Universal Studios Studio Tour (Hollywood)

infobox Universal ride
name=Studio Tour


park=Universal Studios Hollywood
land=Upper Lot
theme=Universal Pictures films
opened=June 12, 1912
duration=45
custom_label_2=Other attractions
custom_value_2=Flash Flood, , Jaws, Unnamed Future Contemporary Attraction, The Mummy Tunnel, King Kong Parting Sea The Backlot Tour also known as 'The Studio Tour' is an attraction at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park in the USA.

Ride summary

The world-famous Studio Tour, which lasts about 45 minutes, is led by a tour guide (seen throughout the tram on a video screen) and travels through the Front Lot, Backlot and various attractions. Along the way are sets and props from many famous movies. The Tour is the signature attraction at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, and unlike many other theme park studio tours, goes into the heart of a busy, working movie studio.

The famous tour inspired a smaller, but similar version at Universal Studios Florida, which was removed in 1995.

History

The tour has always been at the heart of Universal Studios Hollywood. From 1915 when visitors sat on bleachers for 25 cents, via the 1964 introduction of pink and white GlamorTrams, to the current technological sophistication, the behind-the-scenes view of a working movie studio has been a key attraction.

During the early years of the tram tour (1964 - 1977) all of the attractions at Universal were reached via the tram. With the introduction of the Screen Test Comedy Theater and the Animal Actors stage in 1977, the Upper Lot became an attraction in itself.

The tour originally departed from the Upper Lot. In 1991, it was moved to the Lower Lot following the construction of the Starway escalator system. In 1996 it moved back to the Upper Lot to make room for Jurassic Park River Adventure on the Lower Lot.

As the movie studio continues to evolve, the tour evolves alongside it. In late 1989, CD players finally gave the tour guides a chance to rest their voices. In 2000, the CD players were replaced by DVD players and LCD screens, allowing the tour guides to show clips from the movies as the tram passes the locations.

Since 2006, the studio tours bypassed the Collapsing Bridge, due to aging and wearing.cite web|url=http://insideuniversal.net/KUSH/?p=90|title=Collapsing Bridge making a return?|date=15 July 2008|accessdate=2008-09-05] However, the bridge has since undergone renovations, and was added back to the tour schedules in August 2008. cite web|url=http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/studiotour/collapsingbridge.shtml|title=The Collapsing Bridge|publisher=thestudiotour.com|accessdate=2008-09-05]

Film sets

Sets from the films "Psycho", "War of the Worlds", "Back to the Future", "The Sting", and "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" are visited in the tour. There are also 'general purpose' sets visited, such as the neighborhood from "Desperate Housewives" (Wisteria Lane), and a neighborhood that is made to look like an old west town. This neighborhood has 6 streets, each with the essentials of a saloon and sheriffs station, and before the advent of sound, up to six westerns could be shot at once. The tour also winds through sound stages, and the tour guide will tell you what movies, television shows, music videos, television commercials, and/or still camera photo shoots are currently shooting on the lot. The tram also passes by miniature models of the ship and Skull Island from 2005 film King Kong.

Until June 1, 2008, the tour also passed through a group of facades resembling city streets of New York (used in the filming of "Bruce Almighty" and some elements in "Transformers") and New England, as well as the Courthouse Square set famously seen in the "Back to the Future" trilogy. However, these sets were constructed mainly of wood and therefore were highly flammable, and burned to the ground in an early morning. The sets will however be rebuilt. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/06/01/universal-fire.html Universal Studios fire engulfs sets, video vault, King Kong exhibit ] ]

War of the Worlds SetThe area beside the Psycho house (known as Psycho Flats) used to be the site of Falls Lake - a large water-tank and waterfall used in numerous productions. Falls Lake has now been moved, and the area is currently occupied by the huge outdoor airplane crash set built for "War of the Worlds", directed by Steven Spielberg. Spielberg and crew were on the Universal backlot for three days (Jan 5 - 7 2005) shooting on the massive outdoor set. A commercial 747 aircraft was leased by the production and then chopped into pieces and transported to Universal, where the full set has been left fully dressed as it was during filming. The only change made to the set following filming was to move the houses on the right of the tram off the road (so the tram can pass safely).

taged events

The Studio Tour includes some special demonstrations, as well as some small segments. For example, a weather effect dubbed Flash flood, an 8.3 Earthquake, a short encounter with JAWS, a look inside The Mummy's Tomb, and the newly added The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift car stunt show.

Psycho House (1964)The Psycho house was one of the big draws of the Universal Tram Tour back in 1964, and continues to be instantly recognizable even now. While shooting a big movie on the Universal lot back in 1999, Jim Carrey dressed up as "mother" and leapt out from behind the Psycho house, scaring everyone on the tram, including the guides. The movie in production was "Man on the Moon", and when Tram operators spoke to the film crew for an explanation, they said that Carrey was just trying to channel the creative energy of Andy Kaufman (the entertainer he played in "Man on the Moon").

