Originally Posted By dshyates Orlando Rocks has a new photo update showing HRRR construction and the new completed amphitheater. Check out the first pic and remember that the verticle lift hill is just over half way up. Man, this thing is going to massive. <a href="http://www.orlandorocks.com/1a/usf/rides/rockit/construction/1/Rockit-Construction.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.orlandorocks.com/1a...ion.aspx</a> And the official HRRR website has gone live:
Originally Posted By dshyates Man, I don't know why I don't like the word "be" this morning. I left it out of the title, and the same statement in the body. So let me get it right. "HRR is going to BE MASSIVE!!!"
Originally Posted By dshyates OK, I was a little off the lift hill is over 3/4 the way up, But it is still massive. Here is a GREAT comparison between the concept art and the photos. <a href="http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4140/almostdonecu8wo1.jpg" target="_blank">http://img232.imageshack.us/im...8wo1.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Man, they ruined USJ and now Orlando. Sorry, there should not be any of these sorts of attractions in a studio park.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Yep, Disney and Universal have both given up, so have Vegas. What are theme fans supposed to do?
Originally Posted By brotherdave At least they stuck it between the soundstages unlike USJ. There, the coaster goes right through the themed streets. Only part of the theming in the New York area (the old Ghostbuster's fire house) is interupted. But, still, I have to agree that this coaster is drastically out of place. Perhaps if ran around the lagoon at City Walk and themed better, it might fit. It just looks out of place. And, given that it will have 4 mid-course brake runs, it doesn't excite the coaster fan in me either much. I'll have to judge it for myself someday. It's possible it could be a good ride even with the brakes. We'll just have to wait and see...
Originally Posted By dshyates From what I have heard the break runs are only for E Stops. They will be running 4 trains at a time so they need the brakes for blocking perposes. BUT have you checked out the drops right after the breakruns? Pretty sever. And I know everyone hates how it looks, but as a certified Air Time Junky......I LIKE IT!!!! I'll take the BIG UGLY!
Originally Posted By brotherdave If the brakes don't slow down the trains much, then it might be a fairly wild ride. There won't be much to see along the ride except the backs of buildings, but at least they didn't install it down the middle of Hollywood Blvd or any of the other themed streets in the park like they did at USJ. I'm all for coasters, so this may be fun. But I'm also for theming at the parks that do it usually right like Disney and Universal. Of course, Dueling Dragons and Incredible Hulk aren't themed very well as far as the coasters are concerned. Their queue-lines and stations are awesome, but the overall rides lose their theme with just structure like any other park has. Disney seems to be the best when theming coaster track, though their are exceptions like Primeval Whirl, California Screamin', and Mulholland Madness. The only good themed coaster track for Universal seems to be Revenge of the Mummy, and that's because it's dark inside.
Originally Posted By dshyates See, I have been arguing for a while about the theme of this coaster. It is themed to Post Production and put in Production of the park. It is an edutainment attraction similar to Monster Horror Make-up Show or Sounds Dangerous. It lets you pick your music. Then after the ride you get a hand-on post production experience where you get to edit a video from 9 different camera angles. After you edit your video you can upload it to YouTube or email it to yourself. So it is a themed coaster, just not a Disney-style themed coaster. Once again Universal redefines the the definition of themeing. But I have to admit that I could do without it wrapping around the small section of NYC, but I can live with it. And it towering above warehouse looking soundstages really isn't a problem for me. Especially since Universal is in the process of building the most intense thematic area in Otown since DAK was built in TWWoHP.
Originally Posted By barboy ///Then after the ride you get a hand-on post production experience where you get to edit a video from 9 different camera angles. After you edit your video you can upload it to YouTube or email it to yourself./// OH GOD NO! I'm getting sick to my stomach--- Is that where we are now in theme parks? And why is 'thing' so conspicuously displayed throughout the park...... yes, one big ass eyesore! I say put a lid on it, **literally**.
Originally Posted By juicer ///Then after the ride you get a hand-on post production experience where you get to edit a video from 9 different camera angles. After you edit your video you can upload it to YouTube or email it to yourself./// "OH GOD NO! I'm getting sick to my stomach--- Is that where we are now in theme parks?" I sure hope not! I had the same stomach sickness when I read that too.
Originally Posted By dshyates I didn't say it was a great thme, just to say it is themeless is not correct. But I really don't see much difference between HRRR and Sounds Dangerous, except that you actually get to do it yourself. Universal and DHS have been steering away from Studio/Edutainment stuff into movie franchise stuff for a long time with stuff like Mummy and MiB. But I think they are more suited to IOA than USF proper. Two of the last additions have been going back towards movie making edutainment with Disaster! and HRRR. They actually removed the Earthquake movie franchise from Disaster, and HRRR has no movie tie-in at all. HRRR gets back to the movie making process and NOT movie/toon tie in. It seems like if there is a franchise tie-in everyone screams about the toonification of the parks and yet when they build something closer to what a studios park is about everyone says there is no theme. They are really in a no win situation. As I said, I could have done without it wrapping around the small section of NYC, but can also live with it. This coaster has several goals to fullfill and theming isn't really one of them. They wanted it tall enough to be seen from the intersatate. They wanted to run it out to CityWalk so everyone can actually see that USF is a theme park with rides. But this ride is definitely designed to appeal to the coaster junkies that are a major component of amusement park goers. And it does have a theme of post production making it suitable for its inclusion into a Sudios Theme Park. Don't forget that the theme of the park isn't ALL about immersive themeing, but the movie making process. And as I said earlier, if you want immersive themeing, wait until The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It will be thick with the immersive themeing.
