Over the past two years, Universal Orlando Resort has been in reinvention mode. Gone are the quieter corners of KidZone. In their place: vibrant, IP-forward expansions designed to appeal to a new generation of guests and a global fanbase.
Minion Land arrived in August 2023, anchored by the interactive Villain-Con Minion Blast (which is coming to Universal Studios Japan soon) and a full-service Minion Café. Less than a year later, DreamWorks Land followed, bringing Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and Trolls to life through a sprawling mix of rides, play zones, and character encounters.
The changes haven’t come without sacrifice. In January 2023, Universal shut down Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone permanently—retiring several of its more nostalgic offerings. Fievel’s Playland, Curious George Goes to Town, and Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster all met the same fate. Or so it seemed.
Woody Woodpecker’s Wild Ride Finds a New Home After Leaving Universal
This month, one of those retired attractions made a surprise reappearance—this time not at a theme park, but inside a Florida antique store.
“Check out what just rolled into the Lakeland Antique Mall… it’s Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster from Universal Studios,” the store wrote in a Facebook post. Known for reselling offloaded pieces from Central Florida’s parks, the Lakeland Antique Mall is now offering actual cars from the former ride, giving fans the rare chance to own part of a decommissioned Universal attraction.
“The Nuthouse Coaster made its debut at Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone in Universal Studios during the summer of 1999,” the mall added. “This ride was a family favorite until January 2023 when the coaster was closed to be rethemed into the Trolls Trollercoaster as part of the new DreamWorks Land that opened in the summer of 2024.”
Each car is priced at $3,995, and while the engine and some train cars have already been sold, additional pieces remain available—for now.
Not Quite Intact, But Close
As the mall clarified, the ride’s layout is still in place at Universal, having been repurposed as the Trolls Trollercoaster. That means this train is the last piece of Woody’s Nuthouse still available to the public.
One element is missing: the Woody Woodpecker figure that originally sat at the front of the train. “Universal wouldn’t let that go,” the mall noted. Later, they added, “Actually a former Universal employee told us that there were two trains and that one did not have the Woody statue on the front. Ours does not have any holes where the statue [would] have been, so we probably have the one that didn’t have the statue.”
It’s an unusual offering, but not entirely out of character for the mall, which has previously sold everything from signage to ride props sourced from Orlando’s theme parks. For longtime Universal fans, especially those who remember the pre-IP-heavy days of the resort, it’s a chance to take home something rare—and tangible.
Woody Woodpecker may not be front and center at Universal Orlando these days, but the character still makes occasional appearances, including a recent showing during Universal Mardi Gras. Clad in festive beads and feathered attire, he appeared at CityWalk to greet guests and take photos.
What’s your most-missed Universal ride?
