Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

^He makes a cameo in a post-credits scene at the end of the reboot.

Yeah I knew about the post-credits cameo...just hope he makes it into the maze too!

^And he'd better say one of the following:

1) "Listen up, you prehistoric screw heads!"

2) "We just cut up our girlfriend with a chainsaw! Does that sound 'fine'?"

3) "Swallow this!"

Do you guys like the idea of putting both of the mazes in the same soundstage, or should they be placed as far apart as possible?

Also, I'm having a little trouble thinking of iconic locations from CITW that they would want in a maze. I'm assuming the scene with all of the glass cages (done with mirrors), and probably a hallway with elevators lining each wall with monsters popping out when the doors open, but apart from that it's a fairly standard cabin and an office building.

EDIT: Forgot about the scene with the two-way mirror, and the ending inside of the temple-ish room.

I would imagine the Cabin will be the entrance facade...they can probably do something with the cellar and a wooded area with the hick family. Maybe even take you around the world to all the various sacrifice rituals. Lots of possibilities.

^^I honestly don't think it would matter to the general guests. Half of the guests don't even understand why the houses that share a soundstage or tent have exits that merge into one collective exit and the amount of dumbfounded guests that ask "why didn't we come out of that exit?" is evidence to the fact.

I'd say half the house would be cabin/woods scenes and then the 2nd half will be in the facility. They have already confirmed the last scene of the house will be something similar to the purge scene with a crapload of monsters everywhere.

My prediction for the next house to be revealed will be that it will also have Evil in the name.

I've heard people say they aren't announcing anything at SDCC, but why wouldn't they announce The Walking Dead Part 2 there this year? They've got a TWD panel with all of the stars, would make sense to me.

http://twitter.com/UORHHN/status/357579205506134016/photo/1

Guess what’s returning to Halloween Horror Nights this year… #HHN23

Rocky Horror is back? Maybe I will finally get to see what all the fluff is about.

Also, I am pleased to announce that I have been hired at Universal, and will be an attendant at the Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit!

For anyone that enjoys looking behind the curtain.. Here are a few photos of how the Transformers meet and greet characters were created and how they are operated.. source- http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/07/making-wireds-comic-con-robot/?viewall=true

Edited to say that Legacy Effects/Stan Winston school are not the confirmed creators of the Transformers walk around characters, but Conde Nest publishing decided to have them construct this VERY similar robot a month after Transformers opened. I'll let you decide. Either way, kind of cool to get a backstage look at something like this. Check out the link if you haven't seen this mech in action yet.

I took a trip around Universal on Friday and took some pics. These are linked from my blog. If you want to see all my recent pics check out allaroundorlando.blogspot.com

If links aren't allowed please delete the link Mods.

Bumblebee Man Tack Truck

New sign above Duff Gardens

New view when walking into Springfield

Spinner was testing again

Full queue for Transformers

Potter 2.0 near where Fear Factor is

Time to head out....

Wow! Great pictures!

Hopefully Springfield is finished by next Sunday when I visit, but I'm not counting on it.

^^Neither of those firms had anything to do with the TF characters.

^^ Correct

The background of the walk-around characters is no secret.

The Transformers walk-around characters of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee were originally created by Universal Studios Singapore's Entertainment Costuming team in partnership with Michael Curry Design.

Michael Curry Design is well known in the business - and has a long history with Universal, Disney, and Cirque du Soleil. They are an amazing company to work with and includes some of the most talented costume artists in the business.

Universal Studios Hollywood later brought these same designs to their own park - and followed-up with the addition of the Megatron character to the line-up. These characters were then brought to the Orlando park.

Here is a link to the Michael Curry Design website - you'll notice that both Optimus and Bumblebee are part of their portfolio:

http://www.michaelcurrydesign.com/index.html

The spinner looks really cool...love how the tentacles wrap around the arms.

The spinner looks really cool...love how the tentacles wrap around the arms.

Kang (or is it Kodos) eye moves back & forth as well. Each car has a name on it as well. Universal has really stepped up with theming recently.

^I think that is one benefit of using outside properties: people like Fox/Gracie Films and J.K. Rowling hold them to a higher standard to maintain the brands image. The end result is awesomeness.

Looks like both USO and USH are getting Walking Dead mazes (again)...[zzzzzzzzz]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/universal/os-walking-dead-universal-halloween-horror-nights,0,7050122.story

Walking Dead Universal Halloween Horror Nights - OrlandoSentinel.com

 

The zombies of "The Walking Dead" will play a larger role at this year's Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios executives say.

