Universal Orlando Resort

[Ash]

Neutrons going because of it

[Quickey]

Universal Studios is about to build a new signature ride: a high-tech roller coaster full of lights, music, loops, twists and turns — and a quick trip over the heads of people walking through the nearby CityWalk entertainment district.

The Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit is planned to be big, bright and brash enough to become the new visual symbol for the theme park when the coaster opens in about a year. Universal Orlando officials said Tuesday that it also will feature enough digital technology to appeal directly to what they refer to as the "YouTube culture."

Universal Orlando officials said the coaster will rise 167feet into the air and feature numerous loops and corkscrew turns. Rockit — the first big, outdoor thrill ride for Universal Studios — is set to open in spring 2009.

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It will provide another link in Universal Orlando's recent chain of big new attractions. An overhauled version of an old ride, renamed Disaster!, opened in January. The Simpsons Ride, a 3-D fantasy-simulation ride replacing the old Back to the Future, is set to open in a few weeks. And several still-undisclosed attractions are to open together in late 2009 as the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" in Universal Studios' sister park, Islands of Adventure.

The flurry of activity follows a dormant period of nearly three years during which Universal offered no big new rides.

Although it will be the tallest coaster in Central Florida and one of the fastest in the state, the Rockit will be nowhere near the tallest or fastest in the amusement-park business. But like the Incredible Hulk in Islands of Adventure and several other Florida coasters, it aims to use innovation and novelty to make up for any lack of record-setting height or speed.

"We like to go for the best," said Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Parks & Resorts' creative division — though Universal would not comment on the project's cost.

Rockit will offer high-energy video displays in the waiting line; high-intensity, color-changing LED lighting and digital audio and video effects during the ride; and various engineering innovations.


'A whole new level'
And unlike any of the other big roller coasters in Central Florida, Rockit will loom over its park's entrance and beyond. Universal plans to squeeze its track between the Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast ride and the Sharp Aquos Theatre, which houses the Blue Man Group show. From there the track would run along the boundary between Universal Studios and Universal's sound stages, then rise over the fence to twist over the sidewalks of CityWalk, outside the theme park — a brightly lit, scream-filled advertisement for the park.

"We like to look at this as taking the thrill ride to a whole new level, both physically and figuratively," Woodbury said. "It's iconographic in its position. It's going to do some things no ride has done before. And it combines entry into the digital age with the ability to customize and personalize the ride for each rider."

That particular digital-age feature will allow riders to select their own music and create a music video of the ride. Afterward, a rider could download the video and use it on personal Web pages or video-sharing sites.

But the ride — which Universal officials had referred to for months by the code name "Project Rumble" — still draws principally on the basic thrills of a roller coaster: speed, height, loops, corkscrews, twists, turns and drops. Universal officials said Rockit would have several signature moves and a record-breaking loop, though they would not elaborate. The artist's rendering that they released shows the track climbing a 167-foot-tall peak, then corkscrewing downward, twisting eight times.


'It's a natural for us'
The ride's Internet-based theme digresses a bit from Universal Studios' original theme, which was all about "riding" the movies. But Universal officials insisted that the coaster will justify the inclusion of the word "Hollywood" in its name — a term also adopted earlier this year by Walt Disney World when it renamed its rival movie-studio theme park.

"We've always fancied ourselves as embedded into the Hollywood culture with Universal. It's part of our essence. It's a natural for us," Woodbury said. "The name is very specific to the attributes of the ride. It combines creating your own movie, to customize it; that's the 'rip' part. You can download it to your personal site. And you ride it, of course. You have the 'Rockit' part, which combines the thrill and the music."

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business ... 6109.story


Wow! This looks pretty good for an x-car!

[Coke]

Sorry If this is slightly off topic, but I am going to Florida in Easter 2009, does anybody know whether it would be open for then.

[Quickey]

If you are lucky, it will be open. It says it will be open spring 2009.

[Jnewcombe]

looks good but dont xcar coasters have limited put though?


