Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit POV

wwwCOASTERFORCEcom has posted an awesome POV of the new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida. All POVs I have seen (other than the animated one of course) just started halfway up the vertical lift hill. This one started at the beginning.

That POV is awesome.

Intimidator is Almost There

More pics: http://carowindsconnection.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2772&start=1890

User Wormy at Carowinds Connection took a picture showing Intimidator's 121 ft. hammerhead complete! It began November 4, 2009 and was complete today, November 16, 2009.

If you look at the webcam, they seemed to have topped off the 90 ft. return camelback hill!

Man, how they are moving fast! =)

Oh yeah, it will so be complete by the end of 2009!

Fear Factor Update

I got some good/bad news and some bad news.

Bad news: My letter did not go through. I'm not really allowed to send in letters to Universal displaying ideas. But hey, I understand.

Good/bad news: Here is a quote from myName3:

"I heard from a reliable source that the Fear Factor actors lost their positions. Before the company just relocated them to different locations. When they announced that it would go seasonal, the news reported that no one lost their jobs. If this is true then Universal is closing the show. The real question is will universal just have another empty spot (I am looking at you Herc and Zina and the toon theater!)

Since Universal didn’t have a very good summer because of the Rockit misfire the cheapest show would be the Wild West Show. Most of the scenery is already there."
My reaction:

While I do feel bad for the people who lost their jobs (dang this economy =( ), if this is true, I'm glad Fear Factor will be gone for good!

While it is a shame that they have some empty places like Hercules & Zena and the Toon Lagoon Theater (there might be something new there though), sue me but I'd rather they keep it empty then putting a Wild Wild Wild West show there (there is a reason why they closed it in the first place).

I'd rather see something NEW like... I don't know... something Broadway style, not like Creature From the Black Lagoon (even though I got to admit, it is an interesting idea).

Universal Future Discussion

Well, since I am kinda bored and I want to shed some life here, I thought I would discuss the Universal Futures that were established by "Through My Eyes" on July 2008.

Universal Future #1:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is really progressing. Hogwarts looks nearly complete and Hogsmeade is looking good too. The Hogwarts Express has arrived last week and boy does it look good? :) And yes, Dueling Dragons is still open.

Universal Future #2:

Already well known, UF2 has been brought back, because Jimmy Neutron may close in spring 2010. I am thinking of a plan to keep the ride alive. I am thinking of making shirts showing a picture of Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast and putting "Save it!" under the picture. I may post some concept art of the shirt soon.

Universal Future #3:

I was thinking of eliminating this since Rockit is open, but I decided to see how it is doing. Just being Curious George here! :P

Universal Future #4:

I discovered that Japan did not hear of the Simpsons, but I will not let this go as in Screamscape...

2011/2012 - Back To The Future Replacement - Rumor - (8/23/09) This rumor may be a bit ahead of it’s time, but one source suggests that Universal Japan is ready to retire their version of Back To The Future as well by 2011/2012. As The Simpon’s are not really hugely well known characters in Japan as they are in America, porting in a clone of the same Simpsons ride is not an option. However the rumor we’ve heard is a bit of a stunner, as our source claims that they may be looking an at option to license Batman from WB to create new simulator ride themed to The Dark Knight. DeLorean… meet The Tumbler. Now of course the really odd question is... can Spiderman and Batman co-exist in the same park, being from two different comic book companies? Maybe not in the USA, but I do think it would work in Japan where they are both viewed as just American Superhero comics. Plus we know that at one point in time Universal was attempting to build a Batman themed attraction for Islands of Adventure when the park was first just a concept.

So BTTF may still close, but it WILL NOT be replaced by the Simpsons Ride. I wish the Japanese knew the Simpsons :( (but Dark Knight would still be cool). They could always cut the dome of BTTF in half for that Dark Knight ride (as I stated in an early post) keeping Back to the Future on the other side. Japan's BTTF is the only one left and once we lose it... BTTF: The Ride will be gone... forever.

Universal Future #5:

Fear Factor recently was rumored to close for good. I really hope this is true. As I mentioned a plethora of times already, I hate that show. I sent a letter the other day to convince Universal to tear out that piece of barf and replace it with Mamma Mia.

Chang Update #6

Screamscape:

"2011 - Chang / B&M Stand-Up Coaster - Rumor - (11/5/09) A Screamscape source reports seeing a few pieces of Chang’s yellow track as well as one of the trains in an area behind the employee parking lot."

So guess that pretty much confirms that Chang is going to Six Flags Great America. They better use the floorless idea and put the old stand-up trains on Iron Wolf! >:(

Chang Update #5

http://sfkkonline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4222#post4222

Scroll down and you can see that the lift hill has been taken down with only the station track remaining for Chang.

It is still unknown where Chang will be.

Jimmy Neutron Update #2

I was investigating the rumored Neutron closure in 2010 and people's opinions on the ride. In this forum at Orlando United, "Favorite/Least Favorite USF Attractions", 42 people dislike a ride. 7 people dislike Shrek 4D (I like Shrek.), 11 people dislike Twister (for some stupid Youtube reasons like "Oh, Twister sucks because it replaced Ghostbusters," or "Oh, Simpsons suck because it replaced Back to the Future." Sometimes, people are kinda dumb.), 8 people dislike Jimmy Neutron, 3 people dislike Back to the Future (because they complained it was rough leading to its closure), 1 person dislikes Revenge of the Mummy (probably scared of coasters XD), 1 person dislikes Jaws, 2 people dislike Disaster, 3 people dislike Animal Actors, 4 people dislike Fear Factor (now this one, I agree *Mamma Mia please*), 1 person dislikes Kid Zone (again, because of a Youtube thing), and 1 person dislikes E.T. Adventure (shame on him XD).

19% of the people hate Neutron. Here is an example of one of the comments:

Cusiisabeast (April 21, 2009):

Favorites: ROTM, MIB, TSR
Least Favorites:
Fear Factor Live-The WROST Theme Park attraction in history
Twister- I like it, and want it gone at the same time
Jimmy Neutron- Do they even show JN anymore?
Animal Actors- What a borefest....zzzzzzzzzz

Um... bolded statement. Do you have to look at Sunday at 7:30 am to find out?! Oh, you want a "yes" or "no" statement?! All right!

YES, IT IS STILL SHOWING (JUST NOT NEW EPISODES ANYMORE SINCE 2006) AT EXACTLY 7:30 AM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I saw it this morning (Who Framed Jimmy Neutron?/Flippy) at 7:30 am! People, do you even bother to look at the TV?! Sorry about the screaming, but that was kinda dumb. =\

I still have high hopes that Universal renews the contract and eliminates this stress within me...