Universal Studios Japan (USJ) Discussion Thread

[kidcoaster 2]

I didn't want to make a new thread just for this so Ill just leave it here.

 

Screamscape just put up a very interesting and funny story about Back to the Future and how the ride's story may cause its removal in a few years.

 

It has been several years since we’ve heard any kind of peep from Universal Studios Japan regarding a possible replacement for the last remaining Back To The Future ride. Previous rumor suggested that they were looking to shut it down by 2012, but so far this has not happened and isn’t even an active rumor as of late.

 

That said, I was watching some old videos of the BTTF ride from back in the day, and recalled a unique feature of the time machine cars used in the ride. As fans of the film series know, a primary feature of the dashboard was the three-color coded Time Circuits display, showing off your “Destination Time”, “Present Time” and “Last Time Departed”.

 

So when the ride starts and you jump ahead to the futuristic Hill Valley of 2015, you see that date displayed on the Time Circuits during the actual ride experience. However, a neat feature designed to make the ride seem more immersive when it first opened in 1992 is going to cause some problems in the near future for the remaining ride. As you board the ride car, riders are quick to notice that the “Present Time” listed on the Time Circuits is indeed the actual real world time in which they are in. While this was fine in the 1990s and early 2000’s... I’ve got to think that the guests in Japan are already getting a good laugh when they initial time jump is only a jump from 2012 (soon 2013) to 2015 to see “The Future!” Once 2015 comes around for real... the time traveling storyline isn’t going to make any sense at all. 2016 anyone? 2017? While Doc will say he is taking you on a trip to the future, guests will be transported back in time to 2015 instead of forward.

 

So in short... I think the clock is ticking away very quickly for our friends in Japan, as the caretakers of the last Back To The Future: The Ride attraction in the world. By the time 2015 comes around, it would only make sense to close the ride once and for all to create a new attraction, rather than risk a Time Paradox. And as Doc. Brown would be quick to point out, "The results of which could cause a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the space-time continuum and destroy the entire universe!... Granted, that's the worst-case scenario. The destruction however might be limited merely to our own galaxy."

 

www.screamscape.com/html/universal_studios_japan.htm

[Someotherguyuser]

^I think they should update BTTF. Just change the story (Like maybe we're going to rescue Doc Brown from the Old West or something), and have the ride go from there. That way the new version doesn't have to look at 2015 as Hill Valley.

[Justice]

Beginning March 15th, Universal Japan will run their B&M Hyper Coaster, Hollywood Dream: The Ride backwards for an unknown period of time. Just announced by the park.

 

Source

Edited January 21, 2013 by jedimaster1227

[JonnyRCT3]

Great to hear. Never rode it, but this looks like one of the more enjoyable "hyper" models. It seems B&M makes better rides when they have more limitations. The same can be said for anything, but this shows it in coaster terms.

 

What's with all the B&M's running backwards? I think that some parks (probably SF's batmans) asked if they could run backwards and then got the Ok. Now the other parks are jumping on the bandwagon.

[SharkTums]

What's with all the B&M's running backwards? I think that some parks (probably SF's batmans) asked if they could run backwards and then got the Ok. Now the other parks are jumping on the bandwagon.

 

No, I really doubt that Six Flags initiated this and that all these other parks have magically been able to announce theirs running backwards the next day.

 

B&M probably came to the parks with an upsell safe way to turn the trains backwards and a lot of the parks are going for it as a cheap gimmick.

[Jew]

^That's what I figured as well. Either B&M or a vendor that works with B&M was probably shopping this around at IAAPA. Great idea to bring new life into B&M coasters!

[SharkTums]

I think they should also play the music tracks backwards.

[kidcoaster 2]

I really hope this stays till June!

[DougMJr]

I'm think this going backwards thing is starting to become a trend.

[JuanSe_Colombia]

Let's get Déjà Vu backwards !! ... Oh wait

 

But for real, I think it's gonna be very interesting, to see how this workout.

[cfc]

I think they should also play the music tracks backwards.

 

Then we can hear the satanic messages in the music.

Edited January 21, 2013 by cfc

[Spideyfreak]

Wait... What other B&Ms run backwards?

[robbalvey]

Wait... What other B&Ms run backwards?

So far Great America announced Batman backwards, and Thorpe Park just gave a clue that one of their coasters will run backwards. We are assuming its Nemesis or Swarm.

Edited January 21, 2013 by robbalvey

[Wes]

It's weird all these B&M backwards announcements are coming out at once.

[Justice]

It's weird all these B&M backwards announcements are coming out at once.

I wouldn't be surprised if B&M just finished testing and gave the okay in the past few weeks. Since it sounds like a fairly easy switch out, a lot of parks might want to adopt it for 2013 season headlines.

[Nrthwnd]

IMhO

 

I would rather go forward on that coaster at USJ.

 

The way it's laid out I found exhilarating and a

pretty good rush. Forward.

The Japanese pop hits onboard were fun, too.

 

And after that bad experience with the Indy Jones

coaster (Backwards!) back in 2002 at DLParis, I

would rather see what's coming up, than have to

feel my body getting into stress-mode, for what

was ahead.

[Spideyfreak]

Wait... What other B&Ms run backwards?

So far Great America announced Batman backwards, and Thorpe Park just gave a clue that one of their coasters will run backwards. We are assuming its Nemesis or Swarm.

 

Interesting. I wonder how B&M is doing this. I see two possibilities:

 

1. Turn the whole train around so the lead car is on the back of the trains' forward motion. The is how PTC did it. My concern is that this would screw up the way the train steers through the track. (Arrow did reverse trailering, and we all know how their rides run! Yes, I know the gaps are the primary cause, but still.)

 

2. The more likely solution: Simply turn the seats around on each car.

[deathbydinn]

^ The inverted coasters are turned backwards by mounting the current seats onto a new chassi that was built specifically for going backwards.

[Garet]

I really hope this stays till June!

 

If I was to take a completely random guess, i'd say it will probably be around until the 7th of July

[rctneil]

Hmmm, interesting. Should be yet another things to try out on the Japan trip!

[A.J.]

^ The inverted coasters are turned backwards by mounting the current seats onto a new chassi that was built specifically for going backwards.

Source?

 

I can't believe that they would spend all this money on a new chassis just to turn the seats around for a period of time...

[bottom_feeder_13]

^ The inverted coasters are turned backwards by mounting the current seats onto a new chassi that was built specifically for going backwards.

Source?

 

I can't believe that they would spend all this money on a new chassis just to turn the seats around for a period of time...

I think that makes sense for SF since they'll probably run it at SFGAm for a while then ship the chassis to another park and just rotating it through the parks to build hype up around B:TR again.

[Wes]

Maybe B&M is "leasing" the chassis to the various parks for testing, thus the limited time aspect?

[deathbydinn]

^ The inverted coasters are turned backwards by mounting the current seats onto a new chassi that was built specifically for going backwards.

Source?

 

I can't believe that they would spend all this money on a new chassis just to turn the seats around for a period of time...

 

Great America said it at

.

[SharkTums]

Maybe B&M is "leasing" the chassis to the various parks for testing, thus the limited time aspect?

 

Limited Time Magic?