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What's your favorite aspect regarding Universal Studios Hollywood?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jon Fu
  • Start date Start date Jan 9, 2013
Jon Fu

Jon Fu

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  • Jan 9, 2013
  • #1
Personally, besides the obvious traits (movie studio, theme park, Studio Tour), I’ve always enjoyed the size.

I know, I know. I might get flack for this, but Universal Studios Hollywood – to me – is almost the perfect size for a theme park. I love not having to take a long walk around a lagoon after having missed an attraction.

In fact, Universal Studios Singapore comes into mind when I think of the perfect park layout. Of course, the downside is size…

What about you?
 
U

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  • Jan 9, 2013
  • #2
I love the layout of the park, it is unusual for an outdoor park to have escalators that you can see from the freeway. And the distance from each attraction is well done. But what is most unusual of all is the expansion of the park which is the lower lot.
 
Miss Betty Juice

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  • Jan 9, 2013
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The atmosphere for me has always been my favorite part. No other theme park is so distinctly Los Angeles to me. Being from the LA area, and having lived here my whole life, I feel at home at USH, and it is why I come back so often. It feels so uniquely ours.
 
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Jon Fu

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  • Jan 9, 2013
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That’s true. I can’t exactly describe it, since I know exactly what you’re talking about, but I guess you can say Universal is filled with realism. The employees and actors are realistic – not very “theme park-esque” if that makes sense.


So in other words, they aren’t shoving happiness down our throats.
 
Silenthillian

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  • Jan 10, 2013
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I love how for the most part how laid back the park really is. It's got that "LA Cool" attitude to it. Nothing beats going to the park in the off season, and just walking around enjoying the sights. It's never usually that crowded, where people are in a hurried frenzy to get to the next ride/attraction. The atmosphere is very chill and almost comforting.

-BTW, off topic, but I'm formally T2Fan4Life. New forum, new name! :)
 
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Allen The Actor

Allen The Actor

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  • Jan 10, 2013
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Like what you guys said, that essence/feeling of USH is indescribable. I have always been a huge fan since my first visit in 1996. The Studio Tour is my favorite aspect, especially since I'm an actor. Can't wait to eventually do something on the Universal lot! Anyways, the chill atmosphere, the employees, the amazing street performers/characters who don't over-Disneyfy it (have always loved interacting with "Lucy", the NY street window residents next to Shrek, etc) It's just so fun and chill, even when crowded. It's a second home to me. Also love the rides/shows, although the biggest negative for me is the lack of space. I like the size of the park, but i hate how that warrants the closure of my all time favorite rides like ET, BTTF, etc. Oh well, still love USH!
 
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Jon Fu

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  • Jan 24, 2013
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Schmosby said:
I think the Studio Tour brings in a rather strange crowd, I can't begin to tell you how many people I've met at USH who have never been to another theme park. They come for the tour, and the rides/attractions are pretty much gravy to them, as hard as it is to believe!
Click to expand...
That's interesting. I've always thought those who were die-hard studio fans would head on over to Warner Brothers for their Studio Tour. I wonder how both studies compare...especially given the prices guests are expected to pay.
 
Allen The Actor

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  • Jan 24, 2013
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Well, our USH Studio Tour is a lot more well known and famous. Believe it or not, not many people sometimes know the other studios do tours!
 
spinlok

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  • Jan 25, 2013
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Like others, I really enjoy the atmosphere the most. I love the feeling around the park and in L.A./Hollywood in general. There's just an energy around there that's hard to match. 

It also comes from my "attachment" to the Universal brand. Universal Pictures has put out a ton of my favorite movies, like Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, Jaws, E.T. - the list could go on and on. Much of my childhood centered around those flicks. Also, I grew up in Florida, so I visited Orlando quite often, and Universal Studios Florida (and Islands of Adventure later on) was always my favorite place to visit so that I could literally ride those movies. 

Visiting USH also gives me the feeling of being "home" in Florida. 2008-2009 was my first year of college and being out on my own, and I did it in Orlando. I lived five minutes from Universal Orlando and I was there 2-3 times a week visiting the parks, going to CityWalk, attending TNA Impact Wrestling tapings, etc. That was a great time in my life, and while they're two different beasts, the similar sights and sounds of USH put me right back into that period, which is a great feeling.
 
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Jon Fu

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  • Jan 26, 2013
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Wow. Interesting to hear an Orlando fan's perspective.

What were your initial impressions when you first visited Universal? I definitely had my own when I went to Florida, but I'll share those after hearing what you think.

It's a huge contrast - that's for sure.

Thanks for sharing!
 
spinlok

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  • Jan 30, 2013
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Jon said:
Wow. Interesting to hear an Orlando fan's perspective.
What were your initial impressions when you first visited Universal? I definitely had my own when I went to Florida, but I'll share those after hearing what you think.

It's a huge contrast - that's for sure.

Thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...
Well, it's hard to say. I was like 9 or 10 when I first visited (things like the Chicken Run Maze, Back to the Future SFX Stage, E.T., etc. were all going strong!), and I honestly don't remember a whole lot about that visit besides what I mentioned. I know I'd always wanted to go because it was the original Studios park and I was super excited to see Courthouse Square in person. The Studio Tour has always made the park for me - as a massive movie fan, I've always been excited to see the locations where some of my favorites were filmed. That's something that USF just can't touch.

