Nickelodeon Studios was a production studio and theme park attraction run by the television network Nickelodeon at Universal Studios Florida.
Opening on June 7, 1990, as The First World Headquarters for Kids, the studio attracted young tourists as contestants and audience members for Nickelodeon's live-action programming. At its peak, the studio employed 400 people and was the largest production studio in Florida, bringing $110 million in business to the state by 1994.
The studio closed permanently on April 30, 2005, after much of Nickelodeon's production had moved to Nickelodeon on Sunset. Nickelodeon Studios ended its run having produced over 2,000 episodes of original programming.
History
Planning and construction
In November 1988, Nickelodeon contracted space within the soon to be built Universal Studios Florida for its first production studio. Universal had determined through market research that a working studio was crucial in attracting guests to a movie themed park, and they offered Nickelodeon a sweetheart deal to supply that production. The promise of a custom-built studio at no expense, coupled with rent-free production, lured Nickelodeon away from negotiating with Disney-MGM Studios. The contract stipulated that Nickelodeon promote Universal Studios Florida on-air 1,000 times per year, while also broadcasting the park's television commercials.
Turner Construction Company began erecting two soundstages (Stages 18 and 19) and an adjacent video production facility within the Production Central area of the park in 1989. The exterior of the facility was designed by network production designer Byron Taylor, and the interior was designed by network art director Don St. Mars. Viacom senior vice president Scott Davis would supervise the design and construction of the complex, and he was later named the first general manager of Nickelodeon Studios.
Super Sloppy Double Dare in April 1989 and Think Fast in January 1990 were the first Nickelodeon productions filmed at Universal Studios Florida, and they were shot on the Stage 21 while Nickelodeon Studios was still being constructed. Like other Nickelodeon game shows, both programs were previously filmed at WHYY-TV in Philadelphia. Nickelodeon's live-action productions had traditionally been shot on rented soundstages in multiple cities, which was not cost-effective and limited the network's growth.
Prior to the studio's completion, Double Dare executive producer Andy Bamberger, Double Dare creator Geoffrey Darby, Nickelodeon President Geraldine Laybourne, and Nickelodeon Studios general manager Scott Davis wrote their names in the cement floor of the video production building's second story. Bamberger, who also served as executive producer of Make the Grade and Total Panic, wrote "I Love TV Production" above his name.
Opening and reception
On June 7, 1990, Universal Studios Florida officially opened to the public. Nickelodeon Studios Opening Day Celebration! was broadcast live from the studio on Nickelodeon, hosted by Marc Summers of Super Sloppy Double Dare. The event was announced by John Harvey of Super Sloppy Double Dare and co-hosted by Greg Lee of Total Panic, Skip Lackey of Think Fast, Christine Taylor and Kelly Brown of Hey Dude (in character as Melody and Brad respectively), and Alie Smith, Matt Brown, Wendy Douglas and Will Friedle of Don't Just Sit There!. Celebrity appearances were made by Andrea Elson, Bill Cosby, Brooke Theiss, Danny Ponce, Gerard Christopher, Jane Seymour, Jason Hervey, Kellie Martin, Les Lye, Linda Blair, Steven Spielberg and Wil Wheaton. The broadcast included live performances by Kid 'n Play, Perfect Gentlemen and The Cover Girls.
Daily tours were given of the studio, starting with a queue area outside Stage 18 that led into the video production building. The 45-minute tours took park guests upstairs through the control room, through a viewing area that allowed glimpses of Stages 18 and 19, then downstairs through the wardrobe department and Gak Kitchen, with the tour concluding in a large audition room. While game shows were often shot 5 days a week while in production, sitcoms such as Welcome Freshmen would rehearse during the week and only shoot on weekends. This became problematic, as Nickelodeon's contract with Universal stipulated that their guests would be able to witness shows being filmed, "seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, during all hours of the tour’s operation". To remedy this, the audition room was renamed Stage 17 and began hosting Game Lab, a mock game show at the end of every tour that culminated with one of the guests getting slimed.