Monster crowds, monster Halloween maze construction, and a reboot of television’s Munsters. With the juggernaut of Transformers driving visitors into the park, it is shaping up to be another record breaking year. Today, we stroll the park and offer some tips for avoiding the crowds (or at least deal with them). Then, we’ll give you a glimpse into a scary future as preparations are made for the popular Halloween Horror Nights event that runs from late September to the end of October.
UPPER LOT
New info booths at the main entrance that match the entrance arch/turnstiles.
New black uniforms for ticket booth/main gate/gr employees replacing a powder blue polo
The Frankenstein’s monster character received a new face
The Snow White and the Seven Huntsman photo op has been replaced with something cooler. Meanwhile, more atmosphere entertainment has appeared in the Baker GStreet area of the park and a Paranorman photo-op is set up in anticipation of the movie.
Mist fan. See, told you it was cooler than Snow White and the Seven Huntsman.
New facade on Baker Street
This photo calls for a caption contest. Give it your best shot!
An old British biddy speaks to a piano player from her balcony. Hysterical!
New photo op near prop dept area featuring a car from F&tF and a life size wax figure of Vin Diesel supplied by Madam Tussaud’s
Doc Brown was seen wandering the park again.
HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS-updated 07/14/12, 2:32pm
Universal Studios has just announced (at San Diego Comic-Con) the first maze for the 2012 Halloween Horror nights event. Silent Hill: Revelation is will be a new, terrifying descent into the supernatural, ghostly town that visitors will be able to experience this fall. Based on the upcoming Fall release from Sony Pictures the new maze will feature key scenes from Silent Hill: Revelation 3D and put visitors into the movies like only Universal Halloween Horror Nights Can.
TERMINATOR 2 QUEUE – Maze Unknown , Silent Hill?
No real news has been given about the maze itself or the location. But our educated guess is that it will be in the Terminator 2 queue. The space, that has been occupied by the House of 1000 corpses the two previous years is an odd space that Uni always seems to use well.
The current construction in that area is using up even more space than the previous maze did. Decaying plaster and slats may already be an indication of what will be going in this spot.
The Albert Fish reference is a leftover from the Corpses maze and will be painted over
MUMMY OVERFLOW QUEUE LOCATION – Maze Unknown
We can also see that construction has begun on the maze area behind the revenge of the Mummy coaster.
Too bad it’s covered. 🙁
JURASSIC PARK OVERFLOW QUEUE – Maze name: Unknown
No work has begun just yet in the location of last years knock out hit, Welcome 2 My Nightmare maze.
WILD WEST ARENA FLEX SPACE – Maze Unknown
Little progress can be detected at the maze location in the center of the Upper Lot.
If you would like to join us for the MiceChat HHN meet save the date for Saturday Oct 6th. It promises to be a great time.
UPPER LOT
A Paranorman Photo op has been installed near the Animal Actors Studio show.
Before heading down to the lower lot we scan the wait times at Simpsons.
Hmmm, maybe later.
STARWAY
There are new skins on Starway ODV.
LOWER LOT
Venturing to the Lower Lot we see the place literally crawling with guests.
Fortunately, Universal is wise about crowd control and getting guests attention. They have placed a Lower Lot Greeter at the bottom of the Starway escalators to help direct people and get them out of the way of the rest of the folks headed down.
The wait times are crazy too.
It’s at this point that they try to sell you A-Gate tickets. Again, smart.
Our tip, don’t buy Gate A tickets until after you’ve entered the park and seen the actual wait times.
Not worth it.
Worth it.
New quick service location called Treetop Cafe opened (weekends only so far) on the upper level of the Jurassic Outfitters/Jurassic Cove complex. The menu is various salads and sandwiches, similar to what you’d find at the International Cafe in the Upper Lot
JURASSIC PARK
Compressed air water cannons in the splashdown pool of JP are back on.
STUDIO TOUR
The Studio Tour is the irrepressibly popular attraction that always commands a long wait time on busy day. It has such huge capacity and a long ride time, that guests really don’t mind the wait.
It looks hazy in the background because they use misters in the queue
The crushed Tram has returned to the front of the Kong entrance.
When they aren’t filming, you can catch glimpses of the new Munsters Reboot, 1313 Mockingbird Lane
They are likely using CGI for the roofline, but tis is a beautiful set!
That about wraps things up for Universal this week folks! Be sure to show up to the park one half hour prior to park opening to ride Transformers first thing. Stay hydrated and cool – Hollywood is a tough business.