The Lost Rides of Universal Studios™

Universal Studios™ Orlando is nearly three decades old, and in that time, many things have changed. Only two attractions from the park’s opening remain, which are E.T. Adventure and  The Lost Rides of Universal StudiosUniversal’s Horror Make Up Show.

Rides have come and gone to ebb and flow with what is popular at the time, and some areas of the park are even on their third attraction change.

The limited area at Universal Studios means that every bit of space matters, so the choice of attractions is critical. Let’s take a look at some of the attractions that have been pushed out to make way for the new and exciting options we have today.

Ghostbuster’s Spooktacular

This attraction was an original when the park first opened, and while the show was in operation, it saw two different versions. The first show was loosely based on the original, with the main villain appearing to torment a Universal Studios employee. The Ghostbusters appear just in time to defeat the villain and save the day.

The second iteration of the show involved the audience more heavily and brought in other characters from the Ghostbusters universe.

The attraction closed its doors in November of 1996 and became the home of Twister. The only remaining evidence of the original attraction is the firehouse façade that the Rip Ride Rocket roller coaster track runs through.

Twister

Twister…Ride It Out opened in 1998 following the close of Ghostbuster’s Spooktacular in 1996, and was a special effects show based on the popular movie that starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton. The attraction was built in conjunction with meteorologists to give an accurate depiction of what an F5 tornado was like.

The attraction closed its doors in 2015, making way for Jimmy Fallon’s Race Through New York in 2017.

Beetlejuice’s Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue

Originally opened in 1992, Beetlejuice’s Rock and Roll Graveyard Revue was a live concert show that featured familiar characters performing a selection of songs that evolved over time in order to stay fresh. One of the longest running attractions at the park, it was closed down in 2015 to make room for Fast & Furious: Supercharged which opened up just weeks ago.

Back to the Future: The Ride

Back in 1991, Universal Studios guests could go back in time to stop Biff from changing the course of history in a Back to the Future themed ride. Guests would hop in the famous DeLorean and travel back in time after accelerating up to 88 miles per hour.
The ride closed in 2007 to make way for The Simpsons, though there are still some hints of the old attraction that remain.

Jaws

Perhaps one of the most high-profile attractions at Universal Studios, Jaws originally opened in 1990 and was based on the Steven Spielberg movie franchise. Guests would board boats for a ride across Amity, but not without the infamous great white shark trying to attack the boat.

Jaws gave up its spot as a fan favorite in 2016 to make room for the Diagon AlleyTM expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM.

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