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

[TrippinBillie]

Anyone have an update on Hulk? I see twitter stuff of all the new light work and the marquee is all ready. Website says "Summer" and I've heard hundreds of test cycles have been completed. We're going at the end of Sept, and booked then thinking it'd be open.

[Bubba]

Something really funny and unlucky happened to me and 3 other boats on Ripsaw Falls

 

So there is a waterfall on the lift that clears out so the boat can go through, but this time the waterfall didn't clear out. It rained ontop of everyone's head, and got all of us soaked. I asked a worker, and he say's it glitches from time to time on that effect. It can really get you DRENCHED, more drenched than you already get on that ride. I was soaked for the whole day after it. Anyways, has this happened to anyone else on here?

Wow I had no idea this effect doesn't work from time to time. I feel so blessed today now

I've only been on the ride twice and I clearly remember being petrified/excited that we would be going through the waterfall, followed by relief when we actually didn't go through it.

 

Anyone have an update on Hulk? I see twitter stuff of all the new light work and the marquee is all ready. Website says "Summer" and I've heard hundreds of test cycles have been completed. We're going at the end of Sept, and booked then thinking it'd be open.

I have absolutely no confirmation on anything but I would think it should be open by Sept. Summer (followed by late summer) was the only confirmed opening. With there still being over a week left in July and the ride consistently testing, I would hope you'd be fine. August is the last month people are out of school as well, so it would fit the late summer deadline. If the delay did cause them to miss the summer vacation crowds, I would think Labor Day would be a safe bet to get a lot of people on this ride and spreading the good word. I hope you can get an official word soon though, Hulk is just one of the best!

[Living_Dead]

Something really funny and unlucky happened to me and 3 other boats on Ripsaw Falls

 

So there is a waterfall on the lift that clears out so the boat can go through, but this time the waterfall didn't clear out. It rained ontop of everyone's head, and got all of us soaked. I asked a worker, and he say's it glitches from time to time on that effect. It can really get you DRENCHED, more drenched than you already get on that ride. I was soaked for the whole day after it. Anyways, has this happened to anyone else on here?

Wow I had no idea this effect doesn't work from time to time. I feel so blessed today now

I've only been on the ride twice and I clearly remember being petrified/excited that we would be going through the waterfall, followed by relief when we actually didn't go through it.

 

Yeah, it was really funny because i've been on it so I was already prepared to be relieved that the waterfall would lift up, but then the moment i saw the boat ahead of me can destroyed by the waterfall, i knew i was in for a soaking

[chargersmichael]

I was at the park yesterday so I could get my first ride on King Kong and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I know some people don't like simulators, but I don't mind them. The theming was great and the experience was really cool.

 

When I was leaving the park, I SAW HULK TESTING! It was absolutely amazing! It definitely has to be faster than old hulk. It really catapults out of the tunnel and tears right through the first inversion flying through the Cobra Roll and Loop following it.

 

When comparing testing videos from Old Hulk to New Hulk, the new testing proves that it has been testing a lot faster than it originally ran! I can't wait until this opens in a few weeks!!!

[scbt]

Taken from Reddit - The entrance for the Hulk seems to be mostly done, and looks pretty amazing in this picture

 

Source

[SixFlagsAstroworld]

 

I'm speechless!

[JordyC]

LOOOVE!!

[kenban]

Just an FYI the track out front is from the original coaster.

[kickflipbacktail]

Going in 4 weeks! Fingers crossed for the Hulk to be reopened.

[viking86]

The new entrance looks awesome! And I simply LOVE the new trains! I really liked the look of the old trains, but these new ones.... just WOW!!!

[Nrthwnd]

Parks are certainly getting into the idea of using old track in their entryways, etc.

 

I wonder how many of them have done this? I remember Holiday Park's using a part of

Superwirbel. And Thorpe Park using part of a corkscrew at it's main entrance.

 

Great idea, and I hope parks continue to do it. And Hulk's looks Awesome, btw.

