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Though Transformers: The Ride 3D doesn’t officially open until May 25, 2012, Universal Studios Hollywood is already showing off their newest attraction in a series of previews. Beginning with an employee preview this week, the high-tech ride has been receiving praise from fans and critics alike, even in its current “technical rehearsal” phase.
To build on the hype during this preview stage, well over a month before the grand opening, Universal Studios Hollywood has offered a behind the scenes look at the creation of the new attraction, featuring on-ride footage and interviews with some of its creators, with familiar faces including Universal Creative’s Mark Woodbury and Thierry Coup.
Woodbury is president of Universal Creative and was most recently seen announcing several new experiences at Universal Orlando for 2012. I also interviewed Coup at the grand (re)opening of one of those announcements, the HD upgrade to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure.
Video: Behind the scenes of Transformers: The Ride 3D
It’s no surprise that Coup is also involved with the creation of Transformers: The Ride 3D, as it is obvious from the video above that it is in style to Spider-Man, though many who have ridden the new attraction in its preview days have already said it’s even better. Most notable, the ride vehicles fully shown off in the behind-the-scenes video are instantly recognizable to anyone who has ridden the Spider-Man ride, now re-themed as EVAC, a new character in the Transformers world.
Also featured in the behind-the-scenes video is voice talent Peter Cullen, who has been behind Autobot leader Optimus Prime since the character’s creation in the ’80s. I also spoke with Cullen back in 2010 about his iconic role, the upcoming Transformers ride, and working with Michael Bay on the Hollywood version of the Transformers franchise.
It’s no surprise that videos documenting the entire Transformers ride experience have already shown up on YouTube, though I wouldn’t recommend watching a video online as the first experience for this 3D attraction. Just like The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, no video could do this ride justice. New walk-around characters in the park make for much more entertaining YouTube videos, even if they aren’t quite the massive scale Transformers should be.
(Source: YouTube)
Visitors to Universal Studios Hollywood can expect, but not count on, soft openings to continue on an unscheduled basis, meaning the attraction could open or close at any time. Universal Studios Hollywood Annual Passholders can also sign up for exclusive previews May 4 – 6, but still without a guarantee that the ride will be open or fully working. That guarantee isn’t made until Transformers: The Ride 3D officially rolls out Memorial Day weekend, beginning with a star-studded red carpet press event on May 24, followed by the public opening the next day.
Check back to Inside the Magic in just over a month for coverage of the grand opening of Transformers: The Ride 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood!
