Universal Hollywood Shopping Update: Magical Merch, Many Minions, and More!

We recently paid a visit to Universal Studios Hollywood and are so excited to share the new merchandise we discovered! The theme park has really upped its merchandise game lately, with tons of new Loungefly accessories, themed popcorn buckets, plushes (my favorite), and unique apparel. We’ll take a look at all that fun stuff, and as an added bonus, we’ve included a peek at the construction progress for Super Nintendo World, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, and Halloween Horror Nights as well. 

Jurassic Park Items

Fans of Jurassic Park will get a kick out of this new Loungelfy Mini Backpack inspired by the film’s cartoony Mr. DNA.

But if you prefer your dinosaur merchandise to be more on the realistic side, this new popcorn bucket is a great (and functional!) option. The Jurassic World logo lights up!

Wonders from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Would-be wizards and witches aren’t left out either. A new Loungefly line arrived at Hogsmeade with designs inspired by the exterior of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The bag is beautifully lined with a Hedwig the owl print.

The wallet/coin purse is absolutely charming. 

If you are in the market for a new wand, you are in luck because several new models are available. The wands that are modeled after those belonging to characters in “Fantastic Beasts” work interactively with elements around Hogsmeade, while Hagrid’s umbrella is just a toy.

And speaking of interactive wands, these next two items will prove especially helpful if you are planning on taking that new wand out for a spin. This map helps you track which spell locations you have completed successfully by affixing the corresponding Spell Marker medallion into its designated spot.

These plushes of Hagrid and Mrs. Norris (Filch’s cat) are clever and cuddle-worthy.

Super Nintendo World Stuff

With Super Nintendo World‘s opening just around the corner, Universal helped get visitors psyched up by selling some of the land’s specially-created merchandise ahead of time.

The Feature Presentation Store, now themed to Super Mario, is the home base for Super Nintendo World merchandise.

However, a sizable chunk of the Universal Studio Store also houses similar merchandise and boasts some impressive decor of its own.

Among the merchandise included are items themed to Mario Kart with a number of the pieces reading “Mario Kart Grand Prix.”

This backpack is especially eye-catching with the different baddies’ names spelled out in Katakana. Since it is written in Japanese, the characters are labeled under their Japanese names (Boo is “Teresa,” for example).

You can see the range of Super Nintendo Merchandise merchandise available when the Feature Presentation reopened in our earlier coverage:

Universal Studios Hollywood Opens Super Nintendo World Store & Construction Update

Jaws Merchandise

And just when you thought it was safe to go back to the stores… Loungefly releases new Jaws bags! This Mini Backpack, Crossbody Bag, and Wallet all feature jaws-ome details.

Despicable Me’s Minions Merchandise

Bob the Minion from Despicable Me is now an impressive Loungefly Mini Backpack.

And who doesn’t love dressing up plushes? With the new Dress-a-Minion toy, you purchase a plush and an outfit (or two) and dress the yellow fellow up to your heart’s content.

These shirts and this sweatshirt fuse Minion goggles onto famous historical figures and classic works of art.

The minions have two new popcorn bucket designs: a summery innertube style and a crazy car one.

The entrance to the Universal Studios Store in CityWalk is also covered with a decorative wrap for “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” which arrived in theaters on July 1.

Hello Kitty and Gudetama Goodies

Kitty-chan has been transformed into a Mini Backpack and Wallet by Loungefly.

And the bow-wearing feline is also honored with a popcorn bucket.

The lazy egg Gudetama also has merchandise at Universal Studios Hollywood in the form of shirts, plushes, and …

… a super-cute popcorn bucket!

Nope Souvenirs

The release of these kitschy tourist tees from the fictional tourist trap Jumper’s Claim, seen in Jordan Peele’s Nope, coincides with a set from the movie being added to Universal Studios Hollywood’s famous Tram Tour.

Merchandise for Other Beloved Universal Studios Characters

Loungefly sure has been busy. They also made bags and accessories based on E.T. and classic movie monsters.

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Universal Studios Hollywood Construction Updates

We have a few tidbits to add to our Universal Studios Hollywood coverage today. While visiting the park to snag these photos, Dusty ran across some park news he thought you’d want to see. 

Halloween Horror Nights Construction

Work is well underway for this year’s Halloween event. The location at Mel’s Diner was the Bride of Frankenstein last year.   

We spotted another maze under construction behind the Mummy coaster on the lower lot. 

The writing on the building says “Alucard Trading Co.”.  Alucard is the name of Dracula’s son! Hmmmm…

And the Terror Tram will once again make its way to the Bates Motel and Psycho house. Some walls are going up in front of the Motel now. 

Super Nintendo World Construction

There has been a lot of progress on Universal Hollywood’s newest land… which is good since they’ve already announced it will open in “Early 2023.” 

An overview shot shows that the facades are mostly complete. In the center, we can see Bowser’s Castle, which will house the ride, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. 

If we zoom in a bit, you can see pyramids, a nearby animated figure of a Pokey (one of Mario’s desert-based foes), and even those iconic piranha plants!

Find out more about this upcoming land here:

Let’s-a-Go! Universal Studios Hollywood Celebrates One Year of Super Nintendo World

CityWalk Projects

There are a few things going on in CityWalk, which has seen a lot of change in the last few years. 

The biggest of these projects is Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, which is replacing the Hard Rock Cafe. This restaurant, soda fountain, and chocolate shop will have a steam-punk Willy Wonka vibe.

There’s an open location next to Ben & Jerry’s. 

And the big Starbucks near the theaters has also closed. 

But a new Starbucks location has opened in the space previously occupied by Karl Strauss. The downside to this location is that it’s out of the way, and a bit harder to find. But the positive side is that it has a patio with a view and will allow customers to take a seat and relax for a bit, unlike the previous location, which had very few tables nearby.  

The new Starbucks patio has a nice view of the central atrium area of CityWalk. 

And, as a reminder, NOPE opened in theaters on Friday and became a new stop on the Studio Tram Tour as well…

You can find our full coverage of Universal’s Tram Tour expansion here: 

Spooky NOPE Set Added to Universal Studios Hollywood Tram Tour!

 

Let’s Hear from You

What do you think about Universal Hollywood’s expanded merchandise selections? Happy to see new Loungefly goods sold at Universal Studios Hollywood? And are you excited to experience Super Nintendo World and the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium next year? Let us know in the comments below!