With news that the legendary but undeniably rubbish JAWS! ride is to close at Universal Studios Orlando, speculation has been rife as to its replacement. But Universal have now confirmed that The Boy Who Lived will take the shark’s place.
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER, which opened in June 2010, is situated in Universal Studio’s adjacent theme park, Islands of Adventure. Since then, visitor numbers have been in the latter’s favour, so it makes sense to expand the most popular attraction into Universal Studios too. But how? Fans are guessing it will be The Hogwarts Express, taking visitors from one park to the other, arriving in Hogsmeade (the astonishing replica used as the entrance). Only Professor Trelawney could know for sure.
The JAWS! Ride is truly iconic, but has long since been causing more laughs and/or sighs than screams, so this is a long time coming. But, according to the Universal Studios Orlando Facebook page, the legacy will continue:
“We know you love JAWS! and we do too. It has been an amazing attraction and after terrorizing the waters of Amity here at Universal Orlando for 20 years, it’s a VERY important part of our history. So, we’ve got a couple things planned to ensure we always remember and honor it.”
They’re pretty good at that. When THE SIMPSONS Ride replaced the BACK TO THE FUTURE Ride in 2008, part of the story of that attraction was Krusty buying the Institute for Future Technology from Doc Brown, voiced by Christopher Lloyd, as seen in a pre-ride video. So a sense of the original attraction will live on.
The JAWS! ride will close in January, ready for Harry Potter to aparate in its place.
Rumours that they will build an entire gallery dedicated to Emma Watson are, alas, fictional.
source: JOBLO.COM UNIVERSALSTUDIOS.COM
Asm
Sep 20, 2014 at 1:35 am
The jaws ride wasn’t rubbish! Universal is destroying their legacy.