As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but share some exciting yet bittersweet news: One of my all-time favorites, the initial Fast & Furious attraction that has been a staple on the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood for an entire decade, is closing in just a few weeks.
Universal revealed today that “Fast & Furious: Supercharged” will conclude its run next month. This thrilling attraction made its debut in Hollywood back in 2015 and includes appearances by popular “Fast & Furious” actors such as Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, and Tyrese Gibson.
The 3D ride, featuring the Fast and Furious series, is part of the ongoing Universal Studio Tour. Towards the end of the tour, visitors’ vehicles enter a long tunnel adorned with screens, giving the impression they are participating in an exhilarating chase through urban landscapes. At one instance, Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto seizes control of a fighter jet by leaping onto it. Of course, it’s quite over-the-top — but then again, isn’t every Fast and Furious movie just a bit unrealistic?
In a press statement, Universal confirmed that the closing down of this attraction will clear the path for a fresh, thrilling Studio Tour experience, which they plan to reveal in the near future.
Approximately three years following the introduction of Supercharged in Hollywood, it supplanted multiple iterations of the Earthquake ride in Universal Studios Florida. Despite being largely a replica of its Hollywood counterpart, the Fast & Furious ride in Florida received even more unfavorable critiques. In fact, a seasoned Universal theme park designer openly expressed that allowing Supercharged to be transported from Hollywood to Florida was his most significant career blunder.
The shutdown of the Fast & Furious ride won’t mark the end of the franchise’s presence at Universal Studios’ theme park, as the company is already in the middle of building their first Fast & Furious roller coaster – named Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. This thrilling coaster is scheduled to debut sometime in 2026.
While it’s running, Fast & Furious: Supercharged is set to conclude at Universal Studios Hollywood on March 10. If you’d like to enjoy a final spin, make sure to visit before then. For now, the Florida branch of the attraction remains operational.
Amazing Theme Park Rides Based on Movies That Were Never Built
Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition
Initially, Disneyland had grander plans for its Indiana Jones attraction, known as The Indiana Jones Adventure, which debuted in 1995. Originally, the Imagineers envisioned a much more expansive Indy property that would significantly transform the Adventureland area. This vision, dubbed The Lost Expedition, included two rides: a roller coaster inspired by the mine-car finale of ‘Temple of Doom’ and a dark ride in jeeps showcasing Indy’s most iconic moments, all integrated with the existing Jungle Cruise. However, much of the land earmarked for The Lost Expedition was later utilized to construct Splash Mountain instead.
Indiana Jones Ore Car Attraction
Let’s take a peek at the “Ore Car Simulator” which would have been enclosed within the premises of the abandoned Lost Expedition complex. Regrettably, the Indiana Jones land never materialized, but Disney still boasts one mine-train roller coaster inspired by Indiana Jones: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, situated at Disneyland Paris. It was the inaugural looping coaster at any Disney park. (I experienced it once as a teenager, and it got momentarily stuck during the ride. That wasn’t enjoyable.)
Indiana Jones Jungle Cruise
The “River Idol” would likely serve as a focal point in the revamped Jungle Cruise, designed around a whole land filled with Indiana Jones-themed experiences. Indeed, it seems to be straight out of an Indiana Jones film set.
The Hauntington Hotel
Prior to Orlando’s popular interactive shooting attractions like Toy Story Midway Mania and Men in Black Alien Attack, Six Flags had envisioned a Ghostbusters ride named Hauntington Hotel. This conceptual ride would have allowed passengers to explore a haunted building while using car-mounted proton packs to shoot at targets. The designer of this ride, as mentioned in an interview on 2600connection.com, revealed that the entire project – from conception to design, engineering, and prototyping – was completed and set for installation in Texas. However, after a change in ownership of Six Flags’ theme parks division, the project disintegrated, which may be considered one of the greatest disappointments in history.
