Universal Orlando looks back 25 years, more innovation ahead

When the Universal Orlando theme park opened in 1990, it was a way for visitors to have fun inspired by the movies they loved - without traveling to California.

Director Steven Spielberg held the scissors at the ribbon-cutting. One of the first rides was themed on his movie E.T. Even ads for the park had the tone of a movie-quality teaser, promising the "greatest Hollywood production ever".

Jason Surrell, creative director at Universal Creative, saw that ad while still in college. "This is one of the reasons I moved down to Florida because at the time I knew it was becoming Hollywood east," he says.