Universal Studios Orlando Announces Shutdown of Classic Attractions

Universal Orlando Resort is permanently shuttering a long-running ride and more family-friendly attractions in January 2023. On Tuesday, the Universal Orlando Twitter account announced that most of Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone — a highly-themed area dedicated to kids at Universal Studios Florida — will close on January 16th. The last day of operation will be January 15th, 2023. In a statement, the Resort said it will “soon begin work on bringing exciting new family entertainment to Universal Studios Florida that will immerse guests in the adventures of beloved animated characters.”

Universal Orlando Resort Closures

• Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, a kid-friendly coaster
• Fievel’s Playland, a playground of oversized props inspired by the animated films An American Tail and Fievel Goes West
• Curious George Goes to Town, a kids’ play area
• DreamWorks Destination, an interactive meet-and-greet experience featuring characters from DreamWorks Animation films
• Shrek and Donkey’s Meet & Greet, a Shrek character encounter

The area’s E.T. Adventure Ride, the Animal Actors on Location! live show, the KidZone Pizza Company restaurant, the SpongeBob StorePants shop, and the SpongeBob SquarePants and friends meet and greet will remain open, the resort said.

More details about the new experiences coming to Universal Studios Florida will be revealed in the months ahead, the resort said in the statement.

Opened in 1999, Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster is the park’s first coaster. In addition to the kid-friendly coaster, the KidZone features 12,500 foam balls, 15,000 gallons of water, gizmos, gadgets, squirters, and shooters.

DreamWorks Destination — which features encounters with characters from Trolls, Madagascar, Puss in Boots, and Kung Fu Panda — has been in operation since last year. The resort refashioned a Barney meet-and-greet area into Shrek’s Swamp Meet just this summer.

This past January, the resort shuttered the Shrek 4-D film/ride in the Production Central area to make way for a new experience starring the Minions of Illumination’s Despicable Me franchise. Monster Café, a dining experience of quick-service menu offerings inspired by the classic Universal Monsters, also closed its doors permanently in May.

The Florida Resort will soon expand with Super Nintendo World, a themed area within Universal’s Epic Universe park, inspired by the Super Mario video games that Universal Pictures is bringing to theaters with Illumination’s animated Super Mario Bros. Movie.