VIDEO: New Streetmosphere comedy groups debut at Universal Orlando
New streetmosphere characters, aka street atmosphere performers, have debuted at Universal Orlando, and they’re very similar to ones seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the past.
Two alternating groups of comedy performers can currently be seen daily at Universal Studios Florida. The first group of five performers are called City Force. They are “city workers” who help keep the city safe and clean. The other is a pair called Second Unit. They are a cameraman and director who “film” promos about Universal Orlando.
Both groups enlist the help of park guests, mostly kids, to help them in their skits. When we saw them on a Monday afternoon, the City Force group even brought one of Universal’s real custodial members in to help. Second Unit had guests holding boom mics, cue cards, and other props. City Force used a water squirt can, a trash grabber, stop signs, and cones as props.
City Force is reminiscent of the old Public Works streetmosphere performers who put on skits around Disney’s Hollywood Studios for many years. Public Works had their last set at Hollywood Studios on April 9, 2016. Second Unit is reminiscent of a group at Disney’s Hollywood Studios who went around and pretended to film movies and shows around the park around the same time Public Works was at the park. Disney released all their streetmosphere performers at Hollywood Studios during the pandemic. Although many entertainment options have been brought back to Walt Disney World, streetmosphere at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is still missing.
When we saw them, both groups performed around the Universal Music Plaza in front of Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, but they could show up anywhere in the park. When one group when offstage, the other group came out. Their hours and days have not been released yet, but we heard they may only perform until 5 p.m. each day.
Universal also has streetmosphere-type performers in Islands of Adventure park, such as pirates, and citizens of the Port of Entry, but they are more like character meet-and-greets and don’t usually put on skits.
Here’s a look at second Unit, and Street Force in action, followed by the last performance of Public Works at Walt Disney World.
It’s official. Disney no longer wants streetmosphere at Hollywood Studios. Just like they don’t want poor people visiting their parks. Whether or not City Force or Second Unit will draw as much of a crowd as Citizens of Hollywood/Hollywood Public Works did when Hollywood Studios first opened remains to be seen.