Universal Studios Earthquake Closed

[bfbulldog]

{See below} to read about the closure of earthquake at Universal Studios

Bye, bye Earthquake - The Big One

by Scott Powers
Orlando Sentinel's Tourism Central Florida
November 5, 2007

Another early Universal Studios ride has closed so that it may be transformed into a new attraction.

"Earthquake - The Big One," a train ride through a collapsing San Francisco, allowing riders to see how Hollywood used to handle some big special effects, has closed. It will be replaced within weeks by a newly-themed attraction, called "Disaster!"

According to Universal Orlando resort, the ride, located in the San Francisco section of the theme park, should repen by the December rush, with more of an interactive experience and no specific movie tie in. The new ride's full name will be "Disaster! A Major Motion Picture Ride ... Starring You."

The ride originally was based on the 1974 disaster movie, Earthquake!, starring Charlton Heston. Unlike many of the other movies that Universal rides are based on, such as Jaws, Terminator 2: 3D or the other recently closed ride, Back to the Future: The Ride, so many visitors to Universal might never relate to the movie tie in.

Back to the Future is being replaced with a ride themed on the animated TV show, The Simpsons, slated to open next spring.

[DisneyTwirler13!]

Say it ain't so!!! My family loved that ride, especially my dad, bc he was there the day it opened, and was one of the first to ride!

[chrisb26]

Hmm this is interesting because it was open last Thursday when I was there. However only the Earthquake part was open. Where you used to go and see the stunts and miniature things was closed off. I guess this could explain some things however I dont know how much of the ride they could possibly change since it was still in operation last week and if they say it will open by December? Less then a month? I am thinking all you will really see in the change is the beginning part of the ride. But that is just my opinion. If they did take the ride part where you experience the earthquake I would be pretty upset they keep taking out my favorites. First King Kong which I am alright with because The Mummy is an awesome rollercoaster and then they took out Back To The Future which I am still mad about because that is an awesome movie. I just hope they make the Simpsons awesome. If they took out Earthquake I would be very mad However I think I could live with just a retheming since the first half of the Earthquake thing where they talk about the ride and do the stunt thing was a bit boring anyways.

[2Epcot]

I dont know how much of the ride they could possibly change since it was still in operation last week and if they say it will open by December? Less then a month? I am thinking all you will really see in the change is the beginning part of the ride.

Sounds to me it will also just be a re-themeing of the attraction, keeping the earthquake disater basicaly the same, but just giving it a new story. At Universal Studios in Hollywood the backlot attraction that is now the Mummy's Tomb was Dante's Peak first, and an ice tunnel Avlanche before that. All three attractions were the same spinning tunnel the tram drives through.