Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[jarmor]

If they do a Gringotts coaster, I hope it will be more themed than ROTM. That was always the one complaint I had about USF's mummy was that several sections of the darkride ride were obviously unthemed or had theming gaps...they were extremely obvious and really took away from the experience (hence why I prefer USH's more "flowing" version of mummy).

We must have rode (have you even been on it) two different versions or did you have your eyes closed during some of the ride lol lol???

 

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to explain what you mean about the lack of theme and theming gaps...

[dragonskeep]

Mummy is pretty complete IMO, something along those lines would be fine by me. I guess this would be number 4, I never was much for countin an such...and I only count the ones I will ride. I am not a whore.

[slappybob]

So does anyone know when despicable me attraction will open ?

[SoCalCoasters]

If they do a Gringotts coaster, I hope it will be more themed than ROTM. That was always the one complaint I had about USF's mummy was that several sections of the darkride ride were obviously unthemed or had theming gaps...they were extremely obvious and really took away from the experience (hence why I prefer USH's more "flowing" version of mummy).

We must have rode (have you even been on it) two different versions or did you have your eyes closed during some of the ride lol lol???

 

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to explain what you mean about the lack of theme and theming gaps...

 

The sequence follwoing the treasure room has very little in terms of surrounding theming, the backwards drop and turntable only have the screens, and you can very clearly see the unthemed room around the screens, it just really detracted from the ride for me. That, and the fact that the indoor coaster portion is a bit too lit up at some points (Imhotep's attempt to "steal your souls" with the smoke coming from the mouth of the cutout).

 

I just like the flow of USH's Mummy better, it feels like constant action from start to finish where as USF's has multiple abrupt and awkward ride halts plus, that fake ending got old very fast. In terms of overall experience, I rate USH's higher. Although I seem to be one of the few who does...

 

Anyway, I hope the Gringotts Coaster will be better in terms of overall theming.

[Zeppelinfreak]

^Pretty reasonable explanation.

[robbalvey]

A very interesting article was posted at Theme Park Insider on the new attraction:

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201112/2824/

 

In short...

 

"The plans occupy the space between the Fear Factor Live theater and the Disaster! show building on the northwest corner of the Universal Studios Florida property - basically all the land now occupied by the Jaws attraction and surrounding Amity carnival games and shops. The northernmost section of the plot - almost half the land within it - is planned for a massive show building, which will house the Gringotts ride."

 

 

"The Gringotts ride won't be a traditional roller coaster. It appears to be a hybrid roller coaster and motion-base ride, a la Spider-Man and Transformers. There are 3D projection screens throughout the ride, embedded in the rockwork of the tunnel walls, creating an illusion of open space, within which we'll watch battles taking place."

 

A much more detailed description of the ride is here: http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201112/2824/

 

What do you think?

Edited December 31, 2011 by robbalvey

[Bryce232]

I'm most interested in this aspect of the coaster:

 

But before you proceed, the track below the first of the twin cars will drop from underneath that car. The track will come to rest at a 40-degree angle. Then, the track under the trailing car will begin to rise, matching the 40-degree angle of the leading car.

 

That should be a crazy/weird/cool/fun element for sure!

[robbalvey]

^ Sounds very similar to one of Winjas "tricks" that it does when the cars stop, and the track tilts to one side, then continues down the drop.

[SharkTums]

I'm most interested in this aspect of the coaster:

 

But before you proceed, the track below the first of the twin cars will drop from underneath that car. The track will come to rest at a 40-degree angle. Then, the track under the trailing car will begin to rise, matching the 40-degree angle of the leading car.

 

That should be a crazy/weird/cool/fun element for sure!

 

Eh, I bet it won't be as good as Winjas!

 

EDIT - LOL! I love that Robb and I both posted about Winjas at the same time!

Edited December 31, 2011 by SharkTums

[Justice]

Spiderman + Mummy = Incredible experience.

 

Universal is going to introduce 2 new E-Ticket ride systems (this and FJ) and the last E-Ticket system Disney introduced was....Test Track in '99? But none the less, major props to Universal Creative for designing this, and to management for passing it through.

[BBparks57]

Sounds interesting, wonder when the completion date is. Sounds like just as big of an undertaking as wwohp part 1. I hope we get to see some detailed concepts over the next year or so of the Girngotts ride...it sounds fun.

 

EDIT-----------

 

Any chance this article is fake?

Edited January 1, 2012 by BBparks57

[Meteornotes]

Winjas > anything at Universal. Actually, Hollywood Tour > anything at Universal...

 

dt

[ernierocker]

Hard to tell from the concept description but I hope they concentrate some on this being a roller coaster and not just a dark ride that happens to be on coaster track. Would be nice to have at least a couple of sections with some decent forces on it like Mummy. But the special effects that will be used on this ride from the concept sounds a bit exciting!

[cfc]

Sounds good--I like the look of the trains. If it's anywhere near as good as Winjas, Universal will have an excellent new ride.

Edited January 1, 2012 by cfc

[robbalvey]

Spiderman + Mummy = Incredible experience.

 

Universal is going to introduce 2 new E-Ticket ride systems (this and FJ) and the last E-Ticket system Disney introduced was....Test Track in '99?

You have to give some credit to Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Toy Story Mania. And let's be honest here, Universal *needs* that ride system to impress the f**k outta people when they are going to opening up a ride almost 5 years after the last book or movie.

