What’s up friends?
So, I don’t know how it happened, but it seems like I suddenly have become the theme park correspondent of this site. Some awesome coincidences (what I like to think of as blessings) have given me the opportunity to visit not only Springfield at Universal Studios Orlando but also the version in Hollywood. (for my post about Orlando, click here)
A couple days ago, I found myself packed into an SUV with my family headed down the freeway to Universal Studios Hollywood. For Christmas, my radical mom decided to treat us all to Grinchmas.
Basically, Universal Studios decks itself out with Christmas Decorations in a Dr. Seuss theme. Pretty sweet and I couldn’t help but laugh inside as I thought about the correlation between our very own Grumple and Seuss’ Grinch.
With the obligatory visit to the Grinch knocked out and the Studio Backlot Tour finished, this Wookiee of course was biting at the bit to go enjoy The Simpsons Ride.
We had passed by it on our way to the tour but family has to come first so I waited my turn. Thankfully, all four of us are tappers and it was now my turn to enjoy all the goodies with the complete understanding of my beautiful Mama, Sissy and Boogerino.
Universal Studios Hollywood is a lot smaller than its Orlando counterpart but Southern California’s version includes The Simpsons Ride and a Kwik E Mart (which serves as the gift shop). The sides are painted to show off different buildings from Springfield and even though it’s not the massive street I geeked out over in Florida, it’s still a dream come true for a Simpsons Fan Boy like me.
The outside of the ride might have its own different flavor (no games of chance like Orlando and a slightly different queue) but it is the same bodacious motion simulator ride as its east coast cousin. Both opened in May 2008 and replaced a previous ride based on Back to the Future. The ride revolves around Krusty building a new theme park and has original animations made just for it.
The queue in Hollywood includes awesome posters for other Krustyland rides. I’ve dished on additions we could see in KL for TSTO but always love the chance to show off rides I am still jonesing for.
Once you progress through the outside line, you find yourself inside (basically wedged between Apu at the Kwik E Mart, Willy at a Carnival Game, Patty & Selma at the Lost & Found, Moleman at an Information Booth and others). I couldn’t help but see this one decoration there and think of our current TSTO Holiday Wheel of F-Words.
Which one of these painful things best describes your experience with the wheel? I apologize for the poor quality but I like “Noogie Time!”
There’s also a screen that announces other rides for KL inside. Here’s the screens I saw while I waited to board.
Not so sure about the Krustyland Fudge Factory but the Nuclear Waterslide sounds fun. I love the Haunted Condo screen because it completely settled for me finally why the ghosts never haunted my Krustyland during Halloween. Can’t be any ghosts if they’re closed for ghostbusting. Who ya gonna call?
The ride is just too much fun. I’m sure you could find more info online about it but as I don’t want to tangle with any lawyers over copyright stuff, let me just say I got to ride the Tooth Chipper, Mount Krustmore, Happy Little Elves in Pandaland, Capt Dinosaur’s Pirate Rip-Off and the Death Drop. Also saw a sea panda at the Wet & Smoky Stunt Show (the name is a little different in the ride). Too cool.
Four and a half minutes of fun and I so want to go back and ride it again. If this was a perfect world, I’d start every day with a trip there. While the ride is the bulk of The Simpsons area, there is a lot of sweet stuff and the attention to detail is just as good as Florida.
Unfortunately, my pleas to my family to just live there and forget the rest of the theme park fell on deaf ears and I had to leave to go do other stuff but not before I took care of one last little detail.
Bart and Lisa full-size and in a picture with me… PRICELESS. You might say this is a great shot of three Simpsons celebrities but you’d be wrong about one of them. That Lisa is such a hack and wouldn’t stop telling me about the pony which should be added into TSTO. Jeesh… some cartoon characters.
The rest of Universal Studios Hollywood was a lot of fun but I wanted to make sure I shared this little tidbit of my day with you. Last confession is that I converted my one-day pass to an annual pass so if there’s any other questions or photos I can get for you readers, just let me know. It’d be a shame not to go back and be a nerd some more.
Well, y’all stay classy! TTFN… Wookiee out!
All original art and content © Up All Night, LLC and TSTOAddicts.com
All Screen Shots of Game Graphics & Dialogue and Game Graphics from files ™ and © EA, Gracie Films and FOX
Love this post (and the Florida one as well)! I visited Universal Studios in Florida several years ago, but unfortunately they were still building the Simpsons area. The only thing open was the Kwik E Mart. It was awesome to be able to actually walk inside it, and the merchandise was cool, but I was still bummed that the rides weren’t open. Love the pictures too – it’s almost like being there myself. (Ok, not really, but I’m trying to make myself feel better!)
Glad you liked it. I know not everyone can go and figured it couldn’t hurt to share. That stinks you just missed the ride. Hopefully there’s a next time in your future.
Yea I hope so. If not I can always photoshop myself into other peoples pictures. When I get old I won’t know the difference! 🙂
Lol… I guess you could.
Annual passes are the stuff DREAMS are made off! Looks awesome.
Pretty stoked my friend. Now I can recharge whenever I have the time.