Disney Could Learn A Thing Or Two From Universal Studios' Awesome Fan Fest Nights

Welcome to nan first version of Mr. Todd’s Wild Ride, a play newsletter each astir taxable parks.

Theme parks, I’ve agelong believed, are art. Here successful Southern California, they are institutions.

And present astatine The Times, I person been penning astir taxable parks for much than a decade. As a journalist but also arsenic a fan, moreover attempting to analyse my ain emotion for these spaces and why I support going back.

My introduction to taxable parks were trips to Florida’s Walt Disney World. These vacations were nan item of my youth, helping a shy, awkward kid get retired of his ammunition and observe a safe world of play. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve travel to spot parks arsenic places that bespeak our celebrated myths backmost to us, allowing america to unrecorded wrong them and specify a domiciled for ourselves. I still insist connected riding Pirates of nan Caribbean each Disneyland visit, conscionable arsenic my begetter utilized to. It’s nan second-greatest thrust astatine nan park, aft all.

That’s not to opportunity taxable parks are perfect. They are crowded, they are costly and progressively they abstracted the haves and nan have-nots. We’ll talk astir immoderate of that here, too, successful summation to theme parkland history, taxable parkland artistry, SoCal taxable parkland news and really to maximize your day. Thank you for reading, and I dream you bask nan ride.

Take connected a characteristic and quest astatine Universal Studios

I americium opinionated successful beforehand of a makeshift cemetery. On nan paths betwixt gravestones are colored footprints, arsenic if near by animation characters. These are nan trails of a suspect. Purple imprints are what I’m seeking.

I americium connected nan case, and nan Scooby-Doo pack is present to help: Velma, Daphne, Fred, Shaggy and, of course, Scooby-Doo himself. Left successful nan thorny bushes of nan graveyard is simply a clue. Once nan second is discovered, I americium 1 measurement person to solving nan mystery, 1 that has unleashed a big of Universal’s classical movie monsters connected nan ol’ Europe conception of nan studio’s backlot.

A mash-up of Universal’s classical monsters and “Scooby-Doo!” characters is featured successful a game-like acquisition astatine Fan Fest Nights.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Can I and a fewer 100 strangers reconstruct bid and prevention nan day?

Universal’s Fan Fest Nights is successful its 2nd year, and aft a mixed debut past spring, nan after-hours, specially-ticketed arena has deed its stride. The centerpiece of nan fest, which runs connected prime nights done May 16 pinch tickets starting astatine $74, is simply a mash-up of “Scooby-Doo!” and Universal’s Monsters, a lengthy game-focused quest pinch flight room-worthy puzzles.

The experience, arsenic good arsenic those focused connected nan worlds of “Harry Potter,” “Dungeons & Dragons” and anime sensation “One Piece,” are hefty, limited-time installations that would beryllium worthy of including successful a taxable park’s regular operations, arsenic nan champion of them research pinch characteristic interactions and domiciled play.

While exploring these pop-up worlds, I couldn’t thief but deliberation astir really stagnant Disney’s ain specially-ticketed events person become. Fan Fest and Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights alteration yearly, yet Disneyland’s celebrated Oogie Boogie Bash has go repetitive and its different themed nights are excessively reliant connected photograph ops and accepted characteristic meet-and-greets.

Taken arsenic a whole, Fan Fest resets expectations for what an after-hours, taxable parkland arena should be.

Here location are photograph ops and limited-run food, judge (and I highly urge nan graham cracker-like Scooby Snack cookies), but Universal’s unrecorded theatrical squad has placed nan accent connected exploratory attractions. Actors abound, allowing guests to thin successful and return connected an progressive role.

A “Harry Potter” acquisition astatine Fan Fest Nights is simply a locomotion done a fantastical wood looking for a magical creature.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

In nan Potter-focused “Forbidden Forest: Search for nan Hippogriff,” we are amateur wizards connected nan prowl for a magical creature, successful this lawsuit a majestic, oversized puppet. It reminded maine of being a young Boy Scout and going connected evening hikes into nan woods pinch a guideline regaling america pinch mysterious tales. In “Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep,” a returning acquisition from past season, we are alternately adventurers and thieves.

And successful nan Scooby gang’s “The Case of nan Phantom Director,” we are formed arsenic extras successful a movie production. The Scooby Doo quest, nan bosom of nan night, comes complete pinch a 14-page manual afloat of characteristic bios, clues and missions. You’ll person to read, but it’s a stake that today’s guests are craving individual and interactive attractions that propulsion arsenic overmuch from immersive theatre arsenic they do classical taxable parks. I applaud this benignant of tinkering pinch nan formula, moreover arsenic I wonderment really attendees will return to having to complete existent brain-teasers successful a taxable park. At slightest location is simply a payoff pinch a mini show (you do not request to complete nan challenges to spot nan finale).

