One Piece hero Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Crew have docked their ship for an appearance exclusively at Universal Studios Hollywood. And if the grand line almost out of the theme park gates is any indication, Universal Fan Fest Nights tickets might become as sought-after as the One Piece itself.
In collaboration with Universal Studios Japan, which has for years featured One Piece as part of its live entertainment and character meetings, the Straw Hat Crew face characters have made their way stateside for a limited time as part of the after-dark ticketed event. Universal Fan Fest Nights aims to be Hollywood’s theme park response to having something like Halloween Horror Nights, but in the spring and well… not terrifying for a change, with popular fandoms taking over the parks alongside the pirates including Star Trek, Dungeons & Dragons, Back to the Future, and more .
io9 was able to attend the opening weekend of Universal Fan Fest Nights and without a doubt the most popular offerings were all related to the hit manga and anime from the mind of artist Eiichiro Oda.
Where can you meet the One Piece characters?
The Grand Pirate Gathering is on the main entrance’s thoroughfare just as you pass Universal Studios Hollywood’s production plaza and around the area between it and the DreamWorks theater (which is hosting a Jujutsu Kaisen screening attraction experience). There you’ll find the fun meet and greets that do bottle neck the way to the other experiences on the lower lots—you’ll fight for your life to get to travel back in time to Hill Valley.
One Piece fans flocked to meet Monkey D. Luffy, Sanji, Nami, Zoro, and Usopp all night. I have to say the demand surpassed expectations and that since Universal Creative missed the boat on bringing the One Piece stage show, which is a staple summer overlay at Universal Studios Japan on the Waterworld arena, it should definitely bring it to the states next year. Fan Fest Nights might even coincide with the live-action show’s highly anticipated season two return.
The best part of the character interactions, however, is when they’re not separated for photos. Sanji goes up to Luffy’s staging area and gets the crowd to yell “Luffy, meal time!” and they just capture the right energy of friendship needed for the Straw Hats. Zoro wanders off, Nami helps them navigate where to go while they yell “Meat” over and over. And there were so many hugs and picking on each other—it was amazing to see them behave as if they jumped right out of the anime. Fans of all ages were in awe at the excellent work Universal put in to bring the Straw Hats to life.
One Piece food and drinks
The lines at Production Plaza’s food stations to get a taste of Sanji’s cooking, as well as other Straw Hat Crew-inspired treats, were the longest of the night. I wasn’t able to grab something until right before closing as a late night snack. But thankfully I was able to get the items I most was seeking. The savory option I went with was Sanji’s Chicken Adobo, which for theme park food fare was solid and perfectly seasoned, not too dry on the chicken and had some good starchy sides for energy if you’re able to get it early. If you’re going for more than the One Piece offerings, you’re gonna need it.
There was also the refreshing non-alcoholic Nami’s Tangerine Breeze, which was a delightful tasty tart mocktail. And finally I got to try my most anticipated dessert, the Devil Fruit concha, a Mexican sweet-bread inspired take on the fruit that gave Luffy his gum-gum powers. The classic soft bread was light and fluffy with fruit filling that was not as intense as the super cute but super sweet and giant Chopper Cupcake. Overall, it was solid food for the fandom’s first outing stateside. Yes, yes, we all wish there was a more elevated Baratie curated meal for Sanji’s cuisine (next time), but since he is cooking for more masses here we’ll give it a pass.
The remaining dates for Universal Fan Fest Nights’ after-dark event at Universal Studios Hollywood are May 2-4, 9-11, and 15-18. Ticket info here.
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