Universal’s Quickly Canceled Show: Pandemonium Cartoon Circus

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.