Universal Studios parks get faster, more furious this summer
Orlando will get a new Fast & Furious attraction, while Hollywood opens a DreamWorks theater.
Universal Studios parks get faster, more furious this summer Orlando will get a new Fast & Furious attraction, while Hollywood opens a DreamWorks theater. Check out this story on vcstar.com: https://usat.ly/2Iu8Gub
Arthur Levine, Special to USA TODAY Published 4:45 a.m. PT March 16, 2018 | Updated 6:22 a.m. PT March 26, 2018
Universal Studios previews what's coming this summer
Fast & Furious - Supercharged,set to open in the spring at Universal Orlando, will be loud, thrilling, highly immersive, in-your-face, and, well, fast and furious. Universal Orlando Resort
It will be similar to the Fast & Furious – Supercharged experience that is the finale of the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood. As in California, the Florida version will hijack a bunch of unwitting people (that'd be the park visitors) for a high-speed, F&F-style chase. Universal Orlando Resort
Like the Jimmy Fallon attraction that the Orlando resort debuted last year, F&F will scrap the typical queue and incorporate what Universal dubs its "Virtual Line" system.By using an app or the park's kiosks, visitors will make a ride reservation. Universal Orlando Resort
At the prescribed time, they will enter the attraction and explore the pre-ride area without snaking through a line. Guests will be able to get up-close with some of the actual souped-up cars from the movies and wander around a war room equipped with monitors, computers, and gadgetry. Universal Orlando Resort
Virtually all of the movies' major characters, including Vin Diesel's Dom and Dwayne Johnson' Hobbs will be represented. Tej, played by Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Jordana Brewster's Mia will be added in to the mix in Orlando. Universal Orlando Resort
After an exhausting day of high-speed chases and being traumatized by an oversized ape, visitors will be able to get a good night's sleep at Universal Orlando's new Aventura Hotel when it opens August 1. Universal Orlando Resort
The 600-room, 17-story structure will be Universal's first high-rise hotel. Universal Orlando Resort
The "Prime Value" hotel will offer features and amenities comparable to the nearby Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Universal Orlando Resort
The Aventura will be a "slight departure" from Universal's other hotels, according to Russ Dagon, senior vice president, resort development at Universal Creative. "It's more of a lifestyle hotel for the value-savvy traveler." Kevin Kolczynski, Universal Orlando Resort
The Aventura will incorporate in-room technology including bedside tablets that will be able to control the lights and television and even order room-service pizza. Kevin Kolczynski, Universal Orlando Resort
As part of its fast and furious building boom, Universal and Loews are constructing two additional hotels on the former Wet 'n Wild property around the corner from the resort. Universal Orlando Resort
The two as-yet unnamed "Value" hotels, which are set to open in 2019, will be a notch below the Aventura in amenities as well as price. They will offer a combined 2,800 rooms, about half of which will be two-bedroom suites designed to sleep up to six guests. While the new hotels won't be contiguous to the Universal resort, they will be about as close to the theme parks as the on-property Cabana Bay. Universal Orlando Resort
This spring, the CityWalk dining, shopping, and entertainment district will open Voodoo Doughnut, an outpost of the Portland-based purveyor of the deep-fried treats. The signature doughnut will be shaped like a voodoo doll and include a pretzel stake. Universal Orlando Resort
Reflecting NBCUniversal's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, Universal Studios Hollywood is converting the former Shrek 4-D attraction into the DreamWorks Theatre. It will host of repertoire of mini movies based on DreamWorks franchises and characters starting with Kung Fu Panda- The Emperor's Quest. Universal Studios Hollywood
Virtually all of the movies' major characters, including Vin Diesel's Dom and Dwayne Johnson' Hobbs will be represented. Tej, played by Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Jordana Brewster's Mia will be added in to the mix in Orlando.(Photo: Universal Orlando Resort)
Fast & Furious is, of course, the name of a crazy-popular movie series. It also could describe the pace at which Universal's theme parks in Florida and Hollywood are developing new attractions and expanding their offerings. Case in point: This year, Universal Studios Hollywood will open a new Kung Fu Panda-themed theater presentation, while Universal Orlando will debut a new hotel and—wouldn't you know it—a ride based on Fast & Furious.
