It’s been a little while since we checked in on Universal Studios so I headed over there earlier today to catch up on the big construction projects currently under way. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon is looking more and more complete every time I see it. It won’t be long before we start seeing the exterior wall theming and paint show up, completely transforming the area into a mini Rockefeller Center by next year. Vertical construction has finally begun on the now delayed Fast and Furious Supercharged ride, slated to open sometime in 2018. The steel for a giant show building has risen up from the dirt in just the last few weeks. While I was there I also caught some glimpses of some of the Halloween Horror Nights scare zone decor that’s been showing up around the park, along with the big temporary stage near Battery Park. Check out my video for more details as well as all the images below, and stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon!
Construction Updates
What a beautiful day to visit the park!
Checking in on the Jimmy Fallon ride
Exterior wall work being done
Exterior front starting to look like the real Jimmy Fallon studio
Real NBC Studios in NY on left, Theme Park version on the right (so far)
When complete this will make an already great New York themed area even more authentic looking
Close view of the work going on inside
Other side of the building
Future ride entrance and marquee
Working on entrance marquee
The entrance location may very well be the only thing remaining the same since Twister
Extended show building being closed up
Entire back wall of extended show building now enclosed
Rockit’ passing through
Fallon looks startled
Hashtag
Over at Fast & Furious steel is finally going up, forever changing the skyline at USF
View from the old Beetlejuice plaza
Looks like a large scale show building similarly constructed as the Kong ride (in other words big enough for large screens and ride vehicles)
Soon the view of the Hogwarts Express will once again be blocked
The date on all construction walls has been changed from 2017 to 2018
Taking a look at the old Disaster entrance
Decorating for Halloween Horror Nights has begun
A big blank wall is in front of the graffiti work walls
The blank wall fits the scare zone theming better
Lots of props and plants have been placed in the area
Looks like this scare zone will be ocean themed
Haunted sunken ship
Lew Wasserman statue covered in vines in New York for Horror Nights
An old car for the NY scare zone
Small tunnels in NY park
Garbage heap in New York scare zone
New York is starting to look post-apocalyptic
Decor in studio central scare zone
Small vignette stages set up along the road
Large temporary stage set up near Battery Park for Horror Nights
That’s all for this Universal Update! Stay tuned for more updates soon!
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Alicia Stella has been covering new attractions since 2015, with her work cited by The New York Times, USA Today, CNN, and more. She specializes in reporting on new attraction development, and always looks forward to upcoming changes to the Orlando theme parks. She is also co-author of The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando.
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