Uni Hollywood News: Back to Hogwarts, Coaster Construction & Halloween Screams

Welcome back to Universal Studios Hollywood! We are at the end of Universal’s celebration of the 60th anniversary of the world-famous Studio Tram Tour (ending August 11th). But when one thing ends, another begins as it’s also the time for the Back to Hogwarts Celebration taking place in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Let’s take a look around Universal Studios Hollywood to catch up on all the latest news and views…

Back to Hogwarts

It’s that time of year again when all the good wizards and witches return to Hogwarts Castle to continue their studies in mastering Wizardry. From now until September 1st Universal Studios Hollywood is celebrating this return by encouraging guests of all ages to adorn their House colors and welcoming the students back to school.

September 1st is also the celebration day when fans of the Harry Potter franchise globally celebrate the return to Hogwarts.

And here I am, ready to return to Hufflepuff house at Hogwarts.

Also starting on August 12th, guests can purchase a specially themed Iced Biscuit cookie from Honeydukes shop in Hogsmeade.

Which Hogwarts house are you?

Diamond’s Aren’t Forever: 60th Anniversary Celebration of Studio Tram Tour Ends August 11th!

These are the final days of the Universal Studio Tram Tour’s Diamond Anniversary. The special additions to the tour wrap this Sunday. Up on the Upper Lot, in the Universal Plaza, many photo opportunities are adorning the plaza.

In the center of the plaza, you can see Doc Brown’s modified DeLorean from the Back to the Future movies.

The First backdrop on the plaza’s west side is one for E.T.

Looking South, we can see the graffitied billboard for Amity Island from Jaws.

Looking East, there’s a postcard of the ice cave you can walk into from the Six Million Dollar Man television show. Sadly, the old tunnel from the Tram Tour was replaced by the Fast and the Furious 3D drive-through, but you can relive the magic in this photo op. 

Adjacent to the ice cave is a jail cell amid the buildings from the Six Points section of the back lot.

For the remainder of the summer, Woody and Winnie Woodpecker will be making daily appearances in the plaza as well.

A special QR Code sign has been placed around the park for guests wanting to know more about the Suido Lot’s history.

Moving down to the tour itself…

For the Studio Tram Tour’s 60th Anniversary, the unique experience has been enhanced with all sorts of extra characters, historical moments, and the ability for guests to step off the tram into a specialty-built plaza that surrounds the set for the Bates Motel. There are lots of photo opportunities and props from old TV shows and movies.

At the front of the Bates’s Plaza, you can take a picture of the scaled replica Hollywood sign.

As well as run into Norman Bates coming in and out of the Bates Motel set.

Along the back of the Motel, several vehicles have been parked from the Jim Carry version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

And even more vehicles from the Fast & Furious Franchise.

And there is even a photo opportunity with Bruce the shark from Jaws. This Photo opportunity looks very similar to the one at Universal Orlando.

The final option is Kong’s Left Hand.

For those who like social media photo apps, you can use special photo filters from both Jaws and King Kong to enhance your photo experience.

Once you have explored the Bates Motel plaza, you can hop back on a tram and continue your tour.

Here are some clips from my ride on the tram… The 60th Anniversary additions have been fun, you have to keep in mind that Universal is still a working Movie Studio and they cannot keep all the additions up as these spaces do have to be used for future productions.

Fast & Furious Roller Coaster Construction

Universal is racing ahead with its next blockbuster attraction, “Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.” Construction is accelerating rapidly, with sections of the track now visible on the Upper Lot. This thrilling coaster will straddle the hillside, promising an adrenaline-fueled experience like no other.

Work is definitely moving… fast and furious… around here. At the top of the hill the coaster’s station building is now visibly taking shape.

As we head down the hill, all sorts of walls and supports are being constructed to support the new coaster experience.  

 Coaster support pillars are now visible all over. 

The coaster will take up the entire hillside from the Upper Lot all the way to the Lower Lot. It’s a massive project. 

This portion of the construction site sits near the back side of Jurassic World’s show building and across from Universal City’s Fire Station.

Universal currently has a 2026 opening, but it’s hard to imagine we’ll have to wait that long.  We will have to wait and see.

New Game in Super Nintendo World

Now officially open, a new interactive game has been added to Super Nintendo World. The Frosted Glacier Interactive touchscreen experience requires the use of Power-Up Bands, which must be purchased separately. This game is not a part of the Bower Jr. Key Challenges set of games sprinkled throughout the land. But it is a lot of fun. 

