themed areas all situated around a largelagoon.

The eight surrounding themed areas, clockwise from the entrance, are Minion Land on Illumination Ave, New York, San Francisco, London/Diagon Alley, World Expo, Springfield, DreamWorks Land, and Hollywood. Each area features a combination of rides, shows, attractions, character appearances, dining outlets, and merchandise stores.

Opened on August 11, 2023, this new area encompasses the existing Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction and Super Silly Stuff store, as well as the new Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast attraction, Minions' Cafe, Pop-a-Nana popcorn stand, Freeze Ray popsicle stand, Bake My Day sweets shop, and an Illumination Theater facade for character meet-and-greets.^[50]

The New York section of the park features several dining outlets:Finnegan's Bar and Grill andLouie's Italian Restaurant which were designed for the park as well asStarbucks Coffee andHäagen-Dazs which are commercial franchises. There are also two merchandise shops:Sahara Traders andRosie's Irish Shop. The first two feature merchandise related to attractions within this area.^[51][52] Also located here is a statue of longtime MCA/Universal executiveLew Wasserman, honoring his achievements and history while head of Universal.

AsNickelodeon was headquarteredin the park at the time, the opening credits forRoundhouse andAll That (two of its shows) were filmed around this area of the park.

In August 2015, Universal announced that it would replaceDisaster! with a new attraction based on the film franchiseThe Fast and the Furious. The company later revealed that this attraction would use Universal's new "Virtual Line" system, allowing guests to select a time frame in which they want to ride.Fast & Furious: Supercharged opened on April 23, 2018.

Diagon Alley is the second half of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter; adapting elements from thefilm series^[b] and novels byJ. K. Rowling.

Opened on July 8, 2014, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley/London features two attractions,Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and theHogwarts Express, which connects the area to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure.Diagon Alley also features a restaurantThe Leaky Cauldron and several "signature shops".^[53] These include,Ollivanders Wand Shop,Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes,Borgin and Burkes,Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions,Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, andFlorean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.^[54]

Sometime after June 2005 the optical illusion of the Space Shuttle was removed from this part of the park. As you headed towardsWorld Expo fromSan Francisco it was one of the many designated photo spots throughout the park. There was a hanging platform that you would place your camera on and take the picture. The Shuttle would look as though it was sitting on the top ofBack to the Future: The Ride.

Springfield used to be classed as a part of the World Expo until 2016.

Hollywood's two dining outlets are recreations of actual Hollywood outlets.Schwab's Pharmacy andMel's Drive-In offer guests a variety of food and beverage options. A third outlet, namedCafe La Bamba, operates seasonally.^[51][55]NBC Media Center andThe Wicked Experience, a seasonal survey attraction that allows guests to preview upcoming NBCUniversal films and shows, is located within the Hollywood section in a "Garden of Allah Villas"-themed area.

It includes characters fromShrek,Trolls, andKung Fu Panda.^[56][57] It opened on June 14, 2024, as the park's most recent area, replacing Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone.^[58]

Notable retired attractions includeKongfrontation,Back to the Future: The Ride,The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera, its replacementJimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast,A Day in the Park with Barney, its replacement DreamWorks Destination,Jaws,Twister...Ride It Out,T2-3D: Battle Across Time,Shrek 4-D, AT&T at the Movies,Fievel's Playland,Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster,Curious George Goes to Town,Universal 360: A Cinesphere Spectacular, and its replacementsUniversal's Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories and Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration. Universal Studios also housed other unique attractions that are now retired, likeNickelodeon Studios and the interactive film and live-action showAlfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies. The current location of Diagon Alley was once a section of the park named Amity Island, based on the fictional seaside town fromJaws, which contained the park's Jaws attraction. The area was completely demolished to make way for the Diagon Alley portion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction. As a homage to the Jaws attraction and Amity section that was available to so many visitors over the years, references to both are sprinkled throughout Diagon Alley, one being a set of shark jawbones appearing behind the herbs and potions of Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary. The restrooms for Amity Island are also still open outside Diagon Alley. Nickelodeon Studios became a Blue Man Group attraction and live show in 2007. In 2021, the Blue Man Group show would also be retired, leaving the original Nickelodeon Studios building empty for the first time since opening until 2022, when the Grinchmas show was moved into that theater.^[59]

Universal Studios Florida has featured a number of well-knowncostumed characters throughout the park over the years, including:

