SATURDAY SIX Presents: A Tribute to HOLLYWOOD RIP RIDE ROCKIT – From Construction to Destruction

This week’s SATURDAY SIX pays tribute to Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, one of the most maligned coasters in theme park history but one that will always hold a special place in our heart. Our journey begins back in 2008, with the attraction being built at Universal Studios Florida…

…note this poster tells guests to get ready for Rip Ride Rockit to open in Spring ’09.  Rip Ride Rockit officially opened in August of 2009 after months of technical delays.

The problems were plentiful, because Rip Ride Rockit was one of the most technically advanced roller coasters ever built. Rockit was loaded with first-of-its-kind experiences for guests. Some worked wonderfully, others… not so much (including the moving walkway to help load guests onto the ride vehicles.) Today we’re going to look back at the reasons we loved Rip Ride Rockit, starting with…

# 6 – The 90 Degree Lift Hill

Now I enjoy roller coasters, but I am far from what you call a “coaster enthusiast.” For me, things like tallest drop is a NAY NAY and I enjoy other factors on coasters, such as the launches and barrel roll over the water on VelociCoaster or the incredible free fall in Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Rip Ride Rockit had a visually distinctive 90 degree vertical lift hill which started the entire experience. It was a unique way to start a coaster as you ascended – straight up – at 11 feet per second to crest the 17-story-tall first hill, the highest point reached by any roller coaster in Orlando.

The vertical lift hill experience is one of my all time favorite parts of any ride at Universal or Disney. I’ve been on coasters across the country and literally none of them had anything like this lift to start the ride. I love the VelociCoaster as much as anyone, but I could describe it to friends as “a much better version of Busch Garden’s Cheetah Hunt.” The iconic Space Mountain is “similar to a wild mouse coaster except you’re inside and in the dark.” There’s nothing to compare Rip Ride Rockit to because it contained so many elements that no other coaster has, including the amazing vertical lift hill.

In theme park lingo, the word “weenie” refers to a visual element that draws guests towards an attraction or area. Examples include the Tree of Life, Tower of Terror Hotel, or Hogwarts Castle. Rip Ride Rockit’s vertical lift was a weenie that drew the eyes of guests from around the Universal Orlando Resort.

# 5 – What Goes Up…

Once you get to the top of the vertical lift hill? That’s when things really started to get exciting.

The first drop of Rockit was almost vertical too, giving an unbelievable thrill.

Guests were then launched straight into Double Take, a loop inversion in which you begin on the inside of the loop, twist to the outside at the top (so you’re upright), and then twist back inside the loop for the descent.

The Double Take was a non-inverting loop and was another roller coaster first.

The view you could get of the park while on top of the Double Take loop was breathtaking.

The next section of Rockit is next level, because riders were hurled into a stretch of track shaped like a musical treble clef, tying into the overall theme of the ride. As on Double Take, the track configuration on the Treble Clef was an industry first.

The Treble Clef is described as an ascending high G helix into a Hi-Hat dive and vertical stall. Now I don’t know what any of that means, but it certainly sounds impressive. I can say that it’s always fun!

The next part of Rockit was a personal favorite. The ride started out in the Production Central area of Universal Studios Florida; but then weaved into the New York area of the park near Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon, popping out over the heads of guests in the square below.

This was a coaster that went through multiple lands in one park. When it comes to Universal, Rip Ride Rockit walked so that the Hogwarts Express could run.

Rockit then went in the complete opposite direction and all the way back to the edge of Universal Citywalk with its Plot Twist curving track. Rumors and Innuendo suggest that one of the early plans of Rockit was it being a dedicated attraction for Citywalk itself, with guests paying to ride the attraction like they do for the train ride or carousel at Disney Springs. However, you’d have to think that the Price Per Ride would have been a huge barrier to success if Universal went with that plan.

# 4 – “As Seen on TV!”

If you’re like us, you love seeing the theme parks represented on TV. Whether it’s seeing Dan Conner run out of the Magic Kingdom upon realizing they don’t sell alcohol on Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch going to Animal Kingdom, or even Hulk Hogan riding Splash Mountain on Thunder in Paradise, being able to see our beloved theme parks through different eyes is a blast.

While we get to see Disney attractions relatively often over the years in filmed entertainment, it is much rarer to see Universal attractions, especially on TV shows. Rip Ride Rockit is the sole exception. For example, when Universal opened Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, they also hosted a whole week of The Tonight Show tapings at Universal Orlando. In a memorable segment, Jimmy and comedian Kevin Hart rode Rip Ride Rockit in a skit that included a five star Height Check gag.

