If you've been bummed about the fact that "Transformers: The Ride 3D" was too far away for you to visit, then we've got some exciting news for you. Universal Orlando has just announced that it will be the third theme park worldwide to bring Optimus Prime's latest adventure to parkgoers.
"Transformers: The Ride 3D" opened at Universal Hollywood over the summer to a very positive response, following in the footsteps of Universal Singapore's launch of the ride on December 3, 2011. The success both parks had with the theme park attraction convinced Universal Creative president Mark Woodbury that it would fit in well at Orlando as well.
"Not only has it proven to be wildly popular as an attraction in Singapore and Hollywood, but this is a blockbuster franchise with three big movies, each one of them a major success at the box office, and another film in the making, so this is one of those epic franchises that not only makes for a great ride experience but has the legs to live on as a classic," he told MTV News in a phone interview. "People really dig this ride."
The ride itself will be the same as the ones in Hollywood and Singapore, but the building's placement and architecture will be different. Woodbury also teased that there could be new merchandise for the ride when Universal Orlando's "Transformers: The Ride 3D" opens next summer.
If that seems like a fast turnaround for a theme park ride to you, that's because it is. Woodbury said he and the Orlando team pride themselves on their rapid build schedule.
"This was something we started in June and we'll open next summer, so when you look at an attraction as complex as this one ... in terms of the technology involved and the projection system and the ride system, the special effects and colossal building you have to build, to do it in this short a time frame is no small undertaking," he said. "If you've been out recently you've seen the construction and probably wondered, 'What is going on there?' Now you know."
"Transformers" director Michael Bay was a big part of the creation of this attraction, and Woodbury said that's part of what has made "Transformers: The Ride 3D" work so well. The ride's plot follows the passengers as a group of civilians who are teamed up with a new Autobot named Evac and are tasked with protecting the AllSpark from Megatron. Along the way, you'll see Transformers like Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Devastator and Starscream, all while the attraction's 3D effects and robotic arm technology make riders feel like they're part of the action. In many ways, this is similar to Universal Orlando's " The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man" ride.
"It was a major, major deal to have [Bay's help] and it was really fantastic to have his participation in this thing, along with ILM and the voice talent from the films and original TV series," Woodbury said. "That's all because we're really focused on making this really authentic and rich experience, so he really helped us achieve that."
When asked if there's a chance that there will be more "Transformers" attractions created as a tie-in to the upcoming "Transformers 4," Woodbury said, "Well, we'll see. I think our first step is getting 'Transformers: The Ride' open here in Orlando and we're very confident that it's going to be a big hit, and we'll see where it goes from there."
"Transformers: The Ride 3D" will open in summer 2013. It will be located in the Universal Studios Florida park (as opposed to Islands of Adventure) and will have a giant Optimus Prime located at the entrance to the ride.
Would you want to ride on "Transformers: The Ride 3D"? Will you head to Universal Orlando for it? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!
