JSM
Mega Poster
Alicia is rarely wrong
Potential Fast and Furious replacement for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit?
- Thread starter JSM
- Start date
Alicia is rarely wrong
Matt N
CF Legend
I saw this rumour reported by a site a couple of days ago, and I initially thought it to be quite unlikely, as Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit isn’t an especially old ride. It only opened in 2009.
However, it then dawned upon me that if it is removed in 2025, as the rumours are suggesting, it would be the same age as Hulk was upon being retracked and only 2 years younger than Dragon Challenge was upon being removed. With this in mind, we might be at that point where Universal is needing to make decisions about whether to retrack or remove the coaster, and with it being widely perceived as quite unreliable, quite problematic and possibly not fitting in with the new, more thematic direction Universal seemingly wants to take the Studios park in, they may want to just replace it with something new.
To add fuel to the fire, the ride has apparently been increasingly unreliable as of late, and the number of available songs recently reduced drastically, from 30 right down to 5. Only 1 song is now available per genre.
Part of me would be quite sad to see it go, but on the other hand, I think there are much better things that could replace it. I didn’t massively rate it on my visit to Universal last year; it’s getting quite rough, and it does definitely underutilise its big, long layout somewhat, in my view. It’s quite fast in places, and it has a couple of bits of airtime, but definitely feels to me like it wastes its size a bit when you compare it with some other coasters of that sort of scale. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread when I first rode in 2014, but I’ve liked it progressively less each time I’ve returned to Universal and reridden it since. I think that the height/airtime/lap bars trope has been done a lot, lot better by other coasters since, and dare I say possibly even before (as an example, I rate something like Silver Star at Europa Park, which is 7 years older and tackles a similar height/airtime/lap bars trope, infinitely higher than I rate HRRR).
However, it then dawned upon me that if it is removed in 2025, as the rumours are suggesting, it would be the same age as Hulk was upon being retracked and only 2 years younger than Dragon Challenge was upon being removed. With this in mind, we might be at that point where Universal is needing to make decisions about whether to retrack or remove the coaster, and with it being widely perceived as quite unreliable, quite problematic and possibly not fitting in with the new, more thematic direction Universal seemingly wants to take the Studios park in, they may want to just replace it with something new.
To add fuel to the fire, the ride has apparently been increasingly unreliable as of late, and the number of available songs recently reduced drastically, from 30 right down to 5. Only 1 song is now available per genre.
Part of me would be quite sad to see it go, but on the other hand, I think there are much better things that could replace it. I didn’t massively rate it on my visit to Universal last year; it’s getting quite rough, and it does definitely underutilise its big, long layout somewhat, in my view. It’s quite fast in places, and it has a couple of bits of airtime, but definitely feels to me like it wastes its size a bit when you compare it with some other coasters of that sort of scale. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread when I first rode in 2014, but I’ve liked it progressively less each time I’ve returned to Universal and reridden it since. I think that the height/airtime/lap bars trope has been done a lot, lot better by other coasters since, and dare I say possibly even before (as an example, I rate something like Silver Star at Europa Park, which is 7 years older and tackles a similar height/airtime/lap bars trope, infinitely higher than I rate HRRR).
CanobieFan
Strata Poster
Girl, bye! 
Sad, to see to it go, but a Voltron-Style Fast & Furious Big Stryker would fit nicely there. Also the addition of Fast & Furious in that section of the park lets them finally remove that atrocity of Supercharged in the Bay Area without losing one of their best-selling IPs.
emoo
Hyper Poster
ElToroRyan recently made a video about Rockits history of problems. It's a long one as the issues keep on coming.
Alicia was visiting the parks when she posted that tweet, but not the first time it's been mentioned on Park Stop or various other places. I think the general consensus is surprise it hasn't gone already (most likely as Universal had more important things to do) and get your rides in while you can.
Alicia was visiting the parks when she posted that tweet, but not the first time it's been mentioned on Park Stop or various other places. I think the general consensus is surprise it hasn't gone already (most likely as Universal had more important things to do) and get your rides in while you can.
IGwaziSolos
Roller Poster
It was fun when I first visited in 2017 but upon the most recent visit in 2022 It was just something I "saved" till the end of the day because it would always give me a headache or neck pain throughout the day (maybe im just sitting wrong?). It would be cool for them to add a wow hyper, which may take crowds away from mako at seaworld and keep them in universal territory. I remember hearing that it was the original plan for rockit and with the really thin bit of land it might be one of the only options. But with epic universe adding a lot of back of house areas maybe the area behind rockit gets moved there and means they have a lot of space to work with and more options. Just a dream but it would be really cool to see a big spike (perhaps themed to the space launch part of one of the movies) since spikes seem to be very popular nowadays.
CanobieFan
Strata Poster
A lot of the buildings under and behind Rockit get used for months on end during HHN, they won't be going anywhere
spicy
Giga Poster
I've always liked Rip Ride Rockit but Maurer was always the wrong manufacturer for a coaster of this scale. It's a shame B&M couldn't originally do it for whatever reason.
Shame its days appear to be numbered but I look forward to what they are replacing it with. A launched Fast and Furious coaster would be awesome although could be very similar to Velocicoaster.
Something like a large scale Fast & Furious version of Fiorano GT challenge would be interesting although that is another Maurer coaster
Will be interesting in what they come up with as overall the Fast & Furious IP is not used very well in the parks the current supercharged ride is awful.
Shame its days appear to be numbered but I look forward to what they are replacing it with. A launched Fast and Furious coaster would be awesome although could be very similar to Velocicoaster.
Something like a large scale Fast & Furious version of Fiorano GT challenge would be interesting although that is another Maurer coaster
Will be interesting in what they come up with as overall the Fast & Furious IP is not used very well in the parks the current supercharged ride is awful.
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
I'm going to stick up for HRRR here. Yes it's not the greatest ride but it filled a gap in the same way Cheetah Hunt does for a very long time.
It's a comparatively big ride with a lower height requirement than the B&Ms. When I visited Universal last it was the only big coaster my niece could ride at either Universal park she was too short for Dragons and Hulk. In fact at the time there was almost no thrilling coaster for kids her height to ride, with B&M dominating Sea World, Universal and Busch.
This is something that has now for the most part been realised and fixed with rides like Velocicoaster, Haggrid, Penguin Trek, Ice Breaker and Iron Gwazi all now open with lower height requirements.
However for a long time HRRR filled a very important role. But it's now one that's been filled elsewhere and with it's aging infrastructure and almost constant running it's probably about time this Maurer shuffles off this mortal earth.
It's a comparatively big ride with a lower height requirement than the B&Ms. When I visited Universal last it was the only big coaster my niece could ride at either Universal park she was too short for Dragons and Hulk. In fact at the time there was almost no thrilling coaster for kids her height to ride, with B&M dominating Sea World, Universal and Busch.
This is something that has now for the most part been realised and fixed with rides like Velocicoaster, Haggrid, Penguin Trek, Ice Breaker and Iron Gwazi all now open with lower height requirements.
However for a long time HRRR filled a very important role. But it's now one that's been filled elsewhere and with it's aging infrastructure and almost constant running it's probably about time this Maurer shuffles off this mortal earth.
cookie
Giga Poster
While I wouldn’t cheer for any coaster’s demise, HRRR is one I couldn’t care less for if it got removed. Rode it back in October 2009 when it was brand new and I found it unbearable even back then. It’s an eyesore for the park it’s in too, especially with its gaudy color scheme that’s long since faded.
I have a crazy idea. If the buildings must stay, retheme them to look like Italian buildings and have a James Bond-inspired launch coaster based off a car chase through the streets from No Time to Die. Or do similar but have a Jason Bourne-inspired chase. That would allow a whole new area of the park to be used year-round as you could easily add a second ride using the same lore.
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InvertsAreMyJam
Mega Poster
Darn, I was hoping to be able to ride Rockit. Maybe that can still happen, if it is closing in 2025.
InvertsAreMyJam
Mega Poster
That’s a good idea, but don’t they already have a Bourne theme show? James Bond would be more likely.
roomraider
Best Topic Starter
So they even own the rights to James Bond? Bonds and MGM and EON franchise isn't it?
They could rent it
InvertsAreMyJam
Mega Poster
Ah, that’s true. I forgot they didn’t.
InvertsAreMyJam
Mega Poster
Wouldn‘t they have to be renting it for the coaster’s entire lifespan? That would get expensive fast considering James Bond is such a big franchise.