Discovery Series Ornament – Universal Orlando Resort
If you happen to be in Universal Orlando to pick up your Wicked-themed set, you might as well grab this newly released Discovery Series Ornament – Universal Orlando Resort with it.
Universal Orlando Resort opened its doors in 1990 with Universal Studios Florida, marking the beginning of a major entertainment destination in Orlando. Initially conceived as both a working studio and theme park, it aimed to give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at movie and television production, much like its Hollywood counterpart. The resort expanded significantly in 1999 with the addition of Islands of Adventure, a second theme park featuring cutting-edge thrill rides and immersive themed areas. In 2010, the resort transformed the theme park landscape with the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure, creating unprecedented levels of themed immersion. CityWalk, the resort’s dining and entertainment complex, opened in 1999, turning Universal Orlando into a full-fledged vacation destination. The resort further expanded in 2014 with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, connected to Hogsmeade via the Hogwarts Express train ride, making it the first multi-park themed experience of its kind. Over the decades, Universal Orlando has evolved from a single movie-themed park to a comprehensive resort destination with multiple theme parks, hotels, and entertainment venues.
The front of the ornament showcases the Universal Globe, an iconic rotating sphere that has become the unmistakable symbol of Universal Studios worldwide since its introduction in 1990. Standing at 100 feet tall and weighing approximately 100 tons, this kinetic sculpture features a polished mirror-finish stainless steel framework that gracefully rotates around the Earth’s landmasses.
Another famous landmark of the park is Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, a towering steel roller coaster that stands at an impressive height of 167 feet and features a near-vertical lift hill with a 90-degree angle. The coaster, which opened in 2009, distinguishes itself with its unique music selection system that allows riders to choose their own soundtrack from multiple genres for their ride experience, while racing through loops and turns at speeds reaching 65 miles per hour.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong welcomes visitors since 2016. In this attraction, guests board large expedition vehicles and embark on a multisensory adventure through the mysterious Skull Island, where they encounter hostile natives, prehistoric creatures, and ultimately come face-to-face with a massive, 30-foot-tall animatronic King Kong himself. The ride combines 3D technology, massive physical sets, and innovative special effects to create an immersive experience that tells an original story, where King Kong fights to protect the expedition team from deadly prehistoric creatures. This attraction replaced the former Kongfrontation ride that was located at Universal Studios Florida from 1990 to 2002, and utilizes much more advanced technology to bring the iconic movie monster to life.
The T-rex figure on the back of the ornament is a reference to Jurassic Park River Adventure, a signature attraction that has thrilled visitors at Universal’s Islands of Adventure since the park’s opening in 1999. The water-based ride takes guests through the iconic gates of Jurassic Park into a meticulously recreated world where they encounter various dinosaurs, including peaceful herbivores like Parasaurolophus and Ultrasaurus, before things go terribly wrong. The adventure culminates in a harrowing encounter with an 85-foot-tall animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex that lunges at riders just before they plunge down an 85-foot waterfall in a thrilling escape sequence.
