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Universal Studios Hollywood is bringing some of our favorite movies to life with the Universal Mega Movie Summer event. The special event follows the mega successful Fan Fest event, and is dedicated to bringing some of Universal’s most iconic films to life within the theme park. Jaws will be getting some extra love during the celebration in honor of its 50th anniversary, and Jurassic World will also be getting in on the fun with an added element to the water ride.
Special menu items, new merch, and themed areas are the highlight of the event, which runs Friday, June 13 through Sunday, August 10. We had a chance to visit the park ahead of the event kickoff to sample some menu items and immerse ourselves in the world of some of our favorite blockbusters. The big one for me was, of course, Jaws. For the first time ever, guests will be able to meet Captain Quint and Chief Brody as meet and greet characters. For old school Universal Studios Hollywood fans, the iconic hanging shark is back! This is a big deal for anyone who remembers sticking their head in the shark’s mouth many decades ago.
You can find the hanging shark (I shared my suspicions with both Captain Quint and Chief Brody that this was not the shark, but merely a shark, and confidentially…they both agreed) just outside the Waterworld entrance. Fitting.
But the Jaws celebration does not stop there. There are special themed menu items available at the Hollywood & Dine, located just inside the theme park’s main entry. The eatery has been transformed into Amity Island Cafe, serving up a menu fit for a great white. Menu and beverage highlights include Lobster Roll, Vegan Crab Cake Sandwich, Fish and Chips, Fish and Chicken Basket, Shark Bait Burger, Shark Fin Funnel Cake, Amity Island Parfait and Amity Beach Lifesaver Donut, as well as The Shark Bite cocktail and Amity Open Water, a non-alcoholic beverage.
I opted for the lobster roll, and I have to say… it was delicious, not by theme park standards but by good food standards in general. I also had to try the Shark Fin Funnel Cake, and as a big fan of blueberry pancakes… it was delightful. It is absolutely massive, though, so I ‘d advise sharing the family size montrosity with a group. But if you put the whole thing away yourself, I’ll be the first to congratulate you!
One more stop on the Jaws Golden Anniversary tour, Jaws will be featured on the iconic Hollywood Sign replica, situated along the backlot hillside, and the infamous Jaws Lake attraction as it celebrates July 4th all summer long. You can spot that on the famous Studio Tour.
Next up, Jurassic World! I met an incredibly fascinating little creature named Dolores. Her handler shared some facts about the tiny dino, and you can meet her yourself in the lower lot outside of the Jurassic World entrance.
And speaking of the Jurassic World ride… when we heard of the new “Mosasaurus Splash” addition, we weren’t really sure what that meant. It’s been a bit since I’ve been on the ride, so all of the Jurassic World specific elements were new to me, including the impressively detailed dark ride portion of the ride.
What I did not realize was that this new addition to celebrate Jurassic World Rebirth is as follows: the 84-foot water drop at the ride’s finale will reverberate with the menacing roar of a Mosasaurus. Four new Spitter dinosaurs will join the melee and water geysers will erupt to shower guests. I’m going to be so bold as to say this may even underplay how wet this is.
Folks, the new addition to the Jurassic World ride is that you are going to get absolutely soaked. I mean positively annihilated. When you hit that drop and your butt hits your stomach, you will also experience the sensation of getting absolutely hosed. I had a poncho on, hood up, which I pulled down like a shield, and all I heard was a constant barrage of spray shooting at the thin plastic tarp I had draped my body in.
The folks who braved the ride sans poncho looked not like they had jumped in a pool, but I guess… well, like they had been attacked by four spitter dinosaurs and a water geyser eruption shower on top of the usual splash at the end of the drop. You’ve been warned.
There’s also a very cool Jurassic World Rebirth photo op featuring a horrifying Spinosaurus dinosaur. And you know, it actually lends itself to the experience if you ride Jurassic World first and step into the scene proper misted and wet.
You can meet other dinosaurs in the area, the aforementioned adorable Dolores from Jurassic World Rebirth will join Blue the Velociraptor, Juliet the Triceratops and Baby Tango. These highly realistic, lifelike dinosaurs will engage with guests alongside the debut of an all-new adventure character, also inspired by Jurassic World Rebirth.
And don’t worry, if you work up an appetite after escaping spitting dinos and a hungry Spinosaurus, you can grab a bite at Jurassic Cafe, serving up a sampling of new prehistoric delicacies, plus Isla Nubar will feature new cocktails, The Jurassic Water Rebirth and Spicy Jurassic Pearadise.
The greatest movie of all time, Back To The Future, celebrates its 40th anniversary with character meet and greets (including Einstein!) and a themed menu at Mel’s Diner. How To Train Your Dragon fans can get up close and personal with a very adorable Toothless statue, and fans of Wicked and Fast & Furious will also have lots to look forward to in the park this summer. Between Fan Fest, Epic Universe, and now Mega Movie Summer, Universal really seems to be embracing what we love most about the park — the movies that made it! If you love movies, this is a very good place to be!
For additional Mega Movie celebrations happening across City Walk, check out more from the official press release below. Universal Mega Movie Summer is happening now, and is included with regular theme park admission. Get your tickets and more information right here.
Universal CityWalk Hollywood is also toasting Universal Mega Movie Summer with a variety of entertainment and limited-time offerings. These include:
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Voodoo Doughnut, featuring the cleverly named Doughnut Go In the Water inspired by Jaws, plus Little Stepper and Big Stepper treats inspired by Jurassic World Rebirth.
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The Universal Studio Store and Cartooniversal will sell a variety of themed merchandise aligned with Universal Mega Movie Summer’s engaging entertainment.
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Five Towers Stage will shake, rattle and roll with DJs and stage performances. Visit Universal CityWalk for more information and a schedule of events.
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Universal Cinema, an AMC® Theatre, is the ideal location to catch the latest blockbusters, including How to Train Your Dragon and Jurassic World Rebirth, with an opportunity to see original movie costumes on display in the theatre lobby. Moviegoers will also have a chance to watch the original Back to the Future movie on the big screen with multiple screenings taking place on July 3. Universal Cinema is the only theatrical venue in the world to feature both a six-story 70MM IMAX® with 4K laser projection and the new PRIME at AMC® theater, featuring 4K laser projection, superior acoustics and heated, plush, recliner seats with built-in subwoofer technology. Visit Universal Cinema for up-to-date screenings and times.