Nostromo
For about eight years, the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland was home to an attraction named ExtraTERRORestrial: Alien Encounter. Riders were literally strapped down to their seats while a menacing E.T. “materialized” in the center of the room, and then proceeded to touch and breathe on them while the lights were out. When Alien Encounter opened it starred a creepy alien; when it was conceived it starred *the* creepy alien — as in H.R. Giger’s iconic xenomorph from Ridley Scott’s classic 1979 film. Astonishingly, someone at Disney thought it was a good idea to insert a little acid-blooded horror into the Happiest Place on Earth. Eventually, Disney came to their senses and abandoned the ‘Alien’ aspect (and the original name for the attraction, Nostromo, after the ship in the film), but not the overall concept. After terrifying children for almost a decade (I was one of them; this thing was pure nightmare fuel), Alien Encounter finally closed in 2003. The site now houses a toned-down version starring Stitch from ‘Lilo & Stich.’
The James Bond Live-Action Stunt Show
As a dedicated cinephile, I’d have loved to share an intriguing tidbit about Universal Studios Florida’s initial plans. Back in the day, renowned ‘Star Wars’ artist Ralph McQuarrie envisioned a breathtaking concept for a James Bond-themed stunt show. The design bore the unmistakable mark of Ken Adam, longtime production designer for the Bond films.
This grand spectacle would have featured a colossal rotating dome, which would open to reveal walls adorned with screens showing Bond’s most formidable foes. These villains would watch as 007 met his supposed demise and a nuclear warhead was launched. Sadly, this project never made it past the drawing board. However, Universal Studios has showcased numerous other action-packed spectacles over the years, such as those themed around ‘Conan the Barbarian,’ ‘The A-Team,’ ‘Miami Vice,’ ‘Spider-Man,’ and ‘Waterworld.’
Mel Brooks’ Hollywood Horror Hotel
At its earliest stages, the Tower of Terror wasn’t themed to ‘The Twilight Zone,’ and was instead conceived as a collaboration between Disney and Mel Brooks. Eventually Brooks dropped out of the project, and ‘The Twilight Zone’ elements were introduced, but before then ideas for “Hotel Mel,” as it was commonly called, involved an attraction and a working hotel housed together in the same building, and a murder mystery that could be solved with clues littered around the grounds. StudioCentral.com says Brooks lost interest and left to make ‘Life Stinks’ right around the time Imagineers stumbled on the idea of adding haunted elevators which leap out of their shafts. The Tower of Tower is a great ride, but when you hear that we almost got an entire Mel Brooks hotel, it does seem that life stinks.
Batman Island
Originally, Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios had an entire area dedicated to Batman instead of the current Marvel Super Hero Island. This was designed during the 1990s when Tim Burton’s Batman films were popular. The proposed attractions included a Batmobile ride, a Bat-jet experience, and a live-action stunt show starring Batman, Robin, and even Superman. However, changes in plans (as they frequently do) led to the Batman-themed section being replaced by zones featuring characters like Spider-Man and Hulk.
Batwing: Batman vs the Penguin
On Batman Island, potential features might have been a suspended roller coaster offering visitors a pick between the Batman or Penguin tracks, each providing unique encounters, special effects, and fireworks. (The Shreck’s Department Store sign in the lower left is a nod to Christopher Walken’s character from ‘Batman Returns.’) Regrettably, this roller coaster idea never materialized, but Islands of Adventure incorporated the concept of “dueling” coasters in its Dueling Dragons ride (previously known as Dragon Challenge and now part of the Harry Potter realm).
Dick Tracy’s Crime-Stoppers
In 1990, before Warren Beatty’s “Dick Tracy” movie hit theaters, Disney had high expectations for its success and planned to create a theme park attraction based on it. This attraction would have allowed visitors to ride along with Dick Tracy in a chase through Chicago (essentially a dark ride), complete with vehicles equipped with toy tommy guns to shoot at targets throughout the experience. However, when “Dick Tracy” failed to become a major franchise, this idea was shelved. The design of these planned vehicles is reminiscent of those used in the Indiana Jones Adventure, and the interactive shooting gallery concept can still be found in Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Ride
As a fan of all things cinematic, I’d have been thrilled to hop aboard Tim Burton’s eerie take on flying caskets, reminiscent of Peter Pan’s Flight but with a darker, more peculiar twist. Alas, Disney had this fascinating concept in mind, but the visionary Mr. Burton, who co-owned the characters, didn’t share the excitement and vetoed the idea altogether. Instead, every year, Disney magically transforms the Haunted Mansion in California into the “Haunted Mansion Holiday,” bringing the enchanting characters from the film to life during the holiday season.
