Christmas is in the air at Universal Studios Florida, as decorations are showing up all over the park. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon will be opening in Spring of 2017 and it's starting to look more ready every day. The front facade is quickly beginning to match the concept art released nearly a month ago. Fast & Furious Supercharged construction is finally in full swing as a gigantic show building has been erected. The Roboasis near the Men in Black ride has closed to make way for a new enclosed Coca-Cola Refreshment Station! Not only can you purchase and fill up your souvenir Freestyle cups here, but this is the first location at the Universal parks where you can purchase a single use fountain cup for the Coke Freestyle machines! The RFID sticker on the cup's bottom only allows for one fill-up, which is great for folks that aren't willing to carry around a plastic cup all day but want a Freestyle flavor (like me!) Check out the video and snapshots below and stay tuned for more updates!
Construction Updates
Welcome to Universal Studios Florida!View of Jimmy Fallon construction from Music Plaza StageThe completely renovated restrooms have re-openedRestrooms match the rest of the new building exterior's styleWork continues extended the facade above restroomsThings are looking more complete towards front of the building where NBC gift shop will beWelcome to NBC Studios, New YorkConcept Art for the finished building renovation and ride entranceNo windows placed yet in tall part of facadeOnly wall can be seen through window spacesI'm guessing thin fake window panes with LEDs behind them will be placed in these gapsCloser view of a window gap. Notice it has a hole on side for wiring to pass throughReal windows ready in front of NBC storeLooking down the roadA look at the marquee and ride entranceCloser view of marquee, in the same spot as previous entrance for TwisterMoving down the road you can see the expanded roof has been enclosed behind facadesWork walls with printed scrims have gone up around Guggenheim cutoutI'm not sure, but maybe Guggenheim museum cutout is receiving some more love?Entire back wall of Fallon ride now completely finishedMost air vents from Twister have been covered and plastered overHashbrowns#Opening Spring 2017! (NBC Store may open earlier)Welcome to Fast & Furious Supercharged construction, now in progress!A massive show building has appearedInterior work has begun on left-side of structureWarehouse style walls going up to enclose the structureAir ducts and pipes already in place for this half of buildingWork going on insideOnly steel framing has been finished for right half of buildingHogwarts train station can still be seen, barely, and not for much longerLarge empty space between ride entrance and show building where Beetlejuice once stood may become extended queue, made to look like a large car garageOld Disaster/Earthquake exit still boarded up with temporary work wallsHuge show building can be seen bordering up next to Diagon/LondonMany back of house staff just lost their parking spots to make way for this babyCrane seen overheadFormer Disaster entrance mostly still intactHigh voltage generator thingy seen out frontSan Fransisco seen in work wall artworkHashbrowns# 2018Welcome to the old Roboasis, out is the robot alien with soda machines, and in are some indoor Freestyle machines
Old Roboasis Before
Coke Station now
Style matches Universe and You MiB retro themingInside the new buildingYou can purchase all day Freestyle souvenir cups, or one-time fill paper cupsPut your name in for a photo op with your name on a CGI Coke bottleA robot will be right with youPhoto op with your name on a bottle!Freestyle machines are better than vending machinesThe holidays have arrived to Universal Studios Florida!Parades start next week!
Hello Kitty says bye bye, until next time!
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