The Deep Dark History of Universal’s R-Rated Attraction

Since the Jaws segment was introduced to the original studio’s Tram Tour five decades ago, Universal’s theme parks have consistently featured IP and attractions that would be a bit too risque for other theme parks like Disney. In fact, over the years, Universal Orlando has featured attractions based on R-rated material, from seasonal Halloween Horror Nights houses to permanent attractions like T2:3D and the Psycho House.

What’s that? You don’t remember the days when the foreboding home immortalized in the infamous Alfred Hitchcock film (and, notably for this discussion, its sequels) was located at Universal Studios Florida? Well, sit back — or perhaps more thematically appropriately on the edge of your seat — to learn why it was there, where it was located, and the… surprising replacement that currently sits in its former home.

The facades of the main sets from Psycho — the Bates Motel and the Bates Mansion have long been part of the aforementioned Tram Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, so it’s unsurprising that Universal decided to install a version of the set at the Florida park near the original Hard Rock Cafe. However, when the park opened on July 7th, 1990, the sets were even more of an attraction than Universal had anticipated.

You see, the sets were used to film Psycho IV: The Beginning (yes, there were 4 Psycho films made between 1960 and 1990, just in case you thought that sequels and franchises were solely the purview of modern Hollywood), which was supposed to be completed before the park opened. However, due to both construction and production delays, filming lasted until July, so guests who visited Universal Studios Florida during the park’s first month were actually able to see the film being made.

Following the completion of Psycho IV’s production, both of the Psycho sets remained part of the park, with the latter serving as the setting for the Psycho Path Maze haunted house for several years during the early days of Halloween Horror Nights.

They also served as a thematic complement to the Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies attraction, which was located in the Production Central area of the park. That attraction – part-3-D film, part live-action show featured recreations of several sequences from the director’s films, including the shower scene from Psycho in the main show with narration by Norman Bates actor Anthony Perkins.

The pair of Psycho sets both stood until 1995, when the Bates Motel was torn down to be replaced by A Day in the Park with Barney (yes, really). The Bates Mansion held out a bit longer, closing in 1998 to make way for Curious George Goes to Town (once again, yes, really).

Both the Barney show and the Curious George play area were folded into the larger Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone area, meaning that the former stomping grounds of R-rated film icon Norman Bates became the KID-FRIENDLY AREA OF THE PARK. That sounds like the setup of a horror movie if we ever heard one.

Of course, the KidZone was closed in 2024 for a major makeover into the park’s current kid-friendly area, DreamWorks Land.

When Universal Studios Florida opened back in 1990, the park was home to real, screen-used sets of the iconic Bates Mansion and Bates Motel from the Psycho franchise… right in the area where Universal’s kid-friendly lands currently sit! Stay tuned to AllEars for more tidbits on Universal history.

This Universal Announcement Could Be a Game Changer for Islands of Adventure

 

Do you remember the Psycho sets at Universal? Let us know in the comments below.

Post a Comment