Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Review
You can now fulfill your lifelong dream of riding a roller coaster while listening to Darude - Sandstorm
Do you know how Rip Ride Rickit came into existence?
Islands of Adventure launched in 1999 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Everyone loved rides like The Incredible Hulk, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, and the now-defunct Dueling Dragons (RIP). This made big brother Universal Studios a bit sad. Islands was getting all the amazing reviews and the new, cutting-edge attractions. Universal Studios needed some love too! That’s how plans for a mega coaster started, and Rip Ride Rockit made its debut in 2009 near the entrance to the park.
So, should Islands of Adventure now be jealous of Universal Studios? Not really. It's not because Islands lacks rides - it certainly doesn’t - but Rip Ride Rockit is just an okay coaster. Should you try this ride at least once? Sure! It’s still fun, and there are certainly guests who love it. However, Rip Ride Rockit has its share of problems, which brings it down a notch compared to other options in Universal like the VelociCoaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and even Revenge of the Mummy.
The Good
This is a beautiful and stylish roller coaster that you can see as soon as you step inside Universal Studios. The red tracks look especially stunning at night, illuminated by numerous LED lights, with the vehicle moving like a comet through the sky. Rip Ride Rockit is large and imposing, and clearly designed with enthusiasts in mind.
You can also easily notice that there are a few features in this coaster that make it different from the rest, such as the vertical lift that brings guests to the first main drop right after leaving the station. Yes, this ride literally goes up at a 90-degree angle, pressing you against your seat in a very unusual experience for a roller coaster.
Of course, we need to talk about the main gimmick of this coaster: the small, iPod-like panel on each seat that lets you choose a song to play during the entire ride. Each seat comes with its own set of speakers, so before leaving the station, you can select from different genres and artists to have background music playing while you go through loops and corkscrews.
The song selection used to be extensive, but unfortunately, in 2024, you can only choose from five. They are:
- Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
- Waterloo by Abba
- Man! I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
- Humble by Kendrick Lamar
- Sandstorm by Darude
The seat itself is also rather unusual for a coaster, as it’s essentially an arm that hugs you across your stomach, leaving your shoulders and arms mostly free. This is great for guests who love to throw their arms in the air during drops and loops, but it also comes with a few disadvantages that we will discuss shortly.
The Bad
I have to say that most of the gimmicks implemented by Rip Ride Rockit don’t work very well. Even the vertical chain lift isn’t comfortable for most guests. You feel squeezed into your seat, and some guests even report feeling their blood pressure drop and experiencing headaches. At least the chain lift is quick and brings you to the main drop fast.
The songs are cool, but it is disappointing to know that, when it launched, Rip Ride Rockit featured dozens of songs to choose from. Now there are only… five? The song choices, speakers, and the idea of music being a major part of this coaster were significant parts of the marketing campaign, so it’s disappointing to see that, in 2024, there are only five songs to pick from.
Even the track layout isn’t very impressive, if I am being completely honest. There is zero air-time in Rip Ride Rockit, which is a shame. This coaster feels very stuck in the 90s, with multiple corkscrews and sharp turns. There are also a total of five brakes in the coaster, which seem to just stop the fun, slow you down, and reset the entire ride to a new starting point.
The seat itself also contributes to a sense of jankiness that is rare to see in modern roller coasters. Remember, the lap-bar only hugs your stomach, leaving your shoulders free. While this gives you more freedom with your arms, it also means there are no restraints or support for your head. Considering the many sharp turns in this ride, there's a good chance your head will bounce around like a pinball.
Yeah, I’m not the hugest fan of Rip Ride Rockit. I also don’t think most guests are happy with it. There have been huge rumors lately that Universal plans to close down this ride and replace it with something else. We shall wait and see.
Will Kids enjoy it?
Maybe. This ride is more intense than any indoor roller coaster in Universal Orlando and Disney World, including Hollywood Studios Rock N’ Roller Coaster. There are multiple loops and corkscrews as well. You should definitely bring your kids to coasters that aren’t as intense before coming here, like Revenge of the Mummy and Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom.
