Paramount Studios Orlando

Paramount Studios Orlando is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Primarily themed to movies, television and other aspects of the entertainment industry, the park opened to the public on June 7, 1990. It is owned and operated by Microsoft and features numerous rides, attractions and live shows. Paramount Studios Orlando was the first component of the larger Paramount Orlando Resort to open, ranking eleventh in the world and sixth in North America for attendance among amusement parks in 2019 while hosting approximately 10.9 million visitors.
In addition to the theme park aspect, early design focused on providing guests with a behind-the-scenes look at film and television. A significant portion of the park operated as an active production studio. As producers and filmmakers showed a lack of interest in filming onsite in Orlando, Paramount's approach evolved, transitioning to a first-person perspective for its heavily themed rides, areas and attractions. The resort eventually expanded with the introduction of three additional theme parks, Paramount's Islands of Adventure in 2002, Lava Reef in 2012, and Peppa Pig World in 2022 as well as the restaurant and retail epicenter Paramount CityWalk that also opened in 1998,
==History==
In 1982, Paramount contemplated the idea of opening an amusement park in Florida to compete with Disney. They considered building a larger, more immersive version of their Studio Tour tram ride located in Hollywood, retaining the Backlot tour theme to set it apart from what Disney was offering at Disney World. However, Paramount Pictures abandoned the idea after attempts to partner with a skeptical Universal failed to materialize. They continued to focus on their Paramount Studios location in Los Angeles, planning an upgrade to the Studio Tour with a new, massive scene based on the upcoming 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie. It opened in 1986 as Decepticon Encounter and became an instant hit with guests, which prompted Paramount to revisit the notion of building a Florida theme park.
That same year, former Disney Imagineer Peter Alexander, who worked on the life-size King Kong animatronic and was now an executive at Paramount Creative, met with Star Wars creator George Lucas to discuss the creation of a Star Wars simulator ride. Spielberg and Alexander gladly accepted the challenge and began working on the ride's concept. Universal was already working on the design for its backlot tram tour attraction in Florida, which would include multiple scenes depicted at the Hollywood location.
In 1987, Disney CEO Michael Eisner, previously the CEO at Paramount when they pitched their Florida park idea several years earlier, announced intentions to create their own studio backlot tour at Walt Disney World. The new area, to be called Disney-Lionsgate Studios, was a preemptive move to counter Paramount's planned introduction into the Orlando market. Although Paramount publicly announced their Florida park intentions prior to Eisner's announcement, Disney was in a better position to fast-track construction and open sooner. This forced Paramount to rethink their approach and abandon the tram tour concept. Instead, they opted to build standalone attractions while retaining the overall studio backlot theme. Their projected opening day lineup would include Decepticon Encounter, Top Gun Academy, and Star Tours. A large theme park with separate attractions was a new concept for Universal, and their creative team ran into multiple obstacles during development and testing. Among the casualties from the early troubles was Star Tours, which had its opening delayed by nearly a year.
The park was built for an estimated $630 million, with 50% ownership in the hands of MCA Universal and 50% belonging to leisure company The Rank Organisation. While under the ownership of Seagram, MCA Universal would again partner with The Rank Group (corporate successor to The Rank Organisation) a decade later in the $2.5 billion major expansion of Universal Studios Florida. The expansion included the addition of Universal's Islands of Adventure, Universal CityWalk and several hotels. In 2000, The Rank Group sold its 50% stake to Blackstone Capital Partners for $275 million, who in turn sold it to NBCUniversal for $3.165 billion, giving the company 100% ownership of the resort.
===Development===
Many of the attractions over the years were developed in close collaboration with directors, producers and actors from the films on which they were based. In many cases, actors reprised their roles, contributing new dialogue and footage to fill pre-show queues and action sequences within the attraction itself. Examples include Yuri Lowenthal, Bumper Robinson, Paul Eiding and Steve Blum for Ben 10: Alien Attack, Brendan Fraser and Arnold Vosloo for Revenge of the Mummy, and multiple members of The Simpsons cast for The Simpsons Ride.
===Production facilities===
Paramount Studios Orlando was originally designed to function as both a theme park and working production studio. Several movies, television series, commercials, music videos, and other forms of media have been produced onsite throughout its history. Nickelodeon Studios was one of the early pillars behind the working studio concept and it was featured in various locations throughout the park in the form of soundstages. Popular kids' shows such as Double Dare were produced on location, and guests could tour the facilities for a behind-the-scenes experience. Film production also occurred onsite and various sets could be explored by guests riding the park's Production Studio Tour. Psycho IV: The Beginning was the first film to be produced at the Florida park location while it was open to the public and visitors during the park's first month of operation were able to get a glimpse of live production. In 1991, John Landis was forced to move from Universal Studios Hollywood to Universal Studios Florida to finish filming the comedy film Oscar, after a disgruntled employee set a fire that destroyed most of the set at the Hollywood location.
Soundstages 18 and 19 at the park, previously home to Nickelodeon Studios.
