Summer is in full swing at the entertainment capital of LA, and it seems like everyone has taken notice. With a recently-opened park expansion, a spooky evening show in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and a celebration of Jurassic Park’s 30th Anniversary, there’s a lot to see at Universal Studios Hollywood. In the middle of all that, Universal Studios has just begun construction on a new Fast & Furious-themed rollercoaster! If that’s not enough, the sounds of screams loom on the horizon as we eagerly await this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. Let’s have a look at what’s new, what’s under construction, and what’s coming to Hollywood’s beloved movie studio and theme park. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

A Fast & Furious Coaster Upper Lot Construction

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Soon it will be time to strap in and hit the gas on a new Fast & Furious-themed rollercoaster at Universal Studios Hollywood! The park just announced that it’s officially under construction.

Here’s what Universal had to say about the upcoming attraction:

Buckle up…Universal Studios Hollywood announces construction will soon begin on its new roller coaster, themed to Universal Pictures’ blockbuster saga Fast & Furious as the world-class entertainment destination continues to elevate the guest experience. 

 

Renowned for creating groundbreaking and imaginative rides and attractions inspired by today’s most compelling movie, television and digital game experiences, Universal Studios Hollywood will bring innovative and technological achievements never previously employed to this all-new thrill ride.

 

Equipped with a state-of-the-art ride system uniquely created to engulf guests within the dynamic Fast & Furious universe, this all-new roller coaster will benefit from Universal Destinations & Experiences’ decades-long expertise in revolutionizing the development of the contemporary roller coaster across its global theme park destinations.

Despite just opening a brand new Super Nintendo World expansion, Universal isn’t content resting on its laurels. The Special Effects and Animal Actors shows closed a few months ago to make way for this new attraction. Demolition of the buildings is actively taking place.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
Despite the ongoing demolition, there appears to be new construction on the top of the building

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The Fast & Furious is Universal Pictures’ most profitable and longest-running franchise, and it just makes sense to give it a big presence at Universal Parks. This marks the second Fast & Furious attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood; Fast & Furious: Supercharged has been part of the Studio Tour since 2015 and as a ride at Universal Orlando since 2018. This will be the third rollercoaster at the tiny California park, joining Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride and Flight of the Hippogriff. Our question now is, what does this mean long term for Supercharged and the Mummy? Will they stay? Should they be replaced? Let us know what you think in the comments below. 

Death Eaters Make a Surprise SUMMER Return to Hogsmeade

A delightfully spooky addition to Halloween Horror Nights last year, the Death Eaters are returning again this year, but for an extended stay during the summer. In conjunction with the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle show, Voldemort’s followers begin wreaking havoc on the village of Hogsmeade after dark. Universal Studios put out a teaser below:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuKYlKpuvQe/

The experience is a little different from last year’s Horror Nights. The Death Eaters this time around not only wander through the village portion of Hogsmeade, but also cause a bit of magical chaos— including shooting off a green flare and causing flames to erupt— sporadically through the night.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The majority of the Death Eater activity takes place in front of Three Broomsticks, the gate with the dragon spell, and the open area between the two.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Ready for an encounter with the Death Eaters? Watch the video below from Dusty Sage for a bit of a magical fright.

For a bit of comparison, here’s the full walk-through I shot during Horror Nights last year. It’s interesting to see how different the Death Eaters are between iterations.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=769456317718944

I also shot it at night and included some snippets at the beginning of this video.

 

Doing the Death Eaters this way for summer has some interesting implications for crowds. For starters, there’s a queue to get into Hogsmeade in the evening. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

With the scripted sequences happening around the entrance to Hogsmeade, the walkway becomes immediately gridlocked the moment the Death Eaters appear. All the while, the poor Team Members are stuck trying to keep the walkway clear. 

While there was a proper queue at times for the alley during Horror Nights, the exit would be putting guests right into the viewing area for the Dark Arts show. That’s likely why the park has decided to do it this way. Just keep in mind the area is going to be congested if you’re interested in seeing Dark Arts or the Death Eaters, the latter of which has added dates through July 30th. 

Aside from Death Eaters, the other major draw to Wizarding World is the nighttime projection show Dark Arts. This projection spectacular shows Hogwarts Castle overrun with dark magic, including Death Eaters and Dementors. It’s a stark departure from the more light-hearted show that runs during the rest of the year. You can watch the full show below:

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Check out Dusty’s brand new 4K video of the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle: 

While we loved the Dark Arts projections, there was a bit of strangeness after the show ended. As people left the viewing areas, they were forced into one-way traffic directly out of the land with no way to get back to Hogsmeade. It was quite chaotic with no clear explanation as to why people were being funneled out of the land. To get back in, you’d have to enter through the front of the land. But it is a great way to empty the land out and make more room for other guests to view the next show (which happen about every 20 minutes).  

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

If this summer is any indication for what Universal can do for Horror Nights this fall, there’s a lot to be excited for. Do you think that Universal should lean into the scarier side of Harry Potter more frequently throughout the year?

Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary

Ready to roar? Jurassic Park is celebrating 30 years of all-things dinosaurs with a myriad of special offerings at Universal.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Celebrating the classic Spielberg mega-hit Jurassic Park’s 30th anniversary on June 11th, Universal Studios has rolled out special food and merchandise. Just above Jurassic Outfitters is a temporary bar serving all the 30th-anniversary cocktails. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Despite the huge line downstairs for Isla Nu-Bar, this bar didn’t have many visitors. Strange considering this bar is serving popular cocktails with a shorter wait (I’ve even seen Jurassic Water sell out). Even with the colorful marquee downstairs, it apparently isn’t enough to get people to walk upstairs. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

There’s also a thick jungle next to the bar where one might find a surprise lurking inside…

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

It’s sad, really, that the upper area of Jurassic World continues to be underutilized considering this is a nice out-of-the-way spot removed from the hustle of the rest of the lower lot. I wonder if there’s something Universal can do in the future to make something permanent in this location considering the lower lot is almost always incredibly busy since the opening of Super Nintendo World.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Jurassic Cafe has also refreshed its menu to commemorate the anniversary. Further exploring the Central America theme, the cafe is now serving items like Brazilian Cheesy Bread, Empanadas, and Beef and Vegetable Skewers. I ordered the skewers and Pryoraptor Refresher (passionfruit and dragon fruit lemonade topped with mango popping boba). 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The skewers are generous and come on a plate with rice and vegetable picadillo. Definitely recommended for something lighter, yet filling. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Universal also keeps killing it with drinks. I would consider popping (pun not intended) into the cafe just to grab this in the same way I would for the Super Star Lemon Squash at Toadstool Cafe (if only reservations weren’t required just to order a drink). 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Universal also has a full set of Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary merchandise. It’s available in a few stores, but the Universal Studio Store in CityWalk has all of it.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Theme park merchandise is usually pretty flashy, but this is a lot of classic Jurassic Park logo gear. I could potentially wear or display some of this without it being too out of place.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
A cross-body cup holder!

Is this denim jacket a winner?

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

There’s a sprinkling of regular (non-anniversary branded) Jurassic Park merch in the displays, but I found this furry camouflage bag to be quite the statement. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Next door at UNIVRS are some more trendy Jurassic Park items. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The Japanese-style graphics are adorable.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Super Nintendo World

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Super Nintendo World has been open for a few months now, but it’s still jam-packed every day. That’s for good reason. We’ve written quite a lot about how smitten the team is with this wonderfully jubilant land. If you haven’t checked it out yet, definitely read Dusty’s grand opening article, or check out my previous Univeral Studios update and overview video:

Before even entering the land, a sign telling guests that Toadstool Cafe is booked is seemingly always there. The Toad-themed cafe seems to book up every morning right at opening. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Summer has brought some interesting changes to operations inside of Super Nintendo World. For starters, a virtual queue was previously regularly required to enter the land. It seems Universal has recognized that isn’t necessary most days and has begun dropping it when they can (I haven’t seen it used in my last few weekend visits). 

An extra generic sign has been added in the middle of the land to help guide guests to the exit. I initially was turned around looking for the exit warp pipe, so I can understand the need for it. Hopefully, a themed sign can be utilized in the future. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

We noticed that there is a new themed sign directing guests back to the main park through the exit warp pipe. This sign is directly next to the warp pipe, but it’s easy to miss in the busy land. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

With summer comes summer heat! Here’s what the land looks look on a cooler, cloudier day:

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

In comparison, here’s the land on a hot ~80+ day. My friends and I decided to leave right after taking this picture because the sun reflecting off the pavement was quite uncomfortable. It might even be uncomfortable to look at this picture. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Luckily, there are a number of shade structures around the land. Unfortunately, Super Nintendo World is busier than the provided shade can accommodate. I’m not sure if Universal intended for people to sit in the warp pipes, but that’s exactly what guests are doing to stay cool. The trouble is, doing so creates congestion at the entrance and exit to the area.  

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

When it begins to cool off later in the day, the crowds return. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The power-up topiaries are adorable and I want one.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The extended queue for Mario Kart is quite an efficient use of space! It has an entire upstairs floor. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

For my Super Mario Galaxy fans, did you notice the first course, Gateway Galaxy, hanging above the model of the racetrack?

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
Duct Tape fixes everything

If you’re interested in how the AR visor works, here’s a photo of the tiny screens that reflect onto the plastic visor. Neat. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Finally, to end this section, a few evening photos showcasing the gorgeous lighting package inside Super Nintendo World.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
I don’t remember seeing this fire flower before, but I love it

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Studio Tour

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

There’s always something going on when visiting the Universal Studios backlot. They’ve been cycling in more of the all-electric trams which are much quieter and more pleasant to ride in. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
A trip on the electric tram comes with a snazzy video about how great they are

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
The finest “horses” this side of LA

What a nice sunny day to visit the beach…

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Oh no, there’s a big plastic shark in the water!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

HHN. Soon. 

