<\/p>\n
Theme park fans can take an intriguing peek behind the curtain with the new three-part Peacock series \u201cEpic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks.\u201d<\/p>\n
The programs tell the somewhat parallel stories of the making of Epic Universe<\/a>, which debuted in Orlando in late May<\/a>, along with the overall history of Universal parks, going way, way back to the days of the under-recognized Carl Laemmle<\/a>, founder of Universal Pictures<\/a> and its subsequent studios tour.<\/p>\n On the Epic side of the series, there\u2019s a smidge of false peril concerning whether the theme park will open in time because, well, we know how that turns out. But the shows effectively demonstrate that there were millions of things to fret about, ranging from trimming werewolf hair to scuffed-up trash cans to \u201cCan we get this going in time?\u201d<\/p>\n There are revelations and rare looks across the episodes. I won\u2019t say trade secrets are shared, but surprises unfold, the kind that make me ponder, \u201cWould I say that aloud as cameras were running?\u201d So, here are 10 surprisingly frank moments along the \u201cEpic Ride.\u201d<\/p>\n Showcased in broad daylight: Dark Universe, including its Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment<\/a> attraction and its array of animatronics. Viewers can spy mid-pose or malfunctioning figures, which can appear very dead in the eyes when not moving. (There are also shots of the animatronics in a warehouse going through their motions.)<\/p>\n Team members are seen in the Unchained rafters, and there are discussions about timing, lighting, impact and first impressions. There is not, within earshot, any chat about Barefoot Dracula<\/a>.<\/p>\n Drama happens with planned drone-powered dragons set to fly above the park. There are problems with it being louder than anticipated, its shape (sporting a 10-foot wingspan), the weight of battery packs and windy conditions. It builds to a scene where it\u2019s determined if it will fly by opening day.<\/p>\n That\u2019s when I wished the series were in the style of \u201cThe Office\u201d and with face-to-camera reactions.<\/p>\n I settled for \u201cit is probably a little more difficult than we anticipated\u201d from Katy Pacitti, executive producer of the How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk area, during the testing. And on typical, late-push problems: \u201cRight now, everything is glitchy.\u201d<\/p>\n Another mechanical sight is the below-the-surface glimpse of Constellation Carousel, an attraction in Epic\u2019s Celestial Park. Granted, this merry-go-round is more complicated than typical carousels, with multiple circles rotating in both directions and creature-based vehicles moving higher than anticipated.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s Florida. We don\u2019t think about basements.<\/p>\n Repeatedly in the spotlight is \u201cLe Cirque Arcanus,\u201d a stage show inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter \u2013 Ministry of Magic.<\/p>\n Where it gets unusual is with a couple of fantastical beasts involved. We see team members trained on how to walk inside the puppets, which are massive and awkward. We don\u2019t see inside the structure, which might be a step too far. It\u2019s not as jarring as, perhaps, a headless Mickey Mouse, but some people might say this can ruin the magic.<\/p>\n The series\u2019 release was postponed a couple of times, mostly recently, soon after the death aboard Epic\u2019s Stardust Racers roller coaster in September. An official reason wasn\u2019t given for the Peacock series delay, but you had to wonder how the attraction would be handled.<\/p>\n Early on in the series, viewers see the ride \u2014 it\u2019s very telegenic \u2014 but it\u2019s not addressed in the voiceovers. When that changes, the theme is safety.<\/p>\n \u201cSafety is always No. 1 in our minds \u2014 safety of our workers, safety of ourselves, safety of our guests,\u201d says Steve Tatham, executive creative director with Universal Creative. \u201cNone of this happens if it\u2019s not done safely. So we have people whose job it is to monitor the safety, so we can address any safety concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n There are scenes of testing the vehicles, monitoring the morning dew and \u201ctech rides\u201d with only a team member onboard.