The Venue’s Shows Since 2000
This article is a continuation of the history of Pandemonium Cartoon Circus at Universal Islands of Adventure. READ PART I
Once Pandemonium Cartoon Circus closed, the Toon Lagoon Amphitheater did not get an immediate full-time replacement. The venue lost some of its circus theming and was used occasionally—though not as originally intended, but—as a character meet-and-greet location.
A Universal spokesperson said the resort was looking into concepts for replacements to fill the amphitheater. Rumors at this time pointed to a possible X-Men stunt show to complement the nearby Marvel Superhero Island. That never made its way into the park; instead, the stage would be used on and off for several brief productions through the years after losing its signature show.
For nearly 25 years, the amphitheater has not had a permanent show themed to the characters from Toon Lagoon. Here’s what the venue has been used for.
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The Fleeting Shows of Toon Lagoon Amphitheater
Extreme Sports Shows
Seasonal extreme sports shows have been the most consistent productions in the amphitheater after Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
The first extreme sports stunt show in this venue was called Xtreme Xventure, debuting in the summer of 2000. The stage that once had Blondie and Dagwood skating around now hosted an extreme sports stunt show including BMX bikers, inline skaters, and skateboarders. The show tied loosely back to the Toon Lagoon theme with an appearance by Woody Woodpecker. Xtreme Xventure operated during the park’s peak seasons from 2000 to 2002.
Universal continued the extreme sports trend in spring 2003, bringing Mat Hoffman’s Crazy Freakin’ Stunt Show to the Toon Lagoon Amphitheater. This show featured BMX tricks on a 13.5-foot halfpipe. The show’s name, which was based on the Mat Hoffman’s Crazy Freakin’ Bikers Series, was rumored to be mildly offensive to some parkgoers for the use of “Freakin’.” The show ran seasonally through 2004 without a name change.
A Mat Hoffman show returned in 2010 with—ironically—a circus theme. Mat Hoffman’s Aggro Circus was an extreme sports stunt show similar to previous versions, but now with a globe of death and other stunts. This show ran seasonally until 2011.
Streetmosphere Shows
Even when the amphitheater wasn’t occupied, Universal every so often used its courtyard for a few streetmosphere shows.
Temporarily around 2003 while the main venue was being prepared for another production, the amphitheater’s entrance plaza hosted a street show called the Toon Trolley Beach Bash. This got the crowd in on the fun with audience participation segments such as a hula hoop contest, dancing games, and a limbo competition—all to a surfy soundtrack.
In the mid-2000s, the outdoor area was used for another streetmosphere show called Toon Party. This show was probably the closest thing to Pandemonium Cartoon Circus since its closure. Toon Party featured a few of the characters from the defunct stage show and played a condensed version of Funny Business—a song from Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
In the mid- to late-2000s, a band called The Outer Toons played timeless cartoon theme songs on a small stage outside the amphitheater. Occasionally featuring Popeye, the group played timeless cartoon theme songs such as Popeye the Sailor Man, The Simpsons, The Flintstones, and The Jetsons.
Holiday Shows
The amphitheater also held a few holiday shows, such as the Toon Lagoon Holiday Express in 2003.
More notably, the venue hosted Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure for Halloween Horror Nights during the event’s run in Islands of Adventure. Bill & Ted spooked and entertained guests in the Toon Lagoon Amphitheater every Halloween season from 2002 until 2005.
Miscellaneous Events
Every once and a while, the venue has been used for various productions and special events.
From late 2006 until summer 2007, the amphitheater was the home studio for a weekday daytime NBC talk show called iVillageLive.
Other special events and filmings include segments from A Celebration of Harry Potter event held from 2014 to 2018, The Incredible Hulk Coaster virtual reality preview in summer 2016, and a showing of an Impractical Jokers segment in 2017, among other occasions.
Remnants
The Toon Lagoon Amphitheater is just one of Universal Orlando Resort’s many underutilized theaters. The amphitheater has been lightly rumored to be replaced by an attraction, but nothing has happened as of yet. It is now mainly used as a backstage area, being rented out occasionally for competitions and private events.
It’s a large venue that has gone without a permanent tenant for nearly 25 years. The Pandemonium Cartoon Circus sign was removed sometime in the 2000s, but some remnants of the show can still be found outside the theater. A few banners with the show’s characters and performances are still on display around the plaza area.
The original area loop also continues to play over the speakers; fans of the show’s soundtrack will be able to hear familiar melodies such as The Circus is Coming to Toon, Funny Business, and Star Stuck—just to name a few.
Availability
Since its closure, Pandemonium Cartoon Circus hadn’t been seen by the general public in its entirety for over two decades. For the most part, the show was undocumented publicly. Only a few pictures surfaced online, and even fewer video clips. For years, the show was considered lost media in the theme park world.
As time passed without much footage, the show gained a less-than-positive reputation. Since 2021, the full show is now available to watch online for fans to enjoy.
Legacy
Despite the supposed shortcomings and limited run of the show, it still has a small-yet-adoring fanbase. In 2023, more than 20 artists collaborated to reillustrate Pandemonium Cartoon Circus; the project doubled as the unofficial release of the show’s surprisingly well-produced soundtrack.
Pandemonium Cartoon Circus had a lot to appreciate: It was a crossover of iconic characters with cheery music and good humor; for theme park enthusiasts, it was an interestingly rare opening-day attraction in a major theme park.
Pandemonium Cartoon Circus may be an obscure part of Islands of Adventure’s history, but the show captured the whimsical comic strip style of Toon Lagoon. The amphitheater, willingly or not, stands as a reminder of the park’s history. Too bad Universal turned the page on Pandemonium Cartoon Circus—but hey, that’s the funny business for ya.
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