A Lost Opening-Day Attraction
Universal Islands of Adventure is a weird theme park because it has somehow changed a lot and very little over its 25-year history.
The addition of the Wizarding World and various new rides have rejuvenated the park, but other areas are almost exactly the same as they were in 1999. Many of the park’s opening-day attractions are still operating today; only a handful have closed: Triceratops Encounter, Island Skipper Tours, Dueling Dragons, The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad, Poseidon’s Fury, and—oh—there’s one more, the shortest-lived attraction at Islands of Adventure, Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
The show lasted less than a year and was largely forgotten about as its amphitheater has mostly collected dust ever since. Let’s take a look back at this fleeting opening-day Islands of Adventure attraction—its crossover cast of characters, its colorful soundtrack, and the sad abandonment of the Toon Lagoon Amphitheater.
This is the story of Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
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Universal Studios Gets Its Toons
Universal Studios Florida debuted in 1990 with a lineup primarily of the company’s in-house franchises, such as Jaws and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. After the park’s grand opening, Universal Florida began looking for ways to broaden its roster of intellectual properties and expand into a multi-day resort.
Universal Studios in 1991 reached a licensing agreement with Jay Ward Productions Inc., earning characters such as Rocky and Bullwinkle as well as Dudley Do-Right. Universal wasted no time getting these characters into the parks. In 1992, Universal Studios Florida began a streetmosphere show called The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, produced by Michael La Fleur.
The little street show went like this.
Dudley Do-Right warmed up the crowd before each showing in Production Central. Rocky and Bullwinkle—fresh off a big-time movie contract—eventually arrived in a biplane, which was crafted by John Wiser. Snidley Whiplash posed as their trustworthy agent and flaunted the duo’s fancy trailer. Boris and Natasha, pretending to be their director, plotted to steal Rocky and Bullwinkle’s movie deal.
The show carried on with various musical numbers, skits, jokes, and special effects. It ended with a daredevil circus act, which was a coincidental hint at what was to come.
Drawing Up Cartoon World
Meanwhile, Universal Florida was in the early stages of developing a second theme park called Cartoon World. The upcoming park would be a bit different than Universal Studios by featuring a variety of classic cartoon characters from other studios. This included the recently acquired Jay Ward properties, Dr. Seuss, Warner Bros., and King Features Syndicate—best known for Popeye the Sailor Man.
Cartoon World was planned to be a highly themed environment with innovative attractions, including a land themed to classic comics. Relevant to this story, one rumored Popeye the Sailor Man concept was a Rough House Cafe dinner theater. The live show would have singing and dancing sailors.
The plans for Cartoon World, however, fell through as Warner Bros. allegedly pulled out of negotiations. Without Warner Bros., Universal shifted the remaining concepts—including Jay Ward and King Features Syndicate—and began developing a new park, eventually named Islands of Adventure.
The classic cartoon land carried over to the new plans as an island called Toon Lagoon.
Toon Lagoon had an important role for the upcoming Islands of Adventure: It was being designed for a shoulder demographic, catering to the youngest and oldest park-goers, and everyone in between. Its thrilling water rides made it the wettest island in the upcoming park; that shoulder demographic could enjoy play areas and well-themed environments.
Toon Lagoon would also have an amphitheater, entertaining guests young and old with a live stage show: Pandemonium Cartoon Circus. For Universal, the venue was practical as it could be rented out for events and productions in the future. The amphitheater’s show, like many others in the theme park industry, was produced very late into the development of Islands of Adventure; the water rides were a higher priority.
Pandemonium Cartoon Circus—like Toon Lagoon’s other attractions—would not be ready in time for most of the park’s soft opening previews in spring 1999.
Even with a time constraint, the show was under good direction as Toon Lagoon’s show producer, Christopher Stapleton, had a background in Broadway. Pandemonium Cartoon Circus was produced by Tom Geraghty and Scott Helmstedter. Andrew Lippa, who would go on to compose Broadway musicals, wrote the show’s glitzy soundtrack. The music was recorded in Anaheim, featuring live musicians and talented voice actors singing as the classic characters. In Lippa’s words, “It’s very cute.”
The show—starring the likes of Popeye, Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Dudley Do-Right—had a variety of mascot-style characters and live performers. The costumes were crafted by Custom Characters, USE Costume Shop, Alyja Kranich, and John David Ridge—who also made costumes for Hollywood productions.
Inside the amphitheater, the hand-crafted, circus-themed set was designed by Bob Harris with scenic work by Piper Productions. The circus-inspired backdrop, character murals, and glossy red stage made the whole venue vibrant. The set was installed very late into development as the park was nearing its soft opening previews.
While waiting for the main venue to be ready, the cast went through their months of rehearsals in The Wild Wild Wild West Stunt Show venue next door at Universal Studios Florida. The cast had the last-minute opportunity to run through rehearsals on their main stage shortly before debuting to park guests. Now having completed some circus training and months of rehearsals, the circus was officially ready to come to Toon.