In the  Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episode “Kimmy Finds Her Mom” (season 2, episode 13), Kimmy and her mom rode Rip Ride Rockit.

When one describes their Mount Rushmore of cinema, you’ll generally see the classics. The Godfather… Jaws…Citizen Kane… Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! Oh wait, that last one may be just for Universal Orlando Resort fans only because while it may be next level bonkers, it uses the Universal theme parks and on-site hotels in a variety of hilarious ways. While the made-for-TV movie incorporated many of the classic elements of Universal Orlando in a unique way – such as the globe outside USF and IOA’s lighthouse – the one ride we got to spend an extended time with was none other than Rip Ride Rockit.

Another interesting way to experience Rip Ride Rockit outside of riding the attraction is to have watched any of the multitude of concerts that Universal Studios Florida has had over the years on their main music stage. Rip Ride Rockit is located directly behind the stage and generally is running through the entire concert. It is absolutely wild to hear the screams of people on Rockit mixed in with the cheers of people listening to the various musical performers on stage.

The Rip Ride Rockit trains also had color changing LED lighting elements that made them stand out no matter how dark at night it got. This cool visual element continued – and was even improved by – the VelociCoaster trains.

The lights also allowed theme park photographers to get some pretty cool long exposure shots!

Speaking of cool photos…

# 3 – A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

The theme parks are filled with iconic visuals, especially the roller coasters. Rip Ride Rockit has been the muse for many shutterbugs over the years and in this section we will look back at some of our favorites. Enjoy what we refer to as A Salute To All Theme Park Photographers, But Mostly Bioreconstruct.

I’ve always loved mirror glass photos, and Rockit has been a part of many taken at USF.

No one can frame a photo better than Bio. Important to remember that amazing shots like the one below are not a case of “wow, he sure was lucky to be in that spot to get a photo like that.” The amount of time and preparation that Bio – and other great theme park photographers including Tom Bricker, Blog Mickey, Michael Carelli and Diservations – put into getting their photos is something that people rarely think about, let along consider when admiring their work. We all owe them a debt of gratitude.

Combining theme park photography with a sense of whimsy while telling a story visually is what separates these pros from us amateurs.

I constantly find myself in a state of befuddlement mixed with amazement, wondering how anyone would ever even think of the possibility of getting shots like this one below. It’s not how my brain works, but thankfully Bio is constantly playing 4D chess.

# 2 – The Beginning of the End

Another signature element of Rip Ride Rockit when it made its debut was the ability for each rider to pick their own song to play during the course of the ride. There had been plenty of coasters which used onboard audio, but Rockit was the first coaster ever to offer onboard selectable audio. There were instructions on the procedure for how to pick your song in the queue.

Once seated, the lap bar contained a screen which allowed each guest to choose a song from one of five musical genres.

Each of the genres had 6 songs to choose from, giving a total of 30 songs. For those “in the know” there was also an opportunity to access a Hidden List of even more songs including “Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem and even “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie!

My personal song choices were usually Motley Crue – “Kick Start My Heart” or Beastie Boys – “Sabotage.” If a rider didn’t choose a song, a random selection was chosen for them. The speakers for each ride train were designed so that each guest would only hear the song they chose, as you couldn’t even hear a note of the song the person next to you chose. This was absolutely awesome.

Even better? Rockit offered the opportunity to buy a DVD ride video that used the song you chose during the attraction and also incorporated a lot of fun extras into the experience.

However, in August of 2023 Rip Ride Rockit went down to a total of only one song being available in each category. This was pitched as the proverbial “Due To Guest Demand” and the new streamlined selections making the experience “better” for guests.

Rock – Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance.
Dance – Waterloo by Abba
Country – Man! I Feel Like a Woman! by Shania Twain
Hip Hop – Humble by Kendrick Lamar
Electronic – Sandstorm by Darude

If a rider didn’t choose a song it got a default selection titled “Last Ride.” This was actually really cool, and it turns out the music was custom made for Rockit’s layout and pace of the coaster by Universal Creative Director Gregory Hall and LexGetIt.

At this point, I felt that Rockit was dead man walkin’ and it was only a matter of time until Universal announced it was going to be replaced. Sure enough, in June of this year Universal made that announcement. Rip Ride Rockit’s last day of operation would be on August 18th.

# 1 – The Last Day

In a theme park world in which Disney did absolutely nothing on the last day before closing Muppets Courtyard in DHS or Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom, it’s still heartwarming to see Universal putting in some effort for the fans. A couple years ago we saw Universal send out Shrek 4D with some class, but they did something even more special for Rip Ride Rockit.

