Welcome to Hollywood! We’re back at Universal CityWalk Hollywood for a look at what’s new, what’s good, and what’s happening. We have a double-sized report for you today, including photos from Labor Day weekend and from September 11. So let’s dive right into this photo report!
Park Entrance
We’re starting from the far West end and working Eastward today. We begin at the entrance to the theme park.
The smoky skies weren’t pleasant to look at on September 11, so let’s see the Labor Day weather.
Ah, much better. The hot Labor Day weekend weather hit above 110° which is probably the reason the crowds were so light that day. One of our cameras shut off with a heat warning, but that didn’t deter us from sticking through to the end for you, dear reader.
The park is still closed, but guests can get close and take a look through the gates. We ventured up to the gate of the park to take a look at what was happening on the main entryway.
Inside the Park
We noticed on September 11 that new signs had been put out in the park. These facial covering signs are the same that are out in CityWalk, but now posted around the inside of the park. Read our full story for more on these signs.
Also, the wait time sign was on and the upcoming ride “Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash” is advertised to have a Virtual Line. You can read our whole story for more, here.
No changes noted in the actual “Secret Life of Pets” area. It looks like the work is either complete or only happening on the inside, as the cherry picker we saw in the last report is gone now.
Into CityWalk
As we head into CityWalk, crowds were incredibly light on September 11. The smoke has driven people inside all across LA. But on September 5, there was actually a wait to get into the Studio Store.
Before we entered, we noticed a “Transformers: The Ride — 3D” pressed penny machine had been installed outside the Studio Store. This is one that was inside the park and has made its way out to where the people are.
The machine is hand-crank and features designs of Evac, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime and Megatron.
Studio Store
The fire sun makes for some beautiful pictures.
Inside the store, we headed straight for the Harry Potter section. Its theming is always a welcome taste of what we can’t otherwise get into the park to see. We came across some new backpacks representing three of the Hogwarts Houses and Hogwarts itself.
Hogwarts Backpacks — $49.95
These backpacks are canvas outside and feel thin, but well made.
The Gryffindor bag features the House crest as a patch on the outside of the plain red bag. The zippers are gold with gold pulls. Inside, the main compartment of the bag is lined with a Gryffindor print with House colors and includes a laptop sleeve sewn into the back.
The Hufflepuff bag features the House crest as a patch on the outside of the plain yellow bag. The zippers are gold with gold pulls. Inside, the main compartment of the bag is lined with a Hufflepuff print with House colors and includes a laptop sleeve sewn into the back.
The Slytherin bag features the House crest as a patch on the outside of the plain green bag. The zippers are gold with gold pulls. Inside, the main compartment of the bag is lined with a Slytherin print with House colors and includes a laptop sleeve sewn into the back.
The Hogwarts bag is somewhat different. It features the school’s crest as a patch on the outside of the plain black bag. The zippers are gold with gold pulls. Inside, the main compartment of the bag is flat black and includes a laptop sleeve sewn into the back.
No Ravenclaw bag was out on the shelves, and the employee we asked was unsure when or if one will be released. With all three other Houses, it’s surely only a matter of time or shelf space until the Ravenclaw bag is put out.
Around the rest of the store, the Vintage collection is still going strong and the Love is Universal collection is still front and center. Not much has changed there.
Universal Tie-Die Spirit Jersey — $55.00
We did notice a few new shirts and some leggings. This Universal Studios Tie-Die spirit jersey fades from purple to white to pink as it moves up the shirt. It features the monogram on the front left breast, and “Est. 1912.” The back says “Universal Studios” in two different fonts.
Universal Studios Leggings — $35.00
The leggings, pictured on top with the spirit jersey and above, are purple and stretchy and soft. They are the perfect complement to the spirit jersey and feature the “Universal Studios” font to match.
Red Spirit Jersey — $55.00
This is the same spirit jersey as the one above, but with a red shirt instead of tie-dye. The writing on the front and back are done up in a chrome silver printing, which looks really cool in contrast with the vibrant red.
Outside the store, we found more pressed pennies, this time from Springfield. This was previously in the park and has recently been moved out to CityWalk.
The machine is hand crank and features designs of The Simpsons family, Krusty, Homer and Bart.
The best part is Homer on the bottom of the machine, saying “MMMM… collectible pennies.” A very Homer touch for the machine.
Crepe Cafe Reopens
The Crepe Cafe reopened on September 2 and we couldn’t be more excited. This has always been a favorite spot to stop for a quick bite and a cool drink.
The restaurant is counter service and guests place their order here before finding a table outside to remain socially distant.
Crepe Cafe is known, of course, for their specialty crepes. The kitchen is open, allowing guests to watch their crepes being made in person.
The location offers both sweet crepes and for the more hearty diners, savory crepes with meats and veggies.
