The ride, featuring the host of corporate sibling NBC's The Tonight Show, debuts officially on April 6. But Universal's letting fans in early on a soft opening. (We will be in Orlando for a media preview next week, and will run our review after that.)
This isn't Fallon's first appearance in a Universal theme park attraction. Since 2011, he's been the on-screen host for the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood — a gig that pre-dates his promotion from Late Night to Tonight Show host in 2014.
In Orlando, Universal has transformed the old Twister show building into a truncated version of NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza headquarters in New York, where Fallon's The Tonight Show is taped. According to Universal's description of the attraction, fans enter through the lobby of the building, under the idea that they're going to see a taping of the show. But what they'll get is a chance to experience an all-new type of flying theater, in which they'll race through the city with Fallon, who'll be piloting his own "Tonight Rider" quadcopter on the screen ahead.
Then it's a 3D adventure through the city, with appearances by multiple Tonight Show personalities and characters (some also played by Fallon), with in-theater effects, including the smell of New York pizza. (Warning: That's the good smell effect.)
The theater will be a 72-seat "flying theater" ride. If you're wondering what that is relative to other theme park attractions, it's like Soarin', but with more motion. A flying theater typically offers a stationary screen that's not firmly attached to the moving rows of seats in front of it. A motion simulator, such as Star Tours, has a smaller floor plan and features a screen that is attached to the base of the theater and moves along with the seats.
Just to further confuse you, a 4D theater, such as Shrek, is one in which individual seats in the theater might jiggle or move, but the entire floor remain stable. And if you haven't thrown up your hands and given up at this point, let's go Full Geek here and make a distinction between flying theaters such as Fallon and Soarin', and other rides such as Minion Mayhem and The Simpsons Ride, which feature multiple, smaller moving and shaking ride vehicles in front of a stationary screen. We're calling those motion base shows — though that's not an industry standard term.
Anyway, back to Fallon. The queue and gift shop at the end of the ride will offer plenty of Tonight Show-themed bits, including a meet with Hashtag the Panda, performances by Ragtime Gals barbershop quartet, and televisions playing clips of many of the show's most popular routines, including History of Rap and Lip Sync Battle. There also will be an Interactive Host Desk, from which you can send Thank You Notes to family and friends.
The ride also will feature Universal's new Virtual Line system, where fans must obtain return times via the resort's official app or kiosks in front of the attraction. Universal Express will not be available during the soft opening.
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ANSWER: Well, in Jurassic World a Jimmy Fallon ride was an e-ticket...he was the narrator for the dinosaur safari gyroscope ride. Which was an e-ticket for sure.
Life imitates art?
Hollywood Studios would be wise to take a cue from Universal for any future Streets of America type things they ever would wish to build.
As for Jaws going Sharknado? That'd be jumping the shark.
I don't watch Jimmy Fallon but I'm still interested to experience this.
Can you compare it to a roller coaster where your feet dangle? NO WAY!
Can you compare it to full immersion? NO WAY, just look up or to the sides and the screen ends.
Can you notice the CGI? OH YEAH!
Is it the same ride system as Jimmy Fallon? NOT AT ALL!
Is USF PR spinning it and asking for loyalists to reinforce 'it's just like Soarin!' YES, but can you blame them? NOT AT ALL!
This building is very small and Universal managed to make is quite a substantial attraction with the whole experience. The whole thing with getting a ticket for the show, visiting the "museum", interactive games and live performances are as integral to the experience as the ride itself. The exterior is a great fit to the New York area and they even created a event space and bigger restrooms. The merchandising is unique to the ride and NBC. I'm impressed.
Too many screens - just horrendous.
The queue area is fantastic and I believe (based on my personal experience) that the attraction accomplishes what it was designed to do for NBC Comcast - generate interest in The Tonight Show. Prior to visiting the attraction, I had never seen the show nor had any interest in watching the show. I knew of Jimmy Fallon but that's about it. As a matter of fact, I thought that the whole idea of a Jimmy Fallon ride was bizarre when I first heard it announced. By the time I got out of the attraction, I had a newfound interest in Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show.
I think it makes a great addition to the park - children and adults will equally love the attraction. But as much as I enjoyed the ride, I just couldn't help having that "another simulator" thought in the back of my mind.
Would you prefer a slow-paced show with "audio animatronics" a la Disney? A tonight show recreation like Hall of Presidents? I wouldn't.
Also keep in mind that USF had a very limited space here. What they have done with that space is fantastic considering the facade upgrade to New York, the queue, the ride experience, the store, and the merchandise.
The new King Kong animatronic proves that Universal Creative still excels at that technology as well. Knowing when to use it is key. If the action is too great, or the realism would be in question (like doing humans), they generally make good choices.
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