Summary
- Universal Orlando has filed a permit to remove the Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster by September 2025.
- The new attraction set to replace Rip Ride Rockit is unknown, but speculations include a Fast and Furious or Despicable Me theme.
- The Epic Universe theme park opens in May 2025, adding new immersive areas to the Universal Orlando Resort.
The Universal Orlando Resort has officially made its move to replace one of its most iconic roller coasters. Earlier this week, the Universal Resort filed a permit to remove the coaster, and an official closing date was announced following the permit reveal.
The Universal Orlando Resort currently consists of two major theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. The resort is adding a third theme park next May called Epic Universe, which will feature several new immersive areas, including attractions and experiences inspired by Super Nintendo World and the Universal Classic Monsters. Although the resort is focusing on the new park, changes are still coming to the other existing parks, including the iconic Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster, located in the New York area of Universal Studios. The coaster offers guests a unique experience, allowing riders to pick from a selection of songs which will play through individual speakers throughout the duration of the ride. The riders are recorded in their own “music video” as they shoot through the air, which they can watch back or purchase after riding.
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As reported by WESH 2 Orlando, Universal filed a permit to remove Rip Ride Rockit earlier this week and confirmed that the attraction will be closing in early September 2025. The filed permit includes language stating that the project will remove the existing attraction and replace it with a “proposed attraction,” although it is currently unknown what that might be. Rip Ride Rockit has been an icon for Universal Orlando since it opened in 2009. However, over the years, the ride has seen multiple shutdowns for technical errors and ride evacuations.
Iconic Rip Ride Rockit To Close Next Year
The ride itself is slightly controversial among theme park fans, with opinions pretty split on whether the attraction is still iconic or if it is past its prime. Last year, the attraction was down for several months for a period of refurbishment, surprising theme park fans with a significantly reduced musical selection upon its reopening, with each offered genre of music dropping from five songs to one. Doubts about the ride’s future have been circulating for some years, and it seems as though rumors have finally been confirmed. The announcement follows a similar announcement from Disney World earlier this year confirming that the MuppetsVision area will be closing to be replaced by Monsters Inc., along with other closures throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.
Over at Universal Studios Hollywood, the resort is hard at work on a new roller coaster inspired by the Fast and Furious franchise. Although Universal Orlando already has one attraction inspired by the franchise, the current speculation is that Rip Ride Rockit could be replaced by a coaster similar to the one that will be opening in Hollywood. Other speculation is that the new attraction could be themed after the Despicable Me franchise, which has currently expanded throughout the opening area of Universal Studios. However, as of yet, no official details on a possible replacement have been released by Universal.
Epic Universe opens to the public in May 2025, with tickets already available for purchase. With Rip Ride Rockit closing in September, the next year is sure to be busy for Universal Orlando, so park-goers should be sure to plan accordingly.