22-04-2025
Come Aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise (Doc Brown's Time Machine, Harry Potter's Broom and More) at Universal Studios' FanFest Nights
Fandom isn't always the United Nations, it can be territorial and divisive. There are those always on the verge of 'my phaser is bigger than your phaser' battles, so who will emerge victorious when fandoms collide? Universal Studios Hollywood is debuting the new after-hours Fanfest Nights April 25 – May 18 for admirers of vastly different franchises. Will Trekkies, otaku and Potterheads make friends at the dance party on Universal Plaza or will they retreat into factions?
Temporary new attractions themed to Star Trek, Back to the Future, Dungeons & Dragons, One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen will be presented along with enhancements to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World. Themed environments, limited-time food and merch and costumed characters will enhance the suspension of disbelief and allow you to immerse yourself into your favorite movie, comic or fantasy world for a few hours. Universal has had wild success with their series of after-dark makeovers during Halloween and down the road at Disneyland, nights themed to Star Wars and vintage Disney Channel shows like Phineas and Ferb have sold out in recent years.
Jim Henson's Creature Shop is readying the giant toothy cyclops Xanathar for his appearance at Dungeons & Dragons: Secrets of Waterdeep. A baby dragon and the serpentine bird Occamy will dine on three-course meals at Three Broomsticks restaurants and enjoy the light show in Harry Potter's village as Doc Brown sends Marty back in time when lightning strikes the clock tower (and guests dine on Outatime cookies with edible flames) in a supercharged Hill Valley Courthouse Square, the actual location where Back to the Future was filmed four decades ago.
Fans of One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen will fulfill quests and fight curses while dining on items like 'Luffy's Meat on a Bone' (which we think is probably just the regular ribs served at Cocina Mexicana).The most immersive environment built for this 13-night showcase might be the NCC-1701-D Enterprise set at the heart of Star Trek: Red Alert. Fans queueing up at the Starfleet Museum are caught in interstellar mayhem when the ship is attacked and ensigns have to rush tour groups through sick bay, engineering and finally onto the glorious, full-sized bridge of Captain Picard's Enterprise. The 1980s set was recreated for the final season of Star Trek: Picard and was loaned to Universal (along with one of Jean-Luc's tunics) for this brief excursion.
Los Angeles was invited to visit the set with producer Stephen Siercks, Senior Director of Entertainment Production at the park, who converted the onetime Walking Dead space into this new walkthrough attraction. We loved that it was story-driven and you weren't just being chased by the Borg. We loved that the team spent three years digging through the Paramount archives to match colors and sounds perfectly to the show, and that they are encouraging visitors to dress up. We really loved the clever replicator trick that we were asked not to give away.
The scale of the rooms seems to shift a bit as you pass through them (was that a tiny warp core or a giant popcorn bucket?) but I've never been aboard a Galaxy-class starship so who am I to say?
Fans lost their mind when the original crew of the Next Generation reunited on Picard so we can only imagine similar euphoria when they can step aboard the storied ship themselves. Their glee might be enhanced by an ambitious food and beverage program that includes not only Romulan Ale and Klingon bloodwine but Andorian Red Bat Sandwiches and Tribble Truffles. All that and Earl Grey, hot. Sign me up. Engage!
