Despicable Me ready for debut - Harry Potter goes vertical at Universal Studios Hollywood

We have a pretty substantial update from Universal Studios Hollywood this week. The walls have come down around the outside of the new Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem revealing some amazing details. Super Silly Fun Land continues to grow as we start seeing just how big the area is going to be.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter has seen some magic steel rising out of the sky as they continue to work furiously on the new area. And as if that weren't enough, the all new games in front of The Simpsons Ride are now open (as of Saturday March 8th).

Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem

Walls have come down in front of the attraction that looks to be on-track to open on April 10th.

Even though the attraction will have two sides all guests will enter through Gru's house and exit just outside.

Looking down Gru's street you can see the amount of detail that just the facade has received.

All of the requisite height indicators, wait time clocks and signs have been placed.

As we look to the right of the entrance we can start to see some additional details for Super Silly Fun Land.

I really think this little area may steal the show.

From the Starway you can see a few more details.

Oddly the best vantage point is through the ceiling of one of the Starway escalators. Go figure.

There were some employee previews this past week but I'm told the preview did not include the ride, but did include some BA-NA-NA flavored treats that would make any Minion drool.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Theme Park fans have been talking so much about Harry Potter the past few years that it's hard not to say that Wizarding World has "finally" gone vertical.
In all fairness, the actual construction for the area has only been going on since early September. Including the demolition of the Universal/Gibson Amphitheater the pace of construction is actually pretty impressive.

Because the park has yet to release any detailed artwork it's hard to know what is going to go where, but it almost looks as if something is going to be inside whatever they are building here (Forbidden Journey?) and something else will therefore be sitting on top (Hogwarts?).

To give some perspective to those of you familiar with Universal/Gibson Amphitheater, there is a stairway to the far left of this picture. That was the stairway that headed near the backstage area of the former amphitheater.

Some wizards wear robes and carry wands, others wear hard hats and operate cranes.

At the end of the tour we see another view of just how massive just this first level of steel is.

More magic steel ready to be hoisted into place.

Super Extreme Close-up.

Simpsons Games

Walls have come down around the new games near The Simpsons Ride. The games officially opened on Saturday March 8th.

Dunk or Flunk

Sideshow You and Thar She Throws

Help Santa's Little Helper

Wild and Willie

Strike 3

Eye Carumba!

We'll be sure to take some time to play some games and detail them more on our next trip.

Around The Park

Not really a whole lot of other things going on around the park.

Waterworld is down for refurbishment as it will have some changes to the show to bring it closer to the version currently being shown in Singapore. We'll be sure to take the waterproof camera and get a front row seat when the show reopens. =)

Tram Production Schedule for Friday March 7th.

Speaking of the tram, now that Jimmy Fallon is hosting The Tonight Show, a slight change has been made to the sign out front.

The Tram can transport you to exotic places ... like Las Vegas. This is outside the set for C.S.I..

Much of New York Street was closed due to filming of Parenthood. Visiting the park during the week increases your chances of seeing actual filming taking places, but also increases the likelihood that some sections of the backlot will be off-limits.

Nothing going on in the former Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift show.

I know it's cheesy, but the Flash Flood is still one of my favorite parts of the tram.

Ooops. Looks like somebody got too close to one of the buildings in the Fountain Courtyard. The Phantom of the Opera Fountain is also nowhere to be seen.

Jaws is still closed.

Still more work going on in the former location of the Mummy Tunnel.

And lastly, as promised, a tribute to one of the great face characters out at the park. This update it's Marilyn Monroe who was kind enough to pose for this picture just outside the tram.

That's going to wrap it up for this update. Despicable Me is scheduled to open on April 10th. If we get wind of any kind of soft opening in the weeks before it's opening we'll be sure to pass it along.

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