As with nearly all of Universal's attractions, the new Florida ride, which is set to open in the spring, will be loud, thrilling, highly immersive, in-your-face, and, well, fast and furious.
It will be similar to the Fast & Furious – Supercharged experience that is the finale of the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood. As in California, the Florida version will hijack a bunch of unwitting people (that'd be the park visitors) for a high-speed, F&F-style chase. How high-speed? We're talking a tire-screeching, fishtailing, hyperventilating 120 mph—or at least the illusion of 120 mph.
The seemingly turbocharged attraction will anchor ride vehicles to a motion simulator base and sync it to large-format footage projected onto a wraparound screen in what is known as an "immersion tunnel." The vehicles won't actually move forward an inch, but passengers are going to feel a wild rush of acceleration, speed, and out-of-control action.
2018's most anticipated new theme park attractions
For the past couple of years, passengers aboard the Studio Tour trams at Universal Studios Hollywood have been hijacked for a supercharged finale by the Fast & Furious gang. Now visitors at the Florida park will also be able to take a simulated 120-MPH ride courtesy of tricked out vehicles that will move in sync with high-def, 3D imagery projected onto wraparound screens. Universal Studios
Virtual reality has already been grafted onto roller coasters, drop towers, and spinning rides at parks. This year, the technology will be used in tandem with a motion simulator attraction when Busch Gardens Williamsburg converts its existing ride-film theater into a VR experience. Located in the park's Ireland village, Battle for Eire will virtually transport riders to the Otherworld where they will help fairies recover the Heart of Eire. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
nstead of ogling dolphins, penguins, and other marine life, it will be SeaWorld Orlando visitors who will take to the water for the park's newest ride, Infinity Falls. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
The specially designed vehicles, which will accommodate riders as short as 42 inches, will make the attraction accessible to a wide audience. Billed as the tallest drop on a river raft ride, Infinity Falls will plunge 40 feet for its finale. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Legoland California's Deep Sea Adventure sounds like it would be equally at home at SeaWorld. Passengers will board submersible vehicles that will dive deep into the "sea" (but will actually travel just beneath the water's surface; think Disneyland's Submarine Voyage) and encounter real sharks, stingrays, tangs, and other fish. Merlin Entertainments Group and The Lego Group
Sayonara Shrek. Hello Po. To capitalize on parent company Comcast's acquisition of DreamWorks, Universal Hollywood is replacing Shrek 4-D with DreamWorks Theatre. The attraction will host a repertoire of shows inspired by DreamWorks animated features, starting with Kung Fu Panda in 2018. Special effects will include in-theater digital projection mapping. Universal Studios
Legoland California also pays tribute to its movies at its Show Place Theater. This year it will add Lego Ninjago to the mix. Merlin Entertainments Group and The Lego Group
The 4D presentation will incorporate the ninja action along with the sly humor of the film and the TV show. Merlin Entertainments Group and The Lego Group
The Florida Legoland park will unveil what it is calling the first VR coaster for kids, the Great Lego Race. Merlin Entertainments Group and The Lego Group
Passengers aboard Project X, a Wild Mouse-style coaster with tight hairpin turns, will have the option of wearing headsets and experiencing a virtual race against Lego speedsters in a simulated plastic brick world. The action will be choreographed to the coaster's elements. Merlin Entertainments Group and The Lego Group
Toy Story Land, a new land at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, will shrink visitors down to the size of a toy and unleash them in Andy's backyard. New attractions will include the Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and Alien Swirling Saucers, a spinning ride with an arcade claw in its center. Walt Disney World
The Pixar-ification of Disneyland's second park continues as the animation studio's characters take over Paradise Pier. First up: The California Screamin' coaster gets a makeover from 'The Incredibles' and will be renamed Incredicoaster. Disneyland
There will be a number of spinning thrill rides opening at parks this year. Among the most noteworthy of the bunch is CraZanity at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. Six Flags Entertainment
At 170 feet, it will be the world's tallest pendulum ride and will hit a potent 75 MPH as it swings passengers to and fro. Six Flags Entertainment
Looking like a giant gyroscope, the 70-foot-tall Cyborg Cyber Spin coming to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey will toss passengers unmercifully as the ride spins along three different axes. Six Flags Entertainment
An identical attraction will open at Six Flags Over Texas, named Harley Quinn Spinsanity. Six Flags Entertainment
Although Hollywood's F&F ride opened a mere three years ago, the tricks of the theme park trade have evolved, and the Orlando attraction will incorporate today's "bleeding-edge technology," according to Thierry Coup, senior vice president of Universal Creative. Compared to the first Supercharged ride, the new one will feature better imagery thanks to brighter projectors, a higher frame rate, and higher resolution. Combined with an enhanced motion base, this F&F will deliver an experience with more realism and an "incredible dynamic range," adds Coup. "We already defined what immersion could be in a theme park attraction. But we keep moving it to a higher level. This will be a big jump."
