Thanks to my sister who works for Universal Studios Orlando, I got a pretty thorough tour of the parks—or parks, since the mammoth property is actually split between two centers requiring separate admission and entry. One is the “traditional” park known as Universal Studios Florida; the other is Universal Islands of Adventure. Technically, there’s also a smaller third extension known as Volcano Bay, a waterslide park that features an impressive “water coaster.” (Volcano Bay partly replaces the older Wet n’ Wild that once stood on the property.) And soon, the company will unveil “Epic Universe,” a sprawling campus of modern attractions based on the hottest properties, most notably anything from Nintendo.

It’d be easy for me to recount my time exploring each of the two parks’ different lands and themes, but what I found most interesting was less the attractions themselves and more the lead up into them. Anyone who’s visited a theme park knows that the lines for these rides can be excruciating long, and to help temper that wait time, the queue itself is often laced with props, video displays, and other distractions to set the tone and context for the ride itself. The old Back to the Future ride, for instance, spent its “preshow” introducing Doc Brown’s “Institute of Future Technology” and explaining why those waiting in line were there in the first place (to nab Biff who’d stolen a time machine).

Although that ride has been sadly decommissioned, the current roster of Universal attractions sport their own assorted contextual accouterments that often contain a level of artistry and sophistication that rivals the rides (or films) themselves. Problem is, most passersby barely notice, or at least appreciate, these narrative breadcrumbs that help set the stage for the climax and spectacle ahead. Residing below is just a sample of the props, details, and architectural finesse that I happened upon and found truly impressive, even inspiring—regardless whether the ride itself was worth the overall wait!--D

The Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride boasts some interesting details about Gru in its queue. Anyone curious about the villain's elaborate family tree can view it here...

Outside The Simpsons attraction, the Kwik-E-Mart serves as a respectable recreation of the "real" thing. Inside, the line eventually snakes by this handy map of "Krustyland." It's extremely detailed and provides a plethora of juicy details for any devotee immersed in The Simpsons world. But most passersby probably barely notice...

Universal's second park, Islands of Adventure, sports a fast and frantic Spider-Man motion simulator ride. Along the way to the true event, line loiterers can behold a path littered in rich Spider-Man paraphernalia. The newspapers hanging on the wall are fully written, readable stories! But again, most will just glance at them like posters and move on. Who is the mystery (true) writer behind these pieces, I wonder?

Late night talk show host Jimmy Fallon has his own odd ride--Race Through New York. Although the attraction is just another typical motion simulator mixed with plenty of impossible nonsense, the "preshow" prelude is what impresses. Amongst a veritable museum of props and histories about the indefatigable show itself, there's even a live barber quartet-style performance right before the main event.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has "lands" in both parks with its own array of props spread across both its rides and neighboring shops. The exquisite artistry behind some of these incidental features are again easy to miss or underappreciate. Note the curious lamp post on the far left, the inaccessible top floor of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at center (a magic, gag, and curio shop), and the Gringotts bank on right. All three are remarkable.

Had to share the dual-sighting of Back to the Future's Delorean and time-traveling train.

The Jurassic Park VelociCoaster has a very believable animatronic raptor watching and snarling from the edges of the queue line.