Recently, I had the opportunity to explore Universal Studios Florida with my good friend, Hannah:
While at Universal, Hannah and I saw that a new ride was in "technical rehearsals" or what used to be known as "softly open." This ride was Jimmy Fallon: Race Through New York. Immediately, we decided to tough it out for an hour and wait in line for it. But was this new ride all it is hyped up to be? Well, maybe...
The Atmosphere: 10/10
You really couldn't improve the atmosphere this ride created. From the second you start to stand in line, it really feels like you're in NBC Studios in New York. They also have showcases dedicated to the different Tonight Show hosts throughout the years, which is pretty dang cool. Overall, they did a super good job "transporting guests to NYC."
The Que: 7/10
While it starts in a normal line, guests are given a colored card part way through and then told to sit in a lounge area before their color is "called" via the lights in the room turning that color, to ride the ride. While it's a fantastic idea do to not have to have a traditional line and replace it with a place where people can sit on lounge chairs, play interactive games, and listen to live music - it felt like, at least during tech rehearsals, that it took forever for our color to be "called." It's a good idea however, and hopefully it work better after the ride is open to the public consistently.
The Pre-Show: 10/10
Because if you have to have a safety video, it should at least be done in rap.
The Ride Itself: 8/10
I'm not going to lie - I was a bit disappointed when we first walked into the "motion simulator" and it just looked like a standard "moving theater," and I still believe Universal should have taken this opportunity to build something more competitive to Soarin' at Disney's Epcot: seats the lift so that you're "flying." Despite the outdated technology for a brand new ride however, the ride was definitely amusing, and you did feel as if you were actually racing Fallon around NYC and beyond (the premise of the ride). You even end up on the moon at one point, a weird but fun twist. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride as a whole. As for Hannah, it was probably her favorite ride in the park.
The Verdict:
Despite some kinks to work out in the queuing process and not-as-new technology as I had hoped, this ride is worth riding, however, if it's over a 75 minute wait and you're at only at the park for a day, it isn't an absolute must-do.
Race Through New York With Jimmy Fallon Opens April 6th, 2017 at Universal Studios Florida.
