Whatever happened to... at Universal?

[Aura of Foreboding]

Hello Everyone!

I was looking back at an old 1993 Disneyland Tour Guide Book from AAA. I was very happy to relive the fond memories of that trip, but something really got me. I was looking at a photograph advertising Universal Studios, and it had an entire calvalcade of characters...from Charlie Chaplin to Laurel and Hardy to Woody the Wood Pecker and Friends to The Phantom of the Opera, Frankenstein's Monster, The Bride of Franky, and Dracula. Whatever happened to these characters? Woody shows up sometimes, but on my trips to Universal, I never see the Classic Monsters or Laurel and Hardy. These characters seem to be down-played. I think that if Universal brought back some of these classics, their parks would open up to a whole new group of visitors. (Anyway, I think that the Classic Universal Monsters deserve their own attraction).

Has anyone spotted these characters?

Do you ever remember seeing these characters at Universal?

Thanks for the input! :bow:

[TDLFAN]

I still see them all the time at Universal Studios Japan, but at least there, they respect history, just like Tokyo Disney Resort still puts the Disney characters up front ahead of Pixar's. In regards to USH...I can only guess that such idiotic characters from Nickelodeon...such as the cheese head thing and many others I have no clue what their names are, have taken away the aura from Universal's true core and historical characters. Sad.

[DznyVan]

When we were there three weeks ago we saw-Beetlejuice, Frankenstein, Laurel and Hardy, Spiderman and his friends/enemies, Rugrats, Dora, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin and Fiona. Didn't see Dracula, Franky's Bride, Woody or Humphrey Bogart.

I guess they rotate with the season/popularity of the characters. I remember when the characters, usually the Universal Monsters, would walk along the tram while it was loading and scare the passengers. Also a photo-op for the Park.

Characters are a big part of any park. They should be utilized more.

[Aura of Foreboding]

I agree with both of you. Characters are a very important part of any park. I also agree that Universal Studios (among other companies in America) pushes their roots behind them. The classic characters rarely appear at all in products or merchandise, and it is only when the company comes up with a "big" film that they release anything dealing with the past, like in the case of "Van Helsing".

I think it is interesting that you brought the tram characters up. I would really like to see that now...