Like a lot of people I am spending my birthday in lockdown, what should have been the start of a 7 day stay at The Aventura hotel, chilling out on the rooftop bar and enjoying my favourite cocktails with the stunning backdrop of Volcano Bay has transcended into sitting in my garden with a homemade margarita.I don’t usually treat myself much but today should have been the day that I FINALLY done the Universal VIP tour…sigh. I would never normally spend $200 on a few hours around a park that I have visited many times but this VIP tour is the only way to go behind the scenes of The Revenge Of The Mummy Ride. My infatuation with the Mummy started 14 years ago on my first visit to Universal and its just grew arms and legs since, its obsessive,abnormal,all consuming and a bit inappropriate. Seen as though I am turning 23 today I thought why not spend it paying tribute to something that makes me very happy, so here are my top 23 reasons why I LOVE The Revenge Of The Mummy (and yes I did cut them down it was either make brutal cuts or pretend to turn 30!)…
1.
It’s cheesy.
So if you have seen The Mummy films you will probably think that they’re bit cheesy and probably won’t be nominated for any Oscars any time soon, but they do make incredible ride stories. Everything about the ride is just cheesy and corny and I am here for it!
2.
The second mummy on the right has been broke for years.
I don’t know why but the mummy second in on the right has been broke for at least my past 4 trips and it always makes me laugh.Probably a weird thing and really there may be a reason that Universal can’t fix it or don’t see the need to but it makes me chuckle to myself every time I see it lying down. Like it kind of ruins the vibe they’re going for a bit.
3.
It’s fast loading
I can never fathom with this ride if the team members are just fantastic at getting people loaded quickly or whether the track layout lends itself to a quick turnaround.If you are familiar with the way that the carts load onto 2 separate tracks and then take it in turns joining the ride track you will know what I mean by this, even so this layout used on the likes of Escape From Gringotts doesn’t seem to load as fast as the Mummy.
4.
Theres no pre-show!
Don’t get me wrong I can absolutely understand why theme parks utilise pre-shows they break up the queue and keep you entertained but for me personally once I’ve refreshed my memory with the first ride of a new trip I am DONE with pre-shows. The Hagrid’s pre show the Gringotts pre shows are asbolutely fantastic and I enjoy them but there’s just something about walking straight onto a ride without being held up that I enjoy.
5.
The first turn
The first turn the cart takes can only be described as whiplash, speeding up and then breaking mid turn really does give you butterflies and hurts your neck in equal dose. This is one of the things I would love to ask on the behind the scenes tour, is the turn intentionally sharp to give this effect or is it just how they fit the ride in the already existing Kongfrontation show building?
6.
ETERNITY
This is without doubt,always has been and always will be my favourite part of the ride. Remember when I said the ride is cheesy? Yeah this part is basically Imhotep saying “Eternity,Eternity” with a random green laser light shooting across a brick wall. Why is it my favourite part? part is me finding it hilarious now and the other part of me remembers my first ever ride on ROTM and this was the part where I began to think “what have I done this ride is going be scary” which after all these years I can absolutely say is not the case.
7.
It is the most quotable ride ever
Very creepily I admit , I must repeat “Are you insane! Get out of here the curse is real!’ about ten times a day.I don’t know why but there’s just something