LOS ANGELES, May 6 (UPI) -- Universal Studios theme parks are about more than just rides -- they are about making guests feel like they're in their favorite movies. The new Fan Fest Nights experience at Universal Studios Hollywood, occurring weekends through May 18, reinvigorates the mechanized rides with some immersive interactive attractions.
One highlight is a fully immersive and interactive Back to the Future world, a welcome tribute to the film since Back to the Future: The Ride closed in 2007. Recreations of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dungeons & Dragons, and anime staples like Jujutsu Kaisen also commit to their bits to a lesser, but still worthwhile degree.
Early evening is a good time to head to the studio tram tour for the Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley experience as line queues tend to be short. The courthouse square where the film was shot is always part of the tour, but this time guests can depart the tram and interact with 1955 Hill Valley, the hometown of the McFly family.
The 1950s decor includes facades for a Hill Valley realtor, jeweler and stationary store. Fans will recognize the stage for the Enchantment Under the Sea dance set up opposite the clock tower, with live performances periodically.
In addition, a DeLorean with an Einstein the sheepdog is also parked in front of Doc's lab, adorned with wall-to-wall clocks. That photo op consistently had long lines all night.
What makes Destination Hill Valley more than a museum exhibit is the performers playing Doc Brown, Marty McFly, George McFly, Biff Tannen and other characters from the film. Though they recreate scenes from the movie, they will stop and talk to guests in character.
The way they'll drop notable lines from the movie is impressive. Doc, sporting a forehead bruise, will show his drawing of the flux capacitor and tell the story of falling while hanging a clock, which Christopher Lloyd made famous in the film.
During the musical performance, Biff walks around dazed as this would take place after George punched him out. If anyone comments on the punch, he'll claim he tripped.
In an earlier conversation about preparations for the dance, Lorraine remarked "we only have one TV." That's a line her family says to Marty in the film, as TVs were rare and expensive in 1955.
Of course, they say the big lines from the movie like "Great Scott!," "This is heavy" and Biff's inaccurate colloquial expressions. It's the deep cuts, however, that make guests feel like they are authentically in Back to the Future.
A band portraying Marvin Berry and the Starlighters plays "Night Train" from the film but also a medley of '50s rock from Elvis Presley, Little Richard and more. Marty joins them for "Earth Angel" and "Johnny B Goode."
Interestingly, he's dressed in the orange vest, the classic "life preserver" look from the film, even though in the movie's dance scene he's wearing a "zoot suit." Perhaps wardrobe changes are not feasible in live performance art.
Be advised to stay in Hill Valley until dark, the most ideal time to watch the experience's finale. Principal Strickland dismisses the dance due to the impending storm, so everyone can watch Marty go back to the future.
The Doc actor races into the courthouse, where the finale of the 1985 film is projected onto the walls. Flashing lights and fireworks accompany the successful experiment, and two flaming tire tracks remain lit throughout the night next to the courthouse for photo ops.
The free roaming performers and their ability to improv with guests are the most special part of Destination Hill Valley. One could spend all night thinking of things to say to Back to the Future characters.
The musical set is fun too and dancing is encouraged.
By comparison, Trek and Dungeons are more walk-through experiences, but those performers still make it a point to interact with guests.
Dungeons & Dragons recreates a mission from the classic role-playing game. By enacting it in person, technically it's Live Action Role Playing, aka LARP.
The guests are designated Harpers from the game's secret society. Male and female warriors, he with a dwarf beard and she with elf ears, guide the guests through a marketplace, dungeon and monster lair.
They still put their heart into the performances and engaging with guests, including young attendees, to wave their arms to cast magic spells.
A dragon flies over the marketplace thanks to projection on the ceiling, and it breathes fire too. Animatronic creatures are fully articulate in the room and guests can get close to see them in person.
Similarly, in the Star Trek: Red Alert experience, the Enterprise-D crew accompany guests on a tour of the ship of the Next Generation crew. In fact, guests get to see Captain Kirk's Enterprise-A in dock on a video screen.
Of course, something goes wrong so the crew walk the guests through the ship while trying to escort them to "safety." They spout Trek jargon throughout like "reverse polarity" and "warp core."
There are a few breaks in the action during which performers will ask guests if they're okay and comment on the previous experience, but it seems pretty fast paced.
Other attractions include Jujutsu Kaisen: Hunger of the Cursed playing in the DreamWorks theater. It is an animated episode of the anime in Japanese and subtitled in English.
The animation utilizes the entire 180-degree screen and rumble seats. Though the plot may be Greek to novices, it incorporates many characters and gives them heroic moments.
Photo ops with One Piece and Wicked characters, as well as new photo ops in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World have also been added.
The seasonal attractions still allow plenty of time for permanent Universal Studios rides. Really, the only variable is how long one decides to stay in Hill Valley, or wait in line for photos.
As a child movie buff, Universal Studios rides were magical ways to be in a movie. Fan Fest Nights is a beating human heart to the festivities that will hopefully become an annual event.
Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.
