Being a big Transformers fan, I was really fortunate to attend the opening celebration for the 3-D ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. I was already hyped as I entered the park because Universal was playing the score from the movies (Steve Jablonsky, you’re still epic!).  Everything was Transformers themed including the food tables and an energon inspired drink.  The orange colored beverage tasted like a mix of orange cream soda and cherry slurpee.  It was thick but tasted pretty damn good, the drink is available right across the ride’s entrance.

N.E.S.T. leader, Colonel Sharp (Glenn Morshower), inducted the opening ceremony.  Transformers director Michael Bay was also a consultant for the ride and made a video appearance.  Just when I thought it would get boring, Bumble Bee and Optimus Prime made a nifty entrance to wow the crowd.  Afterwards, chaos ensued as the Decepticons attacked the ceremony.  Things were blowing up and NEST members were flying all over the place.  Order was restored after the intense battle and Colonel Sharp officially opened the ride.

Check out the vid below for highlights from the event:

The Ride:
Unlike other simulator rides ie Star Tours, Simpsons, Transformers actually has a track.  That means the “car” you’re on actually travels and takes you in a real full ride along with the simulator screens.  There are a total of 14 giant 3D screens as Megatron chases the heroes down.  The locations varies from a N.E.S.T. base to outdoor city battles.  Oh yeah, did I tell you that the vehicle you’re on is also an autobot called Evac (exclusively made for the ride)?  So not only do you try to escape the bad guys but you’re along for robot fights and jumping from structure to structure only a robot would.

I went on the ride twice and here are the characters that appear from the top of my head:

Jazz
Megatron
Optimus Prime
Sideswipe
Constructicon
Blackout
Ravage
Starscream
Bumble Bee

Being in the front seat will give you a full immersive ride because of the added environmental effects including heat (the coolest effect and well thought out), wind and water.  While the front has the best experience, the action is actually easier to understand from the back seat because you’re further away from the screen.  But if I had to choose, I’d go with the front seat because it has the coolest effect which you can barely feel in the back.

Michael Bay and company did a great job incorporating the trademark scenes and effects from the movie to the ride.  I’m not going to spoil anything but there were scenes that actually made me feel how big the robots actually are.

This ride alone is worth a visit to Universal Studios.  It’s a well thought out ride that actually lives up to the hype because of its creativity and originality.
Grade: A

Aftermath:
Once the ride was over, of course we’re directed straight to a Transformers store called Supply Vault.  They had some cool merchandises but were a bit pricey.  I wanted a shirt of Bumble bee but it was $28 so I passed on it.  It was pretty cool though, Bumble Bee’s color changes once the sun hits the shirt.

We also took pics with the Autobot heroes.

Last but not least, we saw funny man Anthony Anderson.

“Freddy Krueger have four blades, man. That’s only three. That’s Wolverine!”

We had so much fun that we traveled to the future and ended up in another science fiction movie:

 

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