Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[BBparks57]

Well if rumors are true, and so far they have been...we are getting three original houses. The only kind of downside is that two of those houses are sequels to older HHN houses. One being legendary truth, but that website went active way early this year so just assuming. I hope it's better than the maze a few years ago. I agree with what was posted earlier, the walking dead isn't that interesting to me and the house last year was my least favorite. Maybe the new location of The Walking Dead house will aid in the quality of the maze?

[Hilltopper39]

This is a bit of a random question but if you stay in a Universal Resort property during Horror Nights does your room key act as a fast pass during the HHN event like it does at the parks during normal operation? Does it work for rides only maybe, or rides and mazes, or does it not work at all since HHN is a separately ticketed event?

[Brad]

^They do not work at all - HHN Express passes are completely different.

[themeparkguy27]

Just got home from the park...here's some pics from today. Getting closer to Springfield completion!

All photos posted here:

allaroundorlando.blogspot.com/2013/07/universal-studios-florida-springfield_31.html

 

 

 

Notice the Duff Brewery costume on the guy in the back

 

 

 

The plaque is now up on Jebidiah

New Duff signage

[necoastergp]

I can't wait to get back to USF to see the finished Springfield in person and try the new food offerings it all looks fantastic! Not to mention still need to ride Transformers.

[arby]

^^Thanks for the update. US and IOA are two of our favorite parks. We can't wait to get back there next year.

[themeparkguy27]

Here are a few pics that I took today, rest are in my blog update. The Chief Wiggum statue still had white wrapping around his head. I liked how the lights on the police car lit up, that was a surprise. Enjoy!

 

Rest of the pics: allaroundorlando.blogspot.com/2013/08/universal-studios-florida-springfield.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChrisFL]

There was an incident today on rip, ride, rockit, maybe closing indefinitely (possible injury), not much info beyond that.

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-universal-rip-ride-rockit-injury-20130801,0,7127139.story

 

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida was closed Thursday after a rider was injured, a Universal Orlando spokesman said.

 

The woman was hurt in the early afternoon as the car she was riding in stopped. The injury was minor, and she returned to the park after being treated, spokesman Tom Schroder said.

 

He would not elaborate.

 

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, billed as Orlando's tallest roller coaster, will remain closed until park workers figure out what went wrong.

 

The coaster climbs straight up 17 miles above the park and reaches top speeds of 65 mph, according to the Universal Orlando website.

[Locostitch]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-universal-rip-ride-rockit-injury-20130801,0,7127139.story

 

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida was closed Thursday after a rider was injured, a Universal Orlando spokesman said.

 

The woman was hurt in the early afternoon as the car she was riding in stopped. The injury was minor, and she returned to the park after being treated, spokesman Tom Schroder said.

 

He would not elaborate.

 

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, billed as Orlando's tallest roller coaster, will remain closed until park workers figure out what went wrong.

 

The coaster climbs straight up 17 miles above the park and reaches top speeds of 65 mph, according to the Universal Orlando website.

Oh yeah guys 17 miles sounds legit

[arby]

The coaster climbs straight up 17 miles above the park and reaches top speeds of 65 mph, according to the Universal Orlando website.

 

That literally made me laugh. Clearly it wasn't caught by the editor and was meant to say *stories* instead of miles.

[cfc]

^And the typo has yet to be fixed; of course, they did post it at 12:15 am.

Edited August 2, 2013 by cfc

[SharkTums]

I'm trying to figure out how a minor injury where he guest went back into the park resulted in a news story and the ride closing?!?

[simon8899]

^I've seen it on the carnival where a train was stopped inside a block brake and the brake won't release the train due to malfunction. Logically the ride had to close until the brake was fixed.

[Moose]

^^Overreaction in the wake of NTaG?

[cfc]

Just checked--"miles" now reads "stories."

[jedimaster1227]

^^^But that wouldn't necessarily explain the guest's injury, no matter how minor it might have been.

[PennStater]

I'm trying to figure out how a minor injury where he guest went back into the park resulted in a news story and the ride closing?!?

 

The same way Phantom's Revenge at Kennywood stopping on the lift and riders needing to walk down became a major two-day news story in Pittsburgh earlier this week.

[simtanic8]

I'm heading over to the park now with a friend, so I can try to find out more once I head to the studios side. This happened on my day off, but from the article and that it was a minor injury to one guest, what most likely happened is that the RV was heading into a block and stopped suddenly causing her to hit her head on the back of the seat. I will find out more today though if possible.

[OCJ48]

I'm inclined to think the news is looking at it backwards. The malfunction caused the closure, not the injury. I'm not sure what kind of malfunction would cause a minor injury and a closure, but according to the wait time app I use, the ride is open right now. It could also be simple park policy, closing the ride for precautionary reasons, especially if the event occurred slightly before closing time anyway. As for the news report, blame it on a heightened coaster phobia following the NTAG incident.

[themeparkguy27]

Just got back from the park. Rockit is/was closed when I was there.

 

Simpsons update: allaroundorlando.blogspot.com/2013/08/springfield-at-universal-stuidos.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[simtanic8]

Yep! Rockit is still closed as themeparkguy said. Tech members are working on a few blocks right now.

[ChrisFL]

I'm trying to figure out how a minor injury where he guest went back into the park resulted in a news story and the ride closing?!?

 

What I've heard via orlandounited forum is there are new RV's that are for some reason much heavier. They had the first train section as an old RV and the new RV on the second train section.

 

E-stop happens and the heavier back train doesn't slow down enough causing stress on the bar between them.

 

Something like that

[Double0Kevin]

^^^ Springfield looks amazing! I wish USH had the room to do something even similar (well maybe it does and it's on its way). I can't wait to make it back out to Florida next year when all these expansions are done.

 

^ I have a hard time believing that that would really be an issue, the brakes are still grabbing both cars just the same, the difference in weight shouldn't cause too much of an issue unless it was a really significant difference. Then again I'm not an engineer, and not personally familiar with Maurer rides, so I'm just speculating.

 

I'm wondering if the ride itself has a bigger issue than what we are hearing and something broke fairly seriously, resulting in an injury (luckily only minor). It would make sense that the ride is shut down then for a mechanical issue rather than for the injury itself.

[Someotherguyuser]

Man, more problems with Rockit? The last time I went to UO was Fall 2010 for HHN and that ride was closed from that problem they were the restraints. If it's still closed when I go there the first week of October, then it will be official that I have a Rockit curse. The ride hates me and doesn't want me to ride it.