Fire at Universal's Islands of Adventure

[mindflipper]

Which ride?

They do have a few flagship coasters in Japan (one of them may even put disney to shame), and I think they imported Rock It coaster.

Is that the name of it at US-Orlando? I know it was their rip-off on the RnR that had some "engineering" difficulties.

It's called Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and it was closed for a little under a month because of the vehicles, not the tracks or structure itself.

Thanks, MadEye. I remembering hearing about on our local news, and a small blurb in the newspaper about the ride being closed, but no details other than some ambiguous "engineering" problem.

[MadEye]

It's called Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and it was closed for a little under a month because of the vehicles, not the tracks or structure itself.

Thanks, MadEye. I remembering hearing about on our local news, and a small blurb in the newspaper about the ride being closed, but no details other than some ambiguous "engineering" problem.

First problem was announced by the manufacturer to cover their butts because they were going out of business last I heard. Second problem was just corrected by Universal because it was already closed for the original problem. Don't ask why not sooner because I don't know.

Interesting note: the same company that manufactured HRRR also manufactured Crush's Coaster at DLP.

[mindflipper]

Thanks for the details, MadEye. It was not covered in that detail in news/newspapers up here.

[Wizzard419]

That's the one drawback to the necessary farming out of labor to build new stuff I guess. They probably got hit hadest by the downturn in tourisim.

[MadEye]

They probably got hit hadest by the downturn in tourisim.

To whom are you referring to? Universal Orlando or the manufacturer?

[Wizzard419]

The manufacturer, if they only build stuff for themeparks and the like Vekoma, then they live or die by the themepark's tourism dollars.

[MadEye]

The manufacturer, if they only build stuff for themeparks and the like Vekoma, then they live or die by the themepark's tourism dollars.

Then that would be incorrect as they are mostly a company that manufactures steel for construction in buildings, mostly in Europe (they are based in Germany) since they opened in 1876 in Munich. Rides are (were?) a secondary branch that they started later.

[Wizzard419]

Ah, then they are still hurting since construction materials took a nasty hit there too.

I'm actually surprised they were diverse in what they did since the ones that make the noteworthy coasters all only focus on theme park stuff.

[MadEye]

I'm actually surprised they were diverse in what they did since the ones that make the noteworthy coasters all only focus on theme park stuff.

I'm not surprised by that. I'm more surprised that Universal didn't go with another company specializing in rides (i.e. Vekoma, Bolliger and Mabillard, etc.). You get what you pay for, as the saying goes.

[Wizzard419]

Very true, which is the one in Utah that had the story about how they are physically limited by the train tunnels that carry cargo away from their plant?