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NEW ATTRACTIONS AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
by Michelle Clark, PassPorter Guest Columnist
Universal Studios Florida consists of two theme parks
with some of the most popular attractions in central Florida. With the local
competition including Walt Disney World's four theme parks as well as nearby Sea
World and Busch Gardens, area parks are frequently adding, replacing, or
refurbishing attractions in order to draw guests wanting new experiences.
Universal theme park visitors can look forward to several new attractions
currently under construction in both Universal Studios and the Islands of
Adventure parks.
Universal Studios has not had a new major attraction since the "Revenge of the
Mummy" indoor coaster in 2004, so there is much excitement about the two new
attractions, one of which just opened this month and one slated to open at the
Studios in the near future. "Earthquake - The Big One" closed in early November
to be reconfigured as a new attraction titled "Disaster! A Major Motion Picture
Ride...Starring You." This new show/ride is similar to the previous "Earthquake"
attraction. The pre-show has been re-done with some new celebrity talent. The
ride portion, which consists of a subway car in an earthquake, is similar to its
predecessor except that it has been updated and enhanced with new technology.
The new storyline involves shooting an action film for Disaster Studios starring
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Guests are asked to star as "extras" in the movie,
and will be able to view the finished product once the ride is over.
The
Universal Studios attraction currently still in production is The Simpsons ride,
which will take the place of the "Back to the Future" ride simulator attraction
that closed in March 2007. The premise of this new ride involves that famous TV
family, The Simpsons, and a visit to a new amusement park in Springfield created
by Krusty the Clown. Universal is reporting that several well-known Simpsons
characters will be a part of the ride, and all of the original actors will voice
their characters in the attraction. The new Simpsons attraction is scheduled to
open in Spring 2008. The old Back to the Future gift shop at the ride exit has
already been converted to a "Kwik-E-Mart," which is familiar to fans of the
show.
Not an attraction, but expected to draw long lines is a new, larger
Starbucks coffee shop, which is located in the former arcade building in the New
York section of Universal Studios. There is also a Ben & Jerry's
counter.
Many Universal fans feel that Islands of Adventure is long
overdue for a new addition, with the only new attraction to open there in the
last few years being the "High in the Sky Seuss Trolley," a slow-moving overhead
train ride in Seuss Landing. So news of construction on "The Wizarding World of
Harry Potter" has been met with much excitement and anticipation by Universal
guests as well as loyal readers of this immensely popular book series. Islands
of Adventure is divided into five uniquely themed "islands." The Harry Potter
section will be created as a sixth "island," also described by the Universal
press release as a "theme park within a theme park." The new island will consist
of a portion of the Lost Continent and adjacent vacant land. Guests will be able
to visit several locations familiar to readers of the books including Hogwarts
Castle, Hogsmeade, and the Forbidden Forest. The specifics of the attractions to
be included in this area have not been released by Universal, however,
Universal's official web site states that one attraction will be "state of the
art." This island will also include shops and restaurants designed in keeping
with the Harry Potter theme. Estimated opening date for "The Wizarding World of
Harry Potter" is late 2009/early 2010. For more information on the new Harry
Potter "island," visit the Universal website where you can see conceptual art,
read the official press release, and browse through Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ) and other information.
There is a rumor currently circulating at
several theme park Internet websites that Universal may be adding a new coaster
to the Studios similar to the "Hollywood Dream" coaster located at Universal
Studios Japan. However, this has not been confirmed by Universal and is only
speculation at the present time.
For more information and updates on
these new attractions, check out the official Universal Orlando web
site. There are several Universal fan-based web sites that frequently post
information on confirmed and rumored new attractions at the Universal parks. My
favorites are http://www.themeparkinsider.com , http://www.screamscape.com
, http://www.ioacentral.com, and http://www.orlandorocks.com. There is also a forum
on our PassPorter Message boards devoted entirely to Universal Studios and
Islands of Adventure where Universal news and rumors are regularly posted and
discussed.
Related Links: Universal: For Non-Thrill Seekers?
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Updated 10/27/08
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