Revenge of the Mummy is back at Universal Studios Florida, and evil curses never looked so good.
The indoor roller coaster has returned from its long refurbishment and is now operating in "technical rehearsals" in advance of its official reopening at an unspecified date. But if Universal is fine-tuning the ride during this soft opening, it looked to me like they've pretty much already done the job. This Mummy pops with fire, lights, and special effects - all crafted to make you scream like a poor soul on their way to eternal damnation.
Unique among the three installations of Mummy at Universal Parks around the world, Universal Orlando's Mummy leans into its setting inside a faux movie studio. Step through the Paradise Theater facade, and you have entered the background holding area for Stephen Sommers' new "Revenge of the Mummy" film, starring Brendan Fraser. You and everyone else in the long audition queue are being prepared to work as extras in a mine-train scene from the film, where you will be cast to scream and cry and everything goes horribly wrong.
It's a fun conceit - one with a conundrum for you to ponder. Are these fire and light effects simply creations by Sommers' crew to elicit the extreme reactions they want from you extras on the film? Or are the rumors true, and Sommers' production has revived the spirit of Imhotep, who now has cursed this set and is using it to claim your souls to fuel his return to power?
Ultimately, it doesn't matter. Revenge of the Mummy will have guests screaming, either way.
The Premier Rides indoor launch coaster now seems to have smoother braking throughout, helping to make this a more enjoyable ride. Because the Mummy's curse is enough - you don't need to be adding your own curses whenever your train hits a rough brake.
I won't say more about the narrative of the ride, though. Yes, it's been open since 2004 [that link is our original review and coverage of the opening ceremony], but just in case you have not experienced this attraction yet, there's a moment within that is greatly enhanced by not knowing what it is. So I won't say. (And don't watch the POV video, either.)
But that scene, and all others on Revenge of the Mummy, looked great on my ride today. Universal Orlando has perhaps the industry's deepest line-up of attractions that blend world-class thrills with world-class storytelling. Plenty of coasters offer half-baked theming with backstories that most riders ultimately miss. And a few other parks offer great narrative attractions with only a modest nod at body-shaking thrills.
Revenge of the Mummy does not hold back on either. As such, it set the stage for a new generation of immersive thrill rides at Universal Orlando, including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and the latest, Jurassic World VelociCoaster. With this refurbishment, Revenge of the Mummy looks even better in their company.
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I recall how it was a rough ride for me back in 2012 and the darkness not helping but still a wild attraction and great how well it moves and operates.
great to see it back in action and pretty much left intact. all of the queue videos and the infamous coffee scene have been given a nice and much needed refresh. i was a bit disappointed on the scarab scene as i didn't think it was much of an improvement but overall, the braking and ride experience are much improved. however, the biggest improvement of all was left for imhotep himself. and i agree, it does seem to move slower through the scenes but i felt that helped with the pace and making sure everyone was able to catch all of the visuals. great job and very glad they didn't end up with some very controversial complete re-do!
I’ve always preferred the conceit of USF’s version, which allows for one of the best false endings on any theme park attraction. Now if someone could just get my coffee!!
When a theme park operator makes the decision to shut down a gate crasher to tighten bolts and change lightbulbs they should be loudly lauded ... Well done Universal Creative.
My family and I love Universal Studios Florida, we go every year just for certain rides and the Mummy is one of them. Sadly we were just there in July and the Mummy was closed, but we did get to enjoy other rides. If you haven't been to Universal, you should definitely go and I promise, you would not regret it.
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I went on it a few days ago and I like all the smaller additions they added to the attraction. Animatronics were fluid and all the effects were working quite well. I did notice that it was running slower than normal, but because of that it was a much smoother and more comfortable experience. I'm not sure if that was on purpose or if they were still working out the kinks with the technical rehearsals but, at least for me, I hope it returns to its original speed. I really enjoy the "whippyness" and the laterals it has to offer.
Overall, it's good to have it back. Also, for a premier coaster, its hourly capacity is insane. The line moves so quickly.