Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit- you either love it or you hate it. This coaster has been rocking out since 2009. Reaching top speeds of 65 miles per hour with a 167-foot drop, this beast is one of the crown jewels of Universal Orlando.
It isn’t the speed or the drop that makes this coaster stand out, though. It’s the soundtrack! Before the ride begins, riders get to choose a song to listen to as they race along the tracks. The custom tunes set this ride apart as one of the most unique coasters in the world.
Here’s how it works: when you sit down you pull your lap bar in to lock you down tight, just like any other roller coaster. Your lap bar has a screen that gives you several song choices spanning many different genres. Think of it like your own personal jukebox. You have to pick quickly– once the ride starts you can’t change. The song then plays on speakers directly behind your head as you barrel down the track.
The huge song collection meant the ride was never the same twice. Recent reports, however, show that this changed. Each genre now features a single song:
- Classic Rock/Metal: “Welcome to the Black Parade”- My Chemical Romance
- Country: “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”- Shania Twain
- Rap/Hip-Hop: “Humble”-Kendrick Lamar
- Pop/Disco: “Waterloo”- ABBA
- Club/Electronica: “Sandstorm”- Darden
It’s worth noting that the “secret song menu” remains unchanged. There’s approximately 50 secret songs that you have to know what you’re doing to access. To access the secret menu, hold down the Rip Ride Rockit logo for 5-10 seconds. They a menu will pop up and you can select songs like “Vouge” by Madona, “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, or “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Metallica. The secret songs do not have videos with them, so if that’s make or break for you you’ll want to select one of the songs from the regular menu.
Many are disappointed by this change. Some asked if it was a late April Fools joke while others speculated that the money they save on licensing other songs is in preparation to re-imagine the thrill ride as a Minions Rocket coaster to fit in with the land’s new theme. This is not official and currently only speculation, but we’d say it’s probably a good guess.