But first, let’s backtrack. When in the Rip Ride Rockit queue, guests would see standees and videos featuring “Video DJs” of the attraction.

These characters all had specific names and were tied to the musical genres you could choose songs from.

On the last day of operation, Universal brought these DJs out to interact with guests!!!!!

Also on the last day, riders were given a commemorative guitar pick!

Now, Florida being Florida, operating a ride in the middle of Summer means there is a good chance that you’re going to have to deal with some rain and – even worse – thunder and lightning. Unfortunately that’s exactly what happened to Rip Ride Rockit. Some would say its indictive of consistent historic weather patterns, others would suggest that someone – or something – above may have been crying over the loss of Rockit. We’ll never know the actual reason, but we do know that it allowed Universal’s incredible social media team to pay a five star tribute to Muppet*Vision 3D (which again, is more than Disney itself did when that beloved attraction closed.)

Universal also had Farewell Tour merchandise for Rip Ride Rockit fans including t-shirts and magnets.

However, as respectful as Rip Ride Rockit’s last day was, the days leading up to it were the most disrespectful that these eyes have ever seen in the theme park world. Check this aerial by blogger-in-the-sky @bioreconstruct that was taken back in June showing that Universal was well under way getting the area by Rip Ride Rockit’s Plot Twist ready for the ride’s upcoming replacement.

Seeing this reminded me of a moment from one of my all time favorite movies, Step Brothers.

Anyhow, after Rip Ride Rockit closed in August, Universal turned it up a notch. Dismantling the ride piece by piece at near record pace. Reminder that the Wonders of Life Pavilion closed in 2007 and is still sitting in EPCOT. Not saying anything, just saying.

Destruction crews were apparently working 24/7. Lucky for us, Bioreconstruct was also working 24 hour shifts to cover them, getting some pretty incredible shots.

The photo below was taken the day before this article went to press. As we can see, Universal is taking apart Rockit’s load area. Bio and theme park master cartographer Tommy Hawkins estimate that over 60% of Rockit has been removed after ONE MONTH.

If you’re like me, you assumed that the Rip Ride Rockit parts were going to be sent straight to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. Unfortunately that’s a NAY NAY as we saw where the parts actually ended up…

However, at least one piece of Rip Ride Rockit remains in this world as the attraction’s test seats have been repurposed into home furnishings.

HONORABLE MENTION: Rip Ride Rockit ART

Good theme park attractions entertain, but the great theme park attractions inspire. Rip Ride Rockit has been the muse for several pieces of artwork that in Your Humble Author’s opinion belong in The Louvre.

As a theme park blogger for many years, much of my social circle is filled by jaded fans who have seen it all and done it all a million times. The feeling of magic when you experience theme parks for the first time is long gone for them. These are the people who despise Rip Ride Rockit with the heat of a 1,000 suns. If I have to hear another one of these people talk about “trim brakes” again I’ll scream. Thankfully the innocense of youth can still understand and embrace the beauty and thrill that Rockit delivers in a major way.

While Universal never released any official Rip Ride Rockit toy sets, there have been several creative people who have made their own, including COASTER BRICKS over on Etsy.

 

DOUBLE SECRET HONORABLE MENTION – That Time The Bees Took Over Rockit

Back in 2014, Rip Ride Rockit had to be closed down for a hot minute because – and this is the absolute truth – bees had taken up residency at the attraction. This is not the only that time Universal Orlando has had to deal with nature taking over one of its roller coasters as the long running battle between the VelociCoaster and an Osprey was so legendary that it became a 2020 Theme Park Turkey of the Year nominee.

Bees have been an issue at Universal over the years, including shutting down Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure back in 2019. If you keep your head on a swivel, you just may see pest control measures around the perimeter of the parks.

So there you have it: SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out the THEME PARK ENJOYMENT INDEX, giving a monthly recap of all the theme park news you need to know (and a lot more you don’t need to know, but we’re gonna tell you anyway). You can also follow Your Humble Author on BlueSky (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

Theme Park Turkeys of the Year Archives

The SATURDAY SIX Celebrates 10 Years of @bioreconstruct

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Josh easyWDW

SATURDAY SIX Tribute to Ian Barritt

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Digital Maestro Scott Walker, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, artist @SonderQuest, the mighty maven of merchandise Hedgehog’s Corner, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, the permit princess Alicia Stella, master cartographer Tommy Hawkins, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Absolutely no help was added by SeaWorld Influencer @SuperWeenieHtJr. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHide and you Potterheads will enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.