Transformers: The Ride - Summer 2013

[Thor]

Not that rumor again....

I'm afraid it's true.

 

[MyManDrake]

Also note the wood framed rectangle thingy with some kind of crossed bars beneath. I don't know what it is... but it is some special feature of the foundation. Just pointing out that this isn't your parent's basement floor.

These look like anchor bolt templates for the ride lift towers. They have to be balls-on accurate so that's the reason for all the heavy steel...I even noticed on Brimans photos that they have cables tying these down so they dont move at all during the pour, since the guys walking all over the rebar pouring concrete could easily bump things around, or the concrete hose could hit it, etc.

But these give a good indication of where the lifts are on the layout, if we had an aerial view you could compare it to USH's version to see if it matches at all.

Look closely and you can see the turnbuckles with cables on each side of this structure going down into the lower rebar. You can also see where they have put foil on the anchor bolt nuts so they dont get all clogged with concrete during the pour.

 

[Cruiseshipfan]

I guess that Universal is holding back on announcements until Disney makes and announcement so they can take attention away from them.

 

[BJCool]

^That, in addition to not wanting guests who don't realize the expansion(s) is happening to delay their trips.

 

[Teebin]

Look closely and you can see the turnbuckles with cables on each side of this structure going down into the lower rebar. You can also see where they have put foil on the anchor bolt nuts so they dont get all clogged with concrete during the pour.

Wow, took me a while to find the cables in the high-res version of the photos. Those really are locked down. Plus, look at all the conduit! It is almost stupid how much electrical conduit is popping up everywhere amongst the rebar. Wild.

 

[King_K.]

Maybe now that Disney announced previews and opening dates for the main part of the FLE, we'll see an announcement.

 

[Splatter]

I am thinking we will get a big announcement near Christmas time or so after HHN and possibly after the big Christmas season dies down.

 

[Disneyhead]

I predict that the Transformers announcement will come just after Summer at the beginning of HHNs.

 

[Hatetofly]

I'm leaning towards post HHN's.

 

[Splatter]

Yeah, the reason I say post HHN is one. The studio has so much Press with their world famous event that it would just be a waste to shove the announcement in there so soon.

Post HHN gives them something else to release and it would compete nicely with some of the attention Disney is going to want to quickly pull from Test Track's reopening.

 

[Disneyhead]

I am thinking prior to HHN,k after the Summer rush. Because no one will put off their HHN vacation and eveyone going to HHN will see the construction and be like, "We so need to come back". Or they MIGHT wait until Dec. 6th. to piss on the FLE Grand Opening.

 

[Spideyfreak]

For what it's worth, I took a drive by the Oceaneering facility in Maryland today. For those who didn't know, the vehicles for Spider-man and Transformers were fabricated there.

Anyways, I noticed that they are still renting out a larger facility across the street from their main facility. A few years ago I was told that the only reason that facility was rented was to fabricate the (original) batch of Transformers vehicles for Singapore and Hollywood. The back doors were open, which suggests that something is going on in there now. I couldn't see inside, but it doesn't appear to be as big of a project as the original batch was. Being big on manufacturing defense stuff, it would make sense to keep this facility for their amusement ride fabrication.

Point is, they are renting this building because they need more fabrication space. But the original reason was to build the Transformers vehicles. I would think they would need lots of space to crank these things out to get the ride open by Holiday 2013.

 

[Teebin]

^ thanks. Well that is food for thought. You should stop in and ask them if they have started up production of the Universal Orlando ride vehicles yet. Tell them that you are doing a research paper for school about high tech entertainment engineering and want to do an interview and tour.

 

[jtsalien]

December 5th or whenever the new TT opens. Whichever comes first for the TF announcement.

 

[rhino4evr]

i think the announcement will be much sooner then that. November at the lateset.

 

[CraigM]

I'm leaning towards post HHN's.

I'm agreeing with this. It seems as if they aren't interested in announcing this thing for a while, nor do they really need to. I'm thinking it will be a Holiday-timed announcement as well. Maybe they will theme it as a "Christmas" present or something.

 

[BJCool]

I'm putting my money on the official confirmation coming in the form of a Super Bowl commercial.

 

[Just Eddie]

I'm putting my money on the official confirmation coming in the form of a Super Bowl commercial.

I would have to agree with this and it makes sense to do it on a big stage such as the Super Bowl commercials.

 

[ReelJustice]

Fwiw, NBC doesn't have the super bowl this year.

 

[JungleSkip]

Yea...there's no way it happens at the SB. Not saying there won't be some sort of ad for it during the game, but the announcement will come when they can have media around.