The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure has been completely refreshed and is now open for guests! We've witnessed the entire track being replaced piece by piece, the queue building get new paint, signage, and storyline, the whole area receiving beautiful nighttime lighting effects, and a gorgeous new entrance created with a realistic full-size Hulk statue standing tall. But now we finally get to see what the queue looks like inside, how the launch tunnel has improved, and what the on-board music sounds like on the ride! It's wonderful to see such a classic attraction like the Hulk receive some much-needed TLC. I love the new area music around the Hulk courtyard, (hear it in the video below just after a minute in.) It has a military feel, and is very cinematic, perfectly punctuating the new area theming as a secret military base and scientific lab. Check out the video for your area update plus the images below of the updated ride, queue, and grand opening ceremony. Stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon!
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Incredible Hulk Coaster Construction Update: Roar Sounds Added and Nighttime Lighting Effects
The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure has been completely rebuilt from the ground up and it's looking like it's just about ready to re-open! Spectacular lighting effects and new roar sound effects have been added since my last visit, as well as some smaller details throughout the area. Everything looks truly incredible at night and I cannot wait to ride it with the new launch effects, sounds, and music! As I was leaving last night they were taking down the construction walls, so hopefully that means a soft opening is not too far away. See today's video and photographs below and stay tuned for more Hulk updates coming soon!
Incredible Hulk Coaster Construction Update: Walls Down, Statue Up, and Lockers Back
We're a few steps closer to the grand re-opening of the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure later this Summer. The brand new entrance and plaza are ready. Most of the work walls are now down throughout the area. A new life-size Hulk statue holding a piece of coaster train between two ripped pieces of track beckons you to enter. And the new locker station is complete, with a new system that utilizes your park ticket to reserve your free locker rather than your fingerprint which can be faulty at times (especially in the hot summer months). Other changes since my last update include some new safety nets, lots of nighttime lighting has been installed on the track supports, the lagoon is filled with water again, and the queue building looks nearly complete on the outside. Trains are now cycling empty for testing, so no more water dummies as far as I could tell. Check out the video as well as lots of images below and stay tuned for more theme park updates!
Mako Coaster Update – Soft Opening, Review, and Shark’s Reef Area Complete
Mako is currently in soft opening at SeaWorld Orlando and I got to ride it yesterday! It was incredible. The first drop and first turn are exhilarating and I won't lie, I was somewhat terrified for a few seconds. It's funny to me that a ride where you come up out of your seat so many times doesn't have shoulder restraints. I guess they want to really allow you to feel the air time. I rode a second time in the front row and it was even more incredible. After the first drop and turn it's a somewhat relaxing of a ride, even though I know we were traveling super fast because my ponytail was sticking straight out behind me the entire time! There's no loops or upside-down moments, so it's all about speed and air time. It's a fun ride and one I'll be riding every time I visit for sure. See the video for footage of the soft opening, my thoughts on the new coaster right after I rode it, check out some cool stuff in the gift shop and see all of the Shark's Reef area theming that is now complete. You can also see lots of images of the beautiful area theming below! And stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon.
Incredible Hulk Coaster: Ride Testing and Construction Update – With Video
I braved the crowds on a very busy Memorial Day weekend to get some pictures and video of vehicle testing as well as construction progress for the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure. The brand new coaster trains look incredible in person and I cannot wait to hear the on-board music while riding. (Learn more about the new trains here.) The "roar" of the trains has been dampened a little to make for a quieter Hulk Coaster. I've been told this was to make the area a little more bearable for people trying to hear each other talking, but also help you to be able to hear the new on-board music for the ride. But trust me, it still roars out of the launch tunnel! It looks like there's still a lot of work to be done to the queue building before the Hulk Coaster can re-open later this summer. The queue building is being extended as well. Check out the video and all the images below for more details!
Mako Coaster Construction Update – Ride Testing and Shipwreck Themed Area Comes Together
We're just a couple weeks away from the June 10th official grand opening of Mako, SeaWorld Orlando's new hypercoaster. Mako will be the fastest, tallest, longest coaster in Orlando, and I cannot wait to ride it! During this visit I got video of their continuous ride testing and some great images of the new Shark Wreck Reef area theming surrounding the ride and nearby attractions. The new paint scheme and underwater scenery is gorgeous, most notably the shipwreck set-piece directly underneath some of the Mako track along the pathway! See the video for footage of the ride testing, the new area shipwreck theming, footage from the Mako Rising special presentation, as well as a few other surprises (namely a strange "Flamingo Walk" event). You can also see lots of images of the new area theming below! And stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon.
Incredible Hulk Coaster Refurbishment Update – Electrical Work and Queue Paint – With Video
It looks like lots of electrical work is underway at The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Island's of Adventure. Electrical boxes have been installed on nearly every footer on the front-half of the coaster and conduit with cables are attached leading up each of the track supports. I'm not sure yet what these cables will lead to, but my best guess would be for exterior lighting. Perhaps just blinking red lights for height markers, or maybe something more elaborate and interesting looking for a spectacular view of the coaster at night. We'll see as construction continues. It looks like the launch tunnel has been completely re-painted. the exterior of the queue building has been painted white and themed elements are being added now. Other small things like the outside brake elements on the track as well as the evacuation stairs on the braking station have been added. Check out the video and screenshots below and stay tuned for more continuous updates!
Cobra’s Curse Spinning Coaster: Construction Update and Elevator Lift Testing – With Video
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay's brand new Spin Coaster, Cobra's Curse, is opening this Summer. I was able to get some video over the weekend showing off the completed track, the innovative vertical lift being tested, and a sample spinning car they have on display, plus a few shots of some cuddly, (and some not-so-cuddly) animals. Cobra's Curse is being touted as a "family coaster," but boasts some incredible features including a vertical elevator lift that takes riders up 80 feet to start the ride from the top, speeds up to 40 mph, and several key points in the ride where your car turns backwards, forwards, and even freely spins during the three and a half minute journey. Check out the video below, along with concept art, coaster specs, and construction snapshots. And stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon!
Incredible Hulk Coaster Refurbishment Update – Queue Work Continues – With Video
Now that every piece of track has been replaced for The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Island's of Adventure, all attention has shifted to redecorating the queue, launch tunnel, and surrounding area. The launch tunnel is almost entirely repainted now and more black accents are being added. Soon there won't be any purple left around the attraction. Scaffolding has been put up all around the queue building as work continues there. I assume work is being done inside the queue as well as in the launch tunnel as they upgrade the launch system. Hopefully the newly refreshed ride will roar back to life soon. The park just isn't the same without the sound of the Hulk trains in the background. Rumors have the Hulk Coaster re-opening by June 10th. Fingers crossed that it opens before the summer busy season kicks into high gear. Check out the video and photo update below!
Mako Coaster Construction Update – Full Track and New Area Theming – With Video
The Mako hyper coaster track's full circuit is complete at SeaWorld Orlando, but they're not quite ready to open this new attraction just yet. UPDATE: Mako is planned to open June 10th! The surrounding area theming is starting to take shape. When complete the new "Shark's Realm" themed land will look like an underwater shipwreck and include the Shark Encounter attraction, Sharks Underwater Grill, and other area shops. For now, the area is named Shark Wreck Reef, but I think that sign might be temporary until the coaster is ready to open. When I was there today there were workers all the way up at the top of the lift hill, 200 feet up. Work is also being done on the track section over the main lagoon. And it's already listed on the park map, surfacing this Summer! Check out the video as well as snapshots below of the current progress. And stay tuned for more theme park updates coming soon!