When Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, the fictional Amity Island and its never-ending Fourth of July celebration sat near the back of the theme park. According to the land’s lore, inspired by the 1975 film, Amity saw a steep decline in tourism following the 1974 shark attacks. A fisherman by the name of Jake Grundy opened Jake’s Boat Tours, an opportunity to bring guests to the famed locations where Chief Brody and his companions took on the great white.
For Universal Orlando Resort guests, this story served as the set-up for one of Universal’s most infamous attractions: Jaws. A riveting boat ride with explosions, cheeky dialogue, and, of course, a killer shark. What could go wrong?
I first braved a ride into sharky waters when I was around nine years old. The attraction was in its final years at this time, and it felt so distinctly Universal in its commitment to thrilling guests with a then nearly 40-year-old movie.
As a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s classic film “Jaws,” let’s take a look at the impact of the ride on Universal and how you can still celebrate it in the Orlando theme parks today.
A Legend in Their Own Time
Entering through the boathouse for Jake’s Boat Tours, guests were immediately surrounded by fishing equipment and boating supplies and could see overhead televisions tuned into WJWS13, Amity’s local news station. At the end of the boat house, guests boarded a boat and met their friendly skipper who would take them through the tour.
Kevin Bodshaug, the vice president of operations at Universal Epic Universe, started his Universal journey as a skipper for Jaws. “I was hired in 1999 as skipper and was there for about two years,” he explains. Kevin hopped around Universal roles a bit before ultimately coming back to Universal Studios in 2010 as a manager where he spent time at Jaws again.
Skippers like Kevin would inform guests that they were taking a scenic tour through the notable locations of the Amity shark attacks. The boat was ready for anything, though, as the skipper was armed with a grenade launcher — which they quickly announced would not be needed, as there had not been a shark sighting since the events of the “Jaws” film.
Lining Up to Be a Hot Lunch
After jetting off on the tour, the skipper received a mysterious call from Gordon, a fellow skipper on boat Amity 3, in distress. After a long silence and rounding a corner, guests came face-to-face with the sinking Amity 3 tour boat, bearing no visible survivors. Amidst the panic, as the skipper called the incident in to base, a dorsal fin emerged from the water, and the movie’s legendary score was heard for the first time as the skipper yelled “shark!”
For Kerry Tausch, a senior engineer at Universal Creative, the infamous shark animatronics were both the start of his time at Universal and the gateway to a new career. “I was a certified diver, and that was what got me into Jaws,” he says. “I got hired in on third shift as a technician on Jaws Island, doing nightly dives in the lagoon and fixing anything that happened to break.” Third shift team members work overnight to upkeep the theme parks, both operationally and aesthetically. “At the time, it was one of the original rides from the park, so things broke all the time. I got the full tech services experience there.”
We’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat
After being spooked by the shark sighting, the skipper veered off into a boathouse branded “Quint’s Chartered Excursions.” Inside the structure, which was eerily quiet, the skipper lit up a flashlight and asked if anyone was there. Things begin to rattle and fall, and as the skipper opened the door to break for it, the sunlight illuminated the first real look at the massive predator’s face.
My favorite scene growing up was the boathouse. Like the original “Jaws” film, the creepiest part to me was not being able to see the shark itself but feel its presence. Then, the grand reveal using the natural sunlight felt so rewarding.
“If you didn’t know about it, it scared the living daylights out of you,” Kerry reminisced. “I just loved bringing people on the ride. I’d sit them right in the closest seat if I could. I’d give them some little fact about something, so they weren’t paying attention, and then that shark came up right next to them. And just the visceral scare that they got — I loved it.”
“We had our own radio channel, our own everything, and there was a sense of pride, being a Jaws skipper,” Kevin reminisces. “There was a big, friendly, rivalry between us and the other ‘spieling’ rides: Earthquake: The Big One and Kongfrontation. We, of course, thought we were the best, but it was fun to go and watch them do their thing.”
We’ll Be Shark Bait in 10 Minutes!
After fleeing the boathouse, Chief Brody came over the radio to let you know he would be there in 10 minutes. The skipper, very unhappy with this news, proclaimed the iconic line, “We’ll be shark bait in 10 minutes!” and took matters into their own hands. A few shots of the grenade launcher seemed to scare the shark away for the time being, and the skipper began detailing an emergency escape plan until the dorsal fin appeared again for a final battle. The shark, in trying to bite the boat, instead bit an electrical wire and fried itself. Guests got one final glance of a shark charred enough for a barbeque before it sank for the final time.
