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rl\ I r 1: -- Elj1 \ UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ROCK ‘N’ RIDE ROCKTHE RIP RIDE ‘N’ ROCKIT AT UNIVERSALRIDE STUDIOS Blast off with Orlando’s Newest, Most High-Tech

by DEBORAH BRAUSER photos by MATT ROSEBOOM

s the bright red down and around the rest of the mini cars of the ride’s sharp curves, high banks, new Hollywood and even through the remnants Rip Ride Rockit of the old Ghostbusters firehouse Aroller coaster go hurtling at speeds of up to 65 miles per by the new Music Plaza hour. stage at Universal Studios, “No one has ever created its goal of mixing music such a sophisticated ride and thrills into one unique experience,” said Mark package is apparent. From Woodbury, president of the high-tech on-board Universal Creative. “And no touch panels that let one has ever used technology guests choose their own the way we have to pull it all ride soundtrack, to the together.” first-of-its kind non- Although it was originally inverted loop leading scheduled to open in early right into the twisted summer, the Rockit has quickly metal track shaped like an gained many fans since its actual treble clef, guests eventual opening in August. know they’re in for one Most agree that it has lived incomparable ride. up to its promise from a pre- While enthusiastic (and opening press release that called sometimes stunned) crowds it “the tallest, largest, and fastest watch from below, riders find X-CAR style roller coaster in the Rip Ride Rockit’s 17-story lift smoothly sends riders themselves ascending almost world.” gliding 90-degrees upward the sky. straight up a 167-foot vertical O r l a n d o r e s i d e n t incline before being dropped Chris Kraftchick, regional

24 • Orlando Attractions Magazine • FALL 2009 THE HOLLYWOOD RIP RIDE ROCKIT AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS Blast off with Orlando’s Newest, Most High-Tech Roller Coaster by DEBORAH BRAUSER The queue entertains waiting guests Creative Director photos by MATT ROSEBOOM with video, music and artwork. Louis Alfieri

representative of Florida “One of the things we wanted and the engineers and the con- engineer for the project. for the American Coaster to do was bring something new struction group all gets together “He [Dr. Müller] said he had Enthusiasts (ACE) said he was to the resort and to all of Central and everybody’s a part of this dream that he very impressed with Rockit, the Florida, something that had never bringing something to wanted to do 360th coaster he has ridden. “It’s been done before,” said Alfieri. life,” said Alfieri. something really different from coasters “We wanted to revolutionize the At one meeting new we call “off the shelf” – ones coaster experience.” between the teams that are just kind of slapped in He explained that before at Maurer’s head- somewhere. But realizing their working on Rockit, his team quarters in Ger- limitations with real estate, it was prototyped some of the many, the idea for just amazing how Universal has technology with Hollywood the non-inverted interwoven this into the park Dream, a roller coaster at loop came up. and made it an incredibly good . “Then, Alfieri gives ride.” when we brought some of that credit to Dr. technology to fruition, we all Alfred Mül- Building a Rockit agreed it was such a great idea l e r f ro m The Universal design team, that we wanted to advance Maurer, led by Creative Director Louis everything – levels and levels the head Alfieri had several challenges beyond what we had initiated when they first started thinking it at. So this is the second stage about a new ride. They knew in the process.” they wanted music to be a strong For Rockit, the Universal component, but they also needed team worked with steel roller the overall design to fit into a coaster manufacturer Maurer small footprint, due its location. Rides, an international company The team basically wanted to that has designed and built for come up with a high-tech, theme parks all over the U.S. and compact design full of unique Europe. “It’s such a collaborative maneuvers. effort where the creative staff

FALL 2009 • Orlando Attractions Magazine • 25 with the loop,” said Alfieri. He said the treble clef maneu- To figure out the right tech- it on the highway at 65 miles per “So we all sat together and we ver was originally sketched out nology for the music, the team hour, testing different speaker brainstormed where he was on a napkin. “I was trying to find pioneered several prototypes locations and different speak- going with it and how we could different ways to incorporate and several interesting experi- ers and different kinds of music integrate it into the coaster. At music symbols into the coaster ments. “In an effort to get just until we found exactly the way the time, the project team was and the layout. When the team the right sound and isolate the we wanted it to be on the ride. also doing the new Music Plaza. got together, the engineers were speakers, we actually built a It was quite the sight to see us So we tried to set up the coaster like, ‘Wow, you really want to do trailer that we strapped two of all going down the highway on and the plaza together to create that?’ And the team said, ‘Sure, the coaster seats together with,” the chairs, but it’s the only way one overall experience.” let’s give it a shot.’” explained Alfieri. “And we drove to test it!” Marrying Hard Rock with High Tech Letting guests customize their ride experience by choos- ing their own song is something no other coaster in the U.S. offers. Rockit has a 30-song playlist, with tracks from some of today’s and yesterday’s biggest stars from five different genres –

