As a huge theme park afficionado, one of my favorite things to do at Universal Orlando Resort is share all the ~hidden secrets~ and ~design details~ of the attractions with whomever I’m with! (With a check-in every now and then to ensure they haven’t hit information overload.)
Less often is it that I get to share secrets about two of my favorite Universal experiences that aren’t found in the theme parks… but at Universal CityWalk! Well friends, today is the day I get to share with you some of my favorite design and lore details found in Back to the Future: OUTATIME at Universal’s Great Movie Escape.
If you didn’t know, Universal’s Great Movie Escape is home to two experiences based on beloved blockbusters. Each unique adventure offers a wealth of detail, Easter eggs, and my favorite… lore for fans of both film series, with a few special nods for fans who have experienced attractions at our theme parks based on these iconic movies (past and present).
Looking for the behind-the-scenes details of Jurassic World: Escape? Click here!
Though I sadly never got to experience Back to the Future: The Ride myself, “Back to the Future” is my favorite movie of all time! Read on for my list of the most delightful hidden details in Back to the Future: OUTATIME at Universal’s Great Movie Escape.
The History of the Institute of Future Technology
The date? November 15, 1993. *Back to the Future theme intensifies* You’re a guest at the opening of a new museum at the Institute of Future Technology, there to see one of Doc Brown’s newest inventions, the Portable Flux Emitter. This is where OUTATIME begins.
The Institute of Future Technology was first introduced as the main location in Back to the Future: The Ride, forever impacting the “Back to the Future” lore when the attraction debuted. Doc Brown founded the institute to support scientific research and the facilitate the development of new inventions to better mankind.
The now-retired attraction’s story took place at the Institute of Future Technology on May 2, 1991, as guests joined Doc Brown for an experiment to test out his newest invention, an 8-passenger time machine. Like any great theme park ride’s story, something went wrong (shock! gasp!), and things took a dramatic turn when Biff showed up! Now, surely you + a new invention + the Institute of Future Technology in 1993 couldn’t mean that Biff would show up to cause trouble again… right…?
As a graphic and motion graphics designer myself, I find the branding of the Institute of Future Technology fascinating, so here’s a look at how the original logo for the Institute of Future Technology evolved from how it appeared in the original ride (1991) to Back to the Future: OUTATIME. (1993)
The original icon for the Institute of Future Technology is featured prominently throughout the experience, with many of the museum’s design details inspired by its hexagonal design pattern (take a look at the shelves, the museum item identifiers, the wallpaper, and even the ceiling!).
Nico(la Tesla Copernicus Clark)
Doc’s primary assistant at the Institute in 1993 is Nicola Tesla Copernicus Clark, but she prefers to go by Nico! Nico is a completely original character created for OUTATIME, and one of my favorite parts of the experience (alt. 1985 scene fans… you know!)
“One of my favorite aspects of the creative process for the Back to the Future experience was getting to create the character of Nico to exist within the canon of the film franchise,” says Ramon Paradoa, show director for the Creative Development Group. “Many people may not realize this, but we created her character using inspiration from the characters once seen in the former attraction’s queue videos.”
For those who don’t remember the characters in the queue – don’t worry, I’ve got you! The look of Heather (the IFT receptionist), the IFT workers, and even Doc Brown himself in the pre-show all clearly inspired Nico’s look!
Bonus Easter Egg: The saxophone in the corner behind Nico in her first scene is a nod to the one kept in Doc’s lab in the original “Back to the Future”! (I used to play saxophone in high school marching band, so this is very important to me.)
The Man. The Biff. The Legend.
About halfway through “Back to the Future Part II,” as Marty is trying to figure out what happened to make 1985 so… unpleasant, he comes across a museum at Biff’s Pleasure Palace detailing Biff’s rise to fame. In featuring this location in the experience, OUTATIME’s creative team had a great opportunity to expand on the lore of Biff’s malicious misdeeds. The Biff Tannen Museum is full of many deeply important, highly treasured artifacts from Biff’s rise to fame.
If that “Man Myth Biff” show is half as good as “Back to the Future: The Musical,” give it to me right now!! Also, it appears as though BiffLand, Biff’s theme park, is opening a new water park soon named Tannen Typhoon! How… wonderful…
Also, ever wonder what happened to the Lou’s Diner / Café 80s location during Biff’s alternate 1985? It became the Biff Buffet! Yum… (note to Universal Creative: if you ever decide to turn Back to the Future into an immersive themed land, DO NOT include this).
And finally in the museum, a fully illustrated look at alternate 1985 Hill Valley, where you can see the Biff Tannen Museum at the front-right of the Casino next to the grand entrance marquee!
Back to the Archives!
During an unexpected detour that sees you visiting Doc’s Blacksmith Workshop on April 7, 1892, you will notice many invention schematics strewn about. These are ACTUAL SCHEMATICS originally created for “Back to the Future Part III.” “While they didn’t end up making it in the [final] cut of the film, we got permission from [Universal Pictures] to use them for our experience!” says Ramon. Talk about authenticity!
A Crazy Cowboy Connection
During yet another unexpected detour, this time to the year 2015 (hey, you’re using a prototype to get around… things happen!), you’ll encounter a classic arcade cabinet for a game named Crazy Cowboy! This is a fun little nod to Doc & Marty’s adventure in “Back to the Future Part III.” I absolutely love getting to play this actually playable arcade game every time I hang out in 2015!
No Trivial Matter
As you chase Biff through time, this famously troublesome trivia book can be found a few times! (Also, check out the super neat mirror effect used to bring the Portable Flux Emitter to reality!)
Double Check the Time!
Throughout the experience, you’ll encounter a few time circuit displays. Always watch them to keep track of when you are in time! My favorite time-travelling detail is that at the end of the experience, you can watch as the time flickers to the exact day you happen to be playing the game as the final door opens and you exit back into the lobby.
A Particularly Special Silhouette
Doc Brown is an incredibly important character to the experience’s story as the inventor of the Portable Flux Emitter and the founder of the Institute of Future Technology! The creative team had the incredible opportunity to work with the original actor and bring the character back to Universal exclusively for this experience.
Not just that, but the experience will take you to the iconic night of November 12, 1955, when lightning struck the clocktower at 10:04 p.m., as Doc Brown struggled to plug the cord in to ensure the bolt’s electricity made it to the time machine! The team took great care to ensure Doc’s actions in this silhouette sequence match his actions from the film beat for beat. It’s hard to not get emotional being a part of this iconic moment in film history. Truly one of the coolest scenes you can experience anywhere at Universal.
Great Scott! We’re OUTATIME! There are a LOT more hidden details to discover within the puzzles of the adventures themselves, but I don’t want to spoil them — you’ll just have to go and play for yourself!
Speaking of hidden details… I’ve only covered half of them in this article! Click here to explore part two of this series, which will explore the prehistoric thrills and chills you can experience in the other half of Universal’s Great Movie Escape.
Have a notable movie nod you’ve noticed while playing Universal’s Great Movie Escape? Share with us in the comments below!
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