Crews continue to make progress on the construction of DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida as it inches closer to its broad 2024 opening window. The area is replacing Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone; we noticed a few new changes on a recent trip to the park.

DreamWorks Land Construction

More yellow paint has been added to the Trollercoaster track in recent days. We noted in a late-September update that a layer of dark yellow paint had been added atop the white primer on a portion of the track; that color now covers several areas of the roller coaster.

The Trollercoaster will be a “Trolls”-inspired retheme of Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, a small roller coaster that debuted at Universal Studios Florida in 1999. Aside from obvious aesthetic alterations, it does not look as though any major changes have been made to the roller coaster itself.

Concept art revealed alongside the land’s announcement indicates that the support beams holding the track will ultimately be painted green and receive spider web detailing and decor. The concept art also revealed that a spider creature from the “Trolls” franchise will appear near the attraction; as with all concept art, the initial design may not be entirely reflective of the final product.

A steel structure with mesh shaped around it towers over the construction walls that surround the land. The concept art indicates that this structure may ultimately be a depiction of Shrek’s home, and even at this early stage, the ogre’s tree stump is easy to make out.

The thick circular body of the sculpture leads to a sloped opening at the peak, matching the shape of Shrek’s swamp home as it appears throughout the “Shrek” franchise. A wide structure has been shaped at its base; this may ultimately be a tree trunk or a moss-covered hill.

According to the concept art, this area of DreamWorks Land will feature a (slightly) relocated Shrek and Donkey meet and greet. The character interaction previously occurred outside the Shrek 4-D attraction but was relocated to Woody Woodpecker’s KidsZone shortly after the show’s early 2022 closure.

DreamWorks Land

DreamWorks Land was officially announced in July 2023. It will replace the former Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone.

Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone closed permanently in January 2023. E.T. Adventure and Animal Actors on Location! remain open but Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, Fievel’s Playland, and Curious George Goes to Town are all gone.

The walls that went up around the KidZone construction zone featured DreamWorks characters, leading to speculation that the area would become entirely DreamWorks-themed. Universal confirmed this in July with the following announcement:

Next year, Universal Orlando Resort will debut an all-new themed land featuring DreamWorks Animation’s beloved animated characters. As guests step into this new land, their imaginations will run wild as they take in the vibrant colors, sights and sounds that surround them. They will share special moments with their favorite characters like Gabby from ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse‘ and explore themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring popular franchises like ‘Shrek,‘ ‘Trolls‘ and ‘Kung Fu Panda‘ to life in the most imaginatively fun ways.

The new DreamWorks land, coming to Universal Studios Florida, is part of a collection of new entertainment experiences debuting at Universal Orlando Resort in 2024 and is a continuation of Universal’s commitment to rich storytelling that places guests of all ages in the most incredible and immersive environments. Stay tuned – more details will be revealed in the future. 

Recently, two applications for trademark were filed in relation to the land, for “DreamWorks Land” and “Trollercoaster.” No further announcements for the land have been made.

Do you plan to check out DreamWorks Land when it opens next year? Let us know in the comments.

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