Rockit’s moving load platform and multi-colored lights are just some of its unique high-tech features. Guests use touch screens to choose the song they want to listen to while riding. 26 • Orlando Attractions Magazine • FALL 2009 ROCK ‘N’ RIDE

hen asked to confirm the also what numbers correspond to number that doesn’t correlate to a rumor of hidden tracks which songs. Just remember, these specific song, the default song will Won the new Hollywood hidden songs will not be added to play – reported to be “Busy Child” Rip Ride Rockit coaster, Universal the on-ride videos. by The Crystal Method. Creative Director Louis Alfieri just To access the tracks, press the As we go to press, not all the said with a smile, “Rockit has the ride’s logo at the top of the screen songs have been identified, and ability to offer layers of discovery for five to 10 seconds and then let they could change at any time. to the guest that no other coaster go. When the number keypad comes Check out our blog entry at has ever had before.” up, enter a three-digit number from AttractionsMagazine.com/blog for Other riders have been more 001 to 999 and press enter. Be aware the most up-to-date song list. For forthcoming, sharing not only how that there aren’t anywhere near now, here’s the unconfirmed hidden to access these hidden tracks, but 999 songs available. So if you try a song list so far: #103 – “Break on Through” by The Doors #132 – “Drumbone” by Blue Man Group #709 - “Mouth for War” by Pantera #104 – “Crocodile Rock” by #301 – “Float On” by Modest Mouse #710 – “Painkiller” by #105 - “Do it Again” by #302 - “I Want You Back” by The Jackson Five #711 - “Paranoid” by #108 – “8 Miles High” by The Byrds #303 - “In My Pocket” by The Cat Empire #713 - “The Wicker Man” by #109 - “Fantasy” by Aldo Nova #304 - “It’s Still Rock And Roll To Me” by #715 - “Wake Up Dead” by #112 – “Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd #306 - “” by #718 - “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” #113 - “Immigrant Song” by Led Zeppelin #307 - “” by Christopher Cross by Judas Priest #114 - “Just Because” by Jane’s Addiction #308 - “Run to You” by Bryan Adams #901 - “Movin’ Right Along” #115 - “Live” by Lenny Kravitz #309 - “Save Room” by by Kermit The Frog and Bear #123 – “Stockholm Syndrom” by Muse #312 - “My Everything” by Barry White #902 - “ Connection” by Kermit The Frog #124 – “Diary of Jane” by Breaking Benjamin #508 - “Pivot” by Dry #904 - “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Mussorgsky #127 – “Urgent” by Foreigner #701 – “Cyanide” by #129 – “Wheel in the Sky” by Journey #702 - unknown song by Metallica If you find any other hidden songs, #130 – “Won’t Get Fooled Again” by The Who #704 - “Forever Down” by e-mail their names and numbers to #131 – “Klein Mandelbrot” remix #707 - “Know your Enemy” [email protected]. by The Blue Man Group by Rage Against the Machine rock/metal, pop/disco, rap/ site, so guests can preview and sharp turns and tight maneuvers style seating, which means each hip-hop, country, and club/ pick their soundtrack ahead of needed for the relatively small row is raised a little higher than electronica. These include songs time. space that now houses the the one in front of it. Instead of an from Kanye West, Fergie, and coaster. Each of these X-CARs over-the-head restraint, a tight- Kenny Chesney, The Rip Riding may only hold 12 guests (two fitting, yet comfortable lap bar “Riding a roller coaster, going Experience to a row), but designers have swings over from the side. fast and the energy that’s in my The overall set-up for the packed a lot in. Industrial-grade, water- music – they go hand-in-hand,” ride, as explained in its queue, The vehicles feature stadium- resistant touchpads (with the feel said MC Hammer. His song, U is that guests are actual rock stars Can’t Touch This is included in about to shoot their own music the ride’s playlist. “Riding Rockit videos, complete with a video at 65 miles per hour with the production crew to make sure music pumping is going to be everything runs smoothly. This a lot of fun,” he added. includes going over exactly Amy Lee from the group how to select their songs with said, “I think is vertical monitors displaying a really creative use of music. the choices. We’re very excited to be a part Once through the line and of something so outside the box up to the loading platform, and for our fans to experience the size of the small cars music in this cool new way.” may seem a bit surprising. The entire playlist is also However, longer cars posted on Universal’s Web wouldn’t work due to the

