IOA - Unusual Driving Machines ride

[JP]

From Screamscape:

Suess Landing Attraction - Rumor - (9/23/05) Over the last few weeks we’ve been hearing stories about something being planned for Seuss Landing to take over the uncompleted Driving Machines attraction and now the story is exploding from insiders all over Universal that we can expect something to be done at last here by summer 2006. Will it still be the Sylvester McMonkey McBean’s Unsusual Driving machines when they are done or something entirely new? We’ll have to wait and see.

 

So, does anyone know why it has been so difficult for them to get this attraction, which seems very simple, up and running?

[BarryH]

I've heard of many problems. One problem was that the ride passed through the Circus McGurkus Restaurant. Universal was afraid people would spit or drop stuff onto the guests below and there would be a massive food fight. I've also heard that the ride would have a lower capacity than Pternandon Flyers. Probably the biggest thing I've heard is that the ride has no escape route. If the ride shut down, then the only way for guests to escape is through cherry pickers.

 

Here's more information on the ride: http://www.ioacentral.com/islands/seuss_landing/attractions/sylvester_mcmonkey_mcbeans_very_unusual_driving_machines.htm

[CoasterEricHP]

Yeah, having worked there.. the explanation the techs and my supervisors gave me when I asked is because of the fact that Berry mentioned. If there was a true emergency on the ride and it had to be evacuated really quick, the only way to get people off would be to have cherry pickers to get people off. If there's a huge problem or a fire or something then that just isnt going to be fast enough.. so that's why. I doubt you'll ever see it in operation...

 

Eric

[YoshiFan]

Wasn't there also speculation that the track wasn't built wide enough to support enough weight for 2 people to ride?

 

Would capacity really have been that bad if there were supposedly 52 (forget if that is the exact number or not) cars. 52 cars could probably allow 80 or so people on the ride at once (given that there would be some single riders) which seems like a much higher capacity than the Flyers even with the ride on McBean's being longer.

[pvcoasterguy]

I calculated the hourly capacity- its not bad, almost as good as Dueling Dragons or The Hulk.

 

If only 42 of the 52 cars arer operating, and 80 (w/single riders), the ride would have a 1680 pph capacity, assuming that the ride is three mintues long. However, if the ride was running perfectly, it would have a 2080 pph capacity.

[CoasterFanatic]

^ Did you remember to figure in that they have to load/unload?

[Jeezus Juice]

I don't see why they never attached all the cars into a long train like every other park on the planet with this same ride has.

 

Then in case of emergency a diesel powered "mule" can drag the train back to the station.

 

Honestly...

[pvcoasterguy]

^^ No, I forgot about that. But, you'd think that the ride would be one of continous movement. (No stops in the station.)

[CoasterFanatic]

^ There isn't any evidence though to prove that. Is there any ride on the Universal Florida property that utilizes an "omnimover" type system?

[pianojohn]

OK, I worked at IOA actually playing the organ at Circus McGurkus when it first opened in 1999. From what I heard from the area techs, there were several problems with the ride.

 

First, it was designed like a bumper car so guests could literally bump the car in front of them. Why no one thought this was a horrible idea is beyond me!

 

Secondly, the company that built the ride went out of business soon after it was completed. When they were told they needed to build some sort of escape route over the entire ride, they either could not or would not and left the park with the ride.

 

Apparently, another company was brought in to try and salvage the ride, but they either couldn't build cars to fit the existing track or were having problems with the whole escape plan.

 

Now, since the ride has been inoperable with people since Day One, this could all be Urban Myths, but that's what I heard when I worked there. Also, since I played the organ, I was probably the closest person to ever see the cars from my vantage point.

[robbalvey]

I have also heard that it's mainly an escape route problem. And because it's high up in the air, if one of those Orlando lightning storms comes out of nowhere, even the quickest evacuation option with the 'mule' might not be fast enough. Anyone who has been in one of those gnarly Orlando storms where they corral people into the underground areas of Disney knows what I mean!

