April 8, 2013 – Despite high winds and fluctuating temperatures, hundreds of Hollywood job seekers converged on Universal’s front gates Monday afternoon in the hopes of moving on to the next round of auditions to become one of Universal Studios Hollywood’s World Famous Studio Tour guides. The impressive turnout was even more impressive when considering the rather short notice for the casting call – the listing was given on social media outlets and on Universal’s own job website just one week earlier. The Candidates. The interviewees were diverse and came from all walks, giving a truly Hollywood feel to the…
Author: Jon Fu
April 6, 2013 – The Inside Universal Video Cast is back – this time with the entire gang! In this month’s issue, we talk about the NBCUniversal Evolution Plan, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, rumors on a possible Springfield expansion near the Simpsons Ride, progress on Universal Plaza and Harry Potter. As always, we’ve also answered some reader questions. Video, audio download and show notes are located below. Thanks for watching and listening! Video Cast Audio Download the show in audio form from SoundCloud.com. Do note that downloads are only available for one month after the initial recording. Show Notes -…
April 2, 2013 – It’s officially Spring here in Southern California, and the season isn’t the only thing changing in Hollywood! As school districts around the state take a recess for Spring Break, Universal Studios Hollywood has taken the opportunity to make a few announcements and changes of its own. Here’s the latest news from the park: Final Stages: Last Public Hearing For Evolution Plan Nears The NBC Universal Evolution Plan has been inching along for the better part of the last few years, and has finally come to the last stage before approval. After undergoing many changes, including the…
March 25, 2013 – Hey everyone – we’re back with another photo update from Universal Studios Hollywood, this time detailing continuing work on ‘Universal Plaza’ and the recent refurnishing of the NBCUniversal Experience. We also take a small look at the ongoing Studio Tour restroom expansion project alongside some other minor construction updates. So let’s get started! First things first, let’s start with Universal Plaza. As you can see, new columns have arisen from two ends of the park – the first set near Universal’s Animal Actors (pictured here), and the second set located near Shrek 4D. We’re guessing they’re…
March 22, 2013 – Here’s an interesting video: the Collapsing Bridge on the Studio Tour. After years of neglect, followed by a brief period of use, followed by yet another period of neglect (you see a trend here?), the Collapsing Bridge is back as a temporary fixture of the tour. Guests can experience the Collapsing Bridge after ‘riding’ King Kong 360 – 3D, as the tram makes a wide turn from King Kong back towards the bridge’s entrance. The entire maneuver can be awkward and cumbersome at times, but we’re not complaining. No word yet on when the bridge could…
March 23, 2013 – Hello, and welcome to the first edition of The Hollywood Minute – your source for up-to-the-minute photo updates from Universal Studios Hollywood. In our inaugural post, we’ve decided to bring you a brief update of the Terminator/Despicable Me and Universal Plaza construction area, as well as one image detailing the restroom renovations near the Studio Tour/Simpsons Ride and a sneak preview of the newly refreshed Back to the Future section at the NBCUniversal Experience. So let’s get started! First off, let’s check out the progress on Universal Plaza… A sneak preview of what’s happening inside. This…
March 12, 2013 – Spring changes are here! As everyone continues to adjust to the time change, Universal Studios Hollywood is still making changes of its own. Following the long awaited official confirmation of Despicable Me and the pending completion of the Universal Plaza area, two Inside Universal members – Bruce and myself (Miss B) – have made trips to the park within the last 3 days. In addition to updates on the status of the Terminator demolition and mild construction on the backlot, we turned our cameras this week to Jurassic Park and a few other little details. Read…
March 8, 2013 – We’re back after a long hiatus from Universal Studios Singapore – this time, focusing on Madagascar and Far Far Away, home to Shrek 4D and Madagascar: A Crate Adventure. Because both areas are limited in size and scope, we’ve combined both lands into one update (after all, both are DreamWorks franchises). So without further ado, let’s get started: The entrance to Far Far Away…does this remind anyone of Disney? Some excellent theming (as with all of Singapore, really). Shrek’s castle… …and Shrek’s facade. Judging from the castle and entrance, you’d expect something pretty spectacular inside, wouldn’t…
March 4, 2013 – The Inside Universal Video Cast is back! This month, the editors cover the L.A. Times’ confirmation of Despicable Me, Chris’ March 1, 2013 park update, Universal Plaza, Transformers in Orlando and Harry Potter as well as some user-submitted questions. As always, we’ve also included our customary ‘shaky/tech issue-laden introduction’ by yours truly. Video, audio download and show notes are located below. Thanks for watching! Video Cast Audio Download the show in audio form from SoundCloud.com. Do note that downloads are only available for one month after the initial recording. Show Notes – L.A. Times: It’s Official…
March 3, 2013 – We’ve just uploaded most of the queue video featured at Terminator 2:3D. Aired as part of Cyberdyne’s internal network, CDYN/CIN detailed the inner workings of Cyberdyne Systems by showcasing some of the company’s latest technologies. While not seen by most guests in its entirety, CDYN/CIN included vital backstory that was essential to the buildup of the main Terminator 2:3D attraction. Among other notable features, the video loop includes Mark Kriski (local KTLA weatherman) as well as a few cameos by characters from the original film. We’ve attempted to include most of the notable aspects of the…