 

In addition to a haunted house themed to the AMC drama, all of Horror Nights' outdoor scare zones will be built around iconic scenes from the show, which is set in a post-zombie apocalypse world.

 

Previously, the scare zones sported different looks and themes. This year, iconic "Walking Dead" scenes from its first two seasons, including the military tank in downtown Atlanta and a re-creation of a pivotal scene in a barn, will take over the street program, says Jim Timon, senior vice president of entertainment at Universal Orlando. Watch for both "walkers" -- the term used for the show's zombies -- and embattled survivors (the uninfected folk) in these areas throughout the theme park.

 

“It’s just a great iconic horror experience that I think all the guests are going to connect with this year,” Timon says.

 

"The Walking Dead" house will be dedicated to scenes from the series' third season, including experiences with the governor's fish tanks, an arena in the town of Woodbury stocked with chained zombies and moments from the prison's Cell Block C. (The fourth season premieres Oct. 13).

 

Halloween Horror Nights is an intense, after-hours, separately ticketed event at Universal Studios, which runs 27 select nights between Sept. 20 and Nov. 2.

 

It will be the second consecutive Halloween Horror Nights for "The Walking Dead," but this year's house and scare zones will be all-new construction, Timon says. Two previously announced houses will be themed to horror films "Evil Dead" and "The Cabin in the Woods."

 

Universal works with "Walking Dead" makeup artist and executive producer Greg Nicotero for the production.

 

“The walkers of ‘The Walking Dead’ are unique in their look and their style and their presentation. We‘re very careful to work with them to make that ‘real’ to fans," Timon says.

 

There are many scenes and characters to choose from, says John Murdy, creative director at Universal Studios Hollywood in California, which also will have a "Walking Dead" house.

 

“Being a television series, each season there is a new environment, there are new characters, there are new settings, which is wonderful for us in creating Halloween Horror Nights," Murdy says.

 

Timon expects the "Walking Dead" zones to appeal to guests who don't watch the show.

 

“At the end of the day, they’re very scary, very intense environments," he says. "Really that’s what you need in a street program. Are the environments scary? Are they scenically intense? Are the characters that you’re designing going to scare people? If you can check all those boxes, then you’re doing your job.”

 

But what about Horror Nights' trademark chainsaw-wielding scare actors? Is there room for them in "The Walking Dead" zones?

 

Survivors, particularly in the early seasons, had to use whatever was on hand to fight the walkers, Timon says.

 

"You know, it took some time to figure out how to kill walkers effectively and efficiently," he hints. "You used whatever you had.”

Sigh.....I really do not like all of these licensed mazes. The original mazes are always a lot better. Looks like Busch will again have the better event.

Getting another Walking Dead house is one thing, but dedicating the entire event to it? That cuts my interest in half. I love the variety in street experiences. Whether it is scare zones or roaming hoards...at least there was variety. They have dedicated the entire street experience this year to Walking Dead. I can't say I'm a huge fan of that but I'll still be going to check it out!

From the Facebook Page

"And we thought we’d go ahead and reveal the street experience too. For the first time ever, we’re dedicating the entire HHN street experience to AMC’s The Walking Dead. Around every corner you will encounter iconic scenes from all 3 seasons of the show, while trying to avoid blood-thirsty walkers."

I think I am one of the few who are excited for this. The Walking Dead is what got me into the "horror" scene. Last years Walking Dead house was my favorite, it seemed to never end and the actors really got me in the house. Having an entire park dedicated to the zombie apocalypse!? Now that is what I want to see! I am a little sad though that there will not be different themes to the zones, but at least they brought the zones back.

Getting another Walking Dead house is one thing, but dedicating the entire event to it? That cuts my interest in half. I love the variety in street experiences. Whether it is scare zones or roaming hoards...at least there was variety. They have dedicated the entire street experience this year to Walking Dead. I can't say I'm a huge fan of that but I'll still be going to check it out!

 

From the Facebook Page

 

"And we thought we’d go ahead and reveal the street experience too. For the first time ever, we’re dedicating the entire HHN street experience to AMC’s The Walking Dead. Around every corner you will encounter iconic scenes from all 3 seasons of the show, while trying to avoid blood-thirsty walkers."

I think the whole "zombie" thing has to end--really a bit tired of this particular monster.

I agree with Erik that original mazes are usually better than "licensed" mazes.

I'm surprised they're doing a house AND all of the streets with the same theme. It seems like if they're going to dedicate all the roaming stuff to Walking Dead, the least they could do is muster up a different, original house.