Before CityWalk and Islands Of Adventures, Universal Studios was the only park there, the archway was the real entrance to the park, so you used parked your vehicle in front of it. So here we have some old pictures from what it used to be Universal Studios Florida before it became Universal Orlando Resort.
this is a air view of the construction site of Universal Studios Florida, Look how around the park was only water and grass, this Photo is Around 1989
this Photo is when the Expansion Started, the Large Building to the Right is the Parking Lot Complex we have now, and also is connected to the Tunnel that leads to CityWalk, this was taken sometime in 1997
Construction of the Parking Lot Complex
Construction of the Tunnel
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| Parking Lot Complex Topper
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Notice how the Globe was Near the Nickelodeon Studios (Now BlueMan Group Theater) and how different it was.
Universal Studios Florida's Mission was to make guests feel they were on a movie set, so they had an action Lagoon Show that happened twice a day.
Old Hard Rock Cafe: When Universal Was built Inside Dinner Experience was a Most do, so a Guitar-Shaped Hard Rock Cafe Was built
After Universal Announced and Opened CityWalk and Islands of Adventure, The old Hard Rock cafe was Cleared up and Abandoned, it was demolished last year.
KongFrontation, A scary encounter with King Kong Himself, it was closed in 2002 to be replaced with the Revenge of the Mummy.
Before Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and the Concert Plaza, there was something known as "The Boneyard" where all the Movie Props were placed and people can see it. this was closed in 2006, and it was cleared as a plaza.
Jaws: The now- Extinct Ride was changed sometime in 2004, but this is a photo of the finished ride before the park opened to public. look how the're cars and trucks on the path of the park. 1989.
The Bates Motel: Universal Studios Florida had some sets and props places around the park, the bates motel was one of them, this horror Motel was in the location of the Kidzone and Curious George goes to town Water area. it was turned down and sent to California.
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Nickelodeon Studios: Nickelodeon Used to Record some of his shows here in Florida, and as an attraction they had that guests could enter and see how some of the shows were filmed. some of the most famous shows recorded here were: Double Dare, Nickelodeon GAS, Slime Time. among other. some of the Props used in Nick Studios can be found in the Nickelodeon Store next to the now Closed Jimmy Neutrons Ride (Soon to be Despicable Me; Minion Mayhem).
 Nickelodeon's Contract with Universal ended in 2004 and for low attendance and for high costs of producing shows, Nickelodeon Studios Closed Forever April 2005. Universal Waited a Couple of years and with a change in the exterior and some refurb inside, Sharp Aquos Theater was Born and Blue Man Group Shows started to play. |
Sometimes is really good to know the history of a park, Now next time you visit Universal Orlando, you now know how it was before.
-TPBNews Team
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(Thanks to RetroJunk.com and WdwFacts.com for some of this pictures)
