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Back to the Future - USF - Closure?

Universal Orlando: Proposed closure of this ride!

From Gareth Hurford
Posted December 29, 2005 at 10:07 PM
I have news, from an insider, that BACK TO THE FUTURE at Universal Florida, is being closed, either to renovate & re-open, or to close and open another ride.

Apparently the ride is too violent and now well outdated!

Personally, I think this ride needs attention!
What do you think?


Comments in chronological order. Most recent at the bottom. Scroll down to respond.

From Pete Brecht
Posted December 30, 2005 at 6:44 AM
I just got back from USF, and Back to the Future was the only ride that I simply didn't care for at all. The story was hokey, and the ride itself made me queasy. Hopefully, they'll replace it with something completely different.

From Jessica Warburton
Posted December 30, 2005 at 6:55 AM
I completely agree, when you sit on the back row you can barely see anything and my head kept being forced bang into the wall behind me or to the side as i was unfortunate enough to sit on the outside. It needs to be updated!! Also there was a big mark on the screen which didnt help the ride either.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted December 30, 2005 at 10:04 AM
I am suprised that they would take this out! I think it is still one of the best attractions at Universal. It would be a big mistake to get rid of this ride.

From Jason Lester
Posted December 30, 2005 at 1:59 PM
I'm a bit confused by the word violent. Do you mean it's a rough ride that tosses you around or that the images are violent? Sorry, I'd just like a little clarificarion.

As for the ride leaving, I hope not. BTTF is a classic Universal staple ride.

From Danny Bernard
Posted December 30, 2005 at 7:28 PM
I belive they mean the ride itself not the images :) And the ride at least here in LA is still great. I couldn't imagine USH without it.

From Chris Walton
Posted December 30, 2005 at 7:39 PM
I highly doubt that BTTF would be closing so abruptly, if it were closing it would slowly be phased out. My assumption would be that it is closed for refurbishment.

From Gareth H
Posted December 31, 2005 at 12:02 PM
Apparently, news I hear from an insider is, that they are unsure what to do.
The attendance has dropped, because of the violent movement of the car, and because the story line is now a bit dated. It is a classic universal ride, but with figures released this year showing disney overtaking them they need to take steps desperately. Universal doesn't have the space that Disney has to expand, thats why they have to get rid of classic rides (Kong) and replace them with newer, crowd drawing rides (Mummy).

From Diana Weiss
Posted December 31, 2005 at 3:24 PM
It would be sad if it leaves because I am a huge fan of the Back to the Future trilogy. BUT it is very violent (bash your head and back against the seats and end up with wiplash!) and I try to avoid it. My husband can't ride this one for that reason. Our 8 year old son loves it and has seen the movies. Keep us posted as I will not return until mid-March and would love to ride one last time!!

From Chris Walton
Posted January 1, 2006 at 12:41 PM
I was actually surprised that this did not go before King Kong. As much as I would hate to see BTTF go, I believe I could accept the loss with the hope for a contemporary state-of-the-art attraction. Back to the Future IS a great ride and a great film franchise, but I feel it is time to retire this attraction for multiple reasons to include age, mechanical soundness (too shakey), and lack of emphasis/interest by NBC-Universal to improve or effectively publicize this attraction.

From Eric Malone
Posted January 1, 2006 at 4:02 PM
Last I heard, it was being closed for renovations. Hopefully for the better. ;)

From Matt Rogers
Posted January 2, 2006 at 4:34 PM
BTTF should not go. I ould see it being updated a little bit but I do not thin that it is going anywhere until 2015.

From Chris Walton
Posted January 4, 2006 at 8:31 AM
I believe that BTTF is most likely under maintenance at the moment, but I don't see the ride surviving more than 2-5 more years.

From Jason Moore
Posted January 5, 2006 at 7:39 AM
While I personally would love to see it get a creative update that would make it fresh and exciting way of experiencing the same franchise, I don't think that's ever gonna happen. It would most likely not be a big enough draw. Which means that the only other option is to replace it completely with something that will be a big draw. The ride as it currently is needs way too much work.

I do think though that currently they need to concentrate on updates at IOA first. The studios have gotten several new and improved attractions in recent years, so I think BTTF is moderately safe until they finish a couple of things next door.

From Gareth H
Posted January 5, 2006 at 10:55 AM
As far as IOA goes, there is a new ride planned. Where the dinosaur encounter was, they are looking to add a coaster, although I can't see how they will find the additional space. There is of course, the opening of Silvester McBeans unusual driving Machines (Or whatever its called) in Seuss Landing. You'll notice that the cars that were running on it stopped a few months ago, which swiftly followed by all openings to the ride being borded up. As we all know they paid millions for this ride, which quickly got turned into one fo the most expensive decorations on theme park history due to problems.
So that would make 2 "new" rides at IOA in the next couple of years.
Also, currently Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw falls is currently under seasonal maintenance, with the surrounding area being borded up. Hopefully they are going to improve the safety of this ride, ready for spring.