I know that today I enjoy visiting USH for a variety of reasons - the atmosphere, the rides/shows and Studio Tour, and I love the park layout/look and how it's so different from any other theme park. It's not like going to Disneyland and then to Magic Kingdom with similar layouts and theming. I also love the "realness" of the place - like how I can walk into CityWalk and find Jay Leno filming outside Johnny Rockets on a random weekday. You can't see stuff like that in Florida. But I love USF for a lot of other reasons as well, and they're such different beasts that it's really hard to say that one is better than the other.
 
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Jon Fu

Jon Fu

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  • Feb 4, 2013
  • #12
Wow, thanks for sharing!

My experience with Orlando (and perhaps Singapore and Japan as well) is a bit different. Normally, I try to be open when it comes to experiencing different parks around the world. So whenever I visit Universal Studios Florida, that open perspective usually results in a honeymoon period for about a day. That's when all my wonder and amazement comes rushing in at a park that does things differently than our home base here in Hollywood. Usually, I'm struck at how well Universal actually competes on the normal theme park experience - I mean, for once, you have a normal, bonafide theme park! There's your fair share of rides, shows...and more rides. It's all good and fun, and the layout and theming usually leaves me thinking about what Hollywood should become.

However, after that first day, I get a bit frustrated. Again, it's odd to have Hollywood as a basis of comparison, but I start noticing the spread out nature of most theme parks and how there's a need to literally walk across the park to find something that you've missed.

...and there's the aspect of realism. For whatever reason, I start believing that these parks (Singapore, Florida and Japan) are not truly authentic - as in, there's a sense that you're always stuck in the theme park world. Everything is fabricated, and nothing is actually being used for their intended purpose. So in other words, these "mock" soundstages aren't actually soundstages, and I'm willing to bet most haven't seen any monumental filming.

Again, it's odd to have Hollywood as the standard, but that's what happened to me as I traveled to Florida, Singapore and Japan. 1-2 days of amazement, followed by 1-2 more days of agitation. That's not to say these parks aren't excellent in their own right - they are. But they're just different.

Hope that makes sense.
 
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spinlok

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Jon said:
Wow, thanks for sharing!
My experience with Orlando (and perhaps Singapore and Japan as well) is a bit different. Normally, I try to be open when it comes to experiencing different parks around the world. So whenever I visit Universal Studios Florida, that open perspective usually results in a honeymoon period for about a day. That's when all my wonder and amazement comes rushing in at a park that does things differently than our home base here in Hollywood. Usually, I'm struck at how well Universal actually competes on the normal theme park experience - I mean, for once, you have a normal, bonafide theme park! There's your fair share of rides, shows...and more rides. It's all good and fun, and the layout and theming usually leaves me thinking about what Hollywood should become.

However, after that first day, I get a bit frustrated. Again, it's odd to have Hollywood as a basis of comparison, but I start noticing the spread out nature of most theme parks and how there's a need to literally walk across the park to find something that you've missed.

...and there's the aspect of realism. For whatever reason, I start believing that these parks (Singapore, Florida and Japan) are not truly authentic - as in, there's a sense that you're always stuck in the theme park world. Everything is fabricated, and nothing is actually being used for their intended purpose. So in other words, these "mock" soundstages aren't actually soundstages, and I'm willing to bet most haven't seen any monumental filming.

Again, it's odd to have Hollywood as the standard, but that's what happened to me as I traveled to Florida, Singapore and Japan. 1-2 days of amazement, followed by 1-2 more days of agitation. That's not to say these parks aren't excellent in their own right - they are. But they're just different.

Hope that makes sense.
Click to expand...
It totally does, man. Size-wise, I get the same sort of feeling when I go back to FL and visit the Magic Kingdom. I grew up with that place, but now that I go to Disneyland so often I find getting around MK to be a pain, heh (one park where size doesn't matter to me: Epcot, because it works). And as for realism, I completely agree. That's why I love the "energy" around USH - it can't be felt around USF, Hollywood Studios, or any other studio-themed park. USH is where some of the greatest flicks we've ever seen are filmed. Everything is real. That feeling just can't be matched.
 
Allen The Actor

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^ Exactly. The feeling driving by the Hill Valley Courthouse Square on the backlot can't be achieved by any other theme park.
 
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alexvstorace

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Miss Betty Juice said:
The atmosphere for me has always been my favorite part. No other theme park is so distinctly Los Angeles to me. Being from the LA area, and having lived here my whole life, I feel at home at USH, and it is why I come back so often. It feels so uniquely ours.
Click to expand...
Yeah! Guaranteed! it really is home.
 
Allen The Actor

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  • Feb 23, 2013
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Didn't know where else to put this, but it made me laugh a bit.

http://micechat.com/forums/disneyland-resort/179115-dcas-hollywood-land-vs-universal-studios-hollywood.html

Someone tried to compare DCA's Hollywood Land to our entire USH. Kinda laughable....
 
Jon Fu

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  • Feb 23, 2013
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I really don't understand this quote:

USH also does a poor job at portraying Hollywood, interestingly.
Click to expand...
Especially when the same person also notes this:

Every local who goes there knows the real Hollywood is a dump, and even though it has improved in the recent years they still think it is a place that seems strange to be glorified in a theme park.
Click to expand...
I don't think Universal has ever glorified Hollywood to the same extent that Disney has. They don't need to. This is real Hollywood - raw and uncut. And judging from this person's description, who would want to?

Doesn't seem fair when this person automatically hates Hollywood right off the bat. In this case, Universal is screwed either way by this reasoning.

Different perspectives, but I can see where most of them are coming from. Sort of.
 
Last edited by a moderator: Feb 23, 2013
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