Transformers: The Ride - 3D

[Allen The Actor]

Damn I have bad luck haha!

And yup, looks great. And they're apparently still supposed to get some figure on top as well.

 

[Jon Fu]

Haha maybe it's bad luck, but yeah it's supposed to work.

Anyways, Orlando just put their sign up:

I'm pretty sure I remember feeling wind during the last portion as well. Trying to think back to Singapore.

...and about Orlando. I guess it looks fine, but that entire entrance just looks odd. I guess Orlando really prefers corner-entrances.

 

[Jon Fu]

Hate to double post, but here's USF's rotunda, and it's exactly the opposite as I said.

It's a much, much smaller foyer than Hollywood's, and I have no clue where Universal Express goes down.

I wonder how their entire queue is laid out. Could Hollywood actually get the better overall attraction this time around?

 

[Allen The Actor]

I think so! From what I've read, their queue is noticeably shorter and they have a longer portion that's outside it seems.

 

[Freak]

I honestly prefer Orlando's facade, but that's just me.

Also, I have always felt some wind effects during the ride, but they aren't very strong.

 

[Jon Fu]

Universal wanted me to pass this along:
 

Critically acclaimed ‘Transformers: The Ride-3D’ Attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood Captures Esteemed Awards from the Themed Entertainment Association and the International 3D Society


Universal City, CA – Universal Studios Hollywood’sSM “Transformers™: The Ride-3D,” heralded as the iconic theme park’s most ambitious ride ever, was honored for “Outstanding Achievement” in the “Attraction” category by the industry’s highly regarded Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) during the recent 19th Annual Thea Awards. The Thea Award follows the ride’s recognition for “Distinguished Achievement” from the International 3D Society as “Best Themed Attraction” earlier this year – the second consecutive year the honor was bestowed upon Universal Studios Hollywood and the first-ever multi-year win for a theme park.

The prestigious Thea Award ceremony recognizes “breakthrough innovations” among theme parks worldwide. Respectively, the International 3D Society’s awards span the entertainment industry, including feature films. Universal Studios Hollywood’s previous International 3D Society win was for “King Kong 360 3-D,” a signature attraction on the world famous Studio Tour created by Oscar®-winning director Peter Jackson and featuring imagery re-imagined from the film in breathtaking 3D technology.
Proclaimed by critics as a “state of the art marvel” and among the “best rides in the world,” “Transformers: The Ride-3D” has been met with rave reviews since opening at Universal Studios Hollywood in May 2012.

“’Transformers: The Ride-3D’ has not only won over experts in the theme park industry, but has amazed our guests from around the world and is now our most popular attraction,” said Larry Kurzweil, President, Universal Studios Hollywood. “Bringing movies to life in the form of rides, shows and attractions is what we do best, so each time we’re recognized for delivering outstanding next-generation entertainment experiences, it’s a testament to our best-in-class creative team and to all of the talented people at Universal Studios Hollywood.”
“Transformers: The Ride-3D,” celebrated for its multi-generational appeal, inventive storyline, spectacular action sequences and amazing special effects, is based on the iconic brand from Hasbro and globally electrifying film franchise, directed by Michael Bay, who served as Creative Consultant for the immersive themed attraction.

The award-winning thrill ride tells a new “TRANSFORMERS” story using original, photo-realistic 3D-HD media, sophisticated special effects masterminded by Industrial Light & Magic, and one of the most elaborate roaming flight simulator ride systems ever created. Fusing high-tech elements with an epic new “TRANSFORMERS” tale, “Transformers: The Ride-3D” set a new standard in the world of theme park attractions, stretching the medium’s potential as an immersive and powerful storytelling vehicle.

The TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) is an international nonprofit alliance founded in 1991 and based in Burbank, Calif. TEA represents some 7,000 creative specialists, from architects to designers, technical specialists to master planners, scenic fabricators to artists, and builders to feasibility analysts working in more than 680 firms in 39 different countries. TEA presents the annual Thea Awards and the TEA Summit and hosts the annual SATE conferences (Story, Architecture, Technology, Experience). TEA also produces a variety of print and electronic publications, including the TEA/AECOM Theme Index, TEA Project Development Guidelines, and TEA Annual & Directory.

The International 3D Society is an organization of professionals devoted to the innovation of art and technologies of stereoscopic 3-D content. The Society provides individuals with opportunities for artistic display, acknowledging accomplishment and encouraging creative development in the art of 3-D.

Universal Studios Hollywood, The Entertainment Capital of L.A.SM, includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour; the CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex, the Universal CityWalk Cinemas, the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert venue, and the Gibson Amphitheatre concert and special event arena. World-class rides and attractions include the critically-acclaimed and award-winning mega-attraction, “Transformers™: The Ride-3D,” the intense, award-winning ride, “King Kong 360 3-D” on the famed behind-the-scenes Studio Tour, “The Simpsons RideTM,” “Revenge of the MummySM —The Ride” indoor roller coaster and “Jurassic Park® —The Ride.”

 

[Allen The Actor]

Congrats yet again to the Transformers ride it deserves it.