Before the park opened, the amphitheater hosted a week’s worth of episodes of The Rosie O’Donnell Show, with special guests like NSYNC and TLC. The first and final episodes of the week had opening and closing numbers featuring some cast from Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
As the park’s soft opening wrapped up, Pandemonium Cartoon Circus was ready to make its debut to the public on Islands of Adventure’s official opening day, May 28, 1999.
Splashing Through Toon Lagoon
On its opening day, Islands of Adventure was split up into six themed lands: Port of Entry, Seuss Landing, The Lost Continent, Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon, and Marvel Superhero Island. Toon Lagoon brought the Sunday funnies to life with a host of nearly 80 classic characters.
Guests could get soaked to their funny bones on the land’s two signature attractions: Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges and Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls. Families could jape around the play area: Me Ship, The Olive.
The pathways of Comic Strip Lane were layered with silly soundscapes and visual gags, just like walking through the funny pages. About this land, Toon Lagoon’s show producer, Christopher Stapleton, said, “From the music to the special effects, we wanted you to feel like you’re in the melodrama.”
Toon Lagoon also had a streetmosphere show, the Toon Trolley, but this melodic land was perfect for a revue-style show.
That show was none other than Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
The Circus Comes to Toon
On the edge of Toon Lagoon and the nearby Marvel Superhero Island sat a 2,000-seat open-air venue called the Toon Lagoon Amphitheater, though media outlets at the time referred to it as Pandemonium Amphitheater.
This venue had a tiered entrance plaza area with a topsy-turvy neon sign displaying the show’s name. The area was decorated with flat character displays, banners with acts from the show, a live ringmaster on stilts, and a sign with show times. The show’s stars, Rocky and Bullwinkle, were featured prominently by the show times. An instrumental medley of the show’s soundtrack played around the plaza.
Inside, the venue had red bleachers with a runway down the center. Colorful sun shades with a big top circus tent look hung along the edges among giant banners of acts from the show. Flashing lights of the show’s name were on display above the colorful stage.
Pandemonium Cartoon Circus had five performances per day, and the show went a little something like this.
What was the Show Like?
Pandemonium Cartoon Circus was a series of circus acts starring the residents of Toon Lagoon. Before the show started, Old Bill, the janitor from Mr. Peabody and Sherman, entertained the audience as they were getting seated. A small orchestral overture played, the characters chattered behind the curtains, and the show began. The music swelled into an upbeat fanfare as the lights flickered on, and the cartoon custodian sucked the grand drape into his vacuum, uncovering the grand circus set.
The janitor started singing the first number, The Circus is Coming to Toon: a showtunes-style song led by Popeye and Olive Oyl.
The Circus is Coming to Toon
The characters made their grand entrance one by one with their circus outfits. They all joined in on the singing and dancing, but their fun would quickly be foiled as villains Boris, Natasha, Snidley Whiplash, and Bluto crashed the circus and sang along. The song ended with a magic trick revealing Woody Woodpecker and the show’s ringmooster, Bullwinkle.
Following the song, the dastardly Boris and Natasha interrupted Rocky and Bullwinkle with a so-called gift for them that they’d get a bang out of. After a turn of events, Boris’ bomb—and his devious plan—blew up in his face. The dazed Boris stumbled off the stage, and the ringmooster ushered in the next act: Dudley Do-Right in Bury the Hatchet.
Bury the Hatchet
Dudley Do-Right and Nell Fenwick, now in colorful circus outfits, marched out to a majestic soundtrack for their axe-throwing stunt. As a part of the routine, Nell blindfolded Dudley. Their nemesis, Snidley Whiplash, took that opportunity to strap Nell to a spinning wheel of death, and Dudley was fooled into throwing hatchets at her. Nell escaped from the rotating table, but Snidley Whiplash kidnapped Nell to tie her on a railroad track.
As Dudley rushed to save Nell, Rocky and Bullwinkle came out with a magic trick gag and announced the next song: Funny Business.
Funny Business
This was one of the catchiest tunes in Pandemonium Cartoon Circus. The campy cast sang about the ins and outs of the funny business. The villains were a nuisance throughout the song: the big bad Bluto chased after Olive Oyl, Snidely Whiplash got roughed up by Nell Fenwick, and Natasha deviously leaked helium on the stage. All the singers squeaked with high-pitched voices until Broom-Hilda snapped them out of it.
The anthem ended on a high note as Snidley, Nell, and Dudley scuffled across the stage.
Rocky and Bullwinkle, who was spinning plates, introduced Betty Boop and her glamorous song: Star Stuck.
Star Stuck
A big band swing song kicked in, and Betty Boop descended from the rafters on a crescent moon aerial hoop. In a soigne fashion, she acrobatically swung around while belting out the beautiful ballad.
Down below, four Bimbo pups from the Betty Boop series climbed lampposts and did gymnastics to accompany the glittering number. Bubbles speckled the air, the dogs did backflips while howling in harmony, and Betty gave a quick “boop-oop-a-doop” as the curtains closed.
