Universal Orlando is planning to demolish Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and replace it with a new, larger attraction at Universal Studios Florida. This all according to new water drainage permits filed with South Florida Water Management District this week.
The plans call for several new buildings to be built, with two larger ones to be added in the New York section of the park. Let’s check on the permits, as well as other recently filed documents, in today’s news update. See the video version of this story below for additional visuals.
Filed publicly on December 23rd, just before 2024 wraps up, these documents show the project location and its possible environmental impact to Florida’s water systems.
Overall project map location according to documents filed with SFWMD
The project outline is around the existing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster attraction at Universal Studios Florida.
Closer view, showing project location around Rip Ride Rockit attraction
While the plans included in the permits filed are called “Improvements,” these documents are for the removal of a ride and the construction of a new ride.
Documentation included with SFWMD permits
In case there were any doubts, the written documentation included with the permit images describe the project as “Remove existing attraction and replace with proposed attraction.”
It has been rumored that Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit would eventually close for years, but rumors had been picking up in recent years. This was compounded by a recent Notice of Commencement for work to be done at Universal Studios Florida by the roller coaster manufacturer Intamin.
Recent document showing Intamin as contractor for upcoming work at the park, Orange County Comptoller
Intamin is currently working on a roller coaster attraction in Epic Universe themed to How to Train Your Dragon, as well as the Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift coaster in Universal Studios Hollywood.
Rumors for a replacement of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit being an east coast version of the Hollywood Drift coaster have been floating around, but the location of new buildings for this upcoming coaster project may spark new theories.
Project limits seen in documents filed with SFWMD
As seen in the project limits plan above, the outline for this upcoming project encompasses more land than where the current Rockit coaster sits. Some of this additional space is due to erosion and water drainage concerns, which is likely why the outline continues all the way to the edge of the CityWalk lagoon.
However, additional space found on the left side of the image, which includes a part of a backstage parking lot, is included for more than just drainage concerns.
Before and after for this project site, SFWMD
The image above shows a before and after for the project site, with the current state of the area seen in the top image. The bottom image shows how the site will be changed, which includes the addition of three new buildings.
One small structure can be seen on the right, which may be for electrical or some other type of mechanical support.
The two larger new buildings are to be added on the left side, which is in the New York area of Universal Studios Florida. One of them is in the backstage parking area near sound stage 24. The second building, which is within guest areas, appears to be taking over a section of the extended queue for Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Two new building locations highlighted on plan document
This is the area located directly behind the fire house facade facing New York, which was the original entrance to the former Ghostbusters Spooktacular show at Universal Studios Florida in the 1990s.
Could this new attraction, which is taking over the footprint of Rip Ride Rockit—and adding new buildings that could be used for queue, station, or maintenance—possibly be based on the Ghostbusters franchise? Or is its location just coincidence, as this is where they had space that allows them to move the entrance away from the newly formed Minion Land where Rockit’s entrance sits now?
This upcoming project, which is known as Project 830 in documents and encompasses 6.27 acres, is listed as “in review” and has a deadline of January 22nd, 2025 to be approved or extended. We should hopefully see new permits and documents early in the new year if the project moves forward.
It is not known if the notice of commencement showing Intamin is related to this project, as they could have been providing maintenance to their existing Escape from Gingotts ride in the same park for all we know.
Some new bright blue Intamin track has been spotted at Intamins Europe location, which coaster do you think this could be for, possibly an unannounced project?
📷michal12sk pic.twitter.com/MNszO059jJ
— JAXXN (@JAXXNCREATED) December 21, 2024
New track was recently spotted at an Intamin manufactuer in Europe. This mystery track is light blue in color, which is very different from the black track being used at Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, but there’s no telling if this new blue track is related to a project for Universal Orlando or not.
Intamin’s Vertical Launch Coaster concept art, Image: Intamin Amusement Rides
Intamin has introduced a Vertical Launch Coaster, which the sample layout renderings they’ve released are shown in blue track. Perhaps Universal could be considering this type of ride to keep some elements of the skyline similar to the former attraction? There is no permit information to back up this theory though.
Proposed plan filed with SFWMD
Universal Orlando has not yet announced a closure date for the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster attraction, but they may need to soon if these plans are put into action next year and the ride is in fact set to be demolished.
The on board music option for Rip Ride Rockit was reduced dramatically in 2023, going from 30 options to just 5 songs, one per genre category. The large attraction banner was never replaced after being taken down in preparation from a hurricane. These small changes have helped fuel imminent closure speculation in the last couple years.
That’s all for now, but see the video version of this story for additional visuals. Stay tuned for continuing coverage of this possible massive new project for Universal Studios Florida. A timetable for the overall project was not given in documents, but it’s likely the company would want to have something to help draw crowds to the original park after Epic Universe opens next year.
Subscribe to the news feed or enter your email address below to never miss an update. Original Photos: Alicia Stella | Permit Documents: my.sfwmd.gov | Other Images as Captioned | Thanks to Scott Walker for permit help
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