Random Universal Studios Secrets That May Blow You Away (31 items)

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  (#1) The Ghost of Lon Chaney Is Rumored to Haunt Stage 28

  Though sound stage 28, which guests can see along the studio tour, has been used for countless productions since, it was first used for the filming of Phantom of the Opera in which Chaney starred. In fact, parts of the film's opera house set are still standing inside, due to the fact that they were constructed at the same time as the stage itself and were built into its walls.

  Since Chaney's death, many studio employees have heard and even seen strange things inside the sound stage which have led many to believe that his ghost may still hang out inside.
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  (#2) If You Look Closely You Can See Mother in the Upper Window of the Psycho House

  Though the tour guide generally will have moved on to prep you for the cool War of the Worlds set you're about to see, rest assured that Mother is still watching.
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  (#3) After the Northridge Earthquake, Guests Were Given the Option to Skip the Earthquake Part of the Tour

  For obvious reasons, Universal suspected that guests who had recently endured the trauma of the 1994 Northridge earthquake might prefer to skip the part of the tour where guests undergo an 8.3 scale earthquake simulation. For a time, guests were given the option to hop off the tram during the segment and hop back on after a few minutes when it was done. 
  
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  (#4) The Grinch Cars on Display at "Whoville" Were Built Over Golf Carts

  Not only do many of them still work, they are the actual cars that were used in the film.
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  (#5) The Actor Who Plays Norman Bates at the Bates Motel Keeps His Distance From Tourists

  Although the actor who plays Norman Bates at the Psycho house used to grab tourists as they passed on the tram, he will now only come within about five feet of guests. Once, a tourist grabbed him back and didn't let go as the tram began to pull away which sufficiently freaked him out enough that he now keeps his distance. 
  
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  (#6) The Jurassic Park Ride Is the Most Expensive Theme Park Ride of All Time

  At $110 million, the price of the ride would've been more than enough to make a pretty killer movie.
  
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  (#7) If You Find a Valuable Lost Item and Turn it in to Lost and Found, Ask About Following Up

  If no one claims the item after a certain amount of time, you'll be able to keep it.
  
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  (#8) Right After You Come out of Jaws Lake on the Studio Tour, Look to Your Left to See a Hidden Street

  As you pass a house that your tour guide will point out as the "chicken ranch," look over to your left and you'll see a street called "Elm Street" which the tram isn't able to go down because it's too narrow to turn around on. Universal bought the houses along the street for $1 when the city needed to clear the space where they originally sat to build Dodger stadium.

  They've since been used in movies like To Kill A Mockingbird, The Hulk, and Hancock, and on TV shows like The Ghost Whisperer and Monk.
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  (#9) There's Only One Thing the Character Actors at Halloween Horror Nights Can't Do

  No matter how much they freak you out, just remember that they are not allowed to actually touch you.
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  (#10) Before He Was a Famous Director, Steven Spielberg Used to Sneak onto the Backlot

  Before he had his big break and became a Hollywood legend, director Steven Spielberg used to sneak onto the Universal backlot to get a behind the scenes look at the movie business. He now admits he got away with it by always carrying a briefcase. Though there was never anything inside, it made him look just official enough to seem like he belonged. 
  
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  (#11) The Original King Kong Was Accidentally Burned Down by Workers Re-tarring the Roof of the Attraction

  Classic Kong has since been replaced with the new King Kong 360-3D, which was designed by Peter Jackson and his team. However, a few of Classic Kong's ashes were collected at the time of his "demise" and put into a large urn, which remains in the Studio Tour Guide break room to this day.
  
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  (#12) Guides on the Studio Tour Are Forbidden to Point out Actresses Who Aren't Yet in Makeup

  Though guests on the Studio Tour may occasionally roll past a famous actress along the route, in rare instances the tour guide may not always acknowledge the encounter. Apparently a few famous ladies in the past reacted unfavorably after being photographed by 200 tourists before they had had a chance to hit the make-up chair.
  
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  (#13) The Mechanical Shark From Jaws Was Named Bruce by Steven Spielberg

  Long before he was terrifying tourists at Jaws Lake, the mechanical shark used in Jaws was named "Bruce" after Steven Spielberg's lawyer. Even the film's crew members weren't exempt from his hijinks, as he expressed his thoughts on the film his very first day on the job... by sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Years later, the shark character in Finding Nemo was also named Bruce, after his mechanical predecessor. 
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  (#14) If You Look Closely, You'll Find Some of the Doorways on the Western Sets Are Either Bigger or Smaller Than Normal

  This was a quick height fix for some actors back in the old days when Westerns reigned supreme. A short cowboy could be made to look a lot taller when he stood in a small door frame and a damsel in distress appeared much more vulnerable when pictured in a huge door frame.
  
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  (#15) In the Early Days of Universal, You Could Watch Movies Being Filmed All Day for a Quarter

  You could even cheer for the heroes or boo for the villains, due to the fact that all the movies back then were silent. This is also why there are so many Western sets on the back lot. The genre was very popular during the silent film era, when up to six Westerns could film at the same time on sets right next to each other. That's why they often call the area "Six Points, Texas."
  
