29-01-2025
Universal Studios Hollywood salutes 'Back to the Future' and more during fan nights
Imagine walking around Hill Valley in 1955, just like Michael J. Fox did when he played time traveler Marty McFly in the 1985 classic 'Back to the Future.'
Fans can now live that dream.
As part of Universal Fan Fest Nights, attendees will step off a tram and walk around Courthouse Square in Universal's backlot, a "Back to the Future" filming site. Tickets for the after-hours event went on sale Wednesday morning at this link at
Universal Studios Hollywood officials talked about the Fan Fest Nights during a media presentation Tuesday outside the theme park at Universal Cinemas.
Universal Fan Fest Nights include immersive experiences saluting various movies and genres in Universal Studios Hollywood's upper lot. The nights, set for April 25-27 and May 2-4, 9-11 and 16-28, will feature 'Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley,' 'Star Trek: Red Alert,' 'Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep,' 'Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed,' 'One Piece: Grand Pirate Gathering,' and special additions to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World.
Universal Studios Hollywood's success with its Halloween Horror Nights inspired the theme park to create Fan Fest Nights to immerse Universal guests into other genres, said Stephen Siercks, senior director for entertainment production at the theme park and executive producer of the fan fest evenings.
Special cuisine and merchandise will debut in time for the nights.
During " Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley, " visitors will board a tram to the backlot's Courthouse Square. Fans will participate in the Enchantment Under the Sea dance, seen in the first movie when Marty found himself in 1955. There will also be re-enactments of the Clock Tower lightning strike that sent Marty back to 1985.
'When we were looking for ways to celebrate sci-fi, there was no better fit for us at Universal than 'Back to the Future,'' Siercks said.
'What better way to celebrate that franchise than to be able to bring guests to the place where it actually happened and recreate the iconic environment and moments from 1955?' Siercks told the USA Today Network in the Directors Lounge at Universal Cinemas. The Universal Fan Fest Nights executive producer stood near tables with the foods inspired by 'Back to the Future' and the other genres.
'Back to the Future' inspired Universal Studios Hollywood to create dishes such as the Flux Capacitor Patty Melt, Doc Brown's Chicken Pot Pie, the Time Traveler's Milk Shake and the Outatime Cookie, which comes complete with an edible version of the personalized "Outatime" license plate from Doc's Delorean.
Julia Thrash, vice president of culinary and executive chef at the theme park, said Universal designed dishes similar to what you'd expect in a 1950s diner, hence the Time Machine Melt, which features pastrami.
Fans of 'Star Trek: Picard' will get to go on the Enterprise-D bridge set that was used during the filming of the Paramount+ series' third and final season, 'Star Trek: Red Alert.' But there's a story connected to the experience.
Guests have been invited on a tour of the Enterprise-D at the Starfleet museum depicted on 'Picard.' They will enter through a recreation of the Enterprise-D shuttle bay, Siercks said.
Suddenly, there's a red alert, and uniformed Starfleet officers go into action.
'An otherworldly being wreaks havoc on the ship, allowing us to go deeper and deeper into the ship, into sick bay, engineering, the transporter room,' Siercks said.
He added Paramount Pictures, which produces the 'Star Trek' franchise, has been 'an amazing partner' in providing its expertise to make the experience authentic.
New Universal Studios Hollywood dishes inspired by 'Star Trek' include Vulcan Fritters, Klingon Targ Legs, and the Tribble Truffle Trio, a treat featuring chocolate and butterscotch.
The trio comes in the gray coffee cup that Capt. James T. Kirk (William Shatner) held in 'The Trouble with Tribbles,' said Thrash, the executive chef. In the original Star Trek series episode, Kirk discovers a Tribble in his cup when he retrieves it from the food processor in the recreation room.
Drinks inspired by 'Star Trek' include a vodka-based, blue Romulan ale, Thrash told the USA Today Network.
Universal Studios Hollywood also created the Ceti Eel Margarita, which Thrash said came from the planet Ceti Alpha 5 in the 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." The small eel on top of the drink is a gummy.
Jim Henson's Creature Shop has teamed with Universal Studios Hollywood to create Xanathar in 'Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep.' Fans will join the Harpers, a spy network, to foil Xanathar's plot and save the city of Waterdeep.
'Dungeons & Dragons' inspired Fireball, the theme park's new spherical chocolate cake that is jazzed up with pop rocks as part of the topping. Other foods include Traveler's Rations and the Beholder's Brew Fondue. Drinks are Goodberry and the Eldritch Blast.
The anime series 'One Piece' inspired this experience, which follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew, including Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji. They're off to find One Piece, a treasure of Gol D. Roger, the former King of the Pirates.
The adventure-inspired cuisine includes Chopper Cupcake and Nico Robin's Tropical Iced Tea.
The experience is inspired by the Japanese manga 'Jujutsu Kaisen' and its anime adaptation. The adventure, which premiered at Universal Studios Japan, follows high school student Yuji Itadori after he inadvertently becomes the host of a powerful curse.
The food inspired by the adventure includes Yuji's Chocolate Curse.
The popular land at Universal Studios Hollywood will feature a new evening show of projections on its Hogwart Castle. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter show is called 'Hogwarts Always' and depicts a year at the magical school. Guests will also get to interact with fantastic beasts such as Niffler, Baby Dragon, and the Grand Occamy.
Thrash said she stuck with British food, such as the Hogwarts Meat Pie and Curry Chicken, for the Potter-inspired cuisine.
'A lot of people don't know curry is British,' the chef said.
Fan favorite Yoshi will become a new meet-and-greet character at Super Nintendo World during Fan Fest nights. And guests can go on a scavenger hunt to find all five Yoshi eggs.
Cuisine for the "Let's Go, Yoshi" experience is an apple melon smoothie and fettuccine alfredo.
Dave Mason covers East County for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at or 805-437-0232.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Universal Fan Fest Nights takes guests 'Back to the Future' and beyond
