Universal Orlando and Nickelodeon to Open New Jimmy Neutron Attraction With Nationwide Search...

Entertainment Editors/Business Editors

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2003

Winners Get National TV Appearance and Trip to Universal Orlando

for Attraction's Grand Opening

We all know real Jimmy Neutrons. They are kids who can take apart the family

And now, their time has come.

To celebrate the opening of its new Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast attraction, Universal Orlando is searching the nation for kid inventors - kids who can invent something that will make a difference. Winners will be flown to Universal Orlando to take part in the grand-opening of the new attraction and to demonstrate their inventions. They will also serve as "honorary kid consultants" at Universal Creative, the place where grown-up Jimmy Neutrons create and build Universal's theme park attractions across the world.

Universal Orlando is conducting the search along with Partnership for America's Future, a non-profit organization developed and run by teachers and business people that sponsors many national programs designed to help celebrate the creativity and workmanship of the nation's student inventors.

"Nickelodeon's Jimmy Neutron is a brilliant kid inventor from film and TV," said Bob Gault, president and chief operating officer for Universal Orlando. "We want to honor the ingenuity and genius of real kids from across the country as part of our new attraction opening."

Universal Orlando's "Generation Genius" search invites children 7- to 12- years- old to submit ideas for inventions that will "help people or make everyday life easier." Finalists will be flown to New York City for a national television appearance. Winners will also get to participate in the April grand opening of the Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast attraction at Universal Studios Florida. Inventions from the search will be featured as part of the opening ceremony and will be displayed as part of the attraction opening.

Kid inventors will also serve as "honorary consultants" with Universal Creative and learn how theme park attractions are designed and built - while talking with attraction designers about what kids want from theme park attractions.

"We'll have a lot to learn from each other," said Scott Trowbridge, vice president of Universal Creative and part of the team that is creating the new Jimmy Neutron attraction. "These kids are the perfect age for Universal Orlando. It will be fun to take them behind the scenes."

Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast rockets into action this April and brings Nickelodeon's famous boy genius to life -- along with the largest collection of Nickelodeon characters ever assembled for a theme park attraction. Jimmy Neutron is the first CGI (computer-generated animation) character developed by Nickelodeon for television, film, Internet - and, now, theme park use. Using sophisticated computer graphics, state-of-the-art ride technology and programmable motion-based seats, the attraction will roar, spin, crash and careen guests into an action-packed trip through the universe.

For more information about the contest and rules, visit the Partnership for America's Future website at http://www.pafinc.com.

The Universal Orlando resort destination (http://www.universalorlando.com) includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands of Adventure, Orlando's next generation theme park. Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews hotels and world-class film and television production facilities. Universal Orlando is a unit of Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE)(http://www.universalstudios.com), the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

Nickelodeon, now in its 24th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 86 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic-cable network for more than six consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.