Originally Posted By phruby With the recent announcement that Universal Studios Hollywood is going to be completely re-imagined with the building of the Harry Potter land on the upper lot, should the studio tram tour be removed too for new rides and shows?
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>With the recent announcement that Universal Studios Hollywood is going to be completely re-imagined with the building of the Harry Potter land on the upper lot, should the studio tram tour be removed too for new rides and shows? <<< I thought the Tram Tour is running through the actual working studio of Universal?
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Boy -- without the team tour through the actual studio -- why bother?
Originally Posted By knightnfrees <<I thought the Tram Tour is running through the actual working studio of Universal?>> It is. With NBC also coming onto the lot, even more production is likely. So, the chance is infinitesimal that the tram tour would be scrapped. That said, Where would they put HP? Well, the Ampitheatre is suppose to torn down and Waterworld is bit old in the tooth. But that is a small area compared to HP in Florida. Another option is the Streets of the World area and old Stunt Show arena, that is sizable footprint and would be a good option. Whatever they have in mind, they are limited to space, so I have a feeling it will be smaller than FL.
Originally Posted By phruby Which makes me wonder if they need all the land the studio takes up on the lower lot. Half the upper lot is going to Harry Potter. If they somehow made it easy to get to old west sets and Jaws. New rides can be built there. People could even roam around the New York streets. That still leaves all the production buildings and sound stages in tack.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 < Whatever they have in mind, they are limited to space, so I have a feeling it will be smaller than FL. > Are they including the coasters in CA? It's possible they could leave them out and just do the FJ and the town.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <If they somehow made it easy to get to old west sets and Jaws. New rides can be built there. People could even roam around the New York streets. That still leaves all the production buildings and sound stages in tack.> Unless Universal decides to just say 'we're not filming here anymore' (which is very doubtful) then having guests milling around the lower lot is next to impossible. It's already a hassle when tram loads full of tourists drive by a filming location. Even with the edition of some of the attractions, the lower lot is still more actual movie studio than theme park. Thank goodness...
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder <a href="http://www.laobserved.com/biz/2013/04/universal_amphitheat.php" target="_blank">http://www.laobserved.com/biz/...heat.php</a> They're tearing down the Ampitheatre. Progress sucks out luid. That is an excellent venue for a concert. Huge mistake.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Not only does it suck out luid, whatever that is, it sucks out loud too.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I'm stunned that this is happening. Saw shows there when it was an open-air venue and then after it was enclosed.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "I'm stunned that this is happening. Saw shows there when it was an open-air venue and then after it was enclosed." I did as well. I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers there in the 70's as well as Steve Martin and the Blues Brothers when it was open air. John Belushi climbing the rigging stoned out of his mind was very entertaining and scary at the same time. I've seen several shows there since it was enclosed, Julian Lennon, Robin Williams, Brian Setzer's Christmas Show, Don Henley (several times), Ringo Starr, Jay Leno (well before the Tonight Show before he became a jerk), Rodney Dangerfield, I saw a benefit concert there that had Henley opening doing a short set, Neil Young acoustically, then Roger Waters, then John Fogerty, then Henley again for a full set. THAT was a great show. It's a very modern facility, not a thing wrong with it, it's not aging or in disrepair. Moronically stupid to tear it down for something as frivolous as a Harry Potter attraction.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Summer of 1980, saw 'America' in concert when it was still open air. As we were walking in, but still outside, we could hear the warm-up act, a comedian talking to the crowd inside. "Okay, on the count of three," the comedian says to those inside the amphitheatre, "I want you to yell to all those people outside -- 'Get the f*** in here' -- 1...2...3..." The entire audience shouts... "GET THE F*** IN HERE!" The comedian? A new guy by the name of Gallagher, who ended his gig by smashing a watermelon with a sledge hammer.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper Wow Jim. You are old. Back to the topic, I think one of the biggest disappointments in my theme park visiting history was going to Universal Studios Florida and finding that they didn't have the tram tour. As a kid growing up in Southern California that memory may even rate higher than my multiple visits to Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Knott's. Florida has become a great park but I still miss the tram tour and I think it would be a huge mistake to eliminate it from Cali.
Originally Posted By phruby I remember going to Universal and they would give you a boarding time for the tram as you enter the park. You spent the time waiting by watching the Wild West stunt show, car stunt show, Animal Actors, a Make-a-episode-type show and Make up monster show. You then spent two hours on the tram and went home.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 < saw a benefit concert there that had Henley opening doing a short set, Neil Young acoustically, then Roger Waters, then John Fogerty, then Henley again for a full set. THAT was a great show.> It sounds like it. I saw some decent shows at that amphitheater too, but nothing that good. (That said, I snagged tickets for Paul McCartney at the Barclays Center in good old Brooklyn for the husband's birthday. I WILL now see a Beatle live for the first time in my life - they won't be doing it forever.) And when I was a kid, Uni basically WAS the tram tour. They didn't even have the stuff phruby outlined at first. Really just the tram tour and a couple of very minor diversions in the 60's.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Yeah, I keep waiting on McCartney to announce Southern California dates but so far no luck. I've seen him several times, the first time back in 1989. I took my wife to see him for the first time back in 2002 or so and she got tears in her eyes when he started singing, that familiar voice filling the room. You'll enjoy yourself. I passed on the Stones this time and their ridiculous prices to see the same set list of 20 or so songs yet again in favor of Macca. He's been doing 40 songs, give or take each show, on stage for almost three hours approaching 71 years of age in June. He varies his set list now and again, which keeps you on your toes. If you ever get a chance to see Ringo, do it. He plays with other name players and they do their hits in between Ringo songs. He usually has Joe Walsh along because they're brothers in law now.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan SPP: Paul McCartney will be at the Outside Lands concert in San Francisco this summer. We saw Paul McCartney in 2005, it was awesome.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder Yes, I remember when you went. I think everyone should see him at least once. I did hear about the S.F. date, but that's unfortunately not doable for us. We're keeping our fingers crossed for something this way.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I'm very excited to see him. Everyone I know who has seen him says the same thing; I can't believe it's taken me this long, and I wasn't letting this one get away. Also, Jerry has no idea, so it will be great fun when I give him the tix on Monday.
