Universal Joint Podcast: Mardi Gras Food, Today Show Cafe, and Terminator 2 3D Replacement Speculation

Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras Celebration

• 🎭 Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras celebration begins February 9th and runs until April 4th, offering nearly 8 weeks of festivities.
• 🍽️ The French Quarter Courtyard will feature small tasting-sized portions of New Orleans classics like Etouffee, fried catfish poboy, and red beans and rice, with service starting at 4 PM daily.
• 🎆 Parades are a major part of the celebration, with start times varying, so checking the park's entertainment schedule is recommended to avoid missing them.

New Dining Concept: The Today Show Cafe

• ☕ A new quick-service restaurant is planned to replace the Beverly Hills Boner on Hollywood Boulevard.
• 📰 The concept is a Today Show Cafe, incorporating design elements from the NBC show's plaza at 30 Rockefeller Center.
• 🛍️ The cafe will offer breakfast items and coffee, with a dedicated space for Today Show merchandise.
• 🗓️ The opening is tentatively planned for late spring or early summer, though delays are possible.

Speculation on Terminator 2 3D Replacement

• 🎬 The long-closed Terminator 2 3D attraction is being considered for replacement, with Jason Bourne films being a strong possibility due to their box office success.
• 📺 Alternatively, the replacement could be based on the upcoming Treadstone prequel series for the USA Network, which focuses on the black ops program that created Jason Bourne.
• ❓ A key challenge is how to create a compelling attraction without Matt Damon's direct involvement, especially if the replacement is based on a new series with unproven audience reception.
• ⏳ The original Terminator 2 3D attraction closed 16 months prior to this recording, and the significant hardware removal is a major undertaking before a new attraction can be installed.

Universal Orlando Resort Hiring and Park Development

• 💼 Universal Orlando Resort is hiring approximately 2500 full-time, part-time, seasonal, and salary positions across its parks and resorts.
• 🎢 The resort is also developing new attractions, including the Hagrid coaster, which is rumored to open in late summer or early fall.
• 🤝 Universal aims to retain team members during attraction closures or re-imagining by reassigning them to other roles within the resort, prioritizing them for positions in new attractions if they have the required skill set.