×
Monday, April 20, 2026

Hollywood's Year of Labor Spills Over to Universal Studios Park - TheWrap

As millions of families and gamers have poured in to Universal Studios Hollywood this year to check out the new Super Nintendo World, Drew Palacio has played a vital role in making the theme park magic happen.

Palacio joined Universal Studios Hollywood in 2019 as a member of its special projects division and helped develop the park’s new top attraction, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” working with the team that ensured the ride met safety standards. He now works day-to-day as an operator on the ride.

Like thousands of his USH co-workers and millions of others across California, Palacio has seen his wages fall behind the rising cost of living in the state, a problem compounded by a 23-mile commute five days a week to the Universal lot from Santa Clarita, where he lives with his family.

Most Popular

WrapPro Annual Subscription

Starting at $11.99/month

*Billed Annually at $149.99. Cancel anytime.


__________________________

Unlimited access to member-exclusive stories per week

Comprehensive industry analyses and in-depth features

Expert insights from Sharon Waxman, Editor-in-Chief of TheWrap, tech trends reporter Alex Kantrowitz, and AI specialist Peter Csathy.

Exclusive video content

Daily WrapPRO newsletters

Access to members-only events
TheWrap's premium glossy print magazine


For corporate plans, please email [email protected]

WrapPro Monthly Subscription

Starting at $4.99/month


__________________________

Unlimited access to member-exclusive stories per week

...


Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiO2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZXdyYXAuY29tL3Vu...