 

Personally, I would actually like to see a better ride made with the FJ system. I liked the rise system, but thought the ride was pretty lame.

[slappybob]

I really hope this isn't fake this concept sounds so awesome and I have been wondering if they'll have two Olivanders or replace the one thats already there they'll probably just keep it open seeing how popular its been

[SoCalCoasters]

Third, every page is stamped "Confidential," so I'm not supposed to be looking at them or telling you about them, and I'm certainly not going to tell you where I got access to them, so don't even bother asking.

 

So let's get to it, shall we?

 

While I am happy to hear info about new attractions, it has become more common it seems as of late to reveal info that you shouldn't be.

 

Remember Vebolten? All the art and details that got released for it?

 

 

Honestly it's obscenely dispicable to the parks to reveal so much of a ride before it is announced. I used to always love the announcements of big expansions and what they hold, but this is taking away from them majorly.

[Justice]

Spiderman + Mummy = Incredible experience.

 

Universal is going to introduce 2 new E-Ticket ride systems (this and FJ) and the last E-Ticket system Disney introduced was....Test Track in '99?

You have to give some credit to Pooh's Hunny Hunt and Toy Story Mania. And let's be honest here, Universal *needs* that ride system to impress the f**k outta people when they are going to opening up a ride almost 5 years after the last book or movie.

 

Personally, I would actually like to see a better ride made with the FJ system. I liked the rise system, but thought the ride was pretty lame.

I'll go ahead and give Disney Toy Story Mania but the states still haven't brought the Hunny Hunt ride system to the USA, 11 years after it first debuted.

 

However, I'm going to disagree with you on Universal needing an impressive ride system. Star Wars is how old now? And I'd hardly call Star Tours an impressive ride system.

 

Personally, I thought Forbidden Journey's experience as a whole (queue included) blew anything and everything Disney has done in the last decade (in the states) out of the water. I'm very hopeful that this will be equally impressive.

[The49er]

I'd heard that Universal filed a patent for a motion-base vehicle via Screamscape, so this totally makes sense.

[sugart]

Spiderman + Mummy = Incredible experience.

 

Universal is going to introduce 2 new E-Ticket ride systems (this and FJ) and the last E-Ticket system Disney introduced was....Test Track in '99? But none the less, major props to Universal Creative for designing this, and to management for passing it through.

 

Soarin? As for the timing of the "leak", makes sense with Disneys leap year announcement tonight.

[cal1br3tto]

As a fan of indoor coasters, I'm looking forward to hearing more about the Gringotts ride. Sounds like it may turn out to be reasonably coaster-y, as I would prefer.

[Wes]

Soarin? As for the timing of the "leak", makes sense with Disneys leap year announcement tonight.

 

Yes, because it makes complete sense to leak the technical details of a ride that's 3-5 years from being built to a small fan site to counteract a one day promotional event from a competing park that's happening two months from now...

[robbalvey]

^ Wes, are you being sarcastic? I can't tell because that makes perfect sense to me.

[robbalvey]

I'll go ahead and give Disney Toy Story Mania but the states still haven't brought the Hunny Hunt ride system to the USA, 11 years after it first debuted.

And your point is....?

 

However, I'm going to disagree with you on Universal needing an impressive ride system. Star Wars is how old now? And I'd hardly call Star Tours an impressive ride system.

Ok, you can disagree, but you're wrong. Star Tours is old, and that's why it still doesn't see that huge of lines even after the new version. Your comparison is stupid. Please try harder before you post next time.

 

Personally, I thought Forbidden Journey's experience as a whole (queue included) blew anything and everything Disney has done in the last decade (in the states) out of the water.

I'm happy for you. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

 

--Robb "Universal fanboys are annoying." Alvey

[Justice]

I'll go ahead and give Disney Toy Story Mania but the states still haven't brought the Hunny Hunt ride system to the USA, 11 years after it first debuted.

And your point is....?

 

However, I'm going to disagree with you on Universal needing an impressive ride system. Star Wars is how old now? And I'd hardly call Star Tours an impressive ride system.

Ok, you can disagree, but you're wrong. Star Tours is old, and that's why it still doesn't see that huge of lines even after the new version. Your comparison is stupid. Please try harder before you post next time.

 

Personally, I thought Forbidden Journey's experience as a whole (queue included) blew anything and everything Disney has done in the last decade (in the states) out of the water.

I'm happy for you. Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

 

--Robb "Universal fanboys are annoying." Alvey

Wasn't expecting such an agressive response but since you requested, I'll "try harder" in this response:

 

The Harry Potter 7-book, 8-movie franchise spans 2 mediums of media, and has a combined value of approximately $15 billion. By comparison, the 6-movie, Star Wars franchise is worth around $4.5 billion, and Marvel's thousands of comic book stories was bought just two years ago for $4.2 billion.

 

Not only is the Potter franchise more recent then the others (immediately making their popularity greater), but the Potter franchise is worth triple both of those mega-franchises.

 

With numbers like those, no you don't need "a ride system that impresses the f*ck otta people" because Universal is the ONLY company offering the millions of Harry Potter fans a three-dimensional theme park experience.

 

Excuse my lack of effort from before but I do feel this will support my own opinion strongly (or is my opinion wrong here too?).