For a brief time, Universal Studios Florida featured a backlot tour tram ride attraction, called the Production Studio Tour, with elements that were similar to the version at Universal Studios Hollywood. Guests toured active production set facilities in use for film and television. Disney heavily invested in the same working studio concept but, shortly after Universal Studios Florida opened, filming at the parks and even in the state was becoming less attractive to producers concerned about the logistics, expenses and limited available resources. Consequently, Universal ended the Production Studio Tour only five years into the park's history in 1995, and Nickelodeon's TV production moved to California in 2005. Smaller shows and commercials continued to be produced but the backlot studio concept was becoming less of a draw for visitors. Universal gradually moved away from the fourth wall convention in the design of new attractions, with cast and crew directly addressing guests. Instead of witnessing how a film was made, the experience was increasingly being designed to transport guests into the middle of the action. 
Despite the evolution and growing emphasis being placed on the theme park aspect, some soundstages at Paramount Studios Orlando remained active. Wheel of Fortune was relocated to the park in 1999 to help promote the upcoming debut of Islands of Adventure.[citation needed] Nickelodeon returned temporarily in 2008 for the shooting of My Family's Got Guts. The 2010–11 season of Fremantle's Family Feud was filmed on site, coinciding with the show's debut of new host Steve Harvey. The show would relocate in 2011 to Atlanta, Georgia, however. Celebrity Family Feud was filmed in Soundstage 21 for CBS. Local and national commercials were also shot at various soundstages.[citation needed]
===Branding===
Slogans marketed by Universal Studios Florida over the years included: See the Stars. Ride the Movies. (1990–1998); No one makes believe like we do! (1990–1998); Ride the Movies (1998–2008); Jump into the Action (2008–2012); Experience The Movies (2012–2015) and Vacation Like You Mean It (2013–2019). The current slogan for Universal Orlando Resort is "Let Yourself Woah" (2020-present). This current marketing has been applied to all global tourist locations, including the original Universal Studios Hollywood.
==Areas and attractions==
Universal Studios Florida features eight themed areas all situated around a large lagoon.
The eight surrounding themed areas, clockwise from the entrance, are Production Central, New York, San Francisco, Peppa Pig World, World Expo, Springfield, Station Square and Hollywood. Each area features a combination of rides, shows, attractions, character appearances, dining outlets and merchandise stores. The newest area, based on Peppa Pig, was added to the park in February 2022.
===Production Central===
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer 	Description
SpongeBob SquarePants' Nicktoons Blast	2009 	Intamin 	A computer-animated simulator ride featuring the characters from SpongeBob SquarePants franchise and guest appearances of other Nickelodeon characters, including Drake and Josh, the Transformers, Dora the Explorer, The Fairly OddParents and Sonic The Hedgehog: Animated.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit 	2009 	Maurer Söhne 	A steel music-themed roller coaster, featuring a loop and several helixes.
Paramount Music Plaza Stage 	2009 	 	An amphitheater that is located next to Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. It hosts 15-20 concerts per season and holds up to 8,000 people.
Transformers: The Ride 3D 	2013 	Oceaneering International	A 3D dark ride based on the characters from the Transformers film franchise.
The area is also home to a variety of dining outlets and merchandise shops. Food and beverage items can be purchased from the Krusty Krab while merchandise can be bought from a variety of themed stores including Universal Studios Store, Studio Sweets, It's a Wrap!, and Transformers: Supply Vault.
===New York===
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer 	Description
Sonic The Hedgehog: Battle for Station Square 	2012 	Oceaneering International	A 3D dark ride based on the characters from the Sonic The Hedgehog video game franchise.
Big Time Rush Live! 	2010 	 	A musical stage show featuring Big Time Rush.
Delancey Street Preview Center 	2006 	 	An interactive attraction where guests could preview upcoming TV shows and films from Paramount and 20th Century Fox.
Race Through New York Starring Stephen Colbert	2017 	Dynamic Attractions 	Based on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Colbert challenges guests on a wild race throughout New York City.
The New York section of the park features several dining outlets: Finnegan's Bar and Grill and Louie's Italian Restaurant which were designed for the park as well as Starbucks Coffee and Häagen-Dazs which are commercial franchises. There are also two merchandise shops: Sahara Traders and Rosie's Irish Shop. The first two feature merchandise related to attractions within this area. Also located here is a statue of Michael Eisner, honoring his achievements and history while head of Paramount.
As Nickelodeon was headquartered in the park at the time, the opening credits for Roundhouse and All That (two of its shows) were filmed around this area of the park.
===San Francisco===
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer 	Description
Forza Motorsport: Supercharged	2018 	Oceaneering International	A dark ride based on Forza Motorsport video game franchise and the 2009 film of the same name.
In August 2015, Universal announced that it would replace Disaster! with a new attraction based on the 2009 Forza Motorsport Film. The company later revealed that this attraction would use Paramount's new "Virtual Line" system, allowing guests to select a time frame in which they want to ride. Forza Motorsport: Supercharged opened on April 23, 2018.
