[Intro sound effects]
>>NARRATOR: During the 1990s, the Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando Florida, was one of the
ultimate destinations for kids of all ages,
as it encompassed everything about the massively popular television network,
and to many is the epitome of 90’s nostalgia.
[Nickelodeon star: Oh My Gosh, it’s Jake Lloyd from Star Wars The Phantom Menace!]
[Jake Lloyd: The Force IS with me.]
But now, Nickelodeon Studios is no longer,
and the story of the networks origins leading up to the studios downfall,
is often associated with beginning and end of an era.
[intro music]
During a time when television broadcasting was still in its infancy, on December 1st
1977,
an experimental two-way interactive cable television system named QUBE, officially launched
in Columbus Ohio.
[Barbara Walters: “Do you ever get the urge to answer back to your television set?
Some viewers in Columbia Ohio can and they get results.”]
Available through Warner Cable network, the
cable box featured a number of revolutionary concepts,
and also included access to 10 commercial free community channels,
one of of which featured children’s programming called C-3,
which featured a flagship series called Pinwheel.
And while often compared to Sesame Street,
and became so popular that the network was retitled with the same name.
[countdown of liftoff]
And with the success of QUBE and networks like Pinwheel,
in 1979 Warner made a deal to purchase transponder space from the satellite RCA satcom-1,
which had gone into orbit 3 years prior.
And on April 1st, the rebranded pinwheel network
debuted as Nickelodeon.
[Weird Al: Boy oh Boy!
Are we going to have some BIG fun today, huh kids?]
[awkward nervous laugh]
But despite it’s new name, the network didn’t stray far from it’s Pinwheel style childrens
programming.
But in 1981, things began to change, as the network began airing a Canadian sketch television
program aimed at teens and pre-teens,
called “You Can’t Do That On Television”, and debuted a new network logo.
[1980’s nickelodeon music and singing]
And while it was considered their first hit series, and was also first to feature the
Nickelodeon’s iconic green slime,
the network struggled financially and in viewership in it’s early years.
But in mid the 1980’s, with the help of
the creative team behind MTV’s iconic imagery, Nickelodeon decided to completely reinvent
itself.
[Nickelodeon 80’s bumper music and singing]
Promoted as “the first kids network”, Nickelodeon began a campaign to shed it’s
image as just a children’s education network,
by reinventing it’s image to appear edgier and appeal to a wider demographic.
And by the late 1980s, with the help of original
shows such as Double Dare, the first game show geared towards children,
and their acquisition and airing of popular animated TV shows, Nickelodeon soon became
one of the top rated children’s networks.
But this was only the beginning.
[Announcer: Nickelodeon heard your cries for freedom and answered,
claiming a piece of planet earth in the name of kids everywhere, Nick Studios Florida!]
In 1988, Nickelodeon partnered with Universal Studios Florida, to create a one of a kind
working production facility,
which would reside within Universal’s sound stages 17, 18 & 19.
And while the first show to be filmed technically occurred in the spring of 1989, on Universal’s
soundstage 21,
on June 7th 1990, the Nickelodeon Studios as well as Universal Studios Florida, officially
opened to the public.
[Double Dare Host: “We are live!
First time in 11 years we’re doing a live broadcast on Nickelodeon, and it means we
are coming to you from our new home, right here in Orlando Florida!]
And much like Warner brothers, who invited
guests to watch live tapings of their shows,
Nickelodeon’s offered visitors a chance to be part of the audience for gameshows and
sitcoms,
but what many considered the heart of Nickelodeon Studios Florida was it’s one of a kind tour,
which not only allowed guests to get an inside look into television productions,
but participate in a number of nickelodeon inspired activities, which included taking
part in potential new gameshow elements in it’s Game Lab.
[Stanley: “Ok, are you ready?!]
[Kid: “Yeah!!”]
[Water sound effects]
Shortly after the studios opening, decided to venture into creating a line of original
animations, which resulted in Doug, Rugrats, and The Ren and Stimpy Show.
All of which turned out to be a success, which
saw nickelodeon’s popularity, along with their Orlando studio location, soar even higher.
[Announcer: From Nickelodeon Studios, the first world headquarters for kids, it’s
the day for the burying of the Nickelodeon time capsule!]