[KBrylczyk]

^ Don't forget Great Adventure putting the top half of Scream Machine's loops in the Monkey area of the safari when they retracked the tops of the loops to the reinforced track.

[cfc]

Or just leave sections of track where the public can see them.

 

 

It this piece of Rolling Thunder still there, or has Great Adventure finally removed it?

 

I think Universal put that old Hulk track to good use, though.

Edited July 29, 2016 by cfc

[Jcoaster]

^ Rumor was it was going to be some sort of momument.

 

Now I think its an exhibition showing the process of decomposition.

[viking86]

Hulk testing video! Not sure about the roar, seems it could be annoying after some time, but great to see that the lights on the outside of the launch tunnel are syncronized with the launch. The rest of the light package looks great as well!

 

[KBrylczyk]

^ Pretttttttty sure that's the sound Hulk makes when he's bang-I mean, hanging with She-Hulk, if you catch my drift.

[cfc]

Wow! Looks and sounds great. I hope that Hulk is now back to its former glory.

[DoinItForTheFame]

Just an FYI the track out front is from the original coaster.

 

This is something that we found out many months ago. . .

 

However, that new entrance looks amazing!!

[Brassinthegrass]

Still excited to see the lights on the train at night! I think that's the last piece of the puzzle!

[A.J.]

Eh, the sound effects are a little cheesy and will probably get annoying after watching the ride for a while (like when you're waiting for your party), but the lighting is top-notch. I kind of worry about the strobe effect inside the tunnel though...

[sirchubs33]

Hulk publicly soft opened tonight at (from what I can collect) around 6ish. Pictures of the queue interior look really solid!

[DoinItForTheFame]

Hulk testing video! Not sure about the roar, seems it could be annoying after some time, but great to see that the lights on the outside of the launch tunnel are syncronized with the launch. The rest of the light package looks great as well!

 

 

WOW!! I love the lighting package for this coaster. Everything from the lights on the launch tunnel, to the lights in the tunnel after the loop. Looks like a good fit for Universal!!

 

Not sure about the growling Hulk sound. . . It sounds more like a constipated Hulk, or a Hulkgasam.

[FifthArchitect]

Hulk did indeed soft open tonight!

 

When I arrived at the park this morning, I was excited to see Hulk testing with people on board. As I arrived at the entrance however, the barricades were up and they stated that they were just starting to test with ride techs and employees, and that "Hulk would be opening sometime late summer." Imagine my surprise walking past around 7 pm to see the barricades down and "technical rehearsal" signs up! Apparently things were going well and it was a last minute decision to go ahead and open. I took a couple pictures as I rushed to get my cell phone and keys in a locker, and was very lucky to get 3 rides in before park close.

 

My thoughts... What a great ride! I haven't ridden it before, so I can't comment on the refurb, but I though the queue theming was fantastic. They did a great job on the effects for the gamma reactor. There were a few hiccups in the queue, but overall I thought operations was doing a great job keeping things moving. There are metal detectors, but they were well staffed and didn't seem to be slowing anything down. The launch was a surprise. Given the friction wheel system, I did not expect it to be as forceful as it was. To me the initial grab seemed very similar to the magnetic launches on the Flight of Fear coasters at KI and KD, though not quite as fast at the top end. The roll off the launch is great, quick transitions, and everything was very smooth in my rides in rows 4, 7, and 8. I can't remember many other specifics as I was having too much fun enjoying myself! My only small critique is that it seems a bit slow to me through the final two elements after the MCBR, however I think it's a great ride and a nice addition (re-addition?) to a nice park.

[MARK]

I think the roar itself is really weak (kinda the sound I would make if I were playing monsters with a kid) and the sound is too clear and close.

 

It'd be more effective if they could make it sound like Hulk was deeply roaring from within the launch chamber with a bit of reverberation.

[CPmillenia94]

I had a very unpleasant experience with shuffling on my only ride, hopefully it was just the seat I was in (Left side row 7). It was shaking from start to end, rougher than any ride I remember having on it before..

 

I'm interested to hear what other people who rode it before the transformation think/what their experience is!