How Jimmy Buffett (And His Margaritas) Came To Jurassic World For That Cameo
Much of the discussion about 1999 on the internet revolves around it being landmark year for cinema. As someone who grew up in Orlando, Florida and went to Universal Studios nearly every weekend, the biggest pop culture event of 1999 was the opening of the theme park Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk. While the park rightfully gets all the attention, the opening of CityWalk was just as big of a deal, giving us regular parkgoers a plethora of new dining options and ways to blow our money. Granted, it was a lot of big chain restaurants, but compared to theme park food, that can be a step up.
Consequently, a place I became all too familiar with was Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, the restaurant chain empire started by the recently departed musician whose hit song the business takes its name from. Margaritaville is a staple of the Universal theme park experience on both coasts of the United States, and in Orlando, you can even stay at the Margaritaville Resort, if you so choose. It's the right mixture of theming, kitsch, and vacation vibes that make it a perfect companion to the parks.
There isn't much positive that I can say about Colin Trevorrow's "Jurassic World," but one thing I must give it credit for was its use of Margaritaville in the titular dinosaur theme park, connecting it to its real-life presence at Universal Studios Hollywood and Islands of Adventure. Not only that, Buffett himself makes a brief cameo in the picture as a man running away from dinosaurs, while naturally double-fisting two margaritas.
Making Jurassic World a real place
I have always been of two minds about the use of popular brands in "Jurassic World." On the one hand, it's blatant product placement, but on the other, it is a rather accurate rendering of a CityWalk-style shopping and dining location. That was the mindset that director Colin Trevorrow and producer Frank Marshall had when creating this section of the Jurassic World theme park, as they expressed in a behind-the-scenes featurette. At the top of their list for what to include was Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. Frankly, a Universal-operated space like this would not be complete without a Margaritaville. They thought it would be even more fun if Buffett came in to be the bartender for that location in the film.
Frank Marshall and Jimmy Buffett were friends for over 40 years prior to Buffett's passing, which makes asking for the use of Margaritaville a little easier. In recent years, the two collaborated quite a bit. Marshall was the lead producer on the Broadway production of the Jimmy Buffett jukebox musical "Escape to Margaritaville." He also directed and produced (along with Buffett) last year's "Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story" documentary, which strangely puts Buffett at the forefront of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. So, not only does the Margaritaville inclusion feel germane to the world of the film, but Frank Marshall got to have some fun with his friend. Who can knock a couple of guys who, at the time, were in their late 60s from wanting to do that?
Plus, "Jurassic World" got to have a fun musical guest for their premiere party. Jimmy Buffett, you will be missed.