Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Open – Video & Early Reviews
Last weekend, Universal Studios Orlando began a soft opening period for their delayed Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. With the ride’s uniqueness and many state-of-the-art features it’s no surprise that it took a little longer to get everything just right. Then on August 19th, the park sent out a press release stating that the ride was officially open.
Attraction Magazine’s Rip Ride Rockit Review
Ricky from Attractions Magazine has the first full-fledged review that I’ve found. Read his full Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit review. In his review he makes the case that while Rip Ride Rockit is a lot of fun, it’s not as thrilling as SeaWorld’s Manta or many other roller coasters. He also notes, what I also found out in my interview, that Universal’s goal was to create something that appealed to a wider audience. So basically, they were successful in creating a “roller coaster that can be enjoyed by more than just thrill-seekers.”
He goes on to say that Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is: “fairly tame – perhaps on a thrill level just above Big Thunder Mountain at Disney’s Magic Kingdom one or two notches below Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.” He does also tout how cool the ride is with the music booming from the headrests and how you can’t hear the other riders music. He also has some good things to say about Rockit’s twisted layout and how it passes through the building.
Varying Experiences on Rip Ride Rockit
To be fair, this was only one person’s opinion and a few people sparred with him in the comments at the bottom of his review. Some disagreed with his review putting Rockit on the same level as Hulk and Kraken as far as thrills and some experienced airtime while Ricky did not. Lance over at ScreamScape has reported that the reviews he’s been receiving are all over the place. Some are proclaiming Rockit as their new #1 roller coaster while others are complaining of uncomfortable rides. Lance’s theory is that there may be ‘good’ and ‘bad’ trains. Also, JaMeS found an excellent video with a complete view of Rockit including trains being moved out of storage and some footage of the station at ParkSleuth.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit = A Crowd Pleaser
I’m not surprised by Ricky’s review. Universal wasn’t aiming for the tallest, fastest, or most intense coaster with Rockit. Designer Louis Alfieri shared with me that they were looking for something that would suit their wide demographic of visitors. So Rockit really is more about the experience or complete “show”, for lack of a better word. It makes sense when you look at Universal Studios as a whole. I wish that I could ride Rockit myself, but for now other’s reviews will have to do. When I come across some more reviews worth sharing I’ll update this post.
What’s Your Take?
Have you ridden Rip Ride Rockit? Are you planning on riding Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit soon? How do you think it looks? Leave a comment or your own review below. Photo Credit – Attractions Magazine