The Original Jaws

[Melanie1001]

Hi! I was just wondering if anyone else on this board actually got to ride Jaws in its original format, and how you would rate it in comparison to the current one. Also, how long did the original run before they had to basically yank it out and start over? (the original is the one where Jaws got blown up at the end, not fried like he does now, in case y'all didn't know...)


Thanks, I'd love to hear opinions...

My own opinion is that the original was mostly better though some of the effects work better now....


:pinkbounc

[nhrenee]

Bump, this is a good question I'd like to hear about it too.

[Mouser]

I never saw it but I did hear about it..it was a troublesome ride for them all along.....I had a friend who's parents live in Jacksonville and go to WDW and Universal often...They went to Universal when it first opened and rode Jaws when it was new....Jaws is now NOT their favorite ride!!! On this older ride version, something went a little wrong..the boat jumped its track and sunk almost immediately...They were all suddenly in 3-4 feet of water in the middle of the lagoon. I know they were scared to death they would be electrocuted or something from the ride effects and it took them a bit to get them out as they did not want them walking around in the water due to the cables and ride effects under water....No injuries except some wet clothing and sneakers, some ruined cameras which I heard Universal paid for ..that was about it...:)

[JuviRex11]

Now THATS a ride!

[FlameBoyUK]

I remember starting a thread on this very topic a year ago myself. I first visited USF about nine months after it opened and the ride was down. I was seriously disappointed (I was sixteen or so at the time) as it was the ride I'd had most been looking forward to.

I heard that the original was a bit more experimental with its technical wizardry - that there was lightning crackling during the finale, the ride vehicle itself took more of a pasting and that the shark exploded (or at least appeared to!) during the ride climax.

I think this one is becoming an urban legend now, though!

Personally I'd love to see a book written on the history of the parks - from the original concepts for the two parks through the opening rides, problems encountered, rides revamped, rides lost (Ghostbusters, anyone?) but I suppose it would have a limited appeal.... but of course Jaws could be a focal chapter!

Leeee

[Melanie1001]

I consider myself very lucky, I got to ride the original ride twice, with no problems at all. I'd have to say it was more exciting really. And yes Jaws appeared to explode at the end--the captain of the vessel would fire a grenade type thing at the shark, he would go under the boat and then BOOM, water and fake blood would explode beside the boat! Very cool I thought. The best part by far though was when Jaws appeared to grab hold of the pontoon boat on one side and rock the boat and turn it around! That was a lot of fun...its a pity it had to be changed so drastically. I wish they could take the best parts of both versions to create the perfect ride...

Does anyone by chance have pictures or video of the original? I'd love to see that posted on here...

[chris mcfly]

I also heard that there was mickey mouse ears floating in the debris of the sinking boat on the original version..

Is this true, or is this just becoming an urban legend also?

While im on the subject, anyone know the other location where you can find mouse ears in a not-so-nice spot on Universal property?

[Spaceman Spiff]

I think Universal Studios Hollywood Jurassic Park River Adventure has/had floating Mickey Ears.

[Notatourist]

Yes on the ears in the original Jaws and the other place is Twister...

[Seahag]

Where or when in twister ?? I would love to see them when we go in November !:earsboy: LOL

[WebmasterBarry]

The mouse ears are in the spinning tire of the car that crashed through the roof.

[Melanie1001]

I definitely gotta remember to look for that during my trip there in December...Thanks!

[Notatourist]

The trivia question is what kind of car are the mouse ears on...

[Seahag]

Thanks so much !! I can't wait to look for those !
I believe the car(ahem) is a GMC or Chevy truck >>am I close ??

[Notatourist]

Chevy, I think NOT!

[Figaro30]

We went to Univ. Stud. in '95 and again in '98. We went on Jaws both times. However when going on the 2nd time I had remembered it to be very scary and turbulent towards the end....yet this time it wasn't that scary or turbulent. Could we have perhaps seen the original version of this ride and not have known that they changed it drastically? Or was it just the same version both times.

[Seahag]

OH HEY ! lol
it was just a guess !!! I seem to remember it being a truck though, is my memory playing tricks on me ??

[Notatourist]

Not a truck and NOT a Chevy....

[Melanie1001]

That may have been the original...that was probably about the right time for that...and I agree I think the ride used to be a good bit more intense...its still a fun one tho

[johare]

Wouldn't the timeframe for the Original Jaws be sometime around summer of 1990 when the park first opened? I thought that it worked for a little while then before they closed it for redesign.

[Notatourist]

All sharks worked for one day to my memory-then they stopped working one by one-

It's not near the same ride it was-sadly, but it's still a fun one.