It took my friend and maine much than an hr to lick nan Scooby game, and, I confess, we didn’t complete 1 of nan 4 mini-puzzles. While nary of nan head-scratchers individually are each that stressful, they are much analyzable than emblematic taxable parkland fare and require guests to get retired of a mindset of rushing from arena to event. (Another friend of excavation declared herself excessively “stupid” to complete nan missions, but Scooby fans whitethorn simply bask surviving successful nan make-believe world and playing pinch nan actors).

More of this benignant of playful inventiveness, please. Magic isn’t ever a fancy animatronic. Sometimes it’s conscionable personalization.

A “One Piece”-inspired stunt show is simply a celebrated offering astatine Universal’s Fan Fest Nights.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The week successful SoCal taxable parks

• Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will rotation retired some awesome changes connected Wednesday. Out pinch Kylo Ren and successful pinch Darth Vader (and Luke, Han and Leia). I’ll person much connected this adjacent week.
  
• It’s your past chance to meet a Wall-E and Eve robotic fig astatine nan Pixar Place Hotel. Wednesday is nan last time presently connected nan schedule. This has been a celebrated meet and shake hands astatine nan Disneyland Resort, truthful springiness yourself astatine slightest an hour, possibly more, to guidelines successful statement if it’s a privilege for you.
  
• Looking for a Disneyland deal? If you tin get location midweek, single-day, single-park tickets tin beryllium had for $104 connected Wednesday and Thursday. The friendlier value is besides disposable adjacent week, connected May 5-6.
  
• Universal Fan Fest Nights returns Friday done Sunday and while I intelligibly had a affirmative experience, if you’re considering going, beryllium prepared for lines. The “Harry Potter” walk-through was a two-hour hold astir of nan evening. Queue up early, too, for nan crowd-pleasing “One Piece” stunt show, arsenic location were only 3 performances connected opening night.
  
• Disneyland has announced a big of new nutrient options coming to nan parkland this week, including blueberry cobbler doughnuts astatine Lamplight Lounge and a Philly cheesesteak astatine Pym Test Kitchen.
  
• Facial nickname is now being used widely astatine Disneyland entranceway gates. Disney isn’t nan first taxable parkland aliases awesome SoCal venue to utilize specified technology, but Times news writer Hannah Fry said to guests astir its implementation and delved into nan ethical concerns surrounding it.

The champion point I ate astatine nan parks

Universal Studios’ Scooby Snacks cookies are a delightful treat.

(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)

I mention this above, but arsenic portion of Fan Fest, Universal Studios has released a container of “Scooby Snacks.” They travel successful bundles of four, packaged successful tiny purple and greenish Girl Scout-inspired boxes. They are a delight, and only astir $10. The chromatic & cinnamon canine tags besides make a good java accompaniment pinch meal arsenic these are somewhat oversize, graham cracker-style cookies. The only antagonistic is you’ll request a Fan Fest summons to snare them.

Ride report

There was precocious a tweak to Universal Studios’ tram tour.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The past mates weeks I’ve spent a important magnitude of clip astatine Universal Studios, partially successful prep for Fan Fest and nan presence of the Fast & Furious coaster this summer, but I besides wanted to return successful its workplace tram circuit (officially designed arsenic nan World Famous Studio Tour). Aside from being a historical attraction, location was precocious a alteration to its “King Kong” section. Namely, 3-D glasses are nary longer required. As personification prone to mobility sickness, this is simply a invited alteration and I’m pleased to study it looks spiffy. Now if we could conscionable do thing astir that stomach-churning “The Simpsons” ride.

Tell america your stories. Ask america your questions.

Have a taxable parkland communicative to share? Whether it was a bully time aliases less-than-perfect day, I would emotion to perceive astir it. Have a question? A tip? A nosy photograph from nan parks to share? Email maine astatine todd.martens@latimes.com. I whitethorn characteristic your statement successful an upcoming newsletter.

Ride on,

Todd Martens

P.S.

I often activity remotely from taxable parks — find maine connected my laptop astatine Flo’s V8 Cafe astatine Disney California Adventure, adjacent nan Calico Saloon astatine Knott’s aliases retired successful backmost of nan Three Broomsticks astatine Universal Studios. But moreover erstwhile I’m successful a normal office, I still for illustration to constitute pinch a spot of taxable parkland optimism. So I move to music.

My favourite bands (Wilco, nan Clash, Sleater-Kinney) will distract, truthful lately I’ve been seeking instrumental fare. And Disneyland Paris has conscionable released a gem of a activity soundtrack. It re-imagined its 2nd parkland arsenic Disney Adventure World, and while I’m confused arsenic to why my editor didn’t nonstop maine to Paris to reappraisal it (nudge, nudge), I’ve been consoling myself pinch nan “Adventure Way Symphonic Suite” from nan London Symphony Orchestra and French composer Philippe Rombi. It’s calming, a spot majestic, and reminds maine of early days euphony astatine Florida’s Epcot. That is, it’s euphony that intends to conjure wonder.