The real star for us has always been the french fries. These thick and crispy fries are served as a dish on their own and come complete with a wide array of dipping sauces. Nothing hits better than a big bag of delicious french fries and a spot to sit and relax. Welcome back, Crepe Cafe.
Ludo Bird — Closed
So apparently that “work being done on the Ludo Bird sign” that we saw in our last photo report wasn’t work at all, but rather a removal. Ludo Bird is gone and all traces have been pulled out.
The cash registers have been removed, the signs are off and the large Ludo Bird sign has been completely pulled down.
As of September 11, the posts that once held up the sign are topped in stars. Farewell, Ludo Bird. We hardly knew ye.
The kitchen, however, still has lots left to go. Much of this will probably be used for the next restaurant concept to take over this spot.
Production Central
As we head into Production Central we… wait, is that ANOTHER pressed penny machine?
It sure is. This one is from Jurassic World, and was moved from the Lower Lot up to CityWalk.
The machine is hand-operated and features four designs — Ankylosaurus, Indoraptor, Carnotaurus, and Velociraptor. The Gallimimus, Pteranodon and Tyrannosaurus rex shown on the front of the machine are not available as pennies.
The crank was a little off, leading to some miss-pressed pennies. The arrow was lined up, but they printed just off. Still cool souvenirs.
Okay, finally in the store.
As we look around we see lots of E.T. merch, the Vintage collection in full swing and… no… not again…
MORE PRESSED PENNIES!!!
This is the all-digital press machine that is touchscreen operated, no hand crank here. It features eight designs from all over Universal Studios — Jaws, Minions, The Simpsons, a Spinosaurus from Jurassic Park III and the Lower Lot, Shrek and Donkey, an Academy Award, King Kong, and the Universal Studios Hollywood Logo. Each one is $1 or the whole collection can be purchased at once for $5.
And to keep your now MASSIVE collection of pressed pennies organized, Production Central does sell an album.
Back to the store. Some favorite merch items from inside the park are still making their way out to the new store, like this super cute King Kong hugging a tram. He just wanted a hug and it all got blown out of proportion. He’s a sweetheart.
Some cool Jaws merch, in case you thought it was safe to go back in the water. Its not.
Jaws Fanny Pack — $32.95
One cool thing that stood out to us was the Jaws fanny pack. The pack itself is the shark. Its mouth zips open, its back zips open for the main compartment and the grommet eye is just perfect.
Back to the Future Pokis — $19.00
These cute little guys are figurines of Doc Brown and Marty McFly from “Back to the Future.” They feature standalone figures or, for the same price, Doc or Marty in a DeLoran. They are the perfect addition to any BTTF collection that needs a little more cuteness.
Ectotron — $75.00
If you’re a fan of all things ’80s, then this is the toy for you. Ecto-1, the hearse-cum-squad car for the Ghostbusters has crossed over with Transformers to become Ectotron.
This super neat Transformer turns from car to bot in just five steps and is equipped with a proton pack, Slimer, and dripping ectoplasm.
With a hefty price tag of $75, you need to be a real fan to drop that kind of cash. But it’s cool to look at nonetheless.
Vivo Italian Kitchen
Across the aisle from Production Central is the recently reopened Vivo Italian Kitchen. It seems they have added some extra seating in front of Guess to meet the demand of hungry diners.
Central Plaza
Central Plaza was light on people on September 5, and nearly empty on September 11.
Antojitos has expanded their seating once again, moving down the same side of the street for two more tables.
The seating that was in front of Sparky’s that we saw in last week’s report has since been removed. When investigating, we noticed employees inside stocking shelves despite the store being closed.
But later in the day, the Mini Donut bar reopened! This favorite snack is a welcome reopening for CityWalk.
Sold by the bucket, or now by the tub, these fresh-fried mini donuts are doused in cinnamon sugar and delicious. Once you’ve had them you’ll agree — the only way to eat fried dough is by the bucket-full.
Jurassic Parking
Just as life… uh… finds a way, so too does Universal find a way to squeeze even more penny press machines into CityWalk. This automated machine is found right as guests enter CityWalk from the parking structure.
This one is a Jurassic Park themed press, and features eight collectible designs — Tyrannosaurus rex, Spinosaurus, Triceratops, Pteranodon, Pteranodon close up, Velociraptor, Spinosaurus close up, and Dilophosaurus. Interestingly, these all feature the old Universal Studios Hollywood logo and half of them say “Jurassic Park” across the bottom, not the updated “Jurassic World.”
Away East
The red dragon keeps a watchful eye as we say so long to the West Wing of CityWalk and head East. The fountains are still on, but roped off. No cooling off with a quick run here.
The Clean is Universal team hard at work, as always, despite the heat and the smoke.
NBC Sports Grill & Brew is still closed, awaiting its grand opening.
The smoke is barely apparent in photos but to the eye, a haze hangs in the distance at all times.