From Jay Diaz
Posted March 4, 2006 at 8:55 PM
My cousin works at USF and from what he knows the BTTF ride is going to go under some major refurbishment. There have been too many breakdowns and it need major updating or adjustments. it will be phased out over the next 2-5 yrs, they are not sure what to put in that space right now.

From Gabriel Perez
Posted March 22, 2006 at 6:53 PM
I hope they upgrade it or something they got massive space in between bttf and mib will dey do sometihn there and are they ever gona tear down the earthquake building?and do something else in twister(crappy show)

From Gareth H
Posted March 23, 2006 at 8:57 AM
Twister is still a farely high capacity ride. 3 "shows", 5 shows per hour?? Same on Earthquake.
If they get rid of them (Still popular) then they need something substantial to fill their places!!

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 14, 2006 at 7:35 PM
I would be very sad if they got rid of this ride. I do, however, think they could vary the story line and maybe with renovations make it so it doesn't jerk you around as much.

From Gareth H
Posted October 19, 2006 at 2:57 PM
So as we all know its now closing, anybody know the exact date and also the date of the PassHolder "farewell" party?

From Erik Yates
Posted October 19, 2006 at 4:33 PM
There is no exact date. It is going to be open....a little....for HHN as part of the queue is going to be used for Pyscopath. There is also rumor of having it open until the end of HHN, and then again there's rumors of it staying open til the end of the year.
I know for a fact that half of it is already tore down (thank god for IOACentral Radio) and that CM's are being scheduled on a weekly basis, and they spend most of their time at other attractions. When it happens it could be at a moments notice. Also, there will be no passholder party...half the ride is already gone.

From Gareth H
Posted October 21, 2006 at 3:56 PM
They've got to have a party! Its too much of a classic not too!

From Chris Walton
Posted October 21, 2006 at 4:21 PM
Yes, BTTF is too great of an attraction to go out without a passholder party! I hope that they hold out until November to close so I can get one more ride in. BTTF has blessed me with so many childhood memories and will truely be missed.

From Diana Weiss
Posted October 22, 2006 at 12:05 PM
So did anyone get to go the final day? I was one day too late to ride it one last time:( Has anyone gone since then? Just curious...

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 22, 2006 at 3:17 PM
Has it closed already? I'm going this Thursday and Friday and hoped to go on it one last time.

From Erik Yates
Posted October 22, 2006 at 3:25 PM
It was open today...with a 75 minute wait.

From Diana Weiss
Posted October 22, 2006 at 4:34 PM
What? I thought it was going to close Oct. first! I'm so confused........................

From Erik Yates
Posted October 22, 2006 at 6:13 PM
The first turned into the 15th, which turned into Nov. 1st. We'll see if they even do that.

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 23, 2006 at 11:43 AM
interesting. I hope there's no 75 minute wait. Is there anything posted saying it's closing?

From Erik Yates
Posted October 23, 2006 at 3:27 PM
Universal acknowledges they are closing Back to the Future, thats all you get from them.
My vote goes for November 5th, at 10:04 p.m.

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 23, 2006 at 6:44 PM
Now that would be the ideal time to do it.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted October 23, 2006 at 8:19 PM
Why the 5th and did they confirm the replacement?

From Matthew R-C
Posted October 24, 2006 at 7:25 AM
I'll be there in mid-November. Any chance it'll still be open? I sure as hell hope so, it was one of my favorite rides the last time I was at Universal, which was over 12 years ago.

From steve lee
Posted October 24, 2006 at 9:34 AM
Anthony, shame on you for not getting the relevance of the 11/5 date. Don't you know that that was the night of that awful storm that caused the clock tower to stop working?

Major props for that geek reference, Erik.

I guess I'll have to ride it one last time on Sunday, assuming it's still open.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted October 24, 2006 at 1:00 PM
God a really dropped the ball on that one!!!


That would be a great marketing ploy if they did it that way.


In fact! Thats genius!

OK, I think the new leaders of Universal and Disney World should be us! I think we might be able to do a good job!!!

From Greg Shilton
Posted October 24, 2006 at 1:56 PM
Of course we would. We're are the people that go to the parks, and know what the people want...well...because we ARE the people that want.

Ok, I'll start by pitching in $2.