Jon

[Coke]

Yes they do, if you have ridden G-Force at Drayton Manor you will know that, but being Universal they'll probably have about 4/5 trains at a time, as they will be quite short (2 cars per train). They might have some gimmicks like floorless or stand up too!

[Quickey]

Well it says that they will have 4 trains running at a time in the article, plus universal staff aren’t exactly inefficient, so I am sure throughput will be fine.

[xEmmax]

[quote=""Coke""]Sorry If this is slightly off topic, but I am going to Florida in Easter 2009, does anybody know whether it would be open for then.[/quote]

Me too - I've everywhere I've seen says Spring so we might just catch it.

It sounds great though I heard it has an inversion but you don't go upside down on it and theres this whole personal ride soundtrack where you choose your own track to listen too during the ride.

[altontowerskid]

look good but i hate the idea that its an x car!
i dont know why but i just hate those trains and i dont think that the ride will be good enough for Universal, maybe Drayton but they will have to do a bloody good job to make this something special as im not seeing it now...

[AstroDan]

I am sure it'll be a good addition for them, but it just looks like they're playing on the Rock n Roller Coaster idea.

[Ollie]

Worlds Highest Vertical Lift

[LiamC]

"Rockit" – the roller coaster short name defines the program: While boarding the guests can choose what kind of music will accompany them on their fast-paced ride over the tracks. In the process the roller coaster manages the fine balancing-act between the superlative and the family ride. With 7 X-Car Tandems with 12 seats each Rockit has an extraordinary high capacity of 1850 pph.

Sounds bloody impressive. Cant wait to see the finished product!!

[Chris W]

Please note: Younger People may find some of the below links scary.

Universal announced all the details for this years horror nights yesterday, this year's offerings include:

TV Advert

8 Houses

Reflections of Fear
Scary Tales: Once upon a Nightmare
Creatures
Interstellar Terror
Doomsday
The Hallow
Body Collectors: Collections of the Past

6 Scare Zones

Asylum in Wonderland
Fractured Tales
The Path of the Wicked
The Skoolhouse
American Gothic
Streets of Blood

3 Shows

Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute
Brian Brushwood
Bill and Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure

This years Icon is Bloody Mary. Who I think is utterly terrifying.

All he links above show why Halloween Horror nights is the best scary event in the world, Alton Towers can learn a lot from their team.
Over the past month Universal have been viral marketing with the storyline behind Bloody Mary. I just feel that Alton could easily do a similar campaign and get a lot of interest in the event. The marketing finished last night and it had many people waiting until midnight to find out who the Icon would be.

Over last night voicemails and texts could be read/listened to from the investigation team as they went to hunt Bloody Mary, its so simple and very effective. The whole viral campaign can be found here.

[ReallyRollercoasterRules]

****- That TV Advert scared the hell out of me- I'm not going to watch any more!


Does that Ad play during the day? It should be given a certificate- Scarier than The Shinging I say!

[Moley]

Now that's how you advertise a Halloween event!

[Ollie]

Oh my Gawd.

That is exceptional, wish I was going

[Moley]

Universal once again went to town in terms of promoting this through their various fan sites (Screamscape, HHNVault etc.) This year they sent out packages containing a mysterious box, envelope complete with HHN seal, with a letter inside (obviously).
(Screamscape video of the package)

The next day the keys to open the boxes were sent out...
(Screamscape video showing the opening of the box)

God I wish I was over there to do this year's event!

[Mankey]

Just goes to show all the difference a bit of creativity makes. This sounds like its going to be amazing!! I'm loving the fansite mail! thats just incredible thinking and extremely unique!

So sad i'm not going.

^^ Chris ^^

[Moley]

The same billboard at night, apparently the "Mary" text lights up in order aswell.

[woody]

This is absolutely brilliant and i wish theme parks / halloween attractions had as much thought put into them as this. This is bloody brilliant (no pun intended) and i really wish i could go!

I am assuming the halloween horror night attractions at universal are very intense? I think i would be scared witless!

There are also 5-8 horror attractions too which is amazing. American's always have to push the limit don't they?