Having evolved from its origins as an authentic �behind-the-scenes� Hollywood studio tour to a world-class theme park and entertainment center, Universal Studios Hollywood celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2004 with the addition of new attractions that build on a four-decade history as one of America�s premiere entertainment destinations. The new cutting-edge roller coaster, �Revenge of the Mummy�The Ride,� the unveiling of the new movie-based attraction, �Van Helsing: Fortress Dracula,� and the continuing popularity of such attractions as �Shrek 4-D,� �Jurassic Park�The Ride� and �Terminator 2:3D,� build on Universal Studios Hollywood�s tradition of translating the world�s most popular movie titles into uniquely thrilling theme park experiences. Although its beginnings in 1964 were modest, the Universal Studios Tour, as the theme park was then known, was a Hollywood hit from the very start. Prior to 1964, the world of Hollywood studios had been completely closed to visitors. Without a friend or relative with studio connections, the public had no ability to peek beyond the walls of the fabled studios. When Universal offered to take members of the public behind its walls, the studio tapped into a well of fascination with all things pertaining to moviemaking. The public response was immediate and enthusiastic.

The Universal Studios Tour began operations with just five full-time employees, a makeup artist and handful of freelance stunt performers. Behind-the-scenes movie magic was limited to a brief makeup demonstration and costume display. The central experience was a tram ride through the back lots and standing sets of the 415-acre dream factory that remains, to this day, the world�s biggest and busiest motion picture and television studio. As Universal�s executives realized the potential of their new entertainment offering, plans were undertaken to enhance the guest experience. The theme park�s evolution proceeded at a deliberate pace through the first few years. Beginning in 1965 and on through the 70�s, Universal unveiled a series of live shows that included the original stunt show, an animal show and the �Screen Test Comedy Theater,� which allowed guests to test their acting ability. Coupled with the popular Studio Tour, the new shows helped develop the concept of movie-based entertainment that would, with the application of increasingly sophisticated technology, become the hallmark of the famous theme park�s guest experience.

In the 1980�s, most major additions to the guest experience consisted of shows or attractions featured on the Studio Tour. The tram ride through the studio was enhanced by progressively more sophisticated offerings designed by a growing team of Universal creative artists and craftsmen. The addition of �King Kong� (1986) and �Earthquake� (1988) added thrilling elements to the behind-the-scenes experiences as Universal Studios Hollywood grew into a must-see destination for visitors from throughout the world.

From the 1990�s through the present, Universal Studios Hollywood has employed the latest special effects and engineering wizardry to craft thrill rides that catapult guests into their favorite movies and television programs. The company�s creative staff has collaborated with some of the film world�s greatest storytellers, including Steven Spielberg, Stephen Sommers, Ron Howard, Jeffery Katzenberg, Robert Zemeckis and James Cameron. Universal Studios Hollywood has transformed the landscape of a simple behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood magic into a thrilling, adrenaline-producing theme park where one-of-a-kind rides and attractions take guests beyond the dimensions of a movie screen and into a three-dimensional world of motion picture magic.

In 1996, Universal Studios introduced the world to a new-breed of species when full-size, scientifically correct dinosaurs arrived on the scene in the groundbreaking attraction, �Jurassic Park�The Ride.� Taking its cue from Steven Spielberg�s epic film, Universal Studios Hollywood brought the blockbuster roaring to life, redefining the way prehistoric giants -- Velociraptors, Ultrasaurus, Stegosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus Rex - interacted with modern man.

Other groundbreaking Universal Studios Hollywood additions have included James Cameron�s �Terminator 2: 3D,� which exploded to life in 1998 as a state-of-the-art virtual adventure blending live action with a 3D movie. In 2003, �Shrek 4-D,� was introduced and became an instant favorite. The attraction�s �OgreVision� animation continued the saga of Shrek, Fiona and Donkey with all-new 3-D animation presented in a multi-sensory immersive environment. �Revenge of the Mummy�The Ride,� the theme park�s newest attraction, will break new ground as the first indoor ride in history to fuse roller coaster technology with computer-generated imagery and other movie-based storytelling techniques to hurtle guests through authenticated Egyptian catacombs and into the spine-tingling world of the �Mummy� movies. The upcoming �Van Helsing: Fortress Dracula,� which resurrects Transylvania�s infamous residents in a walk-through experience, mirrors the spine-chilling intensity and suspense of Stephen Sommers� movies.

Universal CityWalk, which opened 1993 and was expanded dramatically in 2000, is a unique dining and shopping promenade located adjacent to the theme park and features 65 entertainment-themed restaurants, clubs, shops and movie theaters. Universal Studios Hollywood (www.universalstudioshollywood.com) is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE) (www.universalstudios.com), the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

### Media Contact: Sara Hills +1 818-622-9504 sara.hills@unistudios.com