Once again, Snidley Whiplash ran onto the stage with Nell Fenwick. The winded Snidley stopped to catch his breath, and Dudley Do-Right caught up to do the same. Snidley ran off after hearing a train whistle, and Dudley followed.
Rocky and Bullwinkle set up the next act: Blondie and Dagwood, the Balancing Bumsteads.
The Balancing Bumsteads
Blondie and the klutzy Dagwood skated around the stage while Beetle Bailey and Zero fumbled around. Boris and Natasha butted into the show to catch Dagwood; Boris eventually punched him with a comically large boxing glove mechanism. The skit ended with all smiles.
Go, Popeye, Go
Led off by Rocky and a clumsy Bullwinkle, Olive Oyl performed the next act: a tightrope stunt.
Olive Oyl’s shaky knees were the least of her worries as Bluto showed up to resounding boos from the crowd. Bluto harassed Olive Oyl, but Popeye came to the rescue, flipping his way to Bluto. Popeye confronted his archenemy on the tightrope. Bluto lit a match and threw it underneath Popeye and the tightrope, causing a fire below. Olive Oyl turned up just in time to give Popeye a can of spinach to deliver the knockout punch that sent Bluto plummeting.
Popeye rescued Olive Oyl from the flaming tightrope. The cast celebrated, singing a song cheering on Popeye.
Just then, Snidley Whiplash finally found a set of train tracks to tie Nell up. He held Dudley Do-Right at gunpoint while Nell squirmed. Woody Woodpecker chugga-chugga-choo-chooed onto the stage with a little locomotive, but Dudley stopped it with his hand, saving Nell.
Even if this scene was a little anti-climatic and probably the victim of some budget cuts, the Toons got the last laugh.
Last Laugh
In jubilee, the characters sang a song called The Last Laugh. They showcased circus tricks like Spanish web routines and balancing on a rolling globe. The cast giggled their way through the chorus, and the curtains opened unveiling the show’s grand finale with spinning plates.
The villains interrupted the performance with a cartoon bomb. Old Bill hopped on the stage to clean up and—somehow, some way—was able to save the day with his vacuum as the cast swirled off the stage. Confetti fell, and the chaos continued into the song’s final note. The curtains closed on Pandemonium Cartoon Circus.
Old Bill swept the stage and thanked everyone one final time for coming. Guests had the opportunity after the show to take pictures with the characters.
The Show’s Closure
Islands of Adventure as a whole upon opening in 1999 had an ambitious lineup full of thrilling attractions. Pandemonium Cartoon Circus was one of the few attractions tailored for families and guests of all ages. Islands of Adventure had a clear gap in its lineup. To address this, Universal quickly planned a few family-friendly attractions for Islands of Adventure, that being a junior roller coaster and a spinning ride.
On paper, Pandemonium Cartoon Circus fit the park’s family-focused needs. The show, however, didn’t seem to pull its own weight and was not in the park’s long-term plans. Shortly after opening, it already seemed to be on borrowed time. Attendance for the show wasn’t strong, and the park was quick to move on.
The curtains closed on Pandemonium Cartoon Circus for the final time Feb. 29, 2000—only about nine months after first debuting to guests.
Pandemonium Cartoon Circus was not planned to be temporary. As with many theme park shows, its success depended on its popularity. Whether the show would continue was based on attendance and guest feedback.
To give Pandemonium Cartoon Circus some credit, it was a decently produced show. It had strong performances, clever songs, cute dancing, impressive gymnastics, some costume changes, and an infectious soundtrack with Broadway-quality numbers. It flowed nicely and was enjoyable.
Despite all that, the show was canceled. It likely didn’t last long for a few reasons.
First off, it was produced quickly before the park opened. Maybe if it had more time in the oven with a bigger budget, it could have had a stronger impact. Besides, the open-air venue of course didn’t have air conditioning; that matters to theme park guests in the Florida heat.
Second, Universal hardly promoted the show. It was rarely mentioned in any marketing materials at the time, if mentioned at all. This was a time when the resort had notoriously questionable marketing efforts under the failed Universal Studios Escape branding. Given that, Islands of Adventure under-performed early on. Perhaps the show closed as a cost-saving measure, having a large cast and low attendance.
One more possible reason why the show was pulled so soon was its theme. Even at the turn of the new millennium, the show’s characters from yesteryear weren’t exactly relevant to younger audiences. Most kids at that time were watching Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network—not vintage comics and cartoons.
A Dudley Do-Right movie starring Brendan Fraser hit theaters in the summer of 1999, but it was a massive flop. The Rocky and Bullwinkle film the following summer was slightly more successful, but not by much. If those misfires were any indication, the characters of Toon Lagoon simply weren’t popular with kids anymore.
A Universal spokesperson at the time mentioned the closure of Pandemonium Cartoon Circus was a part of the resort’s “ongoing review of park offerings.”
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