“As a guest, my favorite effect was probably the ‘kill shark,’ where it bites the cable and gets electrocuted, because you just don’t see it coming until it happens,” Kerry recollects.
“And what was your favorite part as an engineer?” I ask, already guessing the answer.
“I hated everything,” Kerry declares without missing a beat. We both giggle. “The sharks were fantastic because it was just such a giant mechanical thing. They were pulled through the water by motors that were on cables. Over time, there was fatigue and cracking, and we would repair it as needed.”
We’re Coming Home
Chief Brody came over the radio to ask what all the commotion was, and the skipper proudly announced, “We’re coming home!” before pulling the boat into the dock with a cheer. Guests were thanked for their bravery and asked to not tell anyone about their encounter, as it would be bad for business.
In 2011, it was announced that Jaws, along with the entirety of Amity Island, would permanently close to make way for new attractions and experiences. Kevin remembers his last time with the ride vividly.
“A week before it closed, there was a night where we each got to go out and do three or four shows,” he shares. “I took one of the original Jaws supervisors out with me and did a show and absolutely nailed it. I ended [on] a high note. At the end of the night, a few of us got on the pontoon rescue boat with all the sharks up and did a little loop around.”
I asked Kevin about his favorite line as a skipper. “I liked when the ride broke down and we got to do some of our paste material; you could build upon the ‘Jaws’-themed story by the end of the ride,” he answered. “But really, the end was my favorite. After I shot the shark, I would always take my glasses half off and go, ‘oh man, what a day.’ And then followed by, ‘We’re coming home!’ People would go nuts. That was my favorite.”
Here’s to Swimmin’
Jaws remains a beloved attraction to this day, some 13 years after its closure. While you can experience elements of Jaws in both Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood, many Orlando theme park enthusiasts still hold on to their memories of what was Amity Island.
Kevin’s office is filled from top to bottom with Jaws memorabilia, both film merchandise and souvenirs from the ride itself. “I have some memorabilia from the queue. That’s a warning sign from the queue. But that,” he says, pointing to a large mustard yellow sign with “Norm’s Boat Repairs” written in white and blue ink, “was interconnected with the ride and how it operates. That’s where we had to ‘drop out of Auto’ to stop our boats if the ride was down; we ‘drop out at Norm’s.’ So, to every Jaws skipper, it’s very significant.”
To Kevin, though, Jaws is not just a sharky part of his past, but a key part of his life. His groomsmen were Jaws skippers and a former skipper’s father officiated his wedding. Many of the skippers Kevin worked with still work with him today, and the rest have reunions every summer. “When I think about the job, it was kind of like we were on our own island,” Kevin shares, “but the people were what made it a great place.”
“Jaws had a unique culture that formed over time,” Kerry remembers. “There was a lot of teasing, but when it came down to it, we all pitched in and got work done and looked out for one another. We took the dive watch and dive buddy seriously. There was just a bond that transcended management and rank. And today, there’s technicians that worked at Jaws, there’s vice presidents that worked at Jaws and they all have the same stories.”
Show Me the Way to Go Home
While Jaws is a memory that Universal Orlando fans hold dear, there are still many ways to celebrate it in the theme parks today. The shark, who famously sat outside the entrance to the attraction, can now be found at the San Francisco waterfront, where he is still smiling for pictures today. If you are making a trip to Universal Studios Florida this summer, “Jaws” also appears in both the Universal Mega Movie Parade and CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular. San Francisco is celebrating its former neighbor, Amity Island, with new “Jaws” 50th anniversary food, drinks, and merchandise.
However, if you are wanting a bit more of a treasure hunt, there are other remnants of Amity Island that need a seasoned Jaws fan to spot. On the San Francisco waterfront, not far from the shark, a statue of a man at a steering wheel (fittingly named “Man at the Wheel”) once sat on Amity Island’s shores. On the far edge of San Francisco, some signage pays homage to the area’s former neighbor. Namely: “Amity Island Lobster Co.” atop the area’s last tower, and “Amity Shipfitters and Riggers” on the side of the San Francisco Pastry Company. Further on, a record shop façade houses many vinyl records that look to be vintage, with one titled as a famous “Jaws” quote recorded by “The Quint Trio.” While Jaws as an attraction is gone, its legacy lives on at Universal Studios Florida!
What are your favorite memories of Jaws at Universal Studios Florida? Let us know in the comments below!
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