What rides are they getting rid of at Universal Studios?

The attractions that will permanently close on Jan. 16, 2023, to be removed to make way for new construction include Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster, Curious George Goes to Town, Fievel's Playground, DreamWorks Destination and Meet Shrek and Donkey.



As of early 2026, the most significant recent closure at Universal Studios Florida is the permanent removal of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which took its final bow on August 18, 2025. The site is currently behind construction walls for a rumored "Next-Gen" thrill experience known as Project 830. Additionally, the long-standing Jurassic Park River Adventure at Islands of Adventure is currently closed for a massive, nearly 11-month "deep refurbishment" (January to November 2026) to modernize its aging animatronics and ride systems. While not a permanent removal, this "dark period" effectively removes a headline attraction for most of the 2026 season. Universal's focus has shifted heavily toward the 2025 opening of Epic Universe, leading to a "refresh" strategy in the older parks where aging mechanical rides are being evaluated for replacement by more immersive, media-based or high-speed hybrid attractions.

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Universal Orlando has announced the closure of one of its most popular attractions next month, disappointing Harry Potter fans of all ages.

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Will Disney buy Universal? No, not in it's current form. However, one could come up with a scenario where Disney would be able to buy Universal Studions Florida (not the entire company, just that particular property.) Or, of course, there is the possibility that Disney could buy back the Marvel rights.

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JK Rowling has dropped out of the top ten favourite books for secondary school pupils, according to an annual survey of more than a million children. It is the first time that the Harry Potter books have not been named by older children since the research into their reading habits began 12 years ago.

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The concept is an expanded version of the Jaws miniature attraction featured in the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood in California. In 2012, the attraction was removed from the Florida theme park to make room for the second phase of expansion for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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It's All Ogre Now: A Look Back at the Retired Shrek 4-D Attraction at Universal Studios Florida. After a nearly 20 year run, Shrek 4-D was permanently closed at Universal Studios Florida on January 10, 2022.

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As Universal Studios Florida introduced newer 4D theateresque attractions, they included more movement, so Guests didn't feel as if they were simply sitting in a theater watching a short film. As a result, the reign of Shrek 4D was over, and the attraction closed permanently on January 10, 2022.

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Ride Details The ride opened on April 23, 2018, replacing Disaster!. The ride features guests joining Dominic Toretto and his crew on buses to protect an important witness from being captured by the FBI and Owen Shaw.

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This attraction first opened in Universal Studios Singapore in 2011 and was quickly copied in Hollywood and Orlando. Transformers replaces the old Soundstage 44 which was home to the Murder She Wrote Mystery Theater and Hercules and Xena attractions.

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at Universal Studios Hollywood on April 7, 2016, Replacing The Adventures of Curious George which closed on September 6, 2013.

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“The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle” at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Universal's Islands of Adventure will close for an extended refurbishment for “future show enhancements.” Its last performance, for the time being, will be tonight, May 9.

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Although Disney would try to correct this mistake by trying to buy the movie rights, theme park privileges and even Scholastic themselves, efforts by the company ultimately failed, citing creative clashes with Harry Potter's controversial creator J.K. Rowling, along with the deals made with Warner Bros. Pictures.

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2023 Disney vs. And as a general rule of thumb, Universal is cheaper than Disney in almost every category, from tickets to theme park food, and the most noticeable being hotel rooms.

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If you're more interested in large rides like roller coasters, Universal is going to be your best bet. The same is true if you're a big fan of Harry Potter. If you don't mind some of the more family-friendly rides or you have little ones to bring along, Disney may be a better option.

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