• Back to the Future:Doc Brown andMarty McFly
• Beetlejuice^[b]
• Betty Boop
• The Blues Brothers
• Despicable Me:Gru, Lucy Wilde, Margo, Edith, Agnes, Vector and theMinions
• Dog Man
• Dora the Explorer:^[a]Dora Marquez, Boots andDiego
• E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial:E.T. andElliott Taylor
• Earl the Squirrel (only during Christmas)
• Gabby's Dollhouse: Gabby
• Ghostbusters:^[c]Peter Venkman,Ray Stantz,Egon Spengler, Phoebe Spengler,Winston Zeddemore and Gozer
• Hashtag the Panda
• Hello Kitty^[e]
• I Love Lucy:^[a]Lucy and Ricky Ricardo
• Jaws: Chief Martin Brody, Mayor Vaughan, Matt Hooper and Bruce the Shark
• Jurassic World:Owen Grady,Claire Dearing, Baby Raptors, Echo, Delta, T-Rex andMaisie Lockwood
• Kung Fu Panda:Po the Panda andTigress
• Madagascar:Alex,Gloria,King Julien XIII,Skipper,Kowalski,Rico andPrivate
• Marilyn Monroe
• Men in Black:^[c]Agent K,Agent J andFrank the Pug (only during Passholder Nights)
• Mummy stilt walkers and Anck-su-namun
• Popeye the Sailor Man andOlive Oyl
• Scooby-Doo:^[b]Scooby,Shaggy,Velma,Daphne andFred
• Shrek:Shrek,Princess Fiona,Donkey,Puss in Boots,Kitty Softpaws,Gingy,Three Blind Mice andThe Big Bad Wolf
• The Simpsons:^[d]Homer,Marge,Bart,Lisa,Maggie,Krusty the Clown andSideshow Bob
• Sing: Johnny, Rosita and Gunter
• SpongeBob SquarePants:^[a]SpongeBob SquarePants,Patrick Star andSquidward Tentacles
• Transformers:^[a]Optimus Prime,Bumblebee andMegatron
• Trolls:Poppy,Branch andGuy Diamond
• Universal Monsters:Frankenstein's Monster,Count Dracula andBride of Frankenstein
• Wicked:Elphaba andGlinda^[60]
• Wizarding World:^[b]Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees,The Knight Bus conductor and shrunken head andThe Tales of Beedle the Bard
• Woody and Winnie Woodpecker (only during Passholder Nights)

Universal Studios Florida features several seasonal events throughout its operating calendar. Some are included in the daily park admission, while others are separately-ticketed events.

Grad Bash andGradventure are two separate events held in April and May at the park. Grad Bash is an event for graduating high school senior classes who can gather for an exclusive, all-night party at both theme parks ofUniversal Orlando Resort, live performances, dance parties, and live pre-parties at theUniversal Music Plaza Stage.^[61] AfterDisney's retirement of Grad Nite, Grad Bash was held for five nights in 2012. Gradventure is aimed to junior high/middle school graduating students.^[62]Gradventure and Grad Bash was originally held with graduating high schoolers go to islands of adventure and graduating middle school students go to Universal Studios Florida. For 2024, this was changed to both middle and high schoolers can visit both parks. The event has most attractions open and regular guests cleared out.

Universal's Halloween Horror Nights is a hard-ticketed event where the park transforms into a haunted playground. Featuring costumed actors, scare zones, haunted houses, special effects, and themed shows—all inspired by popular horror films, TV shows, and original concepts. The event takes place annually in late September, October, and early November.^[63]

Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's, formerly known as Macy's Holiday Parade, is a month-long event in December featuring authentic balloons from theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in celebration of Christmas at the park. The parade was rebranded in 2017, adding holiday floats, balloons, and choreographed characters based on Illumination'sDespicable Me franchise, as well as theMadagascar andShrek franchises from DreamWorks Animation.^[64][65]

Generally in February through to April, a parade and concert series inspired byNew Orleans'Fat Tuesday party is held at the park.^[66] The parade takes place in the evening and consists of park employees and other appointed park guests throwing beads to other park guests.

Rock the Universe is the park's Christian music festival, featuring two days in January or February (as of 2019, prior years held this event in September. This was likely done in response to the cancellation of the event in 2017 due to Hurricane Irma.) of concerts with leading contemporary Christian,Christian rock, andChristian rap artists live at theUniversal Music Plaza Stage.^[67]

TheSummer Concert Series occurred occasionally from 2013–2018 and featured a variety of popular musical acts performing live at theUniversal Music Plaza Stage.^[68]

Universal offers an optional, pay-per-person pass known asUniversal Express, which gives guests access to shorter lines at many attractions throughout its theme parks. The cost for Universal Express is in addition to the cost of park admission, and there are limited quantities available each day. Guests with Universal Express are given priority boarding status and enter a separate line queue at attractions that support it. The standard Universal Express pass allows guests to access the Universal Express line once per attraction, while the more expensive Universal Express Unlimited has no such restriction.^[69]

The park has had some unscheduled closures from March 16 – June 4, 2020, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic^[85][86]

In 2023, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida won the 'Best Halloween Event of 2022' at the Golden Ticket Awards.^[87]

• Incidents at Universal parks
• Universal Orlando
• List of Universal Orlando Resort attractions
• List of former Universal Studios Florida attractions
• Universal Islands of Adventure

• Official website
• Universal Studios Florida at theRoller Coaster DataBase

• Operating amusement parks
• Universal Studios Florida
• Universal Destinations & Experiences attractions by name
• Universal Destinations & Experiences films
• Amusement parks in Orlando, Florida
• Backlot sets
• Television studios in the United States
• 1990 establishments in Florida
• Tourist attractions in Greater Orlando
• Tourist attractions in Orange County, Florida
• Amusement parks opened in 1990
• Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
• Roller coasters operated by Universal Destinations & Experiences

• Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
• All articles with dead external links
• Articles with dead external links from March 2024
• Articles with permanently dead external links
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from October 2024
• Coordinates on Wikidata
• Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from June 2021