Guests with a Power-Up Band must hit the Question Block on the game’s right to activate the challenge. The Question Block spits out a Power-Up that, once touched, will start the game. Power-ups include either the Fire Flower, Ice Flower, Super Mushroom, or Super Star.  Guests are tasked with swiping or tapping Gombas and Red or Green Paratroopas away or tapping brick blocks away. The games seem to change based on which Power-Up is ejected from the block, so don’t be surprised if guests playing in front of you have a different task to complete on the screen. (You can watch me play a round below)

Guests can earn virtual coins which will be added to the Play Super Nintendo World game found in the Universal Studios Hollywood App.

You can find the new game located upstairs at the Observation Platform above Bowser Jr.’s Castle. Guest will need to access the Platform through the doorway pictured below to head upstairs.

Once on the Observation Platform, a doorway on the rear wall holds the interactive screen. Super Nintendo World is a land of exploration, and those who seek adventure will surely find it. 

Halloween Horror Nights Construction

Universal is hard at work getting the park ready for the haunting return of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights. 8 houses are expected to be announced with 3 of those having been announced: “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” “A Quiet Place,” and “Monstruos 2: Nightmares of Latin America.” Halloween Horror Nights run this year from September 5th through November 3rd.

Check out our dedicated article below for all the announcements regarding Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses:

Unlock the Secrets of Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2024: Your Ultimate Guide

 

In the Parisian Courtyard, construction walls have come down around the Monstruos 2 house. The popular Latin American horror maze will feature new monsters and stories this year. It’s a beautiful facade. 

We can see several props visible from the entrance including dolls hanging from the tree.

 

Looking down at the Lower Lot we can see several houses under construction.

Near the Mummy’s Show building, we spy a red ring with a broken brick facade facing toward the park with a van sticking out of it.

Meanwhile, between Soundstages 14 and 16, another temporary structure has been erected.

And moving down to the tram route, on the outside of Stage 14 a giant facade is being built against the sound stage.

Who else is getting excited for the Halloween season?!

Mario Kart Express Pass

Mario Kart is finally available for guests with the Universal Express ticket add-on. See the Team Member at the base of the stairs in the first room to have your Universal Express enabled park ticket scanned, and you’ll then be sent into the Express Queue.

This and That

Hello Kitty

Out in Universal City Walk, a new Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe and Shop is getting ready to open next to the Universal Store.

We are unsure when this new retail location will open in Citywalk.

Harry Potter and the New Locker Area

Over at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Universal has built a new locker area outside the attraction. Across from the entrance gates to Hogwarts Castle, a cave-like structure with three entrances has appeared. Each entry has dozens of lockers.

This was a smart move on Universal’s part as the old locker room in the attraction building was cramped and confusing.

Now that the old locker room is abandoned, Flich’s Emporium, the ride’s exit gift shop, has room to eventually expand and improve guest flow. 

 

Universal Studios MiceShots

We’ll wrap up today’s Update with some shots from my visit to Universal Studios Hollywood. 

The Tram Tour is such a huge part of the experience of visiting Universal that I cannot picture a day without riding through the backlot.

“Earthquake” on the Studio Tour has been enhanced with refreshed effects.  

The park’s hidden gem is the Secret Life of Pets ride. It’s a charming dark ride filled with honest-to-goodness animatronics instead of screens. Don’t miss it! 

 

I wish they’d figure out what to do with the upstairs spaces in City Walk. There used to be clubs, restaurants, and even a magic club up there. 

That’s A Wrap! 

This concludes our Update from Universal Studios Hollywood. We are very close to the Halloween Season now, with Halloween Horror Nights just a month away! We cannot wait to see what Universal has planned for this year’s event. And what about that Fast and the Furious coaster construction? Do you really think it will take two more years to build? That seems like forever to me; I really can’t wait. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

I would like to thank Samantha Davis Friedman and Christy Weinberg for their help with this update and for the great social media coverage we did from the Back to Hogwarts Celebration as well as the opening of the new Super Nintendo experience.

---

Follow MiceChat on social: MiceChat Facebook Page, MiceChat Facebook Group, MiceChat Instagram, MiceChat X, MiceChat YouTube