The emblematic attraction invites you to celebrate 60 years of evolution, from the most endearing to the most innovative.
By Andreína Longoria.
Hollywood, Ca.- As the iconic Studio Tour turns 60, the juxtaposition of then, now highlights its evolution into today’s theme park. From escorting guests through iconic sets from the famous movie Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock (1964) to the evolution of Universal Studios Hollywood.
Beginning with today, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, touted as a groundbreaking addition to Universal Studios Hollywood when it expanded its scope of movie and television themed attractions to include the popular Super Mario video game property, celebrates its first anniversary.
Nostalgic Studio Tour attractions of the past included Parting of the Red Sea (1973), which demonstrated one of the first special effects techniques, and the spinning Ice Tunnel (1975).
In 1971, Flash Flood gave guests a unique behind-the-scenes look at film weather effects.
“Jaws Lake” took a bite out of the studio set in 1976, a year after the film’s debut from award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg, which has stood the test of time as one of the Studio Tour’s top modern-day attractions.
In 1989, “Earthquake” had guests hanging on for dear life with its contrived but eerily realistic 8.3 magnitude earthquake.
Progressive additions to the Studio Tour took a leap forward in 1991, with the debut of the “Animal Actors’ Stage” in 1970, an attraction that remained until recently, when the space was reinvented for the upcoming Fast & Furious themed roller coaster.
In 1991, “The E.T Adventure” paved the way for the arrival of such iconic attractions as “Back to the Future-The Ride” in 1993 and “Jurassic Park-The Ride” in 1996, which was singularly revered as a turning point for the fledgling theme park.
In 2005, an original movie set to Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster, War of the Worlds, landed on the set as an extended addition to the Studio Tour.
When the 1986 King Kong attraction was destroyed in the 2008 backlot fire, the giant primate resurfaced in 2010 as “King Kong 360-3D,” a Studio Tour signature attraction.
“TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D,” under license from leading toy and game company Hasbro, set the stage for the theme park’s epic transformation that began in 2012.
In 2014, “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” brought to life the Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-nominated film franchise from Universal Pictures and Illumination. “Springfield, U.S.A.,” a vibrant land surrounding “The Simpsons Ride,” which opened in 2008, was introduced in 2015.
“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” was transformative for Universal Studios Hollywood when the themed complex opened in 2016, inspired by J.K. Rowling’s captivating stories and characters brought to life in Warner Bros. Pictures films, including Hogwarts Castle.
In 2019, “Jurassic World-The Ride” replaced.
“Jurassic Park-The Ride,” bringing the blockbuster JURASSIC WORLD films to life with the addition of dinosaurs.
In 2021, Illumination’s worldwide blockbuster film franchise, The Secret Life of Pets, was brought to life in the groundbreaking “The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash” attraction.
The original Jupiter’s Claim set of Jordan Peele’s sprawling horror epic, NOPE, became the latest addition to the Studio Tour in 2022.
