UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TO CLOSE RIP RIDE ROCKIT FOR NEW ATTRACTION

After years and rumours, the iconic Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios Florida will close forever later this summer. Here’s an overview of what you need to know.

WHEN WILL RIP RIDE ROCKIT CLOSE?

The park announced the details earlier this week, revealing the last day as 18th August 2025:

“Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit will permanently close on 18 August 2025 to make way for a new experience. More details will be available at a later date.”

WHY IS RIP RIDE ROCKIT CLOSING?

The ride has been under scrutiny for years from both park bosses and visitors. Many have reported rough rides on the Maurer AG manufactured machine, and the attraction has suffered inconsistent availability during its lifespan.

Hints that the ride was not in future plans included a reduction in the songs available to choose from during your ride, and planning applications in late-2024 suggesting a replacement was being sought.

WHAT WILL REPLACE RIP RIDE ROCKIT AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS?

Whilst nothing has been confirmed as yet, rumours have been circulating for a while that a new Intamin coaster will be constructed to replace Rip Ride Rockit.

It will be a test to replace this directly as the ride sits on a narrow and quite unique footprint between multiple existing attractions. Intamin have stepped up to similar challenges with Universal before, including the new Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift coaster currently being finished off on the west coast.

Two possible themes for the new ride that are being heavily suggested are:

• Ghostbusters – Possible utilising the existing New York fire station front as a possible entrance

• Fast & Furious – Similar to the new ride in Hollywood, this could feature drifting cars. Universal Studios does of course already have a F&F ride, but it has a terrible reputation. This could be seen as a significant upgrade, allowing the current F&F building to be developed into something else.

WHEN WILL THE NEW COASTER AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA OPEN?

The Rip Ride Rockit replacement is likely to begin construction in late 2025, but as of June 2025 no date of the replacement opening has been announced. Previous construction timelines suggest around summer-2027 is most likely.