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Universal Studios Hollywood (USH) Discussion Thread


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^ That's really funny.

 

Gregg "Still amazes me that the props for Apocalypse are still pretty much intact" C.

 

I'm convinced that apocalyptic themed rides are only done that way so that when the theming gets destroyed by guests it still fits in!

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Rode Transformers on Friday April 20. The themeing is great, tech stuff is the best, but the story line of the ride is weak. Protect the all spark at all cost. Go from one similar battle to the next gets a bit boring. Crashing thru the building was the best part. I haven't been on Spiderman since it's update, but for me, that is still the best

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^ For me, I prefer a ride with an easy-to-follow, thin storyline where I don't have to know anything about the franchise or the characters to understand what's going on, over a ride where I need to have read 7 books and seen 8 movies to have a clue what the ride is about.

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I also think a ride shouldn't require any book or movie knowledge of its concept. Transformers in an example of great technology trying to tell the story, instead of a story using great technology. Many movies today hope that special effects will make a great story, fail because the story is weak. All I am trying to say about my experience of the Transformer ride is, the techy stuff is fantastic, but I would had liked a bit more than just battle, run, battle run, battle, run.

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It's very tough to tell a "story" in a ride environment like Transformers or Spider-Man. If you try to tell too much story, you run the risk of your riders being confused, you tell too little story, and it could be flat. Harry Potter has the luxury of more people probably knowing the franchise than not, but they rely so heavily on the audience knowing the material from the books and movies that it completely turns off someone like myself, who has never had any exposure to either.

 

Star Tours 2 even starts to get a *little* too much into the franchise for my tastes, but it's not as confusing to follow as Harry Potter.

 

I dunno, sometimes I think rides with simple storylines like Transformers "Protect the shiny object", Jaws "Stay away from the shark", Men in Black "Shoot the aliens", Spider-Man "Get the bad guy", or Indy Jones "Let's get the hell out of here", have just enough story combined with a really amazing ride system and visuals that it really works.

 

--Robb

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It's very tough to tell a "story" in a ride environment like Transformers or Spider-Man. If you try to tell too much story, you run the risk of your riders being confused, you tell too little story, and it could be flat. Harry Potter has the luxury of more people probably knowing the franchise than not, but they rely so heavily on the audience knowing the material from the books and movies that it completely turns off someone like myself, who has never had any exposure to either.

 

Star Tours 2 even starts to get a *little* too much into the franchise for my tastes, but it's not as confusing to follow as Harry Potter.

 

I dunno, sometimes I think rides with simple storylines like Transformers "Protect the shiny object", Jaws "Stay away from the shark", Men in Black "Shoot the aliens", Spider-Man "Get the bad guy", or Indy Jones "Let's get the hell out of here", have just enough story combined with a really amazing ride system and visuals that it really works.

 

--Robb

 

As someone who is an avid darkride creator (using RCT3), I can back up what Robb is saying here. The best kind of darkrides are ones you can just get on and have a blast without knowing any major backstory. Plot twists, clique elements, and good illusions are much more likely to appeal to your audience than a convoluted story they have to know 18373 things about in order to understand it.

 

Here's the order most darkrides take. They have to tell an entire story in 3-5 minutes.

 

That's why most darkrides don't have complex stories. When they do you get lost.

 

Most follow this general outline:

 

Introduction > Rising Action > Plot Twist > Climax > Ending/ Falling Action

 

Example for Spidey:

 

1. Jameson tells you to go get some great news "scoops", and Spiderman warns you of the night's dangers

2. Disregarding Spidey's advice you conveniently end up in the villan's lair and must escape each of them

3. After finally getting outside you are hit by Doc Oc's Anti Gravity Cannon sending you hundreds of feet into the air

4. Final battle takes place in midair

5 You "fall from midair and Spidey saves you, and the day is saved!

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Robb,

Maybe your right, and I am expecting to much, but the Jaws ride, and also Spiderman had much more of a story line than Transformers. Why bother to call it Transformers, just call it, i don't know, protect the torch. Should we become mindless to the great ride technology that we now have and forget it can be used to help tell or enhance a story. Spiderman is a great ride with a good storyline. I just think they could have made the story, or challenge, a bit more interesting. Hope you get a chance to ride it soon, maybe you'll understand where I'm coming from. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the ride, but I wish it was more than just going along for the ride.

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^Didn't you just describe all of his movies?

 

I haven't chimed in too much here, was waiting for Robb to write up our Singapore TR, but Transformers actually made my feel very nauseous. To the point I only rode it one time. I have always had issues with any attraction in '3D' and this one with all the moving and craziness just really messed me up. Just a warning to any of you out there who have a bit of motion sickness to be prepared for this one!

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^ Unfortunately, you get 45 minutes of action and an hour or so of dumb actors delivering bad dialogue with blank stares. At least on the Transformers ride, I don't have to roll my eyes at whatever Shia Lebeouf is saying every 20 seconds.

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I got to ride Transformers this past Monday during my first visit to USH. As someone who has admittedly not seen one Transformers movie (nor did I watch the cartoon as a kid), I was glad I could hop on the ride and pick up the basic plot despite my total Transformers ignorance. The effects were crazy and I repeatedly found myself taking my glasses off and figuring out where we (the car) were and how we got there. They did a great job of disorienting you and making you feel like you're in the action. If anyone has an image showing the layout I'd love to see it and see how they did it.

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Universal Studios Hollywood has sent us a fact sheet, some on-ride B-Roll and a "making of" video all related to Transformers: The Ride.

 

PREPARE FOR BATTLE – INTERACTIVE WEBSITE

Fans can also enlist at PrepareForBattle.com as N.E.S.T. volunteers within an elite AUTOBOT –human combat force. The PrepareForBattle.com website includes an interactive, online game in which fans and theme park enthusiasts will compete to rise up the military ranks by successfully completing missions involving exclusive videos, downloads and trivia.

 

TRANSFORMERS: THE RIDE-3D

“Transformers: The Ride–3D” is based on the iconic brand from Hasbro and electrifying film franchise, directed by Michael Bay, and celebrated for its multi-generational appeal, inventive storyline, spectacular action sequences and amazing special effects. The most recent movie, TRANSFORMERS: Dark of the Moon has become the fourth largest grossing movie of all time at the global box office.

 

The thrill ride will tell a new “TRANSFORMERS” story using original, photo-realistic 3D-HD media, sophisticated special effects masterminded by Industrial Light & Magic, and one of the most elaborate roaming flight simulator ride systems ever created.

 

Fusing high-tech elements with an epic new “TRANSFORMERS” tale, “Transformers: The Ride–3D” will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s most ambitious ride ever created and will set a new standard in the world of theme park attractions, stretching the medium’s potential as an immersive and powerful storytelling vehicle.

 

In the "TRANSFORMERS" movies, Earth’s humans are caught in the middle of an intergalactic war between alien robots, the heroic AUTOBOTS and the evil DECEPTICONS, that physically convert from common mechanical devices, such as cars, trucks and planes to robotic warriors.

 

“Transformers: The Ride–3D” is being created under a license between Universal Parks & Resorts and Hasbro, Inc.

 

The ride’s pioneering photo realistic 3D media is being created by multiple Oscar® -winning Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a division of Lucasfilms, Ltd., the ground-breaking visionary special effects company behind such acclaimed films as “TRANSFORMERS,” “Avatar,” “Iron Man” and “Star Wars.”

 

“TRANSFORMERS,” the first in the film’s trilogy, debuted in 2007 and garnered three Academy Award® nominations. The sequel, “TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN,” opened in 2009 and earned an Academy Award® nomination. The third film in the franchise, “TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON,” premiered in 2011. The three “TRANSFORMERS” films were directed by Michael Bay, executive produced by Steven Spielberg and released by Paramount Pictures.

 

 

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I read it as some random woman, but you never know. I still thought it was kind of funny either way.

Oh! LOL! That would almost make sense! Singapore people are VERY respectful of their surroundings, for example, in the queue for the ride, all of the stuff you see either behind fencing or out of reach in the American version, you can actually touch and reach in the Singapore queue. But it's because the people in that country respect that kind of stuff, and aren't disgusting animals that would purposely destroy it for no reason.

 

So I can see the fine line of someone pressing the buttons (that are actually meant to be pressed) and getting shouted at by a Singapore local thinking they were disrespecting the display.

 

It's actually kind of funny, when you think about it...and says a lot for our American society.

 

Case in point....

 

Yeah lol indeed it was just another guest that told me off (Which makes it even funnier thinking back) not cast.

 

The fact that bit of theming is behind a fence was one of the first things I noticed too, from the TRs, but didn't want to start a debate on the civility of the US v SG....3rd party observer here

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As we get closer to the official grand opening, more stuff has started to appear! Like the costume characters! And Energon!

 

As I said before, the characters are definitely the most impressive I've ever seen in a park. Very highly detailed, and taller to be more to scale.

 

Energon is USH's answer to butter beer (until they get butter beer!). It's orange cream soda, and really sweet and delicious. But also $10 for it and the souvenir cup it comes in.

IMG_20120428_151154.jpg.2da4ee13f606d9375f2730917dd7c553.jpg

Bumblebee

IMG_20120428_151140.jpg.fcc80acd06532cb26d5fcf66dab82edc.jpg

Optimus Prime

IMG_20120428_151308.jpg.bc506fb23ec2a1244ec6b1277997a7be.jpg

Energon. A.K.A. orange cream soda A.K.A Crack

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^I've always been impressed by stiltwalkers. Hell, I have trouble enough using a footstool to replace a lightbulb, must less walking around in enormous platform shoe while wearing a bunch of crazy gear and dealing with mobs of tourists.

Edited by cfc
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Are there real people inside the walk-around characters? If so, it seems like it would be incredibly difficult for them to move without falling down. They certainly do look amazing.

 

They are costumes, so there is someone inside it.

 

These are amazing characters! I am so happy they got these!!

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