Originally Posted By phruby Jim, that is not what I was asking. I know it doesn't exist anymore. I'm wondering where the area that use to be prop plaza is today? Where is that land that use to be "Prop Plaza" located? Can I see it on the map? I thought it was kind of under the Simpsons ride.
Originally Posted By knightnfrees <<Where is that land that use to be "Prop Plaza" located? Can I see it on the map? I thought it was kind of under the Simpsons ride.>> I'm not sure where Prop Plaza is located, but I do know that part of the area underneath the Simpsons ride was Galactica.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA Phruby -- I was just joking around -- I knew you knew it was gone. I feel like Prop Plaza is not far from the Collapsing Bridge -- you head up a steep hill -- into the wardrobe dept -- the backlot is on the left -- the area that used to be Prop Plaza is on the right. I think...
Originally Posted By phruby No problem Jim. I think I found it. Its on the other side of the trees were you look at the old cars and then get squirted by the Jurassic Park dinos on the tram tour. You can still see the buildings and the tram platform.
Originally Posted By schnebs The last time I took the tram tour, the old Prop Plaza was just there, not being used for anything as far as I could tell. Your tram passed it at least once on the way to everything else...
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< But that is a small area compared to HP in Florida. ... Whatever they have in mind, they are limited to space, so I have a feeling it will be smaller than FL. >>> I would imagine that they'd put in the main HP ride, and the town, and skip the existing coasters that they repurposed in FL. They could then build a London / Diagon Alley section anywhere on the lower lot where they could fit it and use the train concept to connect the two.
Originally Posted By phruby The train could be used to move guests down to War of the Worlds plane crash area where the London / Diagon Alley section could be built.
Originally Posted By tonyanton I could see them maybe putting in the smaller coaster with a little Hagrid's house area, as that coaster is kid-friendly and not nearly as obtrustive as the giant dragon coaster.
Originally Posted By 9oldmen >>The last time I took the tram tour, the old Prop Plaza was just there, not being used for anything as far as I could tell. Your tram passed it at least once on the way to everything else... << Part of the area that used to be "Prop Plaza" is now the location of the Braverman house and neighborhood from the Parenthood series. (I'm surprised that nobody else figured this out). Here's a picture of the house: <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6HgTmLll5LE/TT9ksmwWTEI/AAAAAAAAD3A/hRcaXdNGVik/s1600-h/image15.png" target="_blank">http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6HgTmLll...ge15.png</a> ...and here is the area from Google maps: <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&gs_rn=14&gs_ri=psy-ab&cp=13&gs_id=1e&xhr=t&q=universal+hollywood&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46751780,d.cGE&biw=1600&bih=673&wrapid=tljp1368898959687024&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&ei=nb2XUbynMI6UjAK0w4HYDA&sqi=2&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg" target="_blank">http://maps.google.com/maps?hl...gQ_AUoAg</a> If the links don't work, it's not that difficult to look them up on your own. Just go to the map and zoom in to the area between the Curious George garage, and the "Fast and the Furious" attraction. It's my understanding that trams will no longer fit through the area. Your only chance of getting up there might be to take a VIP tour.
Originally Posted By schnebs Well, I'll be hornswoggled - I can see the load/unload structure, but it does look like a good chunk of Prop Plaza's been taken up by Parenthood's facades. Interesting - I may have to take another tram tour soon and re-learn the lay of the land... Do they take trams on the Collapsing Bridge anymore? It doesn't look like there's access away from it any more. I'm assuming the "soundstage" with the long entrance tunnel's King Kong 3D?
Originally Posted By phruby They don't use the bridge anymore. It keeps collapsing when they drive over it. Not sure why they keep it around.
Originally Posted By schnebs <<They don't use the bridge anymore. It keeps collapsing when they drive over it. Not sure why they keep it around.>> They keep trying to dismantle it, but as soon as they stop it keeps putting itself back together. Go figure... Seriously, though, is the bridge no longer part of the tour, or do they have some other way of routing the trams that isn't obvious from the satellite photos?
Originally Posted By phruby My guess is when Kong is down for repairs they move the blockade tram and they drive over the bridge.
Originally Posted By DBitz2 >>I'm stunned that this is happening. (Demolition of amphitheater.) Saw shows there when it was an open-air venue and then after it was enclosed.<< My very first concert after I moved to Southern California in 1982 was there. Olivia Newton John. In the 1990's, the company I was working for rented out the upper lot of the theme park for an evening and we had a private concert by the Pointer Sisters in the amphitheater. I don't mind the venue going to make way for Potter, though. I haven't been to anything there in many years. I would mind if the tram tour went away. But, I seriously doubt that will happen.
Originally Posted By DBitz2 I remember when the "Wysteria Lane" street used to be down on the lot near to the New York streets. The Psycho house used to sit where the Best Little Whorehouse house is. I think the Psycho house has been moved around two or three times in the last 30 years that I've been in SoCal. Who remembers the burning house? One of my favorite sets back in the 1980's was the one on the lagoon with the Goose airplane for Tales of the Gold Monkey. Also liked the old riverboat set, which is now gone. I have pics of NY street with its vivid colors for Dick Tracy. I think I also visited when those streets were dressed out for Newsies. So many good memories. Backlots are magic for me. I guess that's why I enjoy being a historian for Paramount Ranch's Western town set! For anyone who would like to "waste time" looking back nostalgically at Universal's past, check out this nice fan site - <a href="http://www.thestudiotour.com/ush/index.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.thestudiotour.com/u...ex.shtml</a>
Originally Posted By DBitz2 This is more focused on the sets than the theme park, but for those who want to have a Universal backlot geekout, check this out. <a href="http://www.retroweb.com/universal_city.html" target="_blank">http://www.retroweb.com/univer...ity.html</a>
Originally Posted By DBitz2 Deviating a bit, but cool old pictures of the Disney Studios backlot. <a href="http://www.retroweb.com/gallery/index.php?album=Studio%20Backlots/Walt%20Disney%20Studios/Bison%20Archives" target="_blank">http://www.retroweb.com/galler...Archives</a>
