Need for Speed?
By Joy Wilkinson
As Spring Break is flying around the corner and summer time is approaching, you’re probably psyched for an adrenaline rushing time. Universal Studios has three heart-thumping rides including The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Dragon Challenge, and Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. Each ride takes you on a thrilling adventure that will leave you wanting more.
The Incredible Hulk is located in Islands of Adventure, a branch of Universal. The Hulk launches riders 150 feet up into the air, and reaches 67 mph in top speed. The rides technology is out of this world bringing riders 0 to 40 mph in two seconds flat! Issy Carreiro, a junior at Viera High School, said she loved the Hulk and quoted, “The speed is intense and I love the loops. It’s definitely an adrenaline rush.” This ride is definitely worth riding. Give it a shot when you make your trip to Universal.
Dragon Challenge is part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter located in Islands of Adventure. Climbing 125 feet up into the air, the ride drops 115 feet towards the ground sending goosebumps all over your body. Dragon Challenge used to be called Dueling Dragons because the two coasters were launched at the same time; but unfortunately, there was an accident that severely injured a rider. So, now the rides go at separate times but they still duel. They had two separate tracks that would spiral 18 inches from each other. But now the coasters start at separate times. Daniel Pando, a senior at VHS, said his favorite part of the ride was, “It packs massive G force! Wooo!” Daniel, however, thought it needed more loops, and that it should be faster and longer.
Out of the six students interviewed for this article, four chose The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. The rollercoaster features the three first-ever maneuvers. The Double Take is the world’s largest non-inverted loop. The Treble Clef track is a track that does loops like the musical symbol. The Jump Cut is a spiraling negative gravity move. Each seat is mounted to individual stereo speakers that let you rock out to your own choice of music, and not hear what others are listening to. The music is timed with the ride to pump up the riders even more. What the riders liked best was going straight up at the beginning, the stellar drop, and everyone said they really liked the music. Amber Layun, a junior at VHS, said there was one thing the ride needed to change, “I would have a broader selection of music.”
This Spring Break you should definitely hit Universal. Go check out these three exhilarating rides!
Photo Credit & Sources: www.universalstudios.com
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