Before it transported visitors to Dom Toretto's world of fast cars and espionage, Universal used immersion tunnel technology to deliver them to Skull Island, the home of King Kong. As with F&F, the encounter with the giant ape is part of the Studio Tour in Hollywood and uses the tour's iconic trams as ride vehicles. When Universal brought Kong to Orlando in 2016, it gave the big galoot his own standalone attraction and developed custom vehicles. Similarly, F&F at Universal Studios Florida will be an autonomous ride and will use specially designed vehicles. In this case, guests will be invited to board "party buses."
Like the Jimmy Fallon attraction that the Orlando resort debuted last year, F&F will scrap the typical queue and incorporate what Universal dubs its "Virtual Line" system. By using an app or the park's kiosks, visitors will make a ride reservation. At the prescribed time, they will enter the attraction and explore the pre-ride area without snaking through a line. Guests will be able to get up-close with some of the actual souped-up cars from the movies and wander around a war room equipped with monitors, computers, and gadgetry.
According to Coup, the ride itself will span over four minutes compared to Hollywood's 90-second experience. It will include additional scenes as well as some practical sets not found in California. F&F will occupy the former show building that housed Universal's Disaster attraction (and was used for a ride based on Earthquake before that). It will extend a couple of blocks by also co-opting an adjacent outdoor stage area that the park used for a Beetlejuice show. "It's massive," Coup says of the attraction's footprint. "We really want to deliver on the scale of the action and the scale of the films."
Located in the San Francisco section of Universal Studios Florida, the ride's locale will shift from L.A. to the hilly city by the Bay. Virtually all of the movies' major characters, including Vin Diesel's Dom and Dwayne Johnson' Hobbs will be represented. Tej, played by Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, and Jordana Brewster's Mia will be added in to the mix in Orlando.
