Universal Studios Hollywood announces tour additions

[sir clinksalot]

http://comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=13297

Universal Studios Adds Furious & Kong
Source: Universal Studios Hollywood
February 22, 2006

Hollywood's longest-running hit is about to get a rousing re-make.

The Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, which has taken over 125 million visitors behind the scenes of the movie and television industry's biggest hits, will get dramatic enhancements in Spring 2006, including new attractions showcasing The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift and King Kong, lively new video narration by Oscar® and Emmy®-winning superstar Whoopi Goldberg, "virtual studio guide" appearances from Today show star Al Roker, Access Hollywood hosts Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush, and the opportunity to see more working TV and movie sets than ever before, including sets from Crossing Jordan and the top-rated CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

The enhancements represent the most sweeping changes made to the Studio Tour in over a decade and the greatest number of new additions to the world-famous attraction since the first trams rolled along the landmark Universal backlot in 1964.

The new visually spectacular chase sequence inspired by the much anticipated The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift is sure to become a Studio Tour blockbuster. Utilizing advanced robotics and state-of-the-cinematic-art computer generated "previsualization" technology, the new tram feature will thrust guests into close-up range of the pulse-pounding, rubber-burning underground world of street racing. Robotic racers will dazzle guests with an awesome "in your face" display of explosive action via large scale motion control simulation, then surprise and enthrall with a dexterous "automotive dance demonstration" of intricate programming set to a hip-hop beat.

Whoopi Goldberg's incandescent star power will illuminate the Studio Tour with video introductions to the highlights of the behind-the-scenes experience, adding both a touch of whimsy and an insider's professional perspective. Whoopi's observations will be seen on the monitors placed in each Tram car and will augment the "live" narration provided by Universal's famed Studio Tour Guides.

With help from the Oscar®-winning artisans of New Zealand's Weta Workshop Ltd., Studio Tour guests will experience an update of a classic film technique as they pass within feet of King Kong's S.S. Venture tramp steamer, an exact replica of the film's "bigature" prop. ("Bigatures" are highly-detailed miniatures which can be filmed up close and manipulated in ways not possible with either a full-size prop nor a digital recreation. This big-miniature offers the ultimate in realism when combined with traditional and digital effects.) Against a panoramic backdrop of the primordial environs of Skull Island, guests will glimpse the ship as it navigates through dense marine fog, while their tram shudders to the deafening, primal roar of "The Eighth Wonder of the World."

Immersion in an authentic Hollywood experience continues aboard the Studio Tour as guests traverse the original movie sets where Steven Spielberg filmed his blockbuster, War of the Worlds. Studio Tour trams pass through a small town devastated by an elaborately choreographed 747 jetliner crash, dramatically surrounded by still-smoking wreckage and shattered debris. In true Hollywood fashion, the War of the Worlds set is sandwiched among original sets from Jurassic Park: The Lost World, the snow-covered town of Whoville from Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and the Psycho house and Bates motel from the classic thriller, Psycho. Several decades of blockbuster movie history are crossed in just a few hundred yards.

"Flash Flood," which simulates the wrath of Mother Nature during a torrential down pour -- pelting the tram with "movie rain," and culminating in a devastating flash flood visual effect -- will become an even wetter experience as thousands of gallons of water are added to heighten the drama. And who better than to introduce this meteorological marvel than Today's popular weatherman, Al Roker, who will provide a video cue for the deluge.

The introduction of the new Studio Tour experience comes as Universal Studios enjoys a prolonged period of capacity film and television production. With an unprecedented number of movies and episodic television productions keeping the standing sets and sound stages humming, guests will be advised to stay on the look-out for the casts and crew of such productions as Crossing Jordan, the top-rated CSI: Crime Scene Investigation or a constantly changing roster of major motion pictures.

Access Hollywood's popular hosts Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush will co-host the pre-show video presentation for the Studio Tour, celebrating the memorable moments in Universal's 90-year film history, unearthing rarely seen outtakes and bloopers from the Universal film vault and other behind-the-scenes features designed to set up the experience for Universal guests.

Universal Studios Hollywood is the world's largest movie studio and theme park. Featuring such unique and groundbreaking attractions as "Revenge of the Mummy-The Ride," "Shrek 4-D," "Terminator 2: 3D," "Jurassic Park-The Ride" and the world-renowned behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, Universal Studios Hollywood has matured into a full day, movie-based theme park.

[EagleWings]

Sounds awesome! When does this start? I need to utilize my free AP.

[FantasyWatersDude]

Cool, they need something new.

[Loomis]

I went both on my 1987 and 2005 trips to California, and it was my highlight at Universal both times. It was a shame that the last time I went, the collapsing bridge was actually collapsing (probably just malfunctioning), so they couldn't take us on it that day.

Glad I got a chance to go on it before the upgrades...

[EagleWings]

Originally Posted by Loomis

It was a shame that the last time I went, the collapsing bridge was actually collapsing (probably just malfunctioning), so they couldn't take us on it that day.

Lol that's funny. I haven't been on the Bridge thing the last few times I went, it's like never running.

[PirateMickey]

The bridge will be torn down soon, to make way for one of the listed "improvements". It's been closed since last October that I personally know of.

[Tref]

Whoopi Goldberg's incandescent star power will illuminate the Studio Tour

Say what?

[melmel]

Originally Posted by EagleWings

Sounds awesome! When does this start? I need to utilize my free AP.

WAA... how did you get a free AP?!

[Loomis]

Originally Posted by Tref

Whoopi Goldberg's incandescent star power will illuminate the Studio Tour

Say what?

Well, she IS the spirit of California. Who better?

[PirateMickey]

Originally Posted by melmel

WAA... how did you get a free AP?!

Their now in-famous "buy a day, get a year" AP special.

They've been doing it for a few years now, along with our favorite, "renew before your current AP expires and get 18 months for the price of 12".

Works for us!

[nursemelis374]

2 of my friends and I actually got completely free APs, we didn't even have to buy a day pass! I guess they sent them to people that had been previous passholders, which we were in 1997.

We still can't believe it!

[EagleWings]

Originally Posted by melmel

WAA... how did you get a free AP?!

They sent it to me in the mail My best friend got one too ironically.

And by the way, neither of us had had passes before. I hadn't been to the park for two or three years, my friend hadn't been since she was 10. So it was really really random. I figured it was because I visit DL so much on that AP lol.

[filmfreak11]

I got a free AP in the mail too.

The "new" studio tour is supposedly happening in Spring 2006, like it says in the article.

So from what I understand, in the greens department, they will put a big miniature of the S.S. Venture in water, water effects (?), fog effects, and backdrop. Maybe have a visual Skull Island miniture. And you hear Kong's roar before entering Fast & Furious, Jurassic Park, and Flash Flood Mexico...

At least this is what I got from the article.

So what are they gonna do with the current "Kongfrontation"?? I just went on the tour today, it's not closed for rethemeing.

[Sweetie]

I love the Universal studio tour, I think it is better than any of the other studio tours in Hollywood (WB being #2.)

Plus, since you get to go to a theme park for the same price, it always feels like a better deal.

[ZOOMBOOM0688]

I got a free pass in the mail and my friend who has NEVER even gone to USH got one in the mail too. one of the workers said they send it to random people who live in the cities around USH.