Spiderman Spoilers Wanted! (Need to know intensity...)

[wookie_breath]

I'm going to be going to Universal in the near future, and although many years ago I used to love mild/moderate thrill rides (Back to the Future, Kongfrontation, Earthquake, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, Body Wars, Space Tours), since then I have developed an anxiety disorder that will probably force me to miss out on more rides than just the regular/large coasters and more intense rides that I had skipped on previous visits.

I am jealous, though, reading all of the posts and reviews in travel books that say that Spiderman is one the best rides there is. I'm a bit confused with just how much of a jolt this ride is. On the one hand, Fodor's says that its fine for everyone but the most easily sacred toddlers, and some posts here say that if you need to, you can close your eyes, because almost all of the effects are purely visual. On the other hand, I've read posts about the spins that take place, and about how some of the scoops have been designed to give more of a physical ride than others.

Can someone give me a sense of what happens in the ride? How does the shaking of the car compare to something like Back to the Future (assuming that that ride hasn't changed much in the past 8 years...), Body Wars, or Star Tours? How about those spins? And how does the ride make you feel like you are falling 400 feet? I'm guessing that that sensation is created with more than just a 3D image. Are there any actual drops at all?

Thanks in advance for any help that you can give me!

 

[Robinrs]

wookie:

I cannot tolerate the 'blender-like' shaking of Body Wars and Star Tours, and WILL NOT again, but I can ride Spiderman over and over.

The ride is much smoother than the aforementioned rides AND Back to the Future and I've ridden with children as young as 5 who had no problem with it at all.

It is, without a doubt, an EXPERIENCE not to be missed!

 

[popy]

I agree, I will not ride Body Wars or Star Tours again, but I
rode spiderman 3 time's. I could do with out the spin, but it
is not bad. I would not ride the coasters, but I am over 50
and have grew a little chicken. However, I liked the Spider Man.

 

[WebmasterBarry]

Here's a ride review I wrote on it a while ago.


SPOILER ALERT: This article gives away key scenes and the ending to the ride. You have been warned!

What exactly is the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride anyway?

That was the question I asked when I first heard about this ride. I read the descriptions and ride reviews on the Internet, I read the Wired article, and I saw the clips on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.” Even with all this information, I still had no idea of what this ride was. That is, until I rode it.

Most people walk into amusement parks with a sense of awe and wonder. As soon as they walk in, they sense a certain magic in the parks. This is how I felt when I first rode the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. At the end of the ride, I felt like dropping to my knees and say, “I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy!”

We should have such a reaction. After all, even Steven Spielberg, Universal’s Creative Consultant, said that the design team was five years ahead of its time. Other people said that it could not be done because it had never been done before. Fortunately for us, Universal’s Creative Department didn’t listen and created one fantastic ride.

What is the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride then? It’s best described as mix between a 3-D movie, a dark ride, and a simulator. As you progress through the ride, your car moves on a track. The track moves your car to different 3-D screens and your car moves in sync with the motion on the screen.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man starts you in the queue. You’re set to take a tour of the Daily Bugle. In the reception area, you view a large screen that gives you a background of the newspaper and a little bit about a new invention, the Scoop. This invention is a sleek vehicle that runs on treads. It allows reporters to move onto the scene and get the “scoop” on the big news story.

Next, you pass through a hallway and various front-page stories hang on the wall. Here, you can see some of the bad guys that you will meet later. You pass through Peter Parker’s darkroom, past the files, and into the newsroom. The newsroom is empty and phones ring unanswered. Overhead TV monitors report on the destruction and carnage left by the Sinister Syndicate – Dr. Octopus, Hobgoblin, Scream, Hydro-Man, and Electro. They’ve also stolen the Statue of Liberty. The TV monitors also introduce you to the characters and set up the ride.

The next room has a large screen and a model of the Scoop is in the center. J. Jonah Jameson is talking to us and he wants us to board the Scoop and get the news. What is our reward for doing this? A newspaper – not the Sunday edition, but a paper nonetheless! The video is interrupted by Dr. Octopus, who demands the surrender of the city or he will destroy the Statue of Liberty and the city. He shows off his latest invention, the Anti-Gravity Gun, which will inflict destruction upon the city. When the gun makes thing rise, the beam is green. When he wants to make floating things drop, the gun shoots a red beam.

The final room is the boarding room, where more TV monitors show you how to board the Scoop. This video is hilarious! Remember to grab your “night vision goggles” (or what we term in real life as 3-D glasses) and prepare to be seated into the vehicle.