 

[BehindTheTheme]

Just one more reason Universal Studios Hollywood has just as great new attractions if not better then DLR. I'm a Kong360 fan all the way and was so happy and surprised that it won an Award that no theme park has ever won and now to to hear Transformers in Hollywood not Singapore/Orlando(even though its not open in Orlando) is winning this award is so exciting. Can we say officially with 2 new attractions that are awarded and Original to Hollywood(yes Singapore got theirs first but the idea was set for Hollywood) that we are finally on our way again?

 

[Allen The Actor]

Well, Kong won the award for "3D attraction" innovation from a 3D organization I believe. But yeah, I'm happy for both

 

[BehindTheTheme]

Here are the awards both attraction have won.

Kingkong 360

http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/attractions/king-kong-360-3-d-on-the-studio-tour/

Transformers Ride

http://www.ushforums.com/index.php?/topic/76-transformers-the-ride-3d/page-4#entry2245

Both with awards from Thea and International 3D Society Great.

 

[BehindTheTheme]

While on transformers this past weekend and this is the second time this has happened to me, the very last screen (Optimus gives u a well done) has had a slight pixel black out area. (seems is one of the projectors glitches on the top right on the image. Nothing else has gone wrong on my other 15 or so trips. Has anyone else got this or other glitches or malfunctions.

 

[BehindTheTheme]

I did mention this the first time it occurred. It seems very odd that this projector glitches as its not one of the moving projectors.

 

[Jon Fu]

Not surprised. Unlike the Simpsons, they actually have the projectors moving on the elevator platform. Can't imagine what that does after a few hundred cycles a day.

Edit: Interesting. Still, they're on 15+ hours, so I give those things quite a bit of credit.

 

[BehindTheTheme]

LOL another one of those times when two people are posting on the same exact thing at the same time. LOL.

 

[Jon Fu]

Are they using the same family of projectors as the Simpsons? Obviously they might be newer and have better technical specifications, but I noticed they're all from Sony (if I recall correctly).

 

[Allen The Actor]

Yay Sony (Jon, don't kill me haha)

I gotta say, they're pretty nixe protectors. Jon, you saw the pics I posted. When life settles a bit, I still gotta post my evacuation video.

I've had so many problematic ride throughs, but the theme park geek in me enjoys the glitches, I get to see the veil unveiled so to speak.

Many times for me, the projectors in various scenes weren't calibrated to proper 3D somehow, the slow motion scene had a weird long digital line running along side the picture, and the most problematic in my experience has been that last projector. Idk if it has to do with synchronization or whatever, but so many times as soon as Bumblebee catches us, the video goes crazy.

Still, it's to be expected. No ride is perfect, especially when its this complicated. Bob Dylan is right, definitely alert the cast members.

On a side note, I just want some opinions from you guys. I don't remember if we discussed this before.

Are you guys bummed out as much as I am that there isn't even one animatronic on the ride? I remember when it was originally announced, I was so excited to see massive animatronics that Universal was apparently working on with NASA. Woodbury and a few other UC have gone on to say that the switch was made ti digital because you can't beat the smoothness of CGI. Well, true, but nothing beats real sets and animatronics that are in front of you. Also, they were gonna have the last Optimus be an animatronic but also decided to keep him CGI to have a more streamline look across the board.

Idk...that's always kinda upset me. And if you can't do animatronics, why not do more with the sets? Like, in the scene where Megatron shoots us, why not have actual set pieces move around or react or when they're fighting, have some of the physical sets move as well...

Ill shut up

 

[BehindTheTheme]

I have not had many glitches on this ride which is great. Their was supposed to be but animatronic on a huge scale running 8-10 hours a day(anything more is rare) and every 30 seconds or so just cant work. Even while on the current attraction i can some times see the next screen and watch it reset for my ride vehicle. The ride just runs to fast for Animatronics

 

[smoaT]

I have had glitches on this ride as well. Once I was on and in one of the very first scenes a whole projector was off... like there was one black square on the top... it eventually turned on but it was out of sync

 

[Jon Fu]

I have had glitches on this ride as well. Once I was on and in one of the very first scenes a whole projector was off... like there was one black square on the top... it eventually turned on but it was out of sync

That's interesting. I wonder how the data is stored. If you go to Sony's website, they mention there's a module within the projector's housing that allows you to host the actual footage. I don't think Universal would come to rely on one part for such a mission critical task, but it's odd that you mentioned one specific portion being out of sync.

I guess I must be lucky, since I haven't experienced any problems on my rides thus far.

Yay Sony (Jon, don't kill me haha)

I really have no problem with Sony. Used to use their notebooks and televisions back in the day with no major complaints.

 

[Allen The Actor]

^ i knowwwww haha, I'm just teasing you just a throwback to our camera conversations

Also, I for some reason would doubt they would store actual data on the projector. I'm pretty sure everything would be fed from multiple computers. Regarding being out if sync, the only way I can see that being possible is if each "eye/camera" footage is fed through a different computer and somewhere along the line a glitch f-d up the synchronization. Which I actually would think makes sense. You're dealing with 4K at 60p or so video, it'd be smart to keep each "eye" on a different drive.

On a side note, one thing that I've noticed is that some of the smaller screens come off as really fake. Go on it next time, and you'll see what I mean when I say they come off as screaming digital. The second screen where bumblebee and the other bot fight and then one of the other smaller square screens like where megatron shoots us. Not sure if its cuz they use a lower rez projector or what....