Travel to Hollywood
Two of the most attractive sets at Universal Studios are the streets of Hollywood Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. While ignoring actual geography, these sets pay tribute to Hollywood’s golden age from the 1920s to the 50s. The famous Mocambo nightclub, the luxurious Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the top beauty salon, Max Factor, and the movie palace, Pantages Theater, are just some notable examples of the wonderful re-creations lining these streets.
Shaped like a hat, the Brown Derby restaurant was once a fashionable eatery where the film glitterati used to congregate; Universal’s own version is a fun hat shop. Schwab’s Pharmacy, where hopefuls hung out sipping sodas and waiting to be discovered, is brought back to life as an old fashioned ice cream parlor.
The widely recognized Hollywood Walk of Fame, with the names of stars embedded in the sidewalk, just as in the real Hollywood Boulevard, has also been faithfully reproduced.
The top attraction in Hollywood is Terminator 2: 3-D. Designed with the help of James Cameron, the director of the Terminator movies, this exciting ride uses the latest in 3-D film technology and robotics, along with explosive live stunts and giant screens, to catapult the audience into a battle with futuristic cyborgs.
The fast-paced 3-D action features the star of the original films, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other cast members. A typical sequence has a Harley-Davidson “Fat Boy” dramatically bursting off the screen and onto the stage. Note that young children may find this ride a bit scary.
Lucy – A Tribute acknowledges the talent of Lucille Ball, the queen of comedy and one of the world’s favorite stage and television stars. The museum showcases clips, scripts, costumes, props, and other memorabilia from the comedian’s hit TVshow, I Love Lucy. The den of Lucy’s Beverly Hills home and the set of her show have been meticulously replicated. The tribute also features an interactive game for trivia buffs to test their Lucy knowledge, as well as a gift shop where guests can pick up mementos.
The museum is an ideal place to escape from the heat of the afternoon sun as well. Another fascinating exhibit at Hollywood is the Universal Horror Make-Up Show. The attraction offers a behind-thescenes look at how movies use makeup to create scary monsters and creepy effects. Props from films, such as the wax head from The Exorcist, the chambers where a man was merged with a fly in The Fly, and several masks, are on display. In addition, trained workers demonstrate the substitutes that can be used to resemble blood and slime.
This partly gory and partly entertaining show takes place in a theater-like setting.
