Originally Posted By knightnfrees Well, memories are swimming over at the Knight Rider thread of Universal's past. I thought it would be nice to have it's own topic here. Here you can discuss your experiences of the original Universal. Beit favorite attractions new and old, the cast of characters (face and / or fuzzyheads), a unique moment, etc.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Back when we started our family website, I wrote a short essay about Universal Studios, and the history it has with me. Not only did I enjoy visiting as a kid, but also auditioned to be a Studio Tour Guide. <a href="http://www.2adults1child.com/what_we_think/Loud2/Universal_2001.htm" target="_blank">http://www.2adults1child.com/w hat_we_think/Loud2/Universal_2001.htm</a>
Originally Posted By avromark If they're willing to pay me I'd be a tram driver. I miss the second generation trams they're the ones I remember most. Cylons, Miami Vice, Wild Wild West, the little Blues Brothers show, there is simply a lot to remember. Even Animal Actors. How come I can never get my pets to act that way? Kong, oh no the subway cars exploding. I miss the collapsing bridge, will they reopen it? What is this Universal you speak of?
Originally Posted By juicer I remember being on the tram tour and about half way through we all got out and walked through Lucille Ball's dressing room - It was all bright yellow and her makeup chair was an old barber chair! It was very 70's (well it was the 70's)
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Oh yes, Lucille Ball. I remember that too. I was just about to remark that I shot through all my memories in the other thread. In reality, I also remember buying some type of "toy" in a vending maching. This thing made what I am guessing was a wax mold of a dinosaur...but did it right there in front of you after you plunked your money in. I'm getting naseous just thinking about it because it really stunk.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains I remember taking the kids(older two only) in 94 - they still had the American Tail Playground and the movies were favorites of my boys so they didn't want to leave it... That and the ET ride - the boys thought it was the coolest thing when their names were said at the end.. The park was so slow the day we went that after the boys played in the play area all the workers knew them by name - which really helped when the two ran out of a bathroom before daddy was done and were back on the playground before mommy was out of the ladies room (yes I took them to the restroom the rest of the trip) and we were searching franticaly for them and a worker came across the walkie talkie thing the security guard had and asked if the lost boys were Josh and Zach because she saw Josh and Zach in the play structure and would meet us there!!! Yeah that was the end of the day for us - If you asked the boys about the trip it was the best day of their lives !!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Just out of curiosity, does anybody know when they switched from just the tram tour to the theme park as we know it today. I assume it was around the same time as USO opened, but I haven't been able to find even a relative date anywhere on the internet.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Hey FerretAmos. Here's a terrific chronology of the additions to Universal Studios Hollywood from the very beginning. It's very well done. <a href="http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/chronology.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.thestudiotour.com/u sh/chronology.shtml</a>
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Check out this picture from the 70s [wow-chinka-wow-wow architecture]. <a href="http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/images/1970entrance.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.thestudiotour.com/u sh/images/1970entrance.jpg</a> To the left of the picture you can see the rounded driveway, which is roughly where the current Universal Studios Hollywood sign is located. Behind those brightly colored ticket booths -- that was the entrance to the tram tour -- which is roughly where the current exit to the park is.
Originally Posted By knightnfrees <<Just out of curiosity, does anybody know when they switched from just the tram tour to the theme park as we know it today.>> It was around 1991, 1992 when the Studio Center opened up on the lower lot and the tram was relocated from the front of the park to E.T. Adventure adjacent. Then a year or two after that they opened BTTF: The Ride and again relocated the tram.
Originally Posted By knightnfrees In '91, they streamlined the tour from 2.5 hours to 45 minutes. Sometime in the mid 90's they changed the term "Tram Tour" to "Tram Ride". I believe they returned to calling it a Tour nowadays.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper The Conan Stage show that had it's own, dedicated building must have been in the early 80s if I was able to see it.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris "does anybody know when they switched from just the tram tour to the theme park" WHat the...........!?!?! You mean they don't do the tram anymore?!?! I know it was operating when I was there in '02.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo No worries Bob, the tram tour is still there, just much shorter than it used to be (same length as 02). Back in the late 70's early 80's, Universal Studios was more of a visitor attraction than a theme park. The tram ran for 2.5 hours with walking tours and demos of effects. There were a few shows - Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show, Dracula/Conan, Animal Actors, and eventually the A-Team - all on the upper lot. And there were no rides. It's funny, I prefer the old school USH to the Universal theme parks, and I love the educational aspects of it. That's why I was quite disappointed with USF. There were fn rides, but it was an amusement park. The thing is, most people I know prefer USF!!! I really love edutainment with a passion. It's such a shame there is less and less on offer.
Originally Posted By brotherdave My one and only trip to Universal Studios Hollywood was in August of 1969. The tram tour was pretty much the only thing there. I do remember walking through the Incredible Shrinking Man sets with a giant telephone, pencil, etc. You were even allowed to climb on top of the props! I also remember lifting large boulders (actually made of foam rubber) and hamming it up for my dad's old movie camera of how 'strong' I was at age 7. We also saw a wild west stunt show there, hosted by Bob Hastings (from McHale's Navy). We actually got to meet Mr. Hastings after the show for autographs and pictures with him. Really cool and I remember him being very friendly. Along the tram tour, we got to see all of the famous sights such as the Psycho house, the flash flood, the collapsing bridge, the Munster's home, and Marcus Welby's house which was also the Beaver's house (yes, they used the same house for both shows!). We drove by a New York street, went through town square (where they filmed the Music Man) and lots of other famous film and tv locations. Great, great fun!
Originally Posted By knightnfrees <<I really love edutainment with a passion. It's such a shame there is less and less on offer.>> I feel the same way. I loved the fact they showed you in some way how movies are made with such shows as The Star Trek Adventure, Miami Vice Action Spectacular, Western Stunt Show and Cinemagic. They really stepped away from their roots and it's just sad. <<Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show>> Actually before the WWWWSS, there was the Western Stunt Show, which was more comedy/educational based. It was there for a long time. The WWWWSS was more action based and practically non-edutainment. I remember when WWWWSS in the early '90's, the promos made out to be an all out brawl, so it was a bit misleading. Also it was called The Riot Act, but when the riots happened in L.A., they changed it to the Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA davewasbaloo, I feel the same way about the old Universal Studios in Hollywood. Back in the day, it was a much more laid-back kind of experience, but very enjoyable. The other tour we used to enjoy as kids was the NBC Television Studios in Burbank. It was very informal, with walk-throughs of the 'Tonight Show' set, and the local news studio. But again -- fun and informative.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Ahhhh my kindred spirits. Yes you are right Knightnfrees - I did mean the old West Show, where they explained about how they made bottles out of sugar for glass fights, or the quicksand. Also the Comedy Screen Test theater was great for that too. That's what I love about WDS Paris. Unlike the one in Florida, they really do explain how the movies are made with things like Moteurs Action, Armageddon and the Animation Tour. It's just the mix of languages scares people off. Also, the stark streets people fixate on. If you liked old school USH, chances are a trip to WDS would be enjoyable to you. If you are more transfixed on rides and a USF and DHS experience, WDS will disappoint. I think this is why I like WDS.
