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Universal Orlando Resort Unveils New Attractions
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Make Theme Park History
(Orlando, FL) Universal Orlando Resort, entering its twentieth anniversary year, is preparing a major salvo in the ongoing central Florida theme park wars, and travel writers Kelly Monaghan and Seth Kubersky are on hand to chronicle the excitement.
“No theme park succeeds by standing still,” Monaghan observes, “and since Universal made its name by being on the cutting edge of theme park design and ride technology, it always strives to be one step ahead. That’s one reason people keep coming back again and again.”
In addition to the much-anticipated Wizarding World of Harry Potter, slated to open in 2010, Universal recently unveiled an innovative roller coaster, the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. The coaster capitalizes on new technology by allowing riders to choose their own soundtrack for the rock ’n’ roll−themed experience. But it’s not just about the music – the coaster also pushes the limit in terms of high-speed and seemingly death-defying maneuvers. At ride’s end, visitors can purchase a personalized music video documenting their terrifying adventure.
Though these attractions are receiving much media attention, Monaghan is quick to point out that there’s more to the park than the most recent wowers.
“It’s not all about the changes,” says Monaghan. “One reason people keep coming back to Universal Orlando is the great roster of rides and attractions that don’t change.” Among his favorites he lists the Spider-Man 3-D ride, the great roller coasters, and Mythos, which he describes as “the best restaurant in any theme park, anywhere.”
All of this is documented in Universal Orlando 2010: The Ultimate Guide To The Ultimate Theme Park Adventure ($15.95, The Intrepid Traveler), the ninth edition of his popular guide to the Resort. For this latest edition, Monaghan enlisted the help of co-author Seth Kubersky, a veteran of the parks who has worked on several of Universal’s most popular attractions, including the Terminator 2: 3-D show.
“Since my first visit to Universal Studios Florida over 17 years ago, I’ve witnessed the Resort’s growth from the perspective of employee, annual passholder, journalist, and neighbor,” says Kubersky, noting that his home is only four minutes away.
Universal Orlando Resort has grown from a single theme park to a mega-complex of two parks, three luxurious resort hotels, and a nightclub and entertainment district, all linked together by motor launches plying artificial waterways. If that sounds a bit like Walt Disney World, just a short drive away, that’s no accident. But Monaghan points to a number of elements that set Universal Orlando apart and position it to compete for the attention of Orlando-bound tourists.
“Universal tends to be a more adult experience than Disney,” Monaghan notes. “Now sometimes that means the difference between a 12-year-old sensibility and a 15-year-old sensibility; the roller coasters and the scary thrill rides based on Marvel Comics are examples of this. But attractions like the Horror Make-Up Show at Universal Studios and the Blue Man Group show at CityWalk have an edgy, adult sense of humor that is definitely not aimed at little kids. In fact, many Universal attractions have an intensity level that Disney has historically shied away from.”
Kubersky points out that something else setting Universal apart from its competition is the elaborate live theater experiences the park creates, making the visitor as much a participant as a spectator. Kubersky knows these shows inside and out, having worked on both Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights and its Mardi Gras parade. The former has become so popular that the new edition includes added coverage of the Halloween extravaganza.
Universal is far more compact than Disney World and its smaller size works to its advantage in ways that management has been quick to capitalize upon. “Universal lets its resort guests go to the head of the line at virtually every ride in the parks all day long,” says Monaghan. “It’s unlikely Disney will be able to match this perk anytime soon. It’s just too big.”
Universal Orlando 2010 offers in-depth reviews of every attraction in both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida – without giving away the endings. The authors rate them all and provide pithy capsule summaries (“The next generation of Aaargh!” they say about the new Rip Ride Rockit). They also provide tips for getting the most for your time and money and share little known secrets, such as how to eat at Mythos, the gourmet restaurant in Islands of Adventure, without paying theme park admission.
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Universal Orlando 2010
The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure, 9th ed.
by Kelly Monaghan and Seth Kubersky
ISBN: 978-1-887140-88-1
264 pages • 6 in. x 9 in.
Trade paperback original
40 b/w photos • 5 maps • Index
USA $15.95
Publication date: November 1, 2009 |
Universal Orlando 2010 is available in bookstores nationwide, from online bookstores, by calling 203-469-0214, or by visiting
www.IntrepidTraveler.com/store
Published by The Intrepid Traveler
Please send two copies of any printed review or mention to
The Intrepid Traveler, P.O. Box 531, Branford, CT 06405
Please send a link to digital reviews or mentions to
mischa @ intrepidtraveler.com
To request a review copy of Universal Orlando 2010, or for any additional information: Contact Mischa Benoit-Lavelle at The Intrepid Traveler
mischa @ intrepidtraveler.com • (203) 469-0214
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