 

--Robb "This is why the peoplemover is covered, protected, and has a walkable route all the way through the ride!" Alvey

[USRoadTripper]

I have seen the ride running with a character (non-living) appearing to drive one of the cars around the track. To at least salvage something from the ride, they could put these type vehicles on it and run it as theming. I've only seen one at a time, and have only seen that a handful of times. 10 cars or so, all with different Dr. Seuss characters riding around would be cute I think.

 

-Julie

[CoasterEricHP]

Yeah they do have some random things that drive around on them.

 

I think the rumor that is on Screamscape would be about using the station for something. I remember seeing in one of the meeting rooms at B-114 (IOA Op's) a map that was the overall IOA half of Universal. On it, it had areas marked "Expansion Area".. one was where the Flying Unicorn is now, one by JP, and one back behind Cat where the corn field was last Horror Nights.. (among a couple others).. so maybe there is something big in the works?

 

Eric

[bluemen]

Okay, I may be an idiot, but WTF?!

 

It seems that the ride could simply run through a couple Seussified turrets or by a couple elevated (rooftop?) platforms that could act as blocking zones, evacuation routes and maybe mini-seuss-scenes -- control the number of driving machines between turrets, and you've essentially got trains, and very little cherry picking to do in an emergency--everyone could be off in a couple minutes. And that is the same thing that happens if something goes wrong while a coaster train is running on the tracks... maybe it's a power-outage worry or something?

 

Oh well, I'm sure someone far smarter than me can explain why this isn't feasible for a park that seems to be able to pull everything else off with such class.

[Stitch]

The thing though is they probably don't want to clutter up their themeing with walkways around the track ... just a thought :?

[jonathan h]

Am I the only person that thinks that the ride jsut wasn't designed well? Seriously, it must of cost Universal quite a bit to build and most of taken up some of the budget for that area. The thing that I don't understand is how ti got past planning stage and how it got off the drawing board.

 

It seems to me that Unbviersal didn't design it very well and it really has cost them moneyt hat could have been spent elsewhere.

[pvcoasterguy]

^ But in a park with so many great things going for it, I don't think that this one ride adds up to much. I mean, Universal has Dueling Dragons, The Hulk, Spiderman, The Cat in the Hat, etc. That's enough for me, and this one mess-up is okay.

[JT3000]

IOA still needs to add multiple new attractions in the next couple years, otherwise it will become extremely stale. I'm thinking an E-ticket in LC, behind Unicorn, and another dark ride behind Cat where the cornfield was. IOA needs a permanent Grinch ride.

[JP]

Wow, I must say I'm surprised by the general response to this question. I would have thought for sure it was some mechanical issue, and not something that just seems so simple. I would bet a lot of the problem has to do with the fact that at the time, Universal Creative was based in Southern California, not Florida as it is now, and the designers of the ride just did not have the experience dealing with the freak Florida Lightning Storms.

[AndCamSS]

Yeah, this whole situation seems kinda odd to me too. How did they not think of it before they bought and installed the ride? Seems a bit strange to think theyd plan the ride out, know what they were getting, put it together and go "oops! we cant evacuate people!" Does look kinda cool when you see the random cars go by on the track as theming, but it would be nice if they added an attraction that at least uses this rides station and queue. Like the other guy said, a grinch dark ride is a great idea!

[Dr Freeze]

I didn't know that the ride had *never* operated! When I was there I asked an employee about it and they said "oh that hasn't been working for a while." I guess what they should have said was "oh that hasn't worked... ever."

[BarryH]

Well, from what I can tell from reports on www.ioacentral.com, the ride is going to open on Summer 2006. Yes, it seems official, but I'm waiting for the press release personally.

[MagnumForce]

It was also supposed top be open in summer 2001...and summer 2003 ....you get the idea?

 

The interior portions were never finished, but the queue and such are all there.

[buttonman700]

Anyone who has been in one of those gnarly Orlando storms where they corral people into the underground areas of Disney knows what I mean!

 

 

Hmmm, Kasey and I were caught in one of the most intense lgithing stroms I have ever seen, and Disney shoved us out of one of the theater at AK only to fend for oursleves.

 

Let me tell you, it really sucked.

[JT3000]

Only the strong survive in the animal kingdom. Even at Disney.

 

The driving machines will ne-eeee-ver open.