While Universal Orlando resort has becomethego-to destination forHarry Potterfans with theWizarding World of Harry Potter—both the Hogsmeade section in Islands of Adventure and the wholly immersive Diagon Alley in Universal Studios—the creatives involved are continuing to expand their theme parks in interesting ways that aren’tPotterrelated. Last year they opened the thrillingSkull Island: Reign of Kongride to swell reception at the Islands of Adventure theme park, and now Universal Studios’ New York section has gotten a major upgrade in the form ofRace Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Last week, I was invited to get an early peek at the ride along with a group of other journalists, and to witness the grand opening. Located in the New York section of Universal Studios, whereTwister: Ride It Outused to be,Race Through New Yorkis a “flying theater” ride that not only takes audiences on a race through the Big Apple with Fallon, but also brings Fallon’sTonight Showstudio to Orlando in a tremendously engaging and dynamic queue.
So having ridden the ride twice and gotten a close look at the attraction from the key creative folks involved in making it become a reality, below I’ve provided a rundown of what I learned.
Technically, There Is No Line
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallonis important for Universal Studios Florida in that it’s the first ride of theirs that’s using the new Virtual Line system. DisneyWorld goers will find this somewhat familiar, but to ride the newFallonride you simply check in on the Virtual Line app and reserve a time to ride the attraction. The Virtual Line will provide you with up to eight different times, so there’s plenty of choice available, and if you don’t want to download an app you may also reserve a slot at the Virtual Kiosks in front of the attraction.
If this is a success, one imagines Universal will start instituting the Virtual Line for other rides. Some of the more popular attractions can carry wait times of over 90 minutes, so being told exactly when you get to ride the ride is a huge help.
The Queue Is Almost as Exciting as the Ride
Universal is all about focusing on narrative in every aspect of its attractions, and that includes the queue. The line forSkull Island: Reign of Kongliterally contracts and expands like a heartbeat, to increase the anticipation and terror for what lies ahead. And forRace Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, guests get an up close and personal look atThe Tonight Show.
It begins with the façade, which is a pretty excellent recreation of part of 30 Rock complete with theTonight Showsign as well as logos for NBC and Comcast. Yes, this rideisa perfect encapsulation of synergy between NBC and Universal, and no doubt the profit potential wasn’t lost on the higher-ups, but at heart the ride is a love letter toThe Tonight Showand New York.
As guests enter the building, they walk down a hallway lined with every NBC logo throughout the network’s history. This then opens up into a lobby that includes exhibits of sorts for every singleTonight Showhost:Steve Allen,Jack Paar,Johnny Carson,Jay Leno,Conan O’Brien, andJimmy Fallon—and yes, it’s weird to see Leno’s title card read “1992-2009, 2010-14”.
Each exhibit includes some memorabilia from that host’s show, a working TV in the style of television that was available during that host’s run, and a placard that has a bit of a rundown of that host’s place inTonight Showhistory. Obviously the Conan/Leno ordeal is glossed over, but it was certainly nice to see O’Brien get his due—and there’s even a little Triumph the Insult Comic Dog prop!
The line is broken up into a few different stages before you get on the ride, but each stage is legitimately interesting/engaging so you don’t feel like you’re waiting in line. When you first enter the lobby, you’re given a card of a certain color. When the NBC logo in the room changes to that color, it’s your group’s turn to move to the next stage—but if you want to keep looking around, you also have the option of proceeding whenever you choose.
After the lobby, you head upstairs to the “Studio 6B Club”, which includes interactive games on tables fitted with replica guest couches fromThe Tonight Show, as well as a full stage area featuring live performances fromThe Ragtime GalsandHashtag the Panda. The Ragtime Gals perform medleys of everything from pop songs to rap hits, all in the style of the running gag onThe Tonight Show—and they’re good! The wall is also lined with TV screens showing clips from Fallon’sTonight Show, so there’salwayssomething to watch, look at, or interact with. Again, the idea is you’re not just standing around waiting to ride the ride, you’re doing something at all times.
The next stage is the pre-ride area, where you view the safety video. The video was recorded in Fallon’sTonight Showstudio, and this is where you learn that having The Roots as yourTonight Showband comes in handy—Tariq raps the safety instructions.
Everything about this ride is meant to be entertaining, and the queue area executes this perfectly. It’s a great balance between serving as a tribute toThe Tonight Show’s legacy and promoting/celebrating Fallon’s iteration of the show, and it really does make the line feel like nothing of a line at all.
The Ride Is a Fun Romp Through the Big Apple (and Beyond)
As for the ride itself, it’s set up like a giantTonight Showaudience as everyone sits down in a “flying theater” that seats up to 72 audience members. You’re facing a giant curved screen, and when the ride begins, the 3D video plays while the audience’s seats move as one big object to mimic racing Jimmy through New York as you see hot spots like the subway, the Statue of Liberty, and the moon (yes, the real moon). 4D effects like wind and water serve to further immerse the audience into the ride, and in this way it’s akin to the theme park’s massively popularMinion Mayhemattraction.
Indeed,Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallonis more of a family attraction than some of the park’s more thrilling fare likeRevenge of The MummyorSkull Island. It’s fairly tame from a rider perspective, so if you’re looking for something that’s really gonna shake you, you’ll have to stick with some of the more thrill-based attractions.
But in keeping with the entire theme of the ride,Race Through New Yorkis indeed entertaining. That’s really the theme of Fallon’sTonight Showin general, and in that regard the ride certainly succeeds. It’s not scary and it’s not gonna make your heart rate jump, butRace Through New Yorkis silly and fun, which makes it a welcome change of pace that only diversifies what Universal has to offer.
Closing Thoughts
Universal Studios has worked to solidify itself as a thrill-ride-based theme park over the years, and it’s certainly succeeded in that regard. ButRace Through New Yorkis a fun addition to the ride ensemble, and will no doubt be a favorite of those who favor something a bit more tame thanHollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Moreover, for late night TV fans like myself, the ride’s focus on theTonight Show’s legacy is a pleasant surprise, offering up a queue that’s as much of an appeal as the ride itself.
Looking ahead, Universal’s about to open it’s third major theme park, the water-basedVolcano Bay, and one imagines it’s only a matter of time before they announce anotherHarry Potterexpansion. But it’s nice to seeRace Through New Yorkrevitalizing the New York section of the Universal Studios park a bit, and withFast & Furious: Superchargedopening next year not too far away, Universal Studios is filling this area out rather nicely.
So whether you’re a Jimmy Fallon fan or not,Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallonis an undoubtedly entertaining attraction when taken as a whole, and one well worth enjoying with the entire family.