The queue area is an adventure in itself, but wait until you see the ride. Your Scoop moves into the city and you see a shadow of Spider-Man swinging off a fire escape. Jameson comes on the Scoop’s radio and after he sees the Spider-Signal, he knows that headline-making news will be found tonight.

Spider-Man sits on a fire escape and then jumps onto the hood of our Scoop. Sure, it’s only a 3-D image, but it catches people by surprise. The Scoop even pitches forward while Spider-Man stands on it. He tells us that this night will be dangerous and for us to be careful. He even comments on our goggles – “Nice shades!” He shoots a web and swings off our Scoop. We turn and narrowly miss a garbage truck. We slam into a set of doors and we’ve accidentally entered the Sinister Syndicate’s secret hideout.

We sneak around the hideout. We see all of the Sinister Syndicate standing around the Statue of Liberty’s arm. Dr. Octopus shows off his Anti-Gravity gun and shoots the arm with a green beam. It levitates. The Syndicate does not notice us until Jameson comes on the radio. That catches the attention of the Syndicate! Oh-no, we’re in for a chase! The Scoop drives away, but Electro follows us and we can hear his footsteps from overhead. He grabs a huge electrical cable, sticks it in our face, and slams it into the hood of the Scoop. This is what a vibrating pager must feel like!

We pull away and Dr. Octopus and Scream are standing by a tank. Scream claws at us and shows off her teeth. Dr. Octopus shoos her out of the way and fires a green beam from the Anti-Gravity Gun twice at us. First, he hits the Statue of Liberty’s head and it levitates up (or so it used to – now it is permanently stuck to the roof). He then hits a wooden box and it flies up. We go down the sewer, turning around 360 degrees three times.

We pull up to a pipe in the sewer and Spider-Man drops down and stands on the pipe. He tells us to go back to the Bugle, but Hydro-Man appears behind him. Hydro-Man reaches for us, but Spider-Man punches him twice with no effect (what do you expect from punching water anyway?). Hydro-Man makes a fist, laughs, and knocks the pipe towards the Scoop. Spider-Man is able to jump away just before the pipe flies up.

The Scoop is knocked back and we turn around. We’re facing a brick wall now. You see something punching through the wall. Bricks fly towards us because Dr. Octopus has broken a hole in the wall. He comes walking out of the hole. He points one of his tentacles at us and at the end is a flame-thrower. He points the flame-thrower in our face. You feel like your Thanksgiving turkey roasting in the oven. The Scoop struggles to get away and finally does. Dr. Octopus is sent backwards and he is left holding our front bumper. Our Scoop struggle to drive up to street level.

The Scoop punches through a set of doors and we’re by the water. Hobgoblin flies in and tosses a pumpkin bomb at us. The bomb flies very close to out face, but Spider-Man shoots a web, pulls the bomb away from us, tosses it into the background, and it explodes. The Hobgoblin throws another one at us, but Spider-Man jumps onto the Hobgoblin’s flying vehicle and pulls him back. The Hobgoblin tosses the bomb anyway and it explodes under a bridge. A flame shoots out above us and you feel like a hamburger patty on a grill.

The Scoop turns around and we bump Spider-Man onto a theater marquee. Jameson comes on the radio again and whines about “my Scoop, my beautiful Scoop!” Dr. Octopus shoots at the marquee and it floats off the side of the building. Spider-Man and Dr. Octopus fight, Spider-Man is knocked away, and Dr. Octopus turns to us. He sticks the barrel of his Anti-Gravity Gun in our face and shoots us with a green beam. Fog envelopes us, the Scoop turns around, and we float higher and higher and higher up. Spider-Man chases after us and says, “Wait for me! You’re not insured for this!”

Spider-Man then tries to web us down, but the Hobgoblin appears and drags Spider-Man along of a wild ride. Since we’re still webbed to Spider-Man, we’re dragged along too. Scream appears and gets wrapped by the web. Hobgoblin is pulled off his flying vehicle and it crashes into the Scoop. We turn around and see Electro and Hydro-Man. They’re about to kick our butts when Spider-Man tumbles out of a window. Electro tries to shoot an electrical bolt at Spider-Man, but he misses and ends up vaporizing Hydro-Man. A billboard explodes and debris hits the Scoop.

