Steven Spielberg (1946-present) is a film producer, writer and director of many critically acclaimed films such as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, the Indiana Jones series, and Scheidler's List.
Relation with Universal Studios Florida[]
Spielberg has served as the executive creative consultant for Universal Studios Florida since it's pre-production in 1986. Spielberg served as the director and writer for E.T. Adventure, and was a creative consultant for Jaws, An American Tail Theatre, Twister...Ride it Out and Men in Black: Alien Attack and was also both a creative consultant and co-producer for Back to the Future: The Ride. He is also the main VIP at the park, and still visits at least once a year.
Spielberg has requested that the park not close original attraction E.T. Adventure in Florida, after the parks closed the ride in Hollywood and Jaws in Florida; threatening to cut his connections with the park if they did. He has also said that he enjoyed former attractions The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera and Kongfrontation.
Park appearances[]
E.T. Adventure[]
Steven Spielberg appears in the pre-show videos, recruiting guests to assist E.T. in saving the Green Planet.
Jaws[]
Spielberg was mentioned as part of the attraction's backstory. In the lore of the ride, Jaws (1975) was a popular movie based on real shark attacks which occurred in Amity, leading to Amity's increased tourism and the creation of Captain Jake's Tour Boats. According to Matt Hooper in the pre-show, Spielberg's crew was threatened into making Chief Brody the hero or else they'd be arrested.
Men in Black: Alien Attack[]
On a bench is an animatronic of Spielberg reading a newspaper though his head comes off, revealing him to be an alien in disguise. He is wearing a Jurassic Park baseball cap. While Spielberg did not make Men in Black, it was made by Spielberg's company, Amblin Entertainment.
The Simpsons Ride[]
A Simpsons version of Steven Spielberg can be seen waiting in-line for Captain Dinosuar's Pirate Rip-Off while wearing an E.T. hat.
Twister...Ride it Out[]
Spielberg's director chair appeared in the queue, along with those for Bill Paxton, and Helen Hunt.