Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster at Universal Looks Awesome – Will Open Soon

For those excited to experience the new Rip Ride Rocket coaster at Universal Studios in Orlando, you will need to wait just a little longer (scheduled opening was spring 2009 but now pushed back to spring/summer) but the wait looks like it will be worth it! My son and I will probably run over and get an annual pass when it opens so we can check it out. (That’s my advice to anyone who wants to spend more than a few days at the theme park – get the annual pass!)

Anyway, this coaster looks great. The riders actually are able to choose their own soundtrack to listen to as you ride, and I am pretty sure I’ve never heard of that before on any other rides. (It definitely could have helped some of them.) You can choose from classic rock/metal, club/electronica, rap/hip hop, country, or pop/disco. Then, you will be able to purchase a ride video that will feature your song choice.

Now, as if that wasn’t enough when it comes to new and innovative, the coaster itself will take you through some pretty radical (never seen before!) maneuvers.

Here’s the rundown:

To begin with, you head up at a 90-degree angle in a 167-foot vertical lift. Once you arrive there you might like to know you’ll be sitting atop the highest coaster in Orlando. (Okay, yes I know, that’s not saying much since Orlando is not really know for its huge/tall coasters, but still…)

So then you are dropped down at 65 mph and you will encounter the Double Take which just happens to be the world’s biggest non-inverted loop (so they say – I have not double-checked this fact).

Then there is a treble clef where the track has been all bendy’d around to become a treble clef musical symbol.

Next is a Jump Cut negative-gravity maneuver which is another of those first! time! ever! maneuvers. Evidently you will feel like you are experiencing a corkscrew move even though you never actually are upside down. Not sure how that will happen, looking forward to finding out.

After this, you fly over the top of the queue – always fun!

Then you head out toward City Walk and dip underground, coming back up near the Universal Studios entrance.

At the very end you will experience an inclined loop with a 150-degree banking turn. I’m a big fan of banking turns, my favorite being Millennium Force at Cedar Point in Ohio (my favorite coaster of all time).