Transformers: The Ride - Summer 2013

[Milla4Prez66]

I heard Energon wasn't really selling that well at Hollywood anyways.

 

[k_peek_2000]

I heard Energon wasn't really selling that well at Hollywood anyways.

It wasn't really all that marketable. Unless you are a die-hard Transformers fan, most guests don't really have any clue what Energon is since there is very little mention of it in the films. Plus it's location was pretty bad and the drink was fairly expensive.

It was USH's first attempt at a marketable drink, they'll eventually figure it out by the time Springfield comes around.

I don't think the two drinks were the same. The Flaming Moe really just tasted like an orange soda. Energon tasted like an orange creamsickle.

It was too similar for them to keep it around.

 

[natespf]

It wasn't really all that marketable. Unless you are a die-hard Transformers fan, most guests don't really have any clue what Energon is since there is very little mention of it in the films. Plus it's location was pretty bad and the drink was fairly expensive.

It was USH's first attempt at a marketable drink, they'll eventually figure it out by the time Springfield comes around.



It was too similar for them to keep it around.

I'm thinking them being 3rd party IPs is a big factor. They probably want to be exclusive to license the brand, which could have quotas to maintain exclusivity. And as you said Flaming Moe's is more recognizable to Simpsons than Energon is to Transformers.

 

[Jon]

I heard Energon wasn't really selling that well at Hollywood anyways.

They've been rumors for about a year that the drink would eventually go away, and it looks like that finally occurred last month.

 

[Paul9251]

Here's a video of the ride being evacuated. It's from TheTimTracker and it shows some backstage areas and a stairwell. If you're viewing from a mobile device skip to the 5:44 mark.

http://youtu.be/bXT0t2lc188?t=5m44s

 

[Ryan]

Here's a video of the ride being evacuated. It's from TheTimTracker and it shows some backstage areas and a stairwell. If you're viewing from a mobile device skip to the 5:44 mark.

http://youtu.be/bXT0t2lc188?t=5m44s

Wait, the ride was e-stopped (meaning the buss bar was deactivated, allowing ride ops to safely walk the track) yet they were still able to manually move the RV into its home position? Is this something that the Florida RVs can do that Hollywood's can not?

I mean, you can even see operators moving towards the vehicles with safety stairs while it's still in motion! Florida plays by different rules, man.

 

[thrillseeker_97]

Am I the only one that thinks of like a canned energy drink when I hear 'Energon" rather than an orange slushee?

- - - Updated - - -

Wait, the ride was e-stopped (meaning the buss bar was deactivated, allowing ride ops to safely walk the track) yet they were still able to manually move the RV into its home position? Is this something that the Florida RVs can do that Hollywood's can not?

I mean, you can even see operators moving towards the vehicles with safety stairs while it's still in motion! Florida plays by different rules, man.

The Florida RV's are slightly different than Hollywood's. A friend of mine heads up maintenance and construction for certain rides at Uni Orlando, and the RV's are slightly different due to some parts that were a little older and no longer available, so in Orlando the vehicles have slightly different parts (Not completely different though) so this may have something to do with why ORL vehicles are manually movable and Hollywood's are not.

 

[Ryan]

The Florida RV's are slightly different than Hollywood's. A friend of mine heads up maintenance and construction for certain rides at Uni Orlando, and the RV's are slightly different due to some parts that were a little older and no longer available, so in Orlando the vehicles have slightly different parts (Not completely different though) so this may have something to do with why ORL vehicles are manually movable and Hollywood's are not.

Okay.

Yet still I can't believe the employees are allowed to get that close to the car while maintenance is moving them manually.

 

[Spideyfreak]

^Hollywood and Orlando are very different when it comes to Ride Ops. For example, you have to be a Lead at USH to operate a panel. At UO, all ride attendants are trained on all normal operation panels, except for Controls.

 

[Ryan]

^Hollywood and Orlando are very different when it comes to Ride Ops. For example, you have to be a Lead at USH to operate a panel. At UO, all ride attendants are trained on all normal operation panels, except for Controls.

As I know all too well!

My guess is that there is a gigantic difference in safety between the two. I am aware that the dispatch panel in Florida does not require a confirm button push from the loader, yet in Hollywood it does.

Of course, Florida is not union like USH so I'm guessing they must be much less wary.

 

[Capacity]

California laws are much more different when it comes to theme parks. It isn't the union that tells universal how to configure their consoles.

The RV's have a certain amount of power on board which is how they are able to home the vehicles. It isn't drawing power from the buss bar. And it isn't unsafe to be around them. The movement required to home a vehicle is very slight. Florida just trusts the major theme parks to police themselves when it comes to safety because the wellbeing of their business depends on it.

 

[boomerthom]

Is the fog effect at the top of the construction site working? It was down during my whole five day visit last week.

 

[Skubersky]

Is the fog effect at the top of the construction site working? It was down during my whole five day visit last week.

No fog in the ride today either.

 

[boomerthom]

No fog in the ride today either.

Odd...is it possible they cut the effect? I suppose it isn't crucial to the ride, but seeing the cityscape murals takes me out of the experience every time. Hopefully something is done either way.

 

[sjago13]

When I went on last week the fog for both megatrons rocket and the rooftop thing were out. I was just assuming they ran out of fog juice. But if its been this long maybe something else happened. I remember on the passholder preview day there was so much fog on the rooftop part that it filled evac and we couldn't see anything for 3 to 5 seconds.

 

[Teebin]

When I went on last week the fog for both megatrons rocket and the rooftop thing were out. I was just assuming they ran out of fog juice. But if its been this long maybe something else happened. I remember on the passholder preview day there was so much fog on the rooftop part that it filled evac and we couldn't see anything for 3 to 5 seconds.

Just to be clear... the fog is created with Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) and not a standard fog machine. This is why the fog/smoke happens and vanishes almost immediately. The dewar containing the LN2 is just outside, in the southeast corner of the building. It is walled off on all sides and not apparent.

 

[Marni1971]

Initially there were issues with the machinery that makes the liquid nitrogen not so.... liquidy. Perhaps this has happened again.

 

[Teebin]

Initially there were issues with the machinery that makes the liquid nitrogen not so.... liquidy. Perhaps this has happened again.

Interesting, I never knew that was part of the process... now I must investigate the "why".

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

This ride is aggressive. If they can tone it down a bit like Spiderman, would be a hit.

 

[boomerthom]

This ride is aggressive. If they can tone it down a bit like Spiderman, would be a hit.

I see the aggressive profile as a key differentiator from Spider-Man. Would really hate to see it toned down, personally.