And in 1992, a highly publicized time capsule was buried at the bustling new studio,
which had actually benefited from Universal Florida’s rocky first year,
drawing in guests and families who had run out of things to do at Universal’s new theme
park.
The year also saw the debut of Snick, which similar to Nick at Night, featured re-runs
and programs geared toward an older audience.
By the mid 1990’s, at the height of the studios popularity, nickelodeon’s reach
had gone beyond it’s growing list of original animations and live action shows,
and had spread across all forms of entertainment, including merchandise, video games, and the
beginning of their theatrically released films,
with many of their iconic live action programs having been filmed on location at their Florida
studio.
[Bob: “We’re number 1.]
And by 1997, Nickelodeon had become not just the number 1 childrens cable television network,
but for the first time in history, beat all other broadcast channels for first place.
But Ironically, it was around this same time that marked the beginning of Nickelodeon Studios
Florida’s downward descent,
Starting with the acquisition of the historic Earl Carrol theater in Los Angeles,
in which 2 of their popular live action shows were migrated from Orlando, setting the stage
for future programs to be filmed there as well,
as nickelodeon had decided to focus less on and sitcoms with a live studio audience,
and desired production to be closer to their new upcoming animation studio headquarters
in Burbank California.
[Host: Cut!
You have not seen anything yet!]
Another factor was that Universal Studios Florida was offering more attractions and
experiences than ever before,
and included something for virtually every age demographic, resulting in it’s neighboring
studio to see a decline in Universal’s visitors.
And by 1999, with the exception of Figure
It Out’s last season, and occasional specials and spinoffs,
practically no new productions were being actively filmed and Nickelodeon Studios.
[Britney Spears singing]
However in the year 2000, an attempt was made to try and revive the dying studio, which
included a new slate of television productions,
but unfortunately, all but one were cancelled within the first season.
And in 2001, due to budget constraints and
a continued decrease in overall attendance,
the once in depth 40 plus minute behind the scenes studio tour was significantly cut down
to a brief 10 minute walk through,
that excluded or drastically reduced many of the tours previous highlights.
And in 2004, while the studio received it’s first new paint job since debuting in 1990,
and despite the filming of a new show that summer, any hope for a true rival would be
in vein, because Splats last taping on august 17th 2004,
also marked the final program to be filmed at nickelodeon studios.
And while the trimmed down studio tour limped
on for nearly a year, the last tour was given on April 30th 2005,
marking the the last day of operation at Nickelodeon Studios florida,
which shut its doors for good, and was permanently closed.
[Star Wars Luke Skywalker: Noooooo!!
Nooo!!!]
Over the following months, the iconic signage,
Slime Geyser, and practically any trace of Nickelodeon was erased,
which included the unearthing of the 1992 buried time capsule, which was reburied outside
the lobby at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort in 2006.
But with it’s closure less than a decade later, the capsule was relocated to the networks
new animation studio in Burbank California, where it is set to be opened April 30th of
2042.
[Jumanji Robin Williams: “What year is it?”]
But it wasn’t long after the closure of
Nickelodeon Studio’s Florida that Universal announced,
that Nickelodeon’s former soundstage 18 would be transformed into The Sharp Aquos
Theatre for the Blue Man Group.
And on June 7th 2007, 17 years to the day
that Nickelodeon Studios made it’s debut, the newly renovated facilities re-opened to
the public.
[Blue Man Group Music]
And 7 years after the studio’s closure, while many believed all traces of Nickelodeon
had been removed with the exception of some green slime tiles in the bathrooms,
content creator Adam The Woo explored parts
of soundstage 19, that had long since been abandoned,
stuck in time and left almost exactly as it was the day it closed.
[Titanic old Rose: “It’s been…84 years…and I can still smell the fresh paint.”]
Today, while the exterior structure has remained virtually unchanged,
one either walks by the former studio without a clue of what once existed,
or is hit with nostalgia and taken back to time many hold dear within their hearts.
So what about you?
Did you get to visit Nickelodeon Studios Florida?
And if so, what are some of your memories?
Also, if you would to help support me in the making of future videos, please check out
my Patreon and Shop in the description.
As always, thank you all so much for watching, and I’ll see you next time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCMwFIXKotQ