The sagging economy is bad news for popular U.S. theme parks, but there may be a silver lining for families who spend the summer months racking up frequent rider miles on scream-a-minute amusement park offerings.
This year several major theme parks are unveiling amazing new attractions designed to keep thrill seekers on the edge of their seats. One of the rides making the biggest splashes on the summer scene is Universal Studios, Orlando’s new Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.
The interactive coaster is being billed as the “most mind-blowing ride” in the park’s history. Daring guests board the coaster and immediately travel 3,800 feet in one minute and 53 seconds. The trip includes a 90-degree ascension to its tallest point — 167 feet straight up. From there, riders begin a 65-mph journey through six maneuvers — three of which the park says are brand new.
The crazy coaster features pretzel loops and music-inspired corkscrews like the “Treble Clef.” There’s also a negative-gravity “Jump Cut” maneuver that’s designed to make riders feel like they’re being thrown out of the car. The scary sensation is magnified by the fact that the coaster is furnished exclusively with lap belts (no shoulder harnesses).
The “Rockit” also features totally tricked out tunes. The coaster gets its name because riders get to pick their own soundtrack from about 30 songs in five genres: rap/hip-hop, country, classic rock/metal, pop/disco and club/electronica. The songs are pumped through a 150-watt system that continuously provides about 55 watts of music magic to each passenger.
According to park officials: “You can literally ride this thing 30 different times and have a different experience every time.”
Finally, if you are brave enough to ride the “Rockit” you’ll want to have documentation of the feat. Universal Orlando has you covered there too. The coaster is equipped with more than a dozen video and still cameras to capture action shots of riders. Within minutes of disembarking from the ride, each guest will be able to browse through unique photos taken of him/her from at least 14 different angles. If you decide to purchase your pics, park staffers will have them printed and packaged in less than five minutes.
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