(more on that later)

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The tour has been skipping a few sets lately, including Colonial Street (recently popularized as Wisteria Lane by Desperate Housewives) and Jupiter’s Claim from the Jordan Peele film, Nope. The latter is “under refurbishment,” which hopefully means “getting something extra cool for Horror Nights” considering it was a highlight of the event last year. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Halloween Horror Nights

Is that a chill? Already? The most spine-tingling season of the year is nearly upon us. Tickets are already on sale! Universal Studios has announced two mazes thus far: Chucky (based on the USA/SyFy series) and The Last of Us (based on the mega-popular PlayStation title). 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

While I do love Chucky (a lot), the latter has me quite excited; The Last of Us is one of the best stories in gaming. It also happens to have one of the best TV adaptations I’ve ever seen. If you haven’t watched it on HBO Max, it’s some of the greatest television complete with heartwrenching raw human stories and terrifyingly tense action sequences.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
HBO Max Original The Last of Us, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey

While I believe the maze will be based on the game, if Universal has been able to capture even a snippet of the gorgeous art design of either version, they’ll have a real winner this year. 

To drum up excitement for the event, there’s been a special release of The Last of Us merchandise available in select Universal stores. You can expect to see more HHN-themed merchandise in the very near future.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Check out our Halloween Horror Nights overview article below:

Unearth 2023’s Frights: Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights Details!

As we headed down the Starway to the lower lot, we even spotted construction for some of the mazes (which Universal now calls “Houses”)… Do you see them?

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Here, let me zoom in. Those long tents sandwiched between buildings are mazes under construction!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

We spotted two of them from the Starway. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

There is quite a bit of fun Universal Monsters-themed merchandise available around the park and in CityWalk. Some of it was produced for Halloween Horror Nights, but it’s fun for any time of the year.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

 

This and That

We’ve noticed that the park has been much busier lately. The pricing (which is a whole lot cheaper than Disneyland!) certainly is playing a major part in drawing people to visit. When we visited on Tuesday, there were signs leading up to the parking structures that Universal was sold out. However, we looked at the ticketing website and could still buy same-day tickets. (By comparison, Disneyland is $179 on many Fridays and Saturdays this summer)

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Butterbeer now also comes in a dairy-free option! For years, the park only served the world-famous Butterbeer with no substitutions or changes. So now, there’s a new foam that can be served to dairy-free and/or vegan guests.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Universal Plaza re-opened after refurbishment with a Fast X promo full of show cars from the franchise. Lots of Fast & Furious at the park right now. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

In addition to the new Fast & Furious attraction, Universal is also working on a few other construction projects. Currently, they’re taking some time to work on some of the New York facades near Universal Plaza. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Taking a trip on the Starway, we can take a peek at a few ongoing projects. I’m told one will be a hotel, but I still don’t know about the other. The round building still looks a while from completion.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

This building is looking much further along than it did in February, complete with windows. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The Starway is also a great place to see all the local film studios in one place (you can see Warner Brothers and Disney from here)…

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

The Universal Studios globe outside the main entrance hasn’t been spinning lately…

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Looking for a place to cool off with the recent onset of summer heat? The WaterWorld cast will be happy to oblige…

Also, this show still packs in the theater. An amazing show for a dud of a film. Go figure. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Characters are abundant at Universal Studios, but I do appreciate that they’re set up in a way that doesn’t require one to stand in a long line just to briefly see them. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
Blue is excited about Jurassic Park’s anniversary

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

We love interacting with the face characters. This one isn’t a famous person, she’s a citizen of New York Street just passing the time on a hot New York day. You can chat with her about events, she has a basket full of games. She invited us to play some cards. Clever and lots of fun. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

You can get a shirt to match your Power-Up Band to really show people what team you’re rooting for.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Finally, a few castle views to round out today’s update. I’d send a Butterbeer if I could.

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!


 universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds! universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Theme Park Ticket & Travel Offers!

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!
Universal Studios Hollywood Tickets

You can snag the latest theme park travel deals from our partners at Get Away Today – INCLUDING THE NEW DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA TICKET OFFER:

Check out the latest offers for Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Knott’s Berry Farm, including new low hotel rates, extra days and nights for free, special perks, and a “4-Park Magic Ticket” to Walt Disney World:

(MiceChat works with Get Away Today to provide you with the best theme park travel deals and we may make a small commission on any sales made through our links)

Let’s Hear From You

That’s going to wrap things up for this Universal Studios Hollywood update. Let’s hear from you. Are you looking forward to an increased presence of Fast and the Furious at USH? Have you made a trip to Super Nintendo World? Will you be making a visit to Wizarding World to see the Death Eaters and the Dark Arts show? Ready for Halloween? Let us know in the comments down below. 

universal studios hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood Update – New Ride Announcement, Summer Scares, Huge Crowds!

Scott Attula
Scott Attula
http://www.scottattula.com/
Author, photographer, videographer, Disney Cast Member. Scott comes from multiple Disney generations and disciplines, including his Grandpa Fred and father at Imagineering and his Grandpa Bill and mother in Live Entertainment. For MiceChat, Scott focuses on other SoCal parks like Knott's Berry Farm and Universal Studios. He can be found at theme parks on a semi-frequent basis trying to get that perfect angle. Need a photographer? Scott is available for creative shoots in Southern California. Check out his portfolio and contact him via Instagram or email.
Instagram