2018's most anticipated new roller coasters
Visitors at Cedar Point have long railed against one of its thrill machines, Mean Streak, for its excessively rough ride. In 2018, however, the innovative ride designers at Rocky Mountain Construction will perform their latest transformation by converting the old wooden coaster into a wooden-steel hybrid that will be known as Steel Vengeance. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
A 90-degree, 200-foot drop will accelerate the trains to 74 mph, making it the tallest and fastest hybrid ride of its kind in the world. Coasters fans are drooling in anticipation. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Instead of making over existing wooden coasters, Rocky Mountain Construction will be building two virtually identical steel coasters from the ground up, the first of which is Wonder Woman Golden Lasso at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Six Flags Entertainment
The other is RailBlazer, at California's Great America. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Instead of using a conventional pair of rails, the rides will be the first from the company to incorporate a single IBox track rail. Six Flags Entertainment
RMC says the unique monorail design will enable Wonder Woman and RailBlazer to perform especially quick twists and turns and deliver even smoother ride experiences than its gloriously smooth twin-rail IBox track coasters. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Known as a dive coaster, HangTime at Knott's Berry Farm will climb 150 feet and dangle over the edge for a few agonizing moments before diving down a beyond-vertical, 96-degree drop. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Knott's says that the coaster will include dramatic lights that will trace the progress of the trains at night and add to its curb appeal along the midway. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
Billed as the world's tallest, steepest, and fastest full-circuit spinning roller coaster, Time Traveler's trains will drop 100 feet straight down as soon as they leave the station at Silver Dollar City. Herschend Family Entertainment
The unique ride, which will have a steampunk aesthetic, will include two mid-course magnetic launches and three upside-down inversions. Through it all, the coaster's cars will spin. Herschend Family Entertainment
RMC will be converting two more past-their-prime wooden coasters into wooden-steel hybrids, including Twisted Timbers at King's Dominion... Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
And Twisted Cyclone at Six Flags Over Georgia. Six Flags Entertainment
Both rides will feature three inversions (something traditional wooden coasters don't have). Twisted Timbers will offer 20 out-of-seat airtime moments, while Twisted Cyclone's 1960s-style sports car-themed trains will navigate a steep, 75-degree first drop. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company
The Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom will feature two sets of cars on a single train that will rev up and coast along a compact, single-rail track in the shape of a vertical figure eight. Six Flags Entertainment
The cars will complete the circuit multiple times. During each run, they will soar upside down 62 feet in the air and fly past one another when they meet at the halfway point. Six Flags Entertainment
Known as a "Euro-Fighter," Tantrum's 8-passenger single-car trains will climb straight up a 98-foot lift hill, plummet down a 97-degree drop, accelerate to 52 mph, and fly through a heels-over-head inversion. This will be Darien Lake's first new coaster in ten years. Darien Lake Amusement Park
Like "Sky Rocket" coasters found at other parks, SeaWorld San Diego's Electric Eel will begin with three magnetic launches both forwards and backwards. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
The final launch will send its train soaring 62 mph up and over a huge 150-foot loop. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Slinky Dog Dash will be one of the rides debuting in the new Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Its trains will resemble the spring-powered dachshund from the Pixar movies. Steven Diaz, Disney
After an exhausting day of high-speed chases and being traumatized by an oversized ape, visitors will be able to get a good night's sleep at Universal Orlando's new Aventura Hotel when it opens August 16. The five other on-property accommodations that the resort operates in partnership with Loews Hotels, including the Royal Pacific Resort and the Hard Rock Hotel, have high-concept themes. The Aventura, however, will be a "slight departure," according to Russ Dagon, senior vice president, resort development at Universal Creative. "It's more of a lifestyle hotel for the value-savvy traveler."
The "Prime Value" hotel will offer features and amenities comparable to the nearby Cabana Bay Beach Resort. The 600-room, 17-story structure will be Universal's first high-rise hotel. It will include a rooftop terrace with a bar and a restaurant offering tapas-inspired food. The terrace will offer striking aerial views of Hogwarts Castle, roller coasters, and other park sights as well as the Orlando skyline in the distance. (Universal would probably prefer that you ignore Cinderella Castle and the Tower of Terror from that other theme park resort.) The Aventura will incorporate in-room technology including bedside tablets that will be able to control the lights and television and even order room-service pizza.
The "Aventura" name implies adventure and was inspired by its location on a street named Adventure Way, Dagon says. Also, Universal used to be one of the owners of the Spanish theme park resort, Port Aventura. The hotel will include 13 kids suites. Rates will start at $97 for standard rooms.
As part of its fast and furious building boom, Universal and Loews are constructing two additional hotels on the former Wet 'n Wild property around the corner from the resort. The two as-yet unnamed "Value" hotels, which are set to open in 2019, will be a notch below the Aventura in amenities as well as price. They will offer a combined 2,800 rooms, about half of which will be two-bedroom suites designed to sleep up to six guests. While the new hotels won't be contiguous to the Universal resort, they will be about as close to the theme parks as the on-property Cabana Bay.
