Close Menu
Inside Universal
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube Threads
    Saturday, May 24
    Trending
    • Universal Orlando shares Grand Opening Day hours and details for Guests
    • What’s Happening at the Universal Parks – Week of May 19, 2025
    • Universal Orlando announces 2025 Summer offerings; including limited-time experiences & entertainment
    • Universal Orlando to celebrate Jaws 50th Anniversary with limited-time Amity area
    Inside Universal
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Threads
    • Home
    • News
      • Hollywood
        • Photo Updates
        • CityWalk Hollywood
        • Halloween Horror Nights – Hollywood
        • Events
      • Orlando
        • Photo Updates
        • Universal Studios Florida
        • Islands of Adventure
        • Epic Universe
        • Universal’s Volcano Bay
        • CityWalk Orlando
        • Universal Resorts
        • Halloween Horror Nights – Orlando
        • Events
      • Japan
        • Photo Updates
        • Events
      • Singapore
      • Beijing
      • Other Universal Destinations
      • Outside Universal
        • Walt Disney World
        • SeaWorld Orlando
        • Around Orlando
        • Disneyland Resort
        • Knott’s Berry Farm
        • Around California
    • Forums
    • Inside Universal Podcast
    • Features
    • Merchandise
    Inside Universal
    Home»Universal Studios Hollywood»Photo Updates»Photo Update: April 15, 2018 – Universal Studios Hollywood

    Photo Update: April 15, 2018 – Universal Studios Hollywood

    April 17, 2018 Photo Updates By Chris Glass
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Reddit Copy Link

    It’s time for April’s photo update around Universal Studios Hollywood!

    Let’s get started!

    Park Update Index

    » CityWalk Hollywood
    » Baker Street
    » Animation Studio Store
    » DreamWorks Theater
    » Studio Tour
    » StarWay Refurbishment
    » Lower Lot
    » Jurassic Park: The Ride
    » The Mummy Greets
    » A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That


    CityWalk Hollywood

    The guitar outside the Hard Rock Cafe is looking a little worse for the wear. They’re claiming it’s being refurbished, which seems likely, but we’ll continue to keep an eye on it.

    No shrimp outside today, but there’s lots of catchy t-shirts.

    Johnny Rockets is back open with less of an emphasis on the sports lounge, but the old sign is still up there on the left side.

    Nectar is open, where everything inside is basically a Tide pod for your bathtub.

    Sephora is nearly open, not sure why the walls haven’t come down yet, but all the lighting and electrical is hooked up. The sign looks great at night. In case you can’t see, the billboard announces their opening date as April 20th.

    Walls have finally gone up around Saddle Ranch. Most of the fixtures on the outside have been pulled away.


    Baker Street

    Face painting isn’t new at the park, but the sign is definitely unique and appropriate. Hi guys!

    Little details are all around. It’s nice to find them. Have you found where Sherlock Holmes lives?

    Walking Dead still closes a fair bit before the rest of the park. This day, the park closed at 9PM, so this went down well before then. It rarely has a long line, though, so going whenever you feel bravest is fine.

    Sebastian was out on the piano today, even while they were settings up for an event near the Globe Theater.

    You can see that this area of the street was blocked off. To get to Despicable Me you had to go through the Parisian Courtyard.

    But Mel’s is still around and plugging along.


    Animation Studio Store/Laemmle Court

    The new court has been open for a bit and it’s gorgeous.

    Inside is just perfect. It’s not too crowded, especially considering how busy the rest of the park was.

    Fountains are always a great touch.

    Seriously, this is a nice place to hang out. Maybe for meetups?

    If you aren’t paying attention, you might miss the characters in the planters like Keroppi.

    Or this cat character that I don’t remember the name of. It’s on the tip of my tongue.


    DreamWorks Theater

    The new theater housing a Kung Fu Panda show will be opening very soon, just announced as June 15th.

    Half the walls are down, exposing some billboards. These are likely temporary but are good for a quick photo op.

    Getting past the crowd shows how big this area is. Makes you wonder how much work went into the short lived garden design of the Shrek queue.

    Did you get a chance to see Po around the park? He’s usually nearby the Animal Actors show.

    Behind the walls you can see more of the new theater.

    Universal Studios Hollywood has a solid track record of nice billboards like these. Remember the British themed ones while they were making Universal Plaza?

    And did you come by during the Lunar New Year’s Celebration and get some noodles from Mr. Ping?

    This is where the theater transitions to New York Street. The planters here are temporary.

    Still a bit more before they’re grown in. I imagine there will be some kind of food cart here otherwise guests will just sit all over this.

    From inside Hogsmeade we can see the back of the theater peeking over.

    Looks better than the giant box of Shrek.


