Today we return to the small hilltop park in Hollywood to see the current progress of all the construction taking place. Despicable Me has finally opened to big crowds and gave us a glimpse at the high quality we should expect to see from USH in the coming years. There are so many projects happening that in just a few years, guests will not be able to recognize it.
When Universal Studios Hollywood announced Springfield last month, the sheer size of the facility and façade certainly surprised the theme park community. Since then, the steel structure been raised at an alarmingly fast pace and each façade is slowly becoming identifiable when compared to the concept art.
So far the only thing we are seeing is steel, but soon we will see facades for Springfield Elementary, as well as KrustyLu Studios, and Kletus’s Chicken Shack. Unlike Springfield at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, the area will go vertical and feature more of Springfield. While the two areas between Hollywood and Orlando will be similar, it will give guests something new and unique at each park.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Universal Hollywood is still 2 years off the official grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Hollywood, but progress has been steady and construction is said to be ahead of schedule. The Forbidden Journey show building has gone up and is expected to be enclosed in the coming weeks, with Hogwarts Castle most likely springing to life later this year, possibly early next year. The rooftops of Hogsmeade Village are also starting to peak over the fences, from their original spots among the dirt. The rumors have Hogsmeade Village at Universal Studios Hollywood having not only a slew of shops like Ollivander’s Wands, but also a replica of The Flying Hippogriff and Zonko’s Joke Shop. Nothing official has been announced yet.
Fast and Furious: Supercharged
The new Fast and Furious Studio Tour attraction has also started to rise, said to be similar to Kong 360: 3D but with a few new surprises it’s expected to open sometime next year. Early rumors have the same 3D technology as Kong, but with added physical effects, such as cars and a helicopter shootout, with an “explosive ending”. It’s sure to be a huge hit with crowds, and will be a highly anticipated addition, along with the opening of Fast and Furious 7, due out next April.
Finally, what is lurking in Jurassic Park’s extended queue? It has been cleared out completely which could signify early signs of Halloween Horror Nights. Last year this location was home to the HHN maze-Insidious. It was a huge hit with fans, and is said to be making it’s way to Florida’s HHN this year. What will see this lurking beside dinosaurs? It’s completely up in the air at this point, but there are tons of hints out there.
Slideshow-Even more pictures from Universal Studios Hollywood
Stay tuned for more updates from Universal Studios Hollywood, and be sure to follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates!