<\/p>\n The episodes feature loads of Universal Orlando employees, past and present, as well as outsiders. (Watch out for the circa 1990 version of Mark Woodbury<\/a>, who is now the president and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences.).<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just executives. There are creative types, engineers, mechanics and all manner of designers, many of whom have not been camera-facing for the company much, not to mention dozens of rank-and-file folks in scenes. It\u2019s a good blend.<\/p>\n Their words serve as the narrator of \u201cEpic Ride.\u201d A few stars \u2014 Michelle Yeoh<\/a>, Bryce Dallas Howard<\/a>, Vin Diesel<\/a> \u2014 are in the mix, but sparingly seen. (Random fact: Diesel was inspired as a child by the book \u201cThe Story of Ferdinand.\u201d<\/a>)<\/p>\n Some of those team members have, well, fear in their eyes. Not all, not always, but, yikes, there\u2019s so much pressure they say the word \u201cpressure\u201d a lot.<\/p>\n Granted, this is the chosen throughline of the three episodes, so it may be edited to emphasize that making the opening date deadline is front of mind. After all, this company makes films, you know? I do not want to believe that any of that was movie-making magic. I was buying it. (It all turns out OK. Repeat, repeat.)<\/p>\n To Universal\u2019s credit, past foibles are given airtime. Chief among them was the jam-packed opening day of Universal Studios Florida theme park, June 7, 1990.<\/p>\n A looking-back quote: \u201cIt was an amazing accomplishment just to get where we were, but we weren\u2019t ready,\u201d Jon Corfino, vice president of Universal Creative, says. Plus news footage of unhappy visitors chanting \u201cRefund! Refund!\u201d and reports of rides just not working on Day 1, and this on-air commentary: \u201cGrand opening is a flop.\u201d<\/p>\n So if we wonder where the pressure mentioned in the previous item comes from \u2026 well, there\u2019s history.<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt like the world\u2019s eyes were on us,\u201d says Tom Williams, who retired as Universal Parks CEO in 2022.<\/p>\n I was surprised by how often the D word was used. Disney. It was uttered with respect, mostly, but in a competitive way, especially regarding the Michael Eisner era. It made me feel like Disney was\/is under Universal\u2019s skin, and I don\u2019t typically feel that way.<\/p>\n Oh, but the observations of Jay Stein, a longtime executive who led Universal\u2019s charge into Orlando, are good TV. His words may weigh heavier now: Stein died last week at age 88.<\/p>\n Another featured celeb is Steve Spielberg, a creative consultant on Universal theme parks, and there were scenes of him on the construction site.<\/p>\n Most interesting to me was his explanation of the popularity of the Jaws ride.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they built the Jaws ride, I learned a big lesson. And that is if an audience really wants to participate in something and get really emotionally involved, they are going to suspend their disbelief,\u201d Spielberg says in the second episode.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen that shark comes out of the water and scares people \u2026 that\u2019s really fake. It\u2019s really fakey, but it works because people come on that ride expecting to be scared, and they\u2019re going to look past the flaws of a big, steel polyethylene monster, somewhat resembling a great white shark, that suddenly comes out of nowhere and surprises all of them. They allowed us to get away with it because they wanted a bang for their buck. And they got it with Jaws.\u201d<\/p>\n He was referring to the \u201cJaws\u201d segment added to the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot tour in 1976. But it also applies to the Orlando-based Jaws ride, which closed in 2012, making room for Wizarding World of Harry Potter \u2013 Diagon Alley.<\/p>\n ____<\/p>\n \u201cEpic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks\u201d debuted on the Peacock streaming service Nov. 17. Universal Orlando and Peacock streaming service are both part of the Comcast corporate family.<\/p>\n ____<\/p>\n<\/div>\nLights on<\/h3>\n
Up in the air<\/h3>\n
Under and around<\/h3>\n
Inside the beast<\/h3>\n
The Stardust situation<\/h3>\n
Face time<\/h3>\n
Pressure points<\/h3>\n
Flashback to 1990<\/h3>\n
The D list<\/h3>\n
The jam of Jaws<\/h3>\n