Universal from "The Old Days"

[AnAmericanInDisney]

I'm talking early 90's. Can anyone else picture what Universal looked like, then? You parked right across the street from the entrance. I remember the "ride guide" on King Kong, who was an aspiring actress and really into her part. Jaws was a popular attraction. It was a totally different experience, and it's amazing to see what the park has become.

Does anyone else remember their early trips?

 

[damo]

The first time we went was about in 1994. I remember the Ghostbuster show with the Stay Puft marshmallow man, the Kong ride and the Alfred Hitchcock show!

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

First time I went was spring of 1999. IOA was being built at the time. I remember going in and my favorite rides were Back to the Future and Jaws. Miss those rides.

 

[macraven]

my first visit was summer of 1992.
each year we went to the motherland, we would drive up and do the darkside a couple a days a week.


once the hotels came onsite, we did split stays for our vacations.
move from one resort to another.

anyone remember the tram touring car of universal?

we all loved the first ghostbuster show and loved alfred hitchcock show.

always enjoyed the murder she wrote show especially when it was blazing hot outside.......

only missed one year since 1992 since i started going to the darkside.

 

[Bluer101]

my first visit was summer of 1992. each year we went to the motherland, we would drive up and do the darkside a couple a days a week. once the hotels came onsite, we did split stays for our vacations. move from one resort to another. anyone remember the tram touring car of universal? we all loved the first ghostbuster show and loved alfred hitchcock show. always enjoyed the murder she wrote show especially when it was blazing hot outside....... only missed one year since 1992 since i started going to the darkside.

Yep, the tram tour, lol. I have been going since the beginning. We went late 1990 and boy I have seen all the changes.

 

[Bluer101]

First time I went was spring of 1999. IOA was being built at the time. I remember going in and my favorite rides were Back to the Future and Jaws. Miss those rides.

You just missed IOA opening then. IOA opened Memorial Day weekend that year.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

You just missed IOA opening then. IOA opened Memorial Day weekend that year.

It was late March when I went down. I remember looking over and it looked done.

 

[wookiebeck]

I remember the tour of Nick studios and the slime fountain.

Hanna-Barbera before Jimmy Neutron before Despicable Me.

I have a pin from the original Hard-Rock restaurant that was shaped like a giant guitar.

 

[ChrisFL]

Universal Studios is almost entirely different than when it opened. I think the only remaining attraction that's practically unchanged from day 1 is E.T.

The horror make-up show has existed in one way or another,though the name changed a few times and Animal Actors has changed several times.

Anything else I'm forgetting?

 

[richmond282]

I went in May of 95. I remember The King Kong ride, Jaws, , Back to the Future, E.T., and Earthquake had just opened I think. I remember waiting FOREVER to ride that blasted thing and being like "I waited that long for THAT?" I'm sure there were other rides, but those are the ones I remember.

 

[AnAmericanInDisney]

I vaguely remember the Hitchcock Show and Ghostbusters. We thought Earthquake was so scary. There was nothing like it in existence. Kong was the best. Jaws was different somehow. I think they re-designed it. I know we saw some shows- Blues Brothers, maybe. It was before Barney, but I can't remember what year it was. I just know it was a long time ago.

 

[DOOM1001]

My first trip was October 1992,BTTF was like the most amazing high tech ride back then and I remember waiting over an hour to ride,being a huge BTTF fan even the 80-90 minute line was awesome with the video of Doc Brown.I also did my first ever HHN on that trip,missed the first year in 1991 and maybe another 2 years around 96-98 but aside from those years I've done every other year.

 

[LuvGoofy6]

Oh, I remember many of these: Earthquake, Nickelodeon slime, Alfred Hitchcock, King Kong and Jaws. I miss many of them! Just reading everyone's posts brought a smile to my face...thank you for the trip down memory lane.

 

[connors95]

I remember all those classics. There was also Norman Bates house toward the back of the ET section. I would have sworn that I saw the mother rocking in a chair by the window.

 

[vakamalua]

Bring back GHOSTBUSTERS!!! Twister is totally lame.

 

[jsutherin1]

I remember the first time I went they had celebrities come in and answer questions on an outside stage. I saw Neil Patrick Harris when he was in Doogie Howser!! I also remember the Psycho house and "leaving" the park out of a back gate to go to the Hard Rock for lunch

 

[LenaN4fun]

I lived in an apartment right near the open field where universal is today. I remember driving everyday to and from work and seeing this strange house being built right in the middle of the field. When it was done, I remember saying, that looked like the house from psycho. Little did I know that it was. Universal kept their opening under wraps, hush hush. It was until the big gates were put out front on Kirkman rd that they had their universal sign put out.
As far as the back gate for the old hard rock, If you go in the back of the curious George water, ball factory area you will still see that gate and part of the old hard rock is still there.
Do you remember when they had the nickelodeon tour where you would walk through the neat sound stages of all their cool game shows?

 

[nancipants]

Do you remember when they had the nickelodeon tour where you would walk through the neat sound stages of all their cool game shows?

Yes! I remember being really excited because I loved the show "Clarissa Explains it All." They also gave people the chance to eat the green slime, and my mom volunteered. I thought it was both the grossest and coolest thing, lol.

I also got to be one of the grips for Earthquake, and my mom was a shopper.

 

[Seeker615]

I went with my husband not long after it opened. Back to the Future was just amazing and we loved Jaws, King Kong and Ghostbusters.

In 1998 we took the kids and spent a lot of time in the Nick Studios. The kids participated in the a couple of the "game shows" and loved it.

My son got was chosen to help out in the Animal Actor show. He loved being up close with Beethoven and a live monkey.

I remember Hard Rock being elsewhere and I loved seeing the Psycho House.

There was also a Xena show when we were there. My daughter was a huge fan so she was in her glory.

I have pics of the kids with Fred Flintstone. I don't think he is there anymore.

 

[ChristaDeVil]

I haven't been since 1993 (going this August), so this thread brings back soooo many memories. King Kong was so much fun and I remember the Alfred Hitchcock show like it was yesterday.