Flash Flood (1968)The effect has appeared in countless films including "Big Fat Liar" and "Fletch Lives". There's a story that when a group of dignitaries (including John Wayne) visited the Flash Flood in the early days, the water levels were still being perfected, and the group got soaked.

The Collapsing Bridge (1974 - 2006, Returned August 2008)The tour guide tries to take the tram around the bridge rather than going over it, but suddenly the tram driver takes the tram towards the bridge. Will it hold out? Nope - just as the tram reaches the mid point of the bridge, it creaks and massive timbers fall away causing the bridge to "drop" the tram a foot or so under the weight of the tram. The tram drives on, everyone survives, and visitors drive past the bridge as it rebuilds itself for the next tram. The bridge has recently been used less and less, and in March 2006, it seems that it's finally been decommissioned permanently. The tram is not able to cross the bridge any more. It seems the mechanism will need to be completely replaced to bring it back into operation. The bridge is still mentioned by guides as a filming location. The Collapsing Bridge returned as an event in August 2008.

JAWS (1976)Opened a year after the release of Steven Spielberg's" 1975 smash-hit film. It's a Disneyland inspired animatronic attraction that featured very little of the shark (like in the movie) and a lot of the sets including the actual ORCA. The shark prop had cameos in the made for TV film The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island in 1981, and on the episode "Hooray for Hollywood" from Diff'rent Strokes in 1984.

Earthquake (1988)Replaced the Tower of London set, Earthquake: The Big One is a simulated 8.3 Richter scale Earthquake. The entire attraction resets itself in just 15 seconds ready for the next tram.

The Fast & The Furious: Extreme Close-Up (2006)Offers a glimpse behind the scenes of a thrilling special effects sequence for an a high-octane action movie.The attraction started construction in March 2006, and opened on 15 June 2006. The area was formerly occupied by a model used in "Dante's Peak".

The Mummy Tunnel (2006)The tram guide says we are going to take a look at some props from the film The Mummy, but instead, the tram is lead into Imhotep's cursed tomb, where he sucks them into a powerful revolving sandstorm. The guide eventually leads the tram out of the sandstorm, and Imhotep is defeated.

King Kong Sea (2006)The guide leads the tram into a body of ocean around Skull Mountain Island. Suddenly, the waves part, and the tram travels between them, and guests get a view of the mini island.

Psycho (2008)As the tram passes the Bates motel, you can see Norman Bates carrying a corpse to a car. He then notices the tram and walks hauntingly towards it with a butcher knife as the tram leaves just in time to escape the crazed killer.

King Kong Encounter: The 8th Wonder of the World (2009)The attraction that will replace the old burned down King Kong Encounter. It will be the same plot in the old King Kong attraction, only it will be based on the Peter Jackson's "King Kong". This event will debut in 2009.

Former Events

Battle of Galactica (1979 - 1992)This high-technology attraction featured animatronics and live actors in a spectacular laser battle. This was the first themed attraction to feature audio-animatronic characters outside a Disney park, and was the first dark ride to combine sophisticated animatronics and lasers with live actors. It was replaced in 1992 by the foundations of .

Parting of the Red Sea (1974 - 2006)The attraction aims to recreate the epic biblical moment in The Ten Commandments where Moses parts the waters of the Red Sea. In April 2006, it was taken over to be simply a way of viewing a model ship and scaled-down backdrops from King Kong.

Train Collision (1974 - 2006)The tour guide leads the tram across a train track, thinking it's safe to cross. However, a train suddenly rushes from the tracks and stops just in time before colliding with the tram. The guide leads the tram away from the tracks, and to safety. In 2006, it was demolished to make way for a set seen in War of the Worlds.

Avalanche Tunnel (1974 - 2006)The tour guide leads the tram into a revolving tunnel, which is supposedly an avalanche, Including fake snow spinning around the tram, and damaged signs, along with special sound effects. Replaced by a The Mummy revolving tunnel.

King Kong Encounter (1986 - 2008)main|Kongfrontation#Universal Studios Hollywood versionThe 7-ton 30 feet tall Kong figure was the largest and most complex animatronic figure in existence for many years. The sophistication of the attraction broke new ground, and paved the way for the most complex of today's themed entertainments, including a Universal Studios Florida version. The Kong sequence was also featured in the film The Wizard starring Fred Savage and Christian Slater. This attraction opened on June 14th, 1986 and was completely destroyed by a fire in the early morning of June 1, 2008. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24916515/ Universal Studios reopens after fire - Movies - MSNBC.com ] ] . The cause of the fire was an accident made by 3 employees who were working on set repair on New England Street with a blowtorch. As of June 3rd, 2008 Universal Studios Officials have stated that the experience will not be rebuilt, but will instead replaced by a new contemporary King Kong attraction based on the 2005 film.

References

ee also

*Universal Studios Studio Tour (Florida)

External links

* [http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/hollywood/website/st_info.html Official site]
* [http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/index.shtml theStudioTour.com] - Unofficial website covering the development and history of Universal Studios.
* [http://insideuniversal.net/InsideUniversal.php?page_id=3 Inside Universal] - Unofficial website covering Universal's theme park and CityWalk.