Wicked: The Experience — Inside Universal Orlando’s new attraction
Wicked: The Experience has descended upon Universal Orlando (replacing Hello Kitty’s former digs) with movie props, character greetings, merchandise, and themed food.
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Updated Nov. 15, 2024; original version published Sept. 10, 2024.
Adele Dazeem will be jealous of your wickedly talented journey at “Wicked”-themed experiences opening at Universal theme parks on both U.S. coasts, all in celebration of Universal Pictures’ new “Wicked” film, itself based on the Broadway prequel to “The Wizard of Oz.”
“Wicked” releases in theaters Nov. 22, 2024. The film adaptation of the beloved Broadway production is directed by Jon M. Chu (“In the Heights”) and stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Galinda. Though coy in its title, this November’s “Wicked” is just half of the story; act two will follow on Nov. 26, 2025 — meaning the new retail locations in Universal’s parks will be topical for at least a year, should Universal want to keep them open awhile.
Wicked: The Experience at Universal Studios Florida
At Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Wicked: The Experience officially opens Nov. 16, 2024, and we got a sneak peek during a Nov. 15 media event. The walkthrough attraction features costumes and props from the movie, as well as specialty merchandise and snacks.
Image courtesy of Universal
Wicked: The Experience replaces the recently closed adjoining gift shops at the front of Universal Studios Florida themed to Hello Kitty and Betty Boop, as well as the UNIVRS trendy apparel store. The first week of September, the park closed all three shops and installed black curtains along every window of the connected storefronts.
Photo by Matt Roseboom
Atmosphere and signage
Movie props and costumes
Characters
Elphaba and Glinda both appear in person as walk-around characters at Wicked: The Experience at Universal Studios Florida, but their schedules will be sporadic and will not be posted publicly.
Merchandise
Here’s a peek at “Wicked” merchandise available at Universal Studios Florida. Though these items are not yet listed on Universal Orlando’s online store, there is a selection of more “Wicked” merchandise available on the overall NBCUniversal online shop.
Here’s a look at some of the items available on NBCUniversal’s online store:
Food
Here are some of the specialty menu items available at Wicked: The Experience. Which one would you try?
‘Wicked’ treats at Toothsome and Voodoo Doughnuts
In addition to the food and beverage sold at Wicked: The Experience, additional items will be offered at both Universal coasts’ CityWalk establishments of Voodoo Doughnuts and The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen for a limited time.
‘Wicked’ at Universal Studios Hollywood
At Universal Studios Hollywood in California, two “Wicked”-themed retail locations are opening: one inside the Feature Presentation store within the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and another replacing the UNIVRS store at Universal CityWalk Hollywood.
‘The Wizard of Oz’ in theme parks
Though Universal produced the “Wicked” movie, the rights to the original MGM-produced 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” currently belong to Warner Bros. The studio is putting the IP to use with a Wicked Witch suspended coaster and a Kansas twister-themed boomerang coaster, both currently under construction at Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Movie World
Separate from Warner Bros., the Autumn at Oz festival is held each fall in Beech Mountain, N.C. on the property of the former Land of Oz theme park. (Dorothy herself gave us a special tour along the yellow-brick road earlier this year!)
Photo by Blake Taylor
Of course, longtime Orlando visitors may also have fond memories of the “Wizard of Oz” sequence in The Great Movie Ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, complete with the Wicked Witch of the West in Audio-Animatronics form — one of the most advanced of its kind upon its 1989 debut.
Photo courtesy of Disney
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thanks for info.