Godzilla Bullet Train
Since the 1970s, there had been preliminary discussions about incorporating a simulated bullet train ride into the Japan Pavilion at Epcot. The experience would have allowed visitors to gaze out windows at screens depicting a scenic Japanese landscape. However, an intriguing adaptation of this idea involved introducing Godzilla into the storyline; he would emerge from the ocean and assault the train as it traversed Tokyo Harbor. It is said that the project never progressed beyond initial talks with Toho, the studio responsible for Godzilla, as they felt a colossal, destructive monster was not in harmony with Epcot’s tranquil, natural ambiance. Unfortunately, this idea did not materialize.
The Great Muppet Movie Ride
As a devoted movie enthusiast and longtime fan of the Muppets, I’ve always been captivated by their enduring presence at Disney Hollywood Studios for over two decades through their enchanting MuppetVision 3D film. However, what many might not know is that the Muppets were initially envisioned to play a far more significant role in the park, with plans for a satirical take on the Great Movie Ride, affectionately known as The Great Muppet Movie Ride.
In this imaginative endeavor, Jim Henson’s cherished characters would have brought iconic movie scenes to life in a humorous and delightful manner. Alas, fate had other plans: Disney and Henson were on the brink of a corporate union, but unfortunately, this merger never materialized following Henson’s untimely passing in 1990, effectively putting an end to the Muppet Movie Ride.
However, as destiny would have it, Disney eventually acquired the Muppets in 2004, leading me to wonder if their grandest theme-park attraction is still waiting to make its grand debut. Only time will tell!
Jurassic Park Jeep Safari
At Universal’s Islands of Adventure, the Jurassic Park section offers a River Adventure ride, which isn’t much like the Jurassic Park films except for the animatronic dinosaurs. Originally, there were plans to add more Jurassic Park attractions, such as a Jeep Safari that would have been more in line with the movie’s story. This attraction would have allowed visitors to experience a remote-controlled ride through the park, encountering brontosauruses, outmaneuvering T-Rexes, and confronting raptors. However, according to DisneyAndMore.Blogspot.com, the Jeep Safari concept was considered too similar to the River Adventure, making it difficult for both attractions to exist together.
Jurassic Park Jeep Safari
Take a look at this detailed shot of the Jurassic Park Jeep Safari vehicle. It has a very comparable feel to the iconic 8-seater DeLoreans from ‘Back to the Future’.
Baby Herman’s Runaway Buggy Ride
Initially, Disney had plans to expand the theme from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ beyond just one ride (Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin at Disneyland). One proposed attraction was Baby Herman’s Runaway Buggy Ride. In this hypothetical ride, guests would have assumed the role of Baby Herman’s stunt double in a perilous scene, riding in vehicles modeled after baby carriages. Guests would also wear baby bonnets throughout the ride to enhance the experience and encourage purchase of adorable photos taken during the journey. However, disputes between Disney and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment over creative control of Roger Rabbit hindered the development of this attraction, as well as other planned constructions related to the film.
Toontown Trolley
Similar to how the Baby Herman attraction hindered the development of a ride modeled after Star Tours, exploring Toontown – the home of cartoons from ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ – plans were scrapped. Originally, these rides were meant for Hollywoodland, a new section in Disneyland. However, over time, this area was reimagined as Mickey’s Toontown instead, leaving Roger Rabbit out of the picture.
Toontown Trolley
Here’s another fascinating piece of artwork inspired by the Roger Rabbit trolley ride. It appears quite psychedelic. I believe even children, particularly those with a sugar rush, would find it captivating.
Read More
- EUR JPY PREDICTION
- DF PREDICTION. DF cryptocurrency
- Doctor Strange’s Shocking Return in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday Revealed!
- OM PREDICTION. OM cryptocurrency
- USD MXN PREDICTION
- YFI PREDICTION. YFI cryptocurrency
- COW PREDICTION. COW cryptocurrency
- FIL PREDICTION. FIL cryptocurrency
- KSM PREDICTION. KSM cryptocurrency
- MIN PREDICTION. MIN cryptocurrency
2025-02-24 23:55