FALL 2009 • Orlando Attractions Magazine • 27 of an on-board mp3 player) are M a n a g e r o f S h o w One guest said built into each restraint arm. Be Development (and former he’s ridden three sure to tap in your music choice Ghostbuster) Michael Roddy times and has chosen just as soon as the arm comes said it pained him when he first Sabotage by the Beastie across. saw a giant hole being cut into Boys all three times. Chosen songs are pumped the firehouse during Rockit’s “That song works out at 90 decibels through construction. “But I got over it out perfectly,” he individual sound systems pretty quickly because I think it’s explained. “It’s slow with marine-grade flipping cool that you go through during the ride’s first stereo speakers the building … because it’s real rise and then breaks built into the architecture. How often do you out fast during the seats. This get to go through a building?” descent. I just couldn’t Other thrills include the Crowd help picking the Surfer, where guests are turned same song over and at a 95-degree angle while flying over.” over the waiting A U n i v e r s a l employee said he’d advise guests to ensures pick songs from the that your heart. “Don’t just song is the only choose ones that one you hear. you’ve heard are cool. As your song Pick something that Rockit bursts through the former Ghostbusters firehouse as part of the selection starts, the means something to unique Treble Clef maneuver. 16.5-second ascent up the you. There’s nothing 17-story vertical lift feels like like hearing one of going up in an elevator – while your favorite songs as you’re varying tempos. lying on your back. In fact, it rocketing over the tracks. It just “The three components at the almost feels as though you’re makes the experience more beginning – the lift, the music leaning a little further back than special.” and the amazing light show – that, giving no view at all of what At night, it’s a whole really set the stage and build lies just ahead. different experience excitement for the rest of the At the top, which is the with the track brightly ride,” said ACE representative highest point of any coaster in crowd; lit and bands of Kraftchick. “And then you crest Orlando, there’s a slight pause a n d t h e moving lights the top and drop down and before the vehicle barrels down Plot Twist, encircling the then go into that very unique the first and steepest plunge which has an verticle lift. Each loop, which is the part I was and heads straight into the inclined loop, ride vehicle is most salivating over during non-inverted loop. Officially a 1 5 0 - d e g r e e also outfitted with the construction process. And named the “Double Take,” this banking turn, and a 36 different lights it was even more than I expected. 136-foot tall maneuver doesn’t final 360-degree turn programmed It was an incredible sensation actually take riders upside down. before heading back to to change and much more than I could Instead, it zooms along the inside the loading station. Overall, color at have even imagined.” of the track until reaching the it’s a fast-moving ride that top, where it twists to the outside feels much longer than many Lights, Camera… of the track and rides over the roller coasters and offers Coaster! top of the loop before twisting several breath-takingly fun Contributing to the whole back inside for the descent. tricks not offered anywhere “this is your music video” theme, The Treble Clef is next, else. And the personalized six on-board and eight track- ending as it shoots through the music really does add to the side cameras capture each a building facade along with the overall experience, as you guest’s ride experience. sensation of being almost close choose different songs with Once it ends, each enough to touch its walls. every ride – or not. v i d e o i s t h e n 28 • Orlando Attractions Magazine • FALL 2009 ROCK ‘N’ RIDE

downloaded to a viewing kiosk where people’s curiosity,” said Kraftchick. guests can purchase an edited take- “It has some very unique things like home version that mixes the custom the vertical lift and the non-looping footage, ride footage, special effects, loop; and it’s a very long ride. I’m and your song choice. These can come looking forward to going back to in DVD and/or digital formats to share re-ride and re-ride and re-ride. with friends, posted on Web sites or Some coasters are a little intense even uploaded on YouTube. and you need a little break right “This is the first attraction where after, but after I rode this one, I was you’ve been able to have a pre-park energized and wanted to do it again experience, in-park experience, and immediately.” after-park experience,” said Alfieri. “It’s such an experience to have “You have the ability to go to our site spent so much time building this and play games, interact with the coaster and be so close to it and then characters we’ve created, and preview to have the ability to see guests get a sample of your music before coming off and then get back on the ride to the park. And then afterward, you multiple times to hear different have the ability to create more music things and have a great experience,” videos at home.” said Alfieri. “One little kid got off the other day and started jumping Guests waiting to ride are treated to an up-close sneak preview of what’s to come by way of of the Re-Ridability around and screaming that it was Rockit cars zooming close by. “Everybody has something ‘wicked epic.’ And I thought wow. they’re looking for in a coaster and That’s such a cool term and just so I think it’s going to peak a lot of great to hear.”

Rip Ride Rockit stretches all the way out into Universal CityWalk where everyone can get a great view of the action.

FALL 2009 • Orlando Attractions Magazine • 29