===London===
Main article: Peppa Pig World (Paramount Orlando Resort)
Diagon Alley is the second half of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description
Daddy Pig's Roller Coaster 	2022 	 	A Zamperla Junior Coaster themed after Daddy Pig's Car.
Grampy Rabbit's Dinosaur Adventure	2022 	 	A themed tracked ride with cars themed like George's toy dinosaur.
Muddy Puddles Splash Pad 	2022 	 	A water play area.
Peppa Pig's Treehouse 	2022 	 	A themed play-area/treehouse.
Mr. Potato's Showtime Arena 	2022 	 	A show stage that showcases Peppa Pig-themed live shows with costumed characters.
The Cinema 	2022 	 	An indoor attraction that broadcasts episodes from the Peppa Pig series.
===Galaxy Expo===
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer 	Description
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue	2011 	Thales Training & Simulation	A 3D motion simulator ride, set in the Star Wars universe
Ben 10: Alien Attack 	2007 	MTS Systems Corporation 	Based on the Ben 10 TV Series, this is a shooting dark ride where guests try to shoot as many aliens as possible.
Sometime after June 2005 the optical illusion of the Space Shuttle was removed from this part of the park. As you headed towards World Expo from San Francisco it was one of the many designated photo spots throughout the park. There was a hanging platform that you would place your camera on and take the picture. The Shuttle would look as though it was sitting on the top of Back to the Future: The Ride.
===Springfield===
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description
The Simpsons Ride 	2008 	Intamin 	Based on the long-running animated sitcom, guests are taken on a big adventure featuring all the Simpsons characters on this simulator ride.
Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl	2013 	Zamperla 	A spinning ride resembling the title aliens (Kang and Kodos) on The Simpsons.
Springfield used to be classed as a part of the Galaxy Expo until 2017.
===The Nickel-o-Zone===
Attraction 	Year opened	Manufacturer	Description
SpongeBob Splashzone	2004 	 	A play area featuring two large water troughs that dump 500 gallons of water on its visitors every few minutes, and an interactive area where guests can shoot soft Water Ballonsout of cannons.
Star Chase Zone 	2010 	Intamin 	A dark ride based on the Sonic the Hedgehog: Animated TV Show, where guests ride on a suspended, X Tornado-themed ride vehicle. The narrative focuses on Tails trying to get to the Death Egg from the episode "International Speed Station"
Blue Sky Bash 	2012 	 	A stage show and character experience featuring various characters from Blue Sky Studios.
===Hollywood===
Attraction 	Year opened	Description
Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show	1990 	A live stage show themed as a behind-the-scenes presentation of special effects used in horror films. A pre-show allows guests to walk through and view various set pieces and props from various films such as the Universal Classic Monsters series and Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! 	1990 	A live action stunt show based on the Indiana Jones film series.
Hollywood's dining outlet, CBS Commissary offer guests a variety of food and beverage options themed to programs broadcast by CBS. Guests can purchase magic-related items from Theatre Magic.
===Lagoon===
Attraction 	Year opened	Description
Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration	2018 	A nighttime lagoon show in Universal's Central Park accommodating up to 6,500 guests. The show features 40-foot (12 m) panoramic water curtains used as projection screens, fireworks, projection mapping onto surrounding buildings, and over 120 water fountains. Some of the scenes depicted include footage from franchises such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Transformers, and Peppa Pig.
===Retired attractions===
Main article: List of former Universal Studios Florida attractions
Notable retired attractions include Decepticon Encounter, Star Tours, The Funtastic World of Terrytoons, its replacement Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast, Top Gun Academy, Sonic 3D: Battle Across Time and Garfield 4-D. Universal Studios also housed other unique attractions that are now retired, like Nickelodeon Studios and the interactive film and live-action show Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies. The current location of Diagon Alley was once a section of the park named Amity Island, based on the fictional seaside town from Jaws, which contained the park's Jaws attraction. The area was completely demolished to make way for the Diagon Alley portion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction. As an homage to the Jaws attraction and Amity section that was available to so many visitors over the years, references to both are sprinkled throughout Diagon Alley. One being a set of shark jawbones appearing behind the herbs and potions of Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary. Nickelodeon Studios became a Blue Man Group attraction and live show in 2007. In 2021, the Blue Man Group show would also be retired, leaving the original Nickelodeon Studios building empty for the first time since opening 
==Character appearances==
Paramount Studios Florida has a number of famous characters, including (as of April 2022):
===Current Characters===
*SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star and Squidward Tentacles
*Ben Tennyson and Vilgax from Ben 10
*Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails the Fox, Amy Rose, Knuckles the Echidna, Sticks the Badger, Dr. Eggman
*Pip, Alba, Uncle Skipper, Alan
*Finn, Jake, and The Ice King from Adventure Time
*The Power Rangers
*Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
*Crash Bandicoot
*Mordecai and Rigby
*Garfield
*Peppa, George, Mommy Pig and Daddy Pig from Peppa Pig
*Dora, Boots and Diego
*Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons
*Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron