Simpsons.(with pictures an update)

[Cruella DeVilla]

Andy and I spent a bit of time at Universal Studios last week and noticed that the Simpson's ride was well and truly on it's way, opening for sure spring, final date to be announced.

We got some cute pictures as they have all the characters on the fence around it in various tricks. The Kwik-e-Mart is open as I reported last year but just selling merchandise and soft drinks etc.

There is also a stand outside that sells the famous Squishies (I was glad I didn't like any of the flavours mind you)! They also have an RV which Santas Little Helper seems to be in charge of and the roof is stacked high with Donuts and Duff!

I will try and put some pictures on when I get some more time this week.

[LiesaAnna]

looking forward to the pictures Jacqui:D

[eagleydo]

Me too, Jacqui. Looking forward to this ride, in October, when we are visiting. Need to be there NOW!!!, have to wait though[msnsad]

[Peppermint]

I can report that the cherry Squishie is lovely!! One of my children gave me his to 'look after' while he went on Men in Black and didn't have much left when he came back!!

[andy_d]

I can't wait to try this ride also. I loved the old Back to the Future and It looks like it will be an updated variation with the Simpsons as the theme.

[louisbourg]

oh wow , really would love to see the pics please [msnsmile2]
my nephew is an AVID simpsons fan , its our first trip at the end of april , and he is really in anticipation if this ride will be open ,
what date is spring he keeps asking :D
to show him the pics would be great , we are just saying not to get your hopes up , and he knows it will be a bonus if it does open , i secretly think it well be , but he is taking it well [msnsmile]
thank you so much
sharon

[Cruella DeVilla]

I'm at home tomorrow so I will set aside a few mos to dig them out.

[louisbourg]

i had a look over a video on you tube , there was some good footage of inside the shop , with all the simpsons goodies [msnsmile2]
also , it was in a newspaper over the weekend that the ride will open early may , so fingers crossed

[gail and david roberts]

we got some great picture of our teenagers never the wall in December but do not know how to add a photos !!!!

[Pegasus928]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by louisbourg
i had a look over a video on you tube , there was some good footage of inside the shop , with all the simpsons goodies [msnsmile2]
also , it was in a newspaper over the weekend that the ride will open early may , so fingers crossed
[/quote]

Does anyone know the title of the video on youtube or any search words? I have found a few vids but not the one that shows the inside of the shop

Pegasus

[louisbourg]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Pegasus928
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by louisbourg
i had a look over a video on you tube , there was some good footage of inside the shop , with all the simpsons goodies [msnsmile2]
also , it was in a newspaper over the weekend that the ride will open early may , so fingers crossed[/quote]Does anyone know the title of the video on youtube or any search words? I have found a few vids but not the one that shows the inside of the shop

Pegasus[/quote]hi pegasus , i will look for the clip and post the info for you as soon as poss
it was really good , hope i can find it again [msnsmile2]

pegasus ......... i found the link , thank goodness i had a day off work today :D
anyway USH - The Simpsons Ride Area - Under Construction - 2-8-08
is the title and it is 6 mins and 13 secs long , i hope this helps , but there are quite a few more on there if you search kwick e mart
sorry not so into simpsons myself , researching this for my little nephew

[munster redarmy]

that sounds great cant wait to see photos

[yourhero24]

just got off the phone with Universal and they are expecting the ride to open "any day now" they are close to being done and when I asked what the ride was suposed to like all they told me was "it is a mega atraction" so whatever that means I have no idea but it sounds to me that it is going to be more than just a simulator :D

[Pegasus928]

pegasus ......... i found the link , thank goodness i had a day off work today :D
anyway USH - The Simpsons Ride Area - Under Construction - 2-8-08
is the title and it is 6 mins and 13 secs long , i hope this helps , but there are quite a few more on there if you search kwick e mart
sorry not so into simpsons myself , researching this for my little nephew

[/quote]

Thanks Sharon - will take a look at that

My kids can't wait for this ride - especially my son as he is a huge Simpsons fan

Elaine

[ccarcher]

So hope this is going to be open for our trip starting next Monday, and going through to April 10th as my son will be very dissapointed if its not open

[Cruella DeVilla]

Courtesey of the Sentinel



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http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/cruella devilla/2008449337_hotdogs_dsc01780.jpg

[pieman790]

We were at Universal yesterday and it wasnt open. The boards were still up around the ride.

[Cruella DeVilla]

No it's not open yet but these are current pictures.

[louisbourg]

[clap] i think this is a good sign that it won't be long till opening
i sure hope so , 2 weeks and 6 days to go + 2 weeks in florida so hopefully my simpsons mad nephew will get to have a go on this [msnsmile2]before we come home

[Bex]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by louisbourg
[clap] i think this is a good sign that it won't be long till opening
i sure hope so , 2 weeks and 6 days to go + 2 weeks in florida so hopefully my simpsons mad nephew will get to have a go on this [msnsmile2]before we come home
[/quote]

I wouldn't get to excited by the website, i have been visiting that site every week for the last six weeks, and it always says "soon" (my son is a big Simpsons fan also.)

This is the latest news from wikipedia, who i find are usually correct in their information...

<span style="color:blue">Florida

The construction began at Universal Studios Florida in May 2007, shortly after the announcement of the ride's construction. In February 2008, the original concrete on the ground from Back to the Future: The Ride was dismantled. In early March, the attraction's construction accelerated by building an extended queue simulating circus tents, and the huge Krusty the Clown head was started.Construction was completed on March 30th, 2008, and although Universal executives had been tentatively planning the opening of the attraction at the end of March, 2008,the attraction has yet to open. Reports in the travel industry place the opening date on May 15, but Universal has neither confirmed nor denied this date.</span id="blue">

[louisbourg]

yes bex

i saw that just after i made the post [msncry]
not looking too good at all

oh well , not to dwell on it , i think we might find one or two things to keep us busy on our first visit as it is [msnsmile2]
thank you anyway

sharon

[Cruella DeVilla]

Little update snippet, although they aren't giving too much away are they!

The $40 million remake of the old Back to the Future: The Ride starts with a highly-themed Krustyland carnival pre-show, then offers new twists on the same old simulator ride concept that propelled the former ride. Apparently the revamped ride in features new ride vehicles, new scissor lifts, new motion platforms, new digital projectors and new 90-foot-tall domed screens.

[louisbourg]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
Little update snippet, although they aren't giving too much away are they!

The $40 million remake of the old Back to the Future: The Ride starts with a highly-themed Krustyland carnival pre-show, then offers new twists on the same old simulator ride concept that propelled the former ride. Apparently the revamped ride in features new ride vehicles, new scissor lifts, new motion platforms, new digital projectors and new 90-foot-tall domed screens.

[/quote]
all sounds great cruella ..but whats the opening date??? , is what we are desperate to know :D
thank you for the information [msnsmile]
sharon

[Cruella DeVilla]

It's not been announced yet Sharon.

The West Coast Universal Simpsons ride is opening 17 May but still no confirmed date for Universal Florida yet but any day.........



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[ccarcher]

Unfortunately was not open for any soft openings during our vist in the lat 3 weeks but looked great

I heard yesterday that the official opening will be 14th / 15th May

not long now, looks like I will hve to return to ride

[Cruella DeVilla]

It's still not gospel but it seems the industry buzz is it is now set to open May 15-16.

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/cruella devilla/2008415162753_homer.jpg



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/cruella devilla/2008415162943_krusty.jpg

(Pictures courtesy of the Sentinel).

[Kazzie]

Although the ride was not open when we were there last week we did pop in to the kwik-e-mart and some of the t-shirts they are selling are quite amusing.

[Cruella DeVilla]

Mr CDV bought a can of Flamin Moes in there a couple of trips back and nearly flamin fell over when they asked for the cash![laugh]

[louisbourg]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
It's still not gospel but it seems the industry buzz is it is now set to open May 15-16.

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/cruella devilla/2008415162753_homer.jpg



http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/cruella devilla/2008415162943_krusty.jpg

(Pictures courtesy of the Sentinel).
[/quote]
oh dear [msncry] looks like ...not on this trip , we will have been had fun and be home by the 15th [msnsmile2]
oh well , somethin for next time [msnsmile2]
at least we will be able to get some nice shots by the look of it
thanks very much for the updates
sharon

[sidned]

Does anyone know what the height restrictions are? I have two girls who will be about a metre tall when we go.