Some restaurants remain closed after several months, and their outdoor seating areas are left to gather dust. Here, once-white tables are covered in dirt which is only speckled away by the occasional water droplet.
On September 5, we noticed that even more seating has been added to the front of the Universal Cinemas and Five Towers area.
No progress yet on Toothsome Chocolate Emporium. But there’s plenty of room to walk as we enter the less-active end of the Walk.
Voodoo Doughnut
The exception to the not-crowded area is always Voodoo Doughnut. The switchback of the erected line will fill up, but here is only at about half capacity.
Upon entering, we noticed a new menu over the cash stand.
The new display has done away with the listing of donuts up top and only lists the coffee drinks. The center, where the donuts were previously, is now home to some really cool illustrations of their donuts.
And they have some new merch available since the last time we were here. These items were found in Universal CityWalk Orlando a few weeks ago, and now we have the Universal Studios Hollywood-branded counterparts.
Tumbler — $17.00
This 20 fl oz vacuum sealed tumbler will keep that coffee hot for hours. Can’t have a doughnut without hot coffee.
Voodoo Dozen T-Shirt — $30.00
This super cool T-shirt features the classic Voodoo Dozen assortment and the Baron mascot inside the Voodoo Doughnut logo on the front of the shirt. The back says “Universal Studios Hollywood” at near the neck, in case you forgot where you were.
Voodoo Doll Doughnut — $30.00
This T-shirt features the iconic Voodoo Doll doughnut on the left breast, with a word bubble as he invites guests to “Eat Me!”
On the back is the coffin prop, which stands just to the right as guests enter the store.
Magic is In the Hole — $30.00
This T-shirt is a black and white print of the prop coffin, with the slogan “The Magic is In the Hole” in a creepy font above the Voodoo Doughnut logo and “Universal Studios Hollywood.” The back is a plain black.
Coffin Keychain — $15.00
This super cool keychain is a real opening coffin, with the Voodoo Doughnut logon outside and the Voodoo Doll doughnut inside, with another doughnut that says “Universal Studios Hollywood.”
Voodoo Doll Keychain — $10.00
This keychain is just the Voodoo Doll and captioned doughnut, sans coffin. But it is done in a larger size than the previous iteration and feels more solid as a standalone keychain.
Voodoo Logo — $10.00
And finally, the Voodoo Doughnut logo as a keychain. It is also accompanied by a captioned doughnut that says “Universal Studios Hollywood” as the other two are.
Magnets
These magnets are made the same way the keychains are, but with magnetic backings instead of chain attachments. Each one is well made and solid.
Voodoo Logo — $10.00
Voodoo Doll in Box — $13.00
Coffin — $11.00
Dine LA Deal
We couldn’t leave without a few doughnuts to-go, and luckily Dine LA swooped in with a deal. The prolific all-over-LA dining program gives restaurants an opportunity to offer specials to encourage guests to try new places and showcase the best dining LA has to offer. At Voodoo Doughnut, the special is a Baker’s Half-Dozen (seven pre-selected doughnuts) for $15 or a Baker’s Dozen (13 pre-selected doughnuts) for $25.
The Baker’s Half-Dozen includes the Voodoo Doll, Sprinkle Cake, Maple Bar, Chocolate Ring, Little Pink, ODB and the 8 Mile, which we swapped for the Diablos Rex.
What a truly beautiful thing to behold. Doughnuts. Mmmm…
The Quiet Cul-de-Sac
When we say less crowded end of CityWalk, we mean it. Hardly anything is open over here.
Lids is open, Buca di Beppo is open, Shoe Palace is open and The Raider Image are open, though you’d rarely know it by foot traffic. Everything else is still closed.
But with nobody around, there is plenty of time to go slow and admire all the amazing neon signs and artwork hung over the walkway.
Samba remains closed as well.
Even Wetzel’s Pretzels, a counter service location, hasn’t reopened.
CityFood
Up at CityFood, not much has changed except for more closures.
Panda Express, which was open in our last photo report, is now closed. No word on whether it is a permanent closing, or just taking a day off.
The windows are blacked out and through the opening at the corner, the interior seem sto still be in place.
The Habit and Poke Bar remain closed with no sign of work being done. Taco Bell, Pinks and KFC/Pizza Hut were open.
From the walkway above, we get a unique vantage point on some iconic locations.
And poking its spires out above the Cinemas is Hogwarts. The upper walkway provides a good view of the castle further on.
Spotted between two buildings, we get our best view of Hogwarts from outside the gates. So close, yet so far. Hopefully soon the parks can reopen and we can once again fly to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
That’s it for this week. Thanks for coming with us on this photo tour of Universal CityWalk Hollywood. We’re glad you rode along. For more like this, check out our CityWalk photo report from last week or see our photo report from Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort.
Will you be heading to Universal CityWalk Hollywood soon? Let us know in the comments below.