Universal Orlando Resort (USF, IOA, Epic) Discussion Thread

[Chroniq]

pix

[DJeXeL]

It got stopped on the lift. Sounds just like an

un-resettable fault. Universal officials said computer "glitch."

 

 

Source: CNN

 

Riders are getting off now.

[bert425]

here's a link to the CNN story:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/travel/universal-orlando-roller-coaster/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Jew]

I guess with the government shut down, there's not much else to talk about in the news...

[ChrisRidesCoasters]

Yeah, people in Florida are freaking out on facebook about the RRR issue. "Coasters arn't safe, blah blah blah".

 

Yeah, whoever said 'slow news day' was spot on, lol.

[jray21]

Haha, I was thinking the same thing! Definitely a slow news day.

[azza29]

^Unfortunately "coaster stops on lift hill, riders evacuated safely" doesn't make a great headline.

[coreysaysyo]

Well I just got here about 30 min ago and the ride is open like normal, I give props to universal for opening the ride after watching the news last night

[DJeXeL]

^Unfortunately "coaster stops on lift hill, riders evacuated safely" doesn't make a great headline.

 

Not at all.

 

"Riders stranded mid-air for hours" sounds better.

[coreysaysyo]

lol this chopper is hanging around over IoA, probably a news chopper.

[azza29]

^Perhaps another chartered flight by more Universal fans eager for aerial photos of the relocated Jurassic Park midway games?

[WFChris]

On the news in So Cal. Seriously...'coaster does totally normal shutdown procedure raising zero alarms, 3000 miles away.' Good job, NBC.

[Jew]

It made the national news, so it's not surprising the local news would put it on as one of their national stories on a slow news day.

[disney4me2001]

^Too true! Remember when the same thing happened a couple months back when Transformers at USH "trapped riders for hours"? That made national news, and then it ended up on local stations as well!

[Inukaza]

Robb was on ABC News putting some sense into the general public. Thanks Robb!

 

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/high-drama-roller-coaster-passengers-stuck-20536767

[cfc]

It made the local news in Sacramento, California, too. I think they were sick of talking about politics.

[Wes]

^ Probably more like the newswatching public would get too confused about the intricacies of government dealings, so it's easier to scare them with stuck rollar coosterzzz.

[Mr. Starr]

Some more new Diagon Alley concept art:

[chargersmichael]

Halloween Horror Nights 23 Review! 10/10/13

 

I went to Orlando Thursday night for the annual Halloween Horror Nights. Got a hotel right next door to Universal this year and spent the night. This year, I watched the movies Cabin in the Woods, An American Werewolf in London, and Evil Dead days before going. I was prepared. We bought Express Passes, and our passholder discounted tickets.

 

(HOUSE REVIEWS FURTHER DOWN)

 

We arrived around 6:00 pm and headed straight for the park. We got there around 6:05 and people were already entering. I thought the start time was 6:30. We went straight for the first house there, Cabin in the Woods. I didn't like how every house you had to exit back into the park all the way around twister and to the back end of the turnaround of Rockit (btw was opened!). Then we hit up American Werewolf, then Evil Dead, Resident Evil, Transformers, Walking Dead, La Llorona, After Life, Men-in-Black, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Havoc, then Werewolf again, then Cabin again, then a finish of a front row ride on Rockit. It was a very fun night and probably was my favorite Halloween Horror Nights. Very good year, a lot better than last years.

 

HOUSE REVIEWS (In my ranking of best to worst)

1) CABIN IN THE WOODS 10/10

Just before entering the house, you see things that happened from the movie such as the killing of that blonde haired girl. Then you enter the cabin and immediately people begin to jump at you. Every detail in the house felt as if I were in the movie. There were plenty of scares too, and really good ones. The elevator scenes were really good. The atmosphere and detail were phenomenal. The scares were great. It was overall, the first and the best house of the night for me.

 

2) AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON 10/10

This was my second house of the night. I heard how great it was and had high expectations of it. However, I was unlucky and didn't get any of the scares from the house. Later on in the night, I had to go back to it and I seemed to get every single scare in that house! It was by-far the scariest house at Halloween Horror Nights. Those werewolves were really scary. Overall though, Cabin beat it by the amount of detail in the house for me. Werewolf was more scarier though.