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  (#16) Founder Carl Leammle Accidently Flooded Universal's Grand Opening

  In 1915, Mr. Leammle held a huge grand opening of Universal Studios, which was attended by thousands of guests including Thomas Edison and Buffalo Bill Cody. As part of the event, he staged a simulated flash flood which went completely awry and ended up flooding parts of the lot and soaking many of the guests.
  
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  (#17) Universal Finally Took the Clock out of the Famous Clock Tower From Back to the Future Because it Was Super Recognizable

  Though the clock tower may look a little funny when you see it without the clock, it had to be removed due to the huge problem its notoriety presented for other productions that filmed in the area after Back to the Future wrapped. The same courthouse has appeared in countless other films since, including Bruce Almighty, Batman and Robin, Amistad, and even The Nutty Professor. 
  
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  (#18) The Plane Wreckage on the War of the Worlds Set Was Created by Destroying an Actual 747

  The airplane was an old 747 that had recently been retired. Most of its parts had to be shipped to Universal late at night on the backs of large trucks, except for the tail piece. It was so big, that it had to be flown in with helicopters.
  
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  (#19) The Studio Has Its Own Fire Department, Police Station, and Doctor's Office

  There are even drivers in vans scattered throughout the lot who can be on sight within minutes in case of an emergency - even if it's retrieving a cell phone someone dropped on the tour.
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  (#20) The Studio Tour Often Changes Routes in Order to Avoid Disrupting Filming

  Due to the fact that the tour delivers on its promise to show guests around an actual working studio, the route of the tour is often changed in order to avoid disrupting filming. When getting too close to an active set can't be avoided, the tour guide will sometimes go silent for a period of time so as not to show up in the background of a film.

  If the tour bypasses an area you were hoping to see, check back later in the day to see if the route has changed.
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  (#21) The Transformers 3D Ride Spans Two Stories

  Due to the killer special effects that make the ride so cool, you'll probably never even notice that you are actually in an elevator at one point.
  
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  (#22) In the Early Days Universal Sold Eggs to Guests

  When Carl Leammle first purchased the property that is now Universal Studios it was a chicken ranch, which he actually kept open for quite some time. He would sell eggs to guests for extra cash, due to the fact that, at the time, a movie studio was considered a ridiculous investment that would never pan out financially.
  
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  (#23) Guides on the Studio Tour Are Constantly Editing Their Tour on the Spot

  Studio tour guides undergo a rigorous training program during which they learn tons of information and stories about each area of the lot, due to the fact that its not uncommon for them to give a slightly different tour each time.

  While certain major points are always hit on each tour, guides have to be able to add or cut material on the spot, depending on how fast each tram is able to move through the studio. Though they have video clips to assist them, they are not allowed to ever go completely silent (unless it's to avoid being heard by a nearby production), even while waiting for help to arrive if the tram breaks down.
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  (#24) The Production Bungalows Around Hitchhock's Office Used to Be Dressing Rooms for Old Hollywood Stars

  Though the only one usually pointed out to guests today is the bungalow where Alfred Hitchcock's office used to be, the surrounding buildings were once used as dressing rooms for stars like Rock Hudson, Doris Day, and Jimmy Stewart.
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  (#25) Jaws Lake Was Often Used as the Town of Cabot Cove on Murder She Wrote

  Take your grandma along sometime and watch her ignore the shenanigans of the mechanical shark, as she floats off into nostalgic visions of solving crimes with the great Angela Lansbury.
  
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  (#26) Wisteria Lane Has Been Used in a Ton of Productions Besides Desperate Housewives

  Though visitors to Universal Studios are often given a ride down a street they recognize as Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives, the street has been used in countless other productions as well. Gabrielle's house was long ago home to the Munsters and before Susan moved in, her house was home to the Hardy Boys. The street has also been featured in numerous music videos by artists like Puff Daddy and Smash Mouth. 
  
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  (#27) If You and Your Friends Don't Mind Riding a Ride Seperately, Ask About the Single Rider Line

  If you and your friends or family really want to go on a certain ride but not quite enough to stand in line for two hours, ask about the single rider line. You may end up riding separately, but it's more or less like getting a front of the line pass.
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  (#28) There Are Very Few Actual Rides in the Theme Park, Most of Them Are Actually Attractions

  While there are a few exceptions like Jurassic Park and The Simpsons Ride, the majority of the park is made of shows and attractions, which are more demonstrations of cool things than typical amusement park rides.
  
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  (#29) Universal Took a Lot of Notes From Steven Speilberg While Rebuilding Parts of the City Sets Destroyed in the 2008 Fire

  The filmmaker provided helpful tips such as suggesting that some of the buildings be made taller so that filmmakers could get wider shots.
  
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  (#30) Most of the Buildings on the 13 Blocks of City Sets on the Lot Are Just Facades

  Almost all of the sets around New York Street and Courthouse Square are just facades, meaning that there aren't actually rooms inside. This area is pretty much exclusively used for outdoor street scenes. If you ever see a character walk into one of the buildings, the scene that is supposed to take place inside it will actually be shot in a sound stage on another part of the lot.
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  (#31) The Studio Tour Is Given Daily in English, Spanish, and Mandarin

  Just ask the host when you first enter and they will let you know the schedule for the non-English rides that day and where to go to get in line for them.

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