My wish for a seasonal ‘Prince of Egypt’ overlay at Universal Studios Hollywood’s DreamWorks Theatre – DePaoli on DeParks
In 2018, Universal Studios Hollywood opened its DreamWorks Theatre featuring a “Kung Fu Panda” attraction. My personal favorite DreamWorks Animation movie is 1998’s “Prince of Egypt.” I’ve always wished there was a seasonal overlay in the DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Prince of Egypt” each Spring considering the story ties to Passover and the Easter season.
Prior to the DreamWorks Theatre the space was home to Shrek 4-D. Considering “Shrek” is another DreamWorks Animation property, the renaming of the space into the DreamWorks Theatre instead of a more specific Kung Fu Panda title suggests the attraction could feature various DreamWorks properties. This concept is not new for projection based attractions.
From the early days of Star Tours in the Disney parks, the thought was that the film could be swapped out to feature different Star Wars journeys. It took twenty-four years, but eventually we did get Star Tours – The Adventures Continue. We currently hear similar rumors about Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, but no new adventures have been added just yet.
Obviously, a lot of work and expense goes into making an additional video to project as part of the attraction, but it is one of the “easier” ways to update an attraction. And the good news is that once the heavy workload of creating the new content exists, the swap out is fairly simple and can happen overnight year after year. Changing the projection for an attraction is a much faster process than an overlay in something like Haunted Mansion Holiday where loads of animatronics and set dressing need to be added and replaced.
The pre-show for the Kung Fu Panda attraction does even more to suggest that the swapping of various properties is possible. In it we see characters from various franchises including “Trolls,” “Shrek,” “Madagascar,” and more. And all around the lobby of the pre-show space are posters from many DreamWorks Animation films, including “Prince of Egypt” just as you enter.
To be fair, I’m not sure an animated movie from 1998 would be the most popular choice for the space. But if it featured the iconic songs from the movie written by Stephen Schwartz, I would dare anyone not to fall in love with this seasonal attraction idea. Stephen Schwartz is most famous for writing music and lyrics to hit musicals like “Wicked,” “Godspell,” “Pippin,” and others, but it’s the music from “Prince of Egypt” that is my favorite. To hear that booming score alongside the visuals of the theatres projection mapping technology would be a truly epic experience.
One concern for an idea like this might be the religious overtones. There will always be a segment of the population that will feel like adding an attraction like this is forcing religion on the public. As a person who isn’t particularly religious, I would entirely disagree. I think it’s very easy for a guest to simply look at it as a piece of entertainment if they desire. And for those who it gives deeper meaning, good for them too. And it’s not like religion in popular theme parks is unheard of. Things like the Candlelight Processional in the Disney parks, O Wondrous Night at SeaWorld, and even the Peanuts gang reciting from the Bible at Knott’s Berry Farm is an annual tradition. It may not be for everyone, but that’s fine.
Additionally, like Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood is much more of a locals park than Universal Orlando Resort. For that reason, having an attraction that could be updated throughout the year is a good way to get locals to return. Each year Disney California Adventure returns Soarin’ Around the World to its original version Soarin’ Over California, and the public is always thrilled about it. Variety is the spice of life, and the more variety we can get from theme park attractions throughout the year the better it is for guests and businesses.
I would love to see the DreamWorks Theatre use this strategy throughout the year with “Prince of Egypt” featured during the Passover and Easter season, “Shrek Thriller Night” featured during Halloween, and “Rise of the Guardians” for the Christmas season.
What do you think? Would you like to see this rotating format? Are there any particular DreamWorks Animation properties you would like to see featured during a particular time of year? Leave a comment and let me know.
Jeff DePaoli is a producer and voiceover artist living in Los Angeles. He can be heard as the voice of Disney Trivia on Alexa as well as the host of “Dizney Coast to Coast,” the ultimate, unofficial Disney fan podcast. Get your FREE gifts of “America’s Hidden Mickeys,” “On the Rohde Again,” “Theme Park Comfort Kit” and more at DizneyCoastToCoast.com. DePaoli’s opinions are his own and do not necessarily represent Attractions Magazine.