Darren

[Pegasus928]

I hope the 15th/16th MAy still stands as that will give us a couple of weeks grace if they are running behind (is this as likely as it is in the UK - or do they have their act together better than us Brits)

I also hope they have refined the technology that propelled the BTTF ride as I personally found this to be a bit of a back breaker. I am also hoping (I seem to be doing that a lot during the run up to this years holiday) that they will have some characters roaming about the place. My son would love to get a picture with Bart, and I want to see how high they have made Marges hair.

Kenny

[peterB]

The ride is now regularly open for guests ! The first reviews are that it a great new ride.

[louisbourg]

i really hope this is true
but its still saying sooooooon to be open on the [website link edited] site

i need more evidence please :D
Sharon

[DLB-GOUROCK]

Believe it or not ...

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_44785.asp

I know you can't post external links in your posts but there are photos and comentary of the new Simpsons ride if you Google it.

Also if you go on you tube and search for the simpsons ride someone has posted footage from one of the cars going throught the ride.

[louisbourg]

thank you , i have just checked on you tube and found the video you said with the people filming the ride from the car
looks great dosn't it

i think thats saying something about soft openings that happened yesterday .........please don't quote me [msnsmile]

but i am still waiting for the official opening date , as it still seems to be around the 15th of may [msnsad]

unless peterb knows for sure that its open ..just don't want to get my nephews hopes up , he is the worlds biggest simpsons fan .....i don't see the attraction personally [msneek][msnsmile2]
thank you dlb for the you tube info

sharon

[DLB-GOUROCK]

Apparently it is posted that these are “technical rehearsals”.

~ The ride may operate intermittently throughout the day.
~ Not all elements of the ride may be operating.
~ No express access for the attraction during technical rehearsals.

[esprit]

THey have been advertising it all night tonight on Fox as being open.

[jillizzy]

It is definitely open, there are billboards along Sand Lake Road stating it too.

My son and his girlfriend rode it yesterday and today, they both loved it. It may be for a limited time but over the space of 2 weeks I'm sure most will be lucky to get on. I can also confirm that there was no FOTL access either, but at 10am they waited just 15 minutes to get on.

Jill

[Katys Grandad]

There's a review of the ride in today's Times. I won't paste the link but if you go to the Times website and then to the Travel section, you'll find it.

[Cruella DeVilla]

It indeed had the grand opening on the 15th. We were at Universal on Wednesday and walked straight onto the ride, no queue and it was great fun, I won't spoil it though!

[annette_tr9]

we went to universal last saturday and the queue for the simpsons ride was 90 minutes!! i would suggest that you go straight to this ride as soon as you get the the park to miss the queue!!

[neild292]

My daughter loves the Simpsons so we will be there in July - Don't want to view it on the net as that might spoil it

Neil and Sharon

[annette_tr9]

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/annette_tr9/200852816226_simpsonsride.JPG

[eagleydo]

Can't wait to get a pic of us by here

[ncmurray]

I went on this ride for the first time yesterday, although Paul and two kids went on it last week.

The first time they went on it they got on the front row and it was fantastic, but when I went on it yesterday we got the back (second) row, and the view was really restricted, especially as I had a quite tall man in front of me. I found that I couldn't see the main part of the action unless I leaned to the side. The others who had been on the front seats before all said that the back row was no comparison to the front.

So the moral of the story..... try to be the first in your line. You will be directed into one of eight rows where you line up one by one, and there are eight people placed in each row. If you are one of the first four in this row, you will be the first to enter the holding room and you can place yourself at the exit door and so be the first to choose your seat. Choose the front row!!

I hope this all makes sense, and will make the wait for the ride worthwhile.

Nuala[msnsmile]

[MJG]

What do you mean the've dumped BTTF???

Never I'm gutted!!!

Seriously it was a good ride but it was getting tired - good to see the've come up with something so innovative but also re-used so much of the old structure. You can see from the pics the've clearly done this