Universal Orlando extends Stardust Racers closure
Stardust Racers will not reopen this weekend, after all.
Universal Orlando Resort has extended the refurbishment for Epic Universe's Mack Rides racing coaster. Stardust Racers closed February 19 with plans to reopen March 15. However, the resort now has extended the closure through April 5.
Stardust Racers opened with Universal Epic Universe last spring. The Mack Rides coaster won immediate praise from fans, capturing the number-six spot worldwide in Theme Park Insider's annual coaster poll last year.
Yet tragedy happened on Stardust Racers in September, when a rider died on the coaster. Multiple investigations cleared the ride and its operators of any flaws or wrongdoing, and the coaster reopened the next month.
Unusual weather contributed to a valleying incident in January, prompting another extended closure to reposition the coaster's trains. And now, a planned three-week refurb has extended to six weeks.
When it runs, Stardust Racers has been a throughput workhorse in a park that needs more capacity. The ride's closure has put even more pressure on other attractions at Epic Universe, which offers just 11 rides. With spring break season now underway, expect even longer wait times at Universal Orlando's new theme park.
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WTH! Something in the milk ain’t clean here—we’re clearly beyond a routine maintenance closure. Talk about terrible timing. With spring break crowds ramping up, the continued closure is definitely going to sting.
Starting to think the rumor mill might have been onto something. A friend of mine who’s an engineer at the park actually foreshadowed this two months ago and told me to postpone my park trip in March and April.
Granted, the park is amazing, but I’ll be damned if I pay all that money, even at my passholder price, for the headliner (in my eyes) to be SBNO.