    Studio Tour

    Time to go out for a studio tour! It’s world famous!

    America’s Got Talent was filming on Sunday. Our tram tour had multiple

    Safety railings seem to have popped up on the collapsing bridge.


    StarWay Refurbishment

    It seems like this is always under eternal refurbishment. But right now it’s a mix of which escalator is under refurbishment on each floor.

    They’re also redoing the pavement.

    A peak behind shows it all exposed.

    Which of course leads to a cramped walkway.


    Lower Lot

    Headed down, we can see the Mummy ride. And no HHN construction! But new mazes and scare zones are starting to get announced!

    A look out on the other soundstages.

    This was being used as a holding corral for America’s Got Talent. Not sure when this land will be properly developed.

    It’s kind of amazing that The Shining fit in that small area.

    It’s a working studio. Magic is developing inside those giant boxes.

    From here you can see a good chunk of Jurassic Park, and the 25th anniversary is coming up!


    Jurassic Park: The Ride

    It was running fairly well today. No falling Explorer, but that’s expected at this point.

    Big bones are all around.

    A bargain at ANY price!


    The Mummy Greets

    Normally the Mummy hangs out with Dracula and Franky on the upper lot, but for a quick bit today he was in front of his own ride.

    It’s not often he’s down here, if at all. By the time we walked back, the stilt walkers had returned and the mummy was gone.


    A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

    A view from the Curious George parking lot out towards the tram tour.

    The skies were fairly clear.

    The wait times were pretty steady but fell down to nothing by the time it got dark.

    While the 20th anniversary of Jurassic Park came and went without so much as a peep from the parks, they’re really playing up the 25th anniversary, with a special premium ticket event in the park.

    Somehow the switchbacks for Lard Lad’s Donuts weren’t placed out, so the line for donuts went out past the entrance of Moe’s. People love their donuts, even if they aren’t Dole Whip Donuts.

    It’s always interesting to find areas where there aren’t a lot of guests on busier days like here, behind the Bumblebee Man Taco Truck, by the Starway.

    If you need assistance on the lower lot, look for this kiosk near the Mummy lockers. No more podium near the base of the Starway.

    The Lower Lot studio store has been completely stripped of any characters. It’s now all generic Universal Studios merchandise.

    No more photo op with a giant yellow Minion. Just some well-designed branded merchandise.

     


    That’ll do it for this month’s update. Be sure to follow Inside Universal for continuing coverage of Universal Parks and Resorts.

     

    CityWalk Hollywood Photo Update Universal Studios Hollywood
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleDreamWorks Theatre Featuring “Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest” to open June 15 at Universal Studios Hollywood
    Next Article NBCUniversal to celebrate Comcast Cares Day on Saturday, April 21 for Earth Day
    Chris Glass
    • X (Twitter)

    Editor

    Related Posts

    Features

    What’s Happening at the Universal Parks – Week of May 19, 2025

    May 19, 2025
    Features

    What’s Happening at the Universal Parks – Week of May 12, 2025

    May 12, 2025
    Events

    Universal Studios Hollywood announces Universal Mega Movie Summer event; starting June 13

    May 8, 2025
    LATEST POSTS

    Universal Orlando shares Grand Opening Day hours and details for Guests

    May 19, 2025

    What’s Happening at the Universal Parks – Week of May 19, 2025

    May 19, 2025

    Universal Orlando announces 2025 Summer offerings; including limited-time experiences & entertainment

    May 16, 2025

    Universal Orlando to celebrate Jaws 50th Anniversary with limited-time Amity area

    May 16, 2025

    Universal Orlando changes smoking policy; removes smoking areas within theme parks

    May 15, 2025
    About Inside Universal

    Inside Universal is a website dedicated to covering Universal Parks & Resorts, specifically Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando. Our team of editors is committed to providing fact-based, non-sensationalist content that educates and informs our readers while still focused on having fun.

    Inside Universal aims to maintain a rational perspective, allowing us to offer commentary, news, and analysis about Universal Parks. Our mission is to provide you, the reader, with accurate and in-depth reporting to the best of our ability. This is our goal - nothing more, nothing less.

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Threads
    JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON OUR FORUMS
    If you’re looking to have your Universal-related question answered, or if you’d simply like to chat about the park’s future developments, Inside Universal's forums is the Internet’s leading unofficial forum dedicated to Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando. MEI Travel
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Threads
    • About Us
    • Masthead
    • Contact
    • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    © 2025 All Rights Reserved - Inside Universal is not affiliated with Comcast, NBCUniversal, Universal Parks & Resorts, or Universal Destinations & Experiences. You may not copy, redistribute, publish, sell, or otherwise make the original contents of this website available to third parties unless you have received prior authorization from Inside Universal.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT