My Universal Orlando / Islands of Adventure Updates

[SharkTums]

Awesome update Erik! Thanks!

 

I'll have more questions tomorrow...but a quick one to start. What the hell is with that new car for the Dragster ride?!?! Is it at least cheaper now with all of those seats?!

[Erik Johnson]

Its is $20 to ride, $10 for a reride, I am not sure if it is cheaper. They were only running one side when we were there. They still had one of the original cars on the other track, but it was covered up. The original car, that was replaced by the new Dragster style car, was sitting on the other side of the track as some sort of "decoration".

[thefitness]

Thanks for the updates Erik!

 

So all they were doing was painting the castle? It looks like I better get over to IOA fast before Harry Potter ruins everything! JP looks bad without the thick foliage and electric fence.

 

I'm so happy Grinchmas is returning this year! Although I did like the ice slide they have had in past years, the new show sounds really cool. It seems like after last year, they decided to bring it back and make it even bigger than it was in the past.

[krazekiddd]

I freaking loved how dead it was this week. We went on Thanksgiving and pretty much did both parks and on Sunday we got there at noon and everything at IOA was a walk-on.

 

Only downside was that they closed DD Sunday on us because there is a huge wasp infestation right before the lift hills. The people that came to look at it said it started a few months ago and now its really bad so they had to close it down. Hopefully they get that taken care of quickly!

 

Oh and I finally got to ride Pteranodon Flyers on Sunday since they removed the height restrictions. We waited until last minute to ride just before they closed so it was only about a 45 min wait.

[Mr. Volcano]

Thanks for sharing your TR with us Erik! I took a trip to the Disney Parks and Universal last week and it was alot of fun! It was really uncrowded and it was good to be back.

 

-Justin

[WillMontu]

The Dragons were running just fine yesterday aside from the scaffolding around the castle. We almost walked onto the front of Ice and the ride-ops were doing a great job dispatching the trains while the previous train was yet to enter the brake run.

 

I'll post pictures soon

[stingrock23]

Thanks for the update and pics. This is such a great time to go, with all the holiday decorations up and lack of crowds.

[Sean Menefee]

Woah Duff energy drink?

 

I seriously need to get back to Florida again to get my hands on some of that stuff. I've turned into a bit of a Simpsons collector over the last year, and the Kwik-e-Mart looks like a good place to pick up a few new additions to my collection.

 

Thanks for the update Erik.

 

-Sean

[XII]

Great Update Erik.

Hard to belive I was there just last week.

[methos]

Erik after riding Iron Wolf you talk about a rattle on hulk? Did T2 knock something lose, I mild rattle in hulk is nothing compared to the head banging of T2. Florida people with all the b and m ar so spoiled, i guess i will have to go ride my nearest Arrow Corkscrew, and SLC. Oh wait I can't they are closed. I guess I will have to try my hand at a box coaster. My box coaster will have to run on snow.

 

Nice update though. Looks like at least one company in FL is up to some big changes. Looks like I need to book a flight to FL week after thanksgiving next year!

[Erik Johnson]

Erik after riding Iron Wolf you talk about a rattle on hulk? Did T2 knock something lose, I mild rattle in hulk is nothing compared to the head banging of T2. Florida people with all the b and m ar so spoiled, i guess i will have to go ride my nearest Arrow Corkscrew, and SLC. Oh wait I can't they are closed. I guess I will have to try my hand at a box coaster. My box coaster will have to run on snow.

 

Nice update though. Looks like at least one company in FL is up to some big changes. Looks like I need to book a flight to FL week after thanksgiving next year!

 

The rattle is not a really bad, it is just not a super common trait among B&M coasters. It does not cause head banging anguish like Iron Wolf or an SLC. It is just we had a really great ride on it when we all rode it back in October. I figure that they must have done some work on a specific train, rather than the whole fleet.

[Team Thriller]

Great update!

 

I hope that The Simpsons ride will be good. Same with Harry Potter Land. The new towers on DD now look better than they did before.

 

[airforcekid]

They have those dragster type rides here in Dallas at Malibu Speedway

but they are the old cars! Do you think they might be getting new cars also? That and they only go 70mph.

[hemmy]

When did Ripsaw Falls get lapbars?

 

There were none this summer...

[dandaman]

 

I like the fact that most of the stars in the playbill are NHL players.

 

Great TR as per the usual, Sir.

[RIP Psyclone]

^Das Boot is one of my favorite movies, that's why I like the poster. Looks like there's something for everyone!

 

Woah Duff energy drink?

 

I seriously need to get back to Florida again to get my hands on some of that stuff.

 

I think you can get it at USH too. There is a Quik-E-Mart there now as well. As I always say, Florida should be avoided as much as possible!

 

I keed!

[Coasterkid413]

Oh that Park looks fun. I last time i was their (Old town) i was like seven but we where just at Island of Adventure. The Hulk is the BEST!!!!!!!!

[cycamps]

Great Photos. I've never seen Universal in the off-season...

[crazydaveh]

Hey Erik,

 

The main question that has yet to be asked, was the Moose Juice stand open? One has to love the Moose Juice!

 

BTW, do you remember how much the DUFF was?

 

GO DAWGS!

[UniversalGSHo22]

Hey Everyone! Ran across your site thru screamscape.com and decided to join! I happen to work at the above mentioned theme park and just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. The Former Vampyr area is under construction due to the new Starbucks they are building in that old arcade area. Hopefully it will be done before christmas but who knows As for Dueling Dragons, Harry Potter will be taking over HOPEFULLY in 2009! I am excited to see something new and I think it will be an amazing venture for UO!!!! And for the record I am VERY secure in my Harry Potter Nerd-ness!!! I think transforming the area into Hogsmeade will be so cool! I cant wait for all the little shops and things! How sad am i ??!!??!! Oh.. the ice slide wont ever be back unfortunately... too many parents not supervising their kids and too many sliced open faces/hands/clothing due to not going on the slide right. The Duff energy drinks and the Flaming Moes are 2.95 each. They both tasted like red bull/ rock star type flavor. My mom said it tasted like carbonated childrens tylenol!! That made me laugh!! Thanks for giving me a vine!!!!

[alpengeist04]

^Welcome to the forums, and I look forward to any other inside info you may be able to share with us.

[Lenaapple1974]

I have been away from online forums for awhile now, and with my FL trip looming next year, wanted to see what was up with the Wizarding changes! Of course TPR is the first place I came!

 

Erik - thank you for that awesome TR! What kind of camera are you using? Those DD shots are amazing! I cant wait. I have a new toy to bring with me on my trip! (Nikon D40x) Now that I have finally conquered all of SFGA, including the now infamous Chiller (of course only one side due to the never working Batman side) but minus KK, still a chicken...lol - Hulk is FIRST on my list! (my last visit to TPR, I was still contemplating Nitro! )

 

Cant wait to hear more about IOA and US, and all the changes! Keep up the GREAT work!

[Erik Johnson]

I use a Sony Cyberhshot DSC-T33. It is now several years old, so you can find a better camera than mine.

[ginzo]

I think transforming the area into Hogsmeade will be so cool! I cant wait for all the little shops and things!

 

As much as I enjoy Islands of Adventure, it does not need more gift shops. How about another B&M?

[jedimaster1227]

I had the chance to preview Disaster a few days ago, and I figured I would give a review...

 

Looking at the former Earthquake building, you are essentially looking at the same facade, only sporting a new (extended mouth full of a) title. Entering the queue (those of you that had the chance to do Leatherface's house for HHN 17 will recognize the area), the line weaves through a few large set pieces. The first is a plane broken in half (with the line crossing the gap between the tear in the plane's midsection). The second piece is from the fictional movie Apocaggedon and the third is a blantant spoof of Jaws, called Das Schurke (the shark looks the Jaws that is electrocuted, with a giant turbine on its end).

 

Here is where the spoilers begin: Entering the first pre-show room, you notice that the former movie effects windows (snow, rain and august leaves) have been removed, and the wall smoothed over. Quite simply, the room is used for introductions, made by your productions assistant, picking out actors and actresses (from the guests in the room) to help in the third room. You move into the second room which looks somewhat similar to its former, only sporting two new flat screens and a stage covered in movie pictures and memorabilia. Your productions assistant stammers onto the stage, and the owner and director of Disaster Studios appears. The man is none other than Christopher Walken! In an interested mix of screen acting and stage interaction, the assistant and Walken set the stage for the upcoming production, Mutha Nature. Using a screen technology, Walken is projected onto the stage, while the assistant follows automated stage cues so that he can interact with Chris seamlessly (like taking a productions journal from the projection's hand).

 

You move on to the third room, which has basically received a new coat of paint, removed the U-571 set to allow for multiple moving sets to be arranged. The collapsed building set is still present, but downplayed, only dropping a few rocks in front of the three chosen to be evil executives trying to escape a disaster. The actors chosen earlier each star in a scene (some together, some alone). Having just over 6 minutes, they filmed over 5 different scenes, and then release the actors back to their parties.

 

Finally you move into the ride loading station, noticing the new LCD screens built into the trains. You procede into the same subway station, and go through the same experience, only without any loud sound effects and a floor manager telling you when to scream or look scared (he is on the LCD screen). When the experience is over, your car returns to the loading platform at a much slower speed than it made in its previous version to allow for a quickly edited-together trailer using the scenes filmed in the previous room, stock footage of riders on the tram and various comical actions scenes with the Rock. That is the end of Disaster, exiting the ride to the same photo fill-in shop.

 

Overall, I was impressed with the new preshow, and the audience seemed to be as well. The changes to the ride were minimal, so there wasn't much to judge there, but overall, the flow of the attraction is quite smooth, and both Walken and the Rock add something to the attraction that makes it fun and unique (though I do miss Charleton Heston).