 

3) EVIL DEAD 9/10

This movie scared me the most out of the three I watched so I anticipated some good scares in this one. The scares were ok. I felt the actors didn't follow what the movie did and I thought they could have done a lot more with it. The parts in the woods were great with all of the scares. The house was really good overall but lacked in some scares to me.

 

4) HAVOC: DERAILED 9/10

Don't be mad at me. I had low expectations for this house seeing that everyone was saying that it was the worst one of the night. I actually really enjoyed this house and had a few really good scares. I liked the train part and thought it was a lot better than what the Walking Dead had in the same location last year. I loved the atmosphere, had a few really good scares, and was really good for being in the Disaster queue. I really liked this house but the Top 3 are just so good it is hard to compare.

 

5) THE WALKING DEAD: NO SAFE HAVEN 8/10

This house was better than last year's Walking Dead, but I didn't feel like there were too many scares. There were some really cool scenes from the actual show which is a plus, but just like last year they could have done a lot more to it. The prison ending, nothing happened. It is almost like they used the Walking Dead to make a house using all familiar scenes, not for actual scaring. It was still good don't get me wrong, but I thought it would have been better.

 

6) LA LLORONA 8/10

This was probably the best tent house I have ever encountered at HHN. The detail in the house was very good and the entrance façade was really good you couldn't tell that you were going into a giant bubble. Anyway, the house felt a little short to me probably because of the size. Also, some of the scares were lacking. Overall, it was really good for a tent house.

 

7) AFTER LIFE: DEATH'S VENGEANCE 3D 7/10

All I can really say about this is confusing. I wasn't sure what was going on the whole time, but this house was still good. More fun than scares too. A lot better than Penn & Teller's from last year. Just a little confusing.

 

8) RESIDENT EVIL: ESCAPE FROM RACOON CITY 6/10

Ok I don't play the video game at all but this house was just completely strange. People shooting these really strange monsters. The monsters didn't really scare at all. I came out of the house saying, "Really?" I expected a lot more with a soundstage house. Maybe if I played the video game I would have liked it more but it felt like last year's poor mazes.

 

 

Shows:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

I only have 2 words to describe it- "completely bizarre."

 

Scare Zones:

The Walking Dead scare zones were really good around the park. The walkers were really into their character and had a few really good scares. The group of chainsaws really went after me. Every single guy that had a chainsaw went after my group and it was one of the scariest moments of the night. I don't like chainsaws.

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/blogs/theme-park-rangers/os-universal-tickets-3-days-20131010,0,1929008.post

 

Universal Orlando has introduced a ticket deal that includes three days in its Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks for the price of two.

 

Prices start at $125.99 per adult. All three days must be used within a 14-day period that starts with the first day of use. Tickets are available for purchase through May 9, 2014, and they expire by May 22, 2014.

 

In a related deal, guests who buy a two-night vacation package at a Universal partner hotel get a third night for free plus a third day added to their two-day park tickets. Vacation packages start at $229 per adult and include early entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

 

Recent additions at Universal Studios this year have included Springfield, a section devoted to the hometown of "The Simpsons" television show, and the thrill ride Transformers: The Ride -- 3D. The park is currently in the middle of Halloween Horror Nights, a separate-ticket event that runs through Nov. 2.

 

For tickets or more information, go to UniversalOrlando.com.

[cfc]

Well, I finally got around to riding Transformers last weekend, and liked it a lot. Even though I haven't seen the movies, the storyline was easy to follow, and the projections and physical effects were very well done.

[jray21]

I still like Spiderman a little more, but Transformers is very well done. I love the non-stop action.

[cfc]

^So do I, as I grew up reading those comics. I also prefer both Spidey and Transformers to Forbidden Journey.

[Garet]

I still like Spiderman a little more, but Transformers is very well done. I love the non-stop action.

 

After riding transformers in singapore and pre-upgrade spidey in japan (so it wasn't even as if i 100% could follow the story perfectly), I think spiderman slightly beat out transformers, I remember on my transformers re-rides spending more time looking around for where the elevators and other effects whereas spideys finale with the flight with the green goblin and the building lights everywhere keeps me 100% focused on the story every time. I realize the finales are very similar right down to that last minute catch by the heroes of the stories but for some reason I just feel that spiderman's felt a lot more forceful and kept me in the story more (just my personal opinion)

[gisco]

Well, I finally got around to riding Transformers last weekend, and liked it a lot. Even though I haven't seen the movies, the storyline was easy to follow, and the projections and physical effects were very well done.

 

Haven't seen Transformers yet?