We turn around and Dr. Octopus points his Anti-Gravity Gun at us. He shoots it and this time, we’re falling. Lean back – the manhole cover is getting bigger! Spider-Man grabs him and before we hit the street, Spider-Man tosses a web trampoline and we are saved from smashing into the pavement.

The Scoop drives off the trampoline and to the front of the police department, the Sinister Syndicate is all wrapped up in webbing and Spider-Man congratulates us. The Statue of Liberty is reassembled and helicopters are towing it back. One of Dr. Octopus’ tentacles pries itself loose from the webbing. Spider-Man shoots a web and the tentacle sticks to Hobgoblin’s face.

We move to the unload area where we heard a rocking rendition of the “Spider-Man” theme song. Spider-Man has left the Anti-Gravity Gun and it’s pointed directly at Jameson, who is floating around in his office. Then we exit. Don’t forget to read the big newspaper at the end. It’s funny! The hallway leads us to – surprise – the gift shop!

Did you have fun on the ride by reading this? Wait until you ride it. I haven’t seen a theme park ride that even comes close to the ride’s complexity, technology, or outright fun. The ride did have a habit of breaking down. Recent Scoop redesigns have made breakdowns a rarity. I’ve logged about 20 rides and I still am amazed at the ride. If you pay for a ticket and do nothing else but ride the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man once, you will get your money’s worth.

So stop reading this report and go out and ride the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man! You won’t be disappointed.

 

[wookie_breath]

Thanks for the information everyone. So there are no drops at all? And the climax would seem like nothing at all if you weren't looking at the 3D image?

 

[gothamknight777]

Hi, Wookie. I definitely understand your reservations. I've been deathly afraid of roller coasters since childhood. Like you, my biggest fear is being dropped. I hate that gut-pulling sensation. I rode Spider-Man w/ serious fear of being dropped like a rock.

After all was said and done, my wife and I ended up riding it 10 times in a row (15 times total in one day)!! Wookie, it is simply the greatest ride I've ever been on. A true godsend for those of us who can't fathom ever getting on a coaster. It's fast-paced, thrilling, visually stimulating, adrenaline-inducing...just downright fun! And it never gave me a case of stomach-lurch!

Unlike Back To The Future or Body Wars, the car actually moves on a track around the massive stage. So you are physically moving from one point to another around the building, at least horizontally. You do spin a few times too, but it was so much fun. There are several instances of vertical movement, but it is all optical illusion induced by the ingeniously designed props and 3D visuals. You do feel like you're going up and down, but again I never felt the dreaded stomach-lurch. Rather, I felt total exhiliration and downright glee!! I was like a kid again. The final "drop" is a total blast (remember I HATE drops) and leaves you feeling totally exhilirated!

Do yourself a favor and don't miss out on this ride, Wookie. You will love it. The queue in itself is worth the time!

We're heading back down in October and believe you me, I'll be riding Spidey another 15 times at least.

I hope you have a great time!

GK777

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

My little son is terrified of drops and he LOVED Spiderman. My wife gets motion sick on everything. She loved Spiderman. My teenager is bored on all but the baddddddddest roller coasters. He loved Spiderman. I love 'em all, and this is beyond any description that I could put on paper.

We voted it the greatest attraction ever built.

That last simulated drop? I expected to feel that stomach jolting feeling you get on ANY drop experience. What you get is the rush without that "churn" in your gut. The gain without the pain. I am still in awe of the experience. It is the first true "family" thrill ride because I bet anyone could ride the thing except very small infants who would be afraid of the noise, colors, etc.

On my second and third round I at times experimented with the experience and closed my eyes and turned my head away from the 3-d screen. The illusion is immediately destroyed and you remember that you are in a very slow moving car on a track ride. Then you turn back toward the screens and are immediately sucked back into the story. It's really like being part of a comic book story. You forget about the real world for the duration of the ride.

If you begin to feel anxious, then close your eyes or turn your head. My bet is that you won't have any urge to. There is no need to be afraid because at any time you can eliminate most of the effects and you completely regain control of your senses.

There are NO real drops. There is one full 360 spin when you are hit by some sort of weapon and a few unexpected quarter and half turns as the car moves between screens. The car itself moves very slowly and bucks and tilts gently with the effects. It's the effects and the 3-d glasses that make it so exciting. The last simulated drop is entirely an illusion but it feels sooooooooooo real. If you close your eyes you will NOT experience it. You wouldn't even know what happened except for the excited squeals of your "scoopmates"!

Enjoy the ride! We are going back in November and you can bet that we will be back helping Spidey again!