If your childhood memories are filled with slime and double dares, you likely grew up tuning into Nickelodeon. The cable channel helped redefine children’s television, and much of that was done right here in Orlando. From 1990 to 2005 this revolution was televised — live in front of a studio audience — at its local hub, Nickelodeon Studios.
The exterior of Nickelodeon Studios with the slime geyser in the background.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Why Orlando?
The concept for Nickelodeon Studios dates back to 1988, during the development of Universal Studios Florida. The movie-themed attraction felt it was important to have a working studio in the park — especially because its competitor, Disney, had one.
Universal wanted a partnership with Nickelodeon so badly that the initial studio deal didn’t require the network to pay rent. This helped convince the children’s network, and Nickelodeon Studios began development. It represented the kid-friendly brand with bright, bold colors, marked by the large orange Nickelodeon sign atop the building. Inside there were production stages and areas for guests to tour.
On June 7, 1990, Nickelodeon Studios opened to the public along with Universal Studios. Fans could follow along with a three-hour special on the channel that ended with the eruption of the Slime Geyser, when the network’s signature green goo would flow.
Melissa Joan Hart for her start filming “Clarissa Explains It All” at Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando.
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
The Nickelodeon Studios experience
Nickelodeon Studios’ first production predates the formal opening — “Super Sloppy Double Dare” filmed in 1989. Once the facility fully opened, many more shows were produced there. Fan-favorite programs like “Clarissa Explains It All,” “Legends of the Hidden Temple,” “GUTS,” and “Figure It Out” called Nickelodeon Studios home, and viewers likely remember Universal Studios being credited after episodes.
As these shows began to increase in popularity, Nickelodeon Studios preserved its spot in pop culture. In 1992, a time capsule was buried at the site featuring items that defined the time period. It included a piece of the Berlin Wall, Twinkies, an MC Hammer CD, and the April 30, 1992 edition of the Orlando “TV Guide.”
The studio also offered a tour experience for Universal Studios guests. Participants would walk through the space for a behind-the-scene view of programs, followed by an interactive experience where one person would get slimed. If a show was being filmed, participants could even sit in the audience, or in some cases, audition to be on the show.
This capsule has been retrieved, but it hasn’t been opened yet.
Photo via Nickelodeon Studios on Wikimedia Commons
The end of the era
As the 1990s were coming to an end, Nickelodeon put a bigger emphasis on animation. This meant there were fewer live-action shows being filmed for the network, and Orlando especially felt the impact. The network also opened a West Coast studio, and scripted shows like “All That” and “Kenan & Kel” left Orlando to film in Los Angeles.
By the early 2000s, Nickelodeon Studios was predominately used for game shows — a genre that was decreasing in popularity. As such, the Orlando attraction was less popular and tours got shorter.
The last tour took place on April 30, 2005 — exactly 13 years after the time capsule was buried — and there were no shows being filmed on location at the time. The last show filmed at Nickelodeon Studios was the game show “Nickelodeon Splat!” that ended production in summer 2004.
Nickelodeon didn’t fully leave the theme park. A ride based on the “Jimmy Neutron” franchise remained until 2011, and the theme park still hosts character experiences. The network even returned to Universal Studios in 2008 to film “My Family’s Got Guts,” a short-lived competition show. This was the network’s last show filmed at Universal in Orlando.
This space traded its orange logos for a blue facade.
Photo via Wikimedia commons
What happened to Nickelodeon Studios?
The former Nickelodeon Studios space in Orlando has been used for different projects through the years. Most notably, the Blue Man Group performed there from 2007 to 2021.
After the Blue Man Group’s departure, the former Nickelodeon Studios space housed “The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular,” but it doesn’t have a permanent resident. At times, it has sat unused, and future plans haven’t been announced.
What about that time capsule? It remains in Nickelodeon’s possession, but it moved from Orlando to the company’s Burbank, CA, location. The original time capsule cover was sold in an auction in 2022, but the capsule itself remains sealed. It’s marked to be opened on April 30, 2042.
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