SATURDAY SIX: Universal Mega-Movie Parade

It has been a big summer for Universal Studios Florida. It all kicked off with the latest Tribute Store (featuring the introduction of Mr. Tape), followed by the opening of the incredible EPIC Universe Preview Center, DreamWorks Land, and the debut of Universal’s best ever nighttime spectacular, CineSational. Not too shabby, but it turns out they weren’t done. NAY NAY. Universal still had the MEGA MOVIE PARADE up their sleeve.

Rumors & Innuendo suggest that there are still two floats yet to debut in the Mega Movie Parade, so today we’re going to look at our favorite details in the current version, starting with…

# 6 – Back to the Future Clocks

Each parade unit in the Mega Movie Parade features a large float along with plenty of walk around characters. On the Back to the Future float you’ll find clocks on opposite sides of the float (as you can imagine, time plays an important role in BTTF.) The first clock is for Twin Pines Mall, and it reads 1:16 AM, this is the time Marty McFly met Doc Brown at the Mall.

The other clock is for Lone Pine Mall, which had a name change because of Marty’s antics when he went back to the past. 1:34 AM is the time that (SPOILER ALERT) Marty saw Doc Brown shot.

For fans of the film, this is a great nod to one of the details that really elevates the entire franchise over your standard film featuring time travel.

Marty and Doc are also on the float.

The time display from inside the DeLorean time machine.

Some of the walk around characters are based around things seen in Back to the Future II.

# 5 – E.T. Pizza Box

The food item that most people will associate with the movie E.T. is the candy Reese’s Pieces (after the next level bonkers decision by the makers of M&Ms to not allow that candy to be featured in a Stephen Spielberg movie.) However, earlier in the movie another food has a pivotal moment when Elliot goes outside to pick up a pizza from a delivery driver. You’ll see this very same pizza box on the E.T. float in the Mega Movie parade.

Spielberg is known for being a master storyteller, and the sequence of Elliot picking up the pizza and sensing something was going on outside his house was full of suspense. Elliot ended up getting scared and dropping the pizza as he ran back into the house. The reason I love this detail is because there are a whole bunch of more well known things from the movie you could put onto the float, but this was an important moment for the actual film. Like CineSational, the Mega Movie Parade is clearly made BY movie fans, FOR movie fans.

Of course you gotta have the famous bike scene represented on the float.

When we wrote our article on Island of Adventure’s 25th Anniversary earlier this year, that outside of a certain Boy Who Lived, not much has changed in that park over the course of 25 years. Universal Studios Florida has been open 35 years and has had almost EVERYTHING changed. That’s right, almost every single opening day attraction at USF has been replaced over the years, but The E.T. Adventure is still hanging on and going strong.

The E.T. Adventure has one of my favorite stand-by queues for ANY attraction, as it has you walking through a large forest. It looks – and smells – fantastic. The E.T. float also features a forest, along with E.T.’s ship…

…along with the improvised device used to “phone home” to E.T.’s planet.

# 4 – “Fire” Dancer

Walk around characters are an important factor in the Mega Movie Parade, and one of them use an effect so simple that it just blew me away. The fire dancers from the Kung Fu Panda unit aren’t using actual fire, but the design and use of the ribbon “flames” is spectacular and paying reference to the character Mei Mei from Kung Fu Panda 3.

Nothing beats a good practical effect.

Po, Tigress and Mr. Ping on the Kung Fu Panda float.

# 3 – Gyrosphere from Jurassic World

How many times have we watched a movie in recent times and thought, “oh, that’s gonna be a theme park ride!” That’s how I felt watching the original Jurassic World film, and while we still haven’t got a gyrosphere ride here in America, we do have a gyrosphere in the Mega Movie Parade!

Of course, most people are going to notice the awesome T-Rex that is on the main Jurassic World float. It’s brilliant. In fact, the parade actually ends with the T-Rex’s signature roar!

Many of the characters walking around the parade will interact with the guests watching.

# 2 – Janine Melnitz

I love Ghostbusters, and knowing a Ghostbusters unit was coming to the Mega Movie Parade whet my appetite for seeing Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, and Egon Spengler in uniform again. It was also a safe assumption we’d see a giant Stay Puft marshmallow man and Slimer. What I didn’t expect was a Janine Melnitz walk around character!!!

Speaking of “I can’t believe what I’m actually seeing” characters, how about Louis Tully! This is so incredible.

The Ghostbusters float does indeed feature a giant Stay Puft marshmallow Man…

…and Slimer.

However it also features Gozer, which is a nice surprise.

The Ghostbusters float and unit features characters from both the classic Ghostbusters films along with the most recent reboot of the franchise. That’s why we get to see a miniature Stay Puft marshmallow man disabling the Ghostbusters containment unit.

Casting for characters that have become famous over the years can always be a challenge, but its awesome to see the characters come to life with a great performer.

# 1 – Mayor Vaughn, Chief Brody, and Quint

If I ever do a list of the Greatest Things To Ever Happen In a Universal Park, this is gonna be one of them. Not only do we get a float and parade unit dedicated to one of my all-time favorite movie – Jaws – but we also got all of the main characters from the movie. This includes the walk around characters of Chief Brody and Mayor Vaughn.

The two men are always in character, with Chief Brody on the lookout for sharks, and mayor Vaughn in complete denial.

Jaws superfan Thomas Wagner was able to take in a performance of the parade and shouted, “Close the beaches! Close the beaches!” from the sidelines. This caused Mayor Vaughn to approach Thomas – who was wearing a Jaws t-shirt – and say, “That is a propaganda shirt! Brody, I want you to get him outta here by his Buster Browns!”

This is the type of interaction at a theme park that is simply priceless. An experience that you will take home with you after your vacation ends and tell all your friends about.

Another amazing feature of the Jaws unit is that it is led by the Amity Island High School band. Two band members are carrying a sign that is welcoming people to Amity’s annual 4th of July celebration.

This is the very same sign that welcomed guests to Amity when it was a land in Universal Studios Florida (it was later replaced by The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.)

The Jaws float itself is pretty spectacular, and you have to love that the float is driven by someone in a SHARK CAGE.

Under normal conditions, having the character of Quint sitting atop a sinking Orca would clearly be a #1 for any SATURDAY SIX, but this parade is extraordinary.

The actor playing Quint is always on point, and Universal even got the SHOES right! This is the perfect parade to wash away the aftertaste of CommuniCore Hall opening a few weeks ago. This is what we’ve always wanted and didn’t even know it.

So there you have it: The SATURDAY SIX Checks out the Universal MEGA MOVIE PARADE! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out the THEME PARK ENJOYMENT INDEX, giving a monthly recap of all the theme park news you need to know (and a lot more you don’t need to know, but we’re gonna tell you anyway). You can also follow Your Humble Author on Twitter (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

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Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Digital Maestro Scott Walker, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, artist @SonderQuest, the mighty maven of merchandise Hedgehog’s Corner, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, the permit princess Alicia Stella, master cartographer Tommy Hawkins, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Absolutely no help was added by SeaWorld Influencer @SuperWeenieHtJr. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHyde and you Potterheads will  enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.

Y’all know me. Know how I earn a livin’. I’ll catch this photographer for you, but it ain’t gonna be easy.” – Quint, probably.