Greetings from Universal Studio Hollywood. Where there's an epic transformation
underway. And no, I'm not just talking about what's going on up the Upper
Lot. Everywhere you look around Universal
City, there are teams of
construction workers taking down trees and/or trimming brush …
Photo by Jim Hill
… or building massive new parking structures (which is
deliberately being built now so that — when USH' next set of attractions all
come on line in 2015 & 2016 — this theme park will then be ready to handle
all of the new Guests that will be heading its way).
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of new attractions, construction of "Fast
& the Furious Supercharged" (i.e., the new finale scene for the USH
tram tour) …
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All rights reserved
… is coming along nicely.
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, this multi-million dollar addition to the USH
tram tour will be contained inside of two massive structures.
Photo by Jim Hill
And to give you an idea how truly huge the "Fast & the Furious
Supercharged" show buildings are … Check out this close-up / recropped
version of the photo above. Which shows the full-sized trams parked right
alongside this still-under-construction structure.
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of construction, work on Springfield
(i.e., that Simpsons-themed expansion of the Upper Lot which — when it opens
in 2015 — will help turn "The Simpsons Ride" and the gaming that
surrounds this attraction into a full-fledged land) has reached the point where
you can actually finally figure out what shops & restaurants are going
where.
Take — for example — this photograph.
Photo by Jim Hill
You see that little white round thing towards the top?
Photo by Jim Hill
That will eventually be used to support this piece of set dressing in this new
USH "land."
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reserved
Which means that this stretch of USH's Springfield
construction site will eventually look like this once all the work is done next
Spring.
Copyright Comcast NBCUniversal. All rights
reserved
Likewise this grouping of already-framed-out structures …
Photo by Jim Hill
… if you compare the placement of the "A" & "Z" in
this close-up / recropping of the above photograph …
Photo by Jim Hill
… you'll see that they line-up perfectly with this piece of concept art …
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NBCUniversal. All rights reserved
… which means that we're now looking at this stretch of Springfield.
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Mind you, right next door to Springfield,
hundreds of construction workers are hard at work on USH's version of The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Photo by Jim Hill
Since I last walked about this construction fence, they've pushed it out a wee
bit further. Which means that this Flintstones-themed fast food stand has
served its last ginormous turkey leg.
Photo by Jim Hill
And since they've begun putting sheet metal roofs on a number of the buildings
in & around Hogsmeade Village …
Photo by Jim Hill
… it's also time to install the underlying supports for many of the twisty
chimneys that will sit on top of these structures.
Photo by Jim Hill
The worksite for USH's version of The Wizarding World of
Harry Potter is just massive. You can not only see it as you walk around the Upper
Lot, but also as you make your way down to the tram tour-loading
station.
Photo by Jim Hill
Though I have to admit that the structures back here don't
look quite as finished as the ones towards the front of the theme park.
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of massive … Check out the work that's being done on Hogwarts
Castle.
Photo by Jim Hill
It's really hard with mere photographs to get across the
sheer size of this show building. But let me provide a few close-ups that (I'm
hoping) will then give you a sense of its real scale. Below is an image of
full-sized construction workers …
Photo by Jim Hill
… exiting the theme park at the end of their workday via
that walkway you'll see in the middle of the photo below.
Photo by Jim Hill
As you can see, that walkway is already three to four stories off the ground.
And that there's then an additional five or six stories of show building above
that walkway.
Photo by Jim Hill
I've included this close-up of the temporary stairway that the
construction workers use to reach what's now the top of Hogwarts
Castle. Just so you can then see —
in the below photo — the very same stairway to the far left in the below
photo.
Photo by Jim Hill
As you can see, this is a genuinely massive structure. Which only get even
bigger when they begin installing the various turrets & towers on Hogwarts
Castle.
Photo by Jim Hill
Speaking of which … What do you folks make of the material
which is now sitting in this backstage staging area?
Photo by Jim Hill
Are these pieces of faux wood & wall headed for the nearby "Fast &
Furious Supercharged" construction site or up the hill to the Wizarding
World worksite?
Photo by Jim Hill
Anyway … That's the latest on what's going on
(construction-wise, anyway) in & around Universal Studios Hollywood. We'll
be sure and follow up with other photos. Especially when USH rolls out its new
night-time version of its venerable tram tour. Which will feature new
character-driven vignettes like Doc Brown & Marty McFly hanging out in Courthouse
Square with their time-traveling Delorean …
Photo by Jim Hill
… or Marilyn Monroe attending a movie premiere on New
York street. But, for now, that's JHM's back …
Photo by Jim Hill
… to front take on what's currently going on with the
construction of USH's versions of Springfield
and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Photo by Jim Hill
Your thoughts?