Originally Posted By dshyates "Wow, you should be a politician with all that double-talk. LOL." Or work for Disney
Originally Posted By brotherdave I guess HRRR is no worse than Dueling Dragons or Incredible Hulk in terms of theme. There's no mistaking them for anything but high-thrill roller coasters. Yet, most everyone loves IOA for its immersive theming. To me, IOA is like a crossover between a highly themed park and a thrill park, sort of like the Magic Kingdom meets Cedar Point or Six Flags. At least the location of HRRR is in the right place in the park and not traveling through the other themed areas (except briefly in the New York section). Still, I would have preferred something a little better themed and less intrusive. It not only can be seen from within USF, but also IOA and City Walk. At least the coasters from IOA are hidden from view while in USF. This won't be the case from IOA with HRRR. (Otherwise, the coaster geek in me will still want to ride this on my next trip!)
Originally Posted By barboy ///I guess HRRR is no worse than Dueling Dragons or Incredible Hulk in terms of theme. There's no mistaking them for anything but high-thrill roller coasters. /// Are you being candid here? Because it looks like you're being wholly unfair in your defense of this 'rockit' coaster. Those dragons only duel tucked away in their appropriate setting---The Lost Continent; they don't take their show on the road and invade Jurassic Park nor do they wind their way into Seus landing. Hulk plays by the same rules since he keeps his rage confined to Marvel Super Hero Island. He doesn't get all bent out of shape in Toon Lagoon or Port of Entry. What in God's name is Universal doing erecting a roller coaster(or any attraction) that conspicuously travels around different sections of the park. There is a reason why well crafted theme parks have different themed sections----a very good reason at that---- instead of one big blending or hodgepodge of 'this and thats'. What we got here is Universal wanting a hardcore state of the art coaster(which I fully applaud since I LOVE thrills) but is unwilling to pay for it to be done right(which I thoroughly object to) so they take the cheap route and just plop it down where it can physically( as opposed to thematically) fit in the park and draw attention as well. What an insult!
Originally Posted By brotherdave I'm not defending Rockit, I'm classifying it the same as Hulk and Dueling Dragons as being just as guilty in loss of theme. I was just pointing out that I'm just glad Rockit wasn't built down one of the main themed arteries of USF. At least it's sort of hidden away behind the soundstages (mostly). It's still intrusive looking from most vantage points in both parks. I feel that Hulk and DD do the same, even if they stay in their respective 'islands'. You can't help but notice them from the other islands in the park. And they look just like what they truly are...roller coasters. Not saying that's totally a bad thing, but it doesn't seem to help the overall theming of the park. It just offers great coaster thrills. The same goes for this monster ride. At least at Disney, Expedition Everest, Big Thunder, Rock n' Roller Coaster, and Space Mountain don't 'look' like coasters, at least from a distance. They're quite hidden or blend in, especially EE and BTMRR. Universal's rides are thrill coasters, pure and simple. I enjoy coasters...immensely. But I also enjoy themed environments, and sometimes they don't mesh well. HRRR definitely doesn't mesh well, but I'm sure that I'll probably enjoy it when I do get to ride it. But it could be worse, a lot worse if they were to have had it run through the length of the themed sections of the park. At least it's in the soundstage area for the most part.
Originally Posted By dshyates For the most part, they do stick to non themed area of the park. And in the little bit of the NYC section that it does encroach on is minimal. I do think the double break run over the Twister theater is pretty ugly. But I don't really have a problem with it. And I understand what the roll of the coaster is, and it isn't themeing. That is why the ran it between th beautiful Jimmy Neutron and the Blue Man Group soundstages. and out to the grass field at the CityWalk lagoon. And I have heard that they will be using a special FX as it blasts through the Firehouse window. I just think we need to wait and actually see what this caoster has to offer other than thrills. I am an admited coaster fan, and I am glad that Orlando will be getting 2 honest to God coasters (HRRR and Manta) which are both going to be the cream of the crop as far as Orlando thrills go. I do think that Manta is better themed than HRRR. But I don't believe that most people have a clue as to what HRRR will bring to the table. Is is the best themed coaster in town? NO. But I trust Universal to an extent, and I will wait until I see the finished product to judge. I want to see what the editing aspect will entail, and how they set up the area in which the hands on experience is set up before I call it an abomination. I just don't think it will be nearly as lame as most assume it will be. And Brotherdave, I have said for years that Universal is attempteing to appeal to more than the Disneyheads who believe that any coaster that you can actually see the track sucks beyond belief. They ARE in the Amusement park business, which does include BIG coasters. And they have brought 2 of the best coasters to town so far. I know Disneyheads HATE Dueling Dragons because you can see the track. But there is more than one type of artistic expressions. Disney sticks totally with the literal. But there is an entire facet of art called impressionism. Dueling Dragons is an impressionistic take on flying with Dragons. And I do believe MOST people get it even though you can actually tell it is a coaster. But guess what?I can actually tell that BTMMR is a coaster and not an literal mine train. I think it has to do with how far you are willing to extend the suspension of disbelief. Disneyheads are really not flexible on the issue.