From Erik Yates
Posted October 24, 2006 at 4:01 PM
Matthew, no one knows when it will close. The CM's are on a week to week basis, but I'll make sure they hold it open just for you.

From steve lee
Posted October 24, 2006 at 5:11 PM
Erik, is the attraction open during Halloween Horror Nights, or is it just during the day? I'd definitely prefer to hit it when I have the HHN express pass as opposed to facing a long, long wait.

From Chris Walton
Posted October 24, 2006 at 6:50 PM
It should close November 12th at 10:04 pm, remember November 12,1955, the day lightning struck the clock tower...

November 5th was the day Marty arrived in 1955 Hill Valley...

I'm a dork.

From Rebecca Collazo
Posted October 24, 2006 at 8:16 PM
Well I love BTTF, but I have to admit that its time is up. The image quality of the projection is too 1980s, but the worst part is THE VIOLENCE. I always rode on the front, but the last time I sat on the back and repeatedly bumped the crap out of my head. I really want to see something new, but I jut hope they are fair enough not to build a coaster ride there. Not everyone has the guts to go on something crazy like The Mummy (I did it once and never tried again) A really nice 3D simulator like SpiderMan would be cool without being dorky IMAO.

From Diana Weiss
Posted October 25, 2006 at 6:50 AM
Wow, that is too bad. I didn't go to Universal last trip (First week of Oct) because I thought it was closed. Had I known, I would have had one last chance to ride it. :(

From Erik Yates
Posted October 25, 2006 at 2:16 PM
Steve....It is closed during HHN as the queue line is used for Pyschopath.
And Chris, its November 5th at 10:04 for two reasons. Marty went back in time, AND Doc invented the Flux Capacitor after falling off a toilet during a time experiment. WHAT THE HELL IS A JIGOWATT!
I dont think it will be a coaster, as all signs point to another simulator. And how is that not fair??? There is only one coaster at USF, and two at IOA. You disney people...jeez "IOA is nothing but coasters"

And here is something else to wrap your brain around. Earthquake has the preshow disassembled right now. You go right into the ride. Not only that but ALL the pictures are taken down.

From Chris Walton
Posted October 25, 2006 at 4:03 PM
I'm very much aware of the invention of the flux capacitor on that date Erik, Doc fell off the toilet seat while hanging a clock... I'm still for the 12th at 10:04.

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 25, 2006 at 5:36 PM
The key on BTTF for your head (and back) if you end up in the back is to sit on one of the ends. If you are in the middle, that stinks.

From Matthew R-C
Posted October 26, 2006 at 9:54 AM
Thanks Erik, much obliged. Could you also let the Disney people know that I'd like Body Wars reopened for my visit, and if they could rebuild Horizons within the next couple of weeks, that would just be super.

From Erik Yates
Posted October 26, 2006 at 1:44 PM
I'll get right on that. But mickey, he gets cranky when he gets bossed around...and when mickey gets cranky thats when kneecaps get busted...C-ya real soon.
And while I'm at it I'll pull Kongfrontation from my rectal file. :)

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 26, 2006 at 6:16 PM
Went to Universal today. Ride is still open.

From Mark Walker
Posted October 27, 2006 at 5:44 AM
Damn shame, all they needed to do was update it.

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 27, 2006 at 3:06 PM
I went back today. Evidently the contract for the ride is up. He said he heard rumors about the new ride but couldn't say, but when I mentioned Fast and the Furious he pretty much said that is the rumor he heard too.

From Anthony Murphy
Posted October 27, 2006 at 4:35 PM
Fast and the Furious? That movie is going to be forgotten in about five years!

From Rick Ferris
Posted October 27, 2006 at 6:56 PM
I agree. He did say it was a rumor that he'd heard so I wouldn't take it as gospel. I've never even seen any of the movies. Back to the Future to me is a movie that transcends time (no pun intended). My Godson (who is almost 5) and his older brother who is 6 are fanatics about the movie and the ride. What I think they should do is maybe renovate the ride and change the story around (I think the same could be done to other similiar style rides).

From Gareth H
Posted June 6, 2008 at 4:30 AM
Aah, look at that. I was spot on with that one, about it being closed.

Shame the closing didn't turn out the way we all hoped (Date & Time etc)

Simpsons was definatley a great ride to replace it, much smoother and fun!

From steve lee
Posted June 6, 2008 at 2:15 PM
Nice job busting out your own personal time machine and resurrecting this...

And I agree. Simpsons is a very solid attraction. Definitely an upgrade.

From Gareth H
Posted June 7, 2008 at 7:25 AM
LOL, yeah, I googled myself and it came up, so I had to go Back to the Future!

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