This spring, the CityWalk dining, shopping, and entertainment district will open Voodoo Doughnut, an outpost of the Portland-based purveyor of the deep-fried treats. The signature doughnut will be shaped like a voodoo doll and include a pretzel stake. Other oddball ingredients will include breakfast cereal, bacon, and "dirt" (crumbled Oreo cookies).
Reflecting NBCUniversal's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, Universal Studios Hollywood is converting the former Shrek 4-D attraction into the DreamWorks Theatre. It will host of repertoire of mini movies based on DreamWorks franchises and characters starting with Kung Fu Panda- The Emperor's Quest.
Set to open in the summer, audiences will take a journey with the martial arts-savvy bear and face dragons, pirates, raging rapids, and other obstacles along the way. The screen-based attraction will be among the first to feature interior digital projection mapping, which should add dimension and make the visuals pop. To further immerse visitors into the story, their seats will move and be tricked out with pokers and other devices. They will also be bombarded with water, wind, and other effects. Outside the retro theater, Pinocchio (as featured in the "Shrek" films, not the classic Disney version) will be asleep on the job as a ticket seller.
Disney parks 2018 preview
Andy's backyard will come to life when Toy Story Land opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida this summer. Disney
A new family coaster, Slinky Dog Dash, will wind throughout the area. Its trains will look like the Toy Story canine, complete with cars fashioned as his coiled springs. Disney
The land's second new attraction, Alien Swirling Saucers, will place riders inside the Pizza Planet's arcade crane machine. Passengers will weave between two turntables on the spinning ride. Disney
A new quick-service eatery, Woody's Lunch Box, will look like the toy sheriff's lunch pail and Thermos. Instead of slightly sour milk, ice cream soda floats will be on the menu. Disney
Disney Springs, the resort's free-admission dining, shopping, and entertainment complex, continues its massive expansion. Recently opened or soon-to-open venues include: The Edison, a steampunk-ish bar and restaurant that offers quirky entertainment such as contortionists and aerialists... Steven Diaz, Disney
And Maria & Enzo's, an intimate Italian trattoria set in the once-abandoned Disney Springs airline terminal from the 1930s. David Roark, Disney
The dining room is open and airy, featuring 50-foot ceilings with views of Lake Buena Vista. Disney
Wine Bar George, a new 210-seat wine bar reminiscent of a winemaker's home estate, will also be opening. Disney
Wine Bar George will pair small plates with a vast array of wines. Mike Gluckman, Disney
The virtual reality walk-through experience, Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire, is now open at both Disney Springs and at the Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney. Participants wear VR headsets, assume the roles of Stormtroopers, and engage in an interactive mission. Joshua Sudock, Disneyland Resort
Among the new establishments coming to Disneyland's Downtown Disney district later in 2018 will be Ballast Point, a brewpub that will make and serve the craft brewer's beers. Disney
Disney California Adventure's Paradise Pier will lose its lovely Victoria-era seaside amusement area vibe and be re-themed as Pixar Pier. Disneyland Resort
This year, the existing California Screamin' roller coaster will get rebranded as Incredicoaster, inspired by "The Incredibles." Disneyland Resort
The entire Disneyland resort will be Pixar-lated with special Pixar Fest entertainment. A new fireworks and projection show, Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular, is slated for Disneyland. Disneyland Resort
The Pixar Play Parade debuted at Disney California Adventure, but it will march across the plaza and return to Disneyland. Characters from "Up" ... Disneyland Resort
And "Inside Out"will participate when the refreshed procession makes its way down the hallowed park's boulevards. Disneyland Resort
Another 60th anniversary presentation, Paint the Night, is returning, this time to Disney California Adventure. Paul Hiffmeyer, Disneyland Resort
The next-gen Main Street Electrical Parade will use 1.5 million dazzling, computer-controlled LED lights to illuminate and animate floats themed to movies such as "Monsters, Inc.," "Cars," and "Toy Story." Paul Hiffmeyer, Disneyland Resort
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