Gareth H
Gareth H

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit closed for 'maintenance'

September 18, 2010, 3:27 PM · On Wednesday Universal Orlando closed Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit for "Maintenance". However, earlier this month its manufacturer issued a service bulletin about one of the parts.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit

The bulletin reads as follows:

2. September 2010
Dear Customers,

As supplier and manufacturer of one of the successful roller coasters of the X-Car series we are sending you the latest information in reference to safety, maintenance and Service of your System, to give you the best customer support.

In the light of recent findings, we would like to inform you through the attached Service Bulletin 001/10 about the coupling bar assembly on the cars of your Sky Loop System.

We would like to ask you to take note of the documents, to inform all persons concerned by this matter promptly and comprehensively and to implement the described measures according to the given instructions.

We deeply regret the present circumstances and the resulting consequences, but hope for your understanding because of the importance of this matter. If you have further questions on this case, we will gladly provide you with more information.

We wish you every success for the close of the 2010 season and thank you for the excellent cooperation.

Sincerely,
Maurer Söhne Rides

The fix could take up to 3 months, so will RRR be closed for that long?

Universal Orlando Resorts' official spokesman issued a press release:

"We are obsessive about safety. We have aggressive inspection and safety programs in place for all our rides and attractions. Those programs meet or exceed all manufacturer guidelines. Anything in a September 2nd manufacturer’s advisory would have been dealt with weeks ago. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is temporarily closed for unrelated maintenance."

Anyone visiting Universal please keep us updated with anything that may be going on with this ride.

Replies (9)

anonymous
82.18.54.187
September 18, 2010 at 3:39 PM · They're fixing the Yeti!

Oh, wait, hang on...

anonymous
88.104.108.160
September 19, 2010 at 1:48 AM · Really REALLY miffed because I am going to Orlando in November so it sounds like it will be closed. I've been dreaming since last year of whizzing around the tracks listening to Kenny Chesney singing to me! Never mind - this gives me another excuse to visit again in a couple more years (not that I ever need an excuse to visit Orlando)
ukfloridafun
Gareth H
September 19, 2010 at 10:20 AM · In its defense, Universal has a great record for maintenance.
It looks that as long as there are no cracks the ride can be reopened without issue, as long as regular checks are made until the fix is issued and put in place.

There is no reason it couldn't reopen if no issues are found.

The maintenace staff at Universal are highly trained to spot any issues, combined with the documentation they were issued on how to perform the checks, it shouldn't be too big a deal.

Its probably just easier to close the ride and give it some essential maintenance at the same time.

It will probably reopen soon.

anonymous
68.202.103.109
September 19, 2010 at 7:26 PM · I think that if Rockit is not open for HHN later this week then it has to do with the manufacturing issue.

I do not think that Universal would keep their barley 1 year old coaster closed for the crazy Halloween Horror Night crowds.

anonymous
68.204.32.139
September 20, 2010 at 8:39 AM · I believe Universal truly dealt with this issue before the ride even opened. Remember all those delays? Mauer is most likely being sued by Universal for many reasons and issued a discontinue notice for legal protection (or retaliation through bad press.) As for non related maintenance... I rode the ride once, will never again. Way too many issues behind the scenes make me feel just too unsafe.
anonymous
97.101.118.43
September 20, 2010 at 4:34 PM · I rode this ride last May for my third and final time. Way too rough a ride to enjoy and pretty much a letdown all the way around. Gwazi Lion was actually not as rough and that is a rough ride! Now with this news from the manufacturer, it seems this ride is unsafe and potentially an accident waiting to happen. I still can't believe Universal supposedly spent $45M on this scrap heap.
anonymous
12.68.230.64
September 22, 2010 at 8:43 AM · My wife and I were there just last week for our vacation. It was open and running on Monday the 13th, but it was closes the rest of the week. If you went up to any of the workers to ask they would just say it was down for maintenance.
anonymous
70.119.90.24
September 23, 2010 at 3:55 PM · I rode the ride shortly before it closed down, and as I entered onto the cart, I sat down went to pull the lap bar down, and it popped back up! Everyone in my carts had stayed down, but mine would not, I started to freak out. I said "my lap bars not staying down, I want to get off" the man working pushed it down, and held it until it locked into place, I protested that I wanted to get off, I was sure it would pop open while I was on the ride, and I would surely die, obviously that didn't happen. He gave his thumbs up, and the ride went forward, me protesting the whole way, at the end of the ride every one in the carts lap bars popped up, and mine stayed locked into place, I got out of the cart, I have never been so happy to get off of a ride, and have my feet on solid ground. I will NEVER ride this ride again, I didn't feel safe, and even though I said I wanted off the ride they ignored my protests. No matter how much they claim to be safe, I have learned my lesson from experience, you can never be safe enough. My annual pass will go unused because I refuse to go back to a company that allows things like this to happen!
CSmith84
Christine Smith
September 23, 2010 at 4:05 PM · I rode the ride shortly before it closed down, and as I entered onto the cart, I sat down went to pull the lap bar down, and it popped back up! Everyone in my carts had stayed down, but mine would not, I started to freak out. I said "my lap bars not staying down, I want to get off" the man working pushed it down, and held it until it locked into place, I protested that I wanted to get off, I was sure it would pop open while I was on the ride, and I would surely die, obviously that didn't happen. He gave his thumbs up, and the ride went forward, me protesting the whole way, at the end of the ride every one in the carts lap bars popped up, and mine stayed locked into place, I got out of the cart, I have never been so happy to get off of a ride, and have my feet on solid ground. I will NEVER ride this ride again, I didn't feel safe, and even though I said I wanted off the ride they ignored my protests. No matter how much they claim to be safe, I have learned my lesson from experience, you can never be safe enough. My annual pass will go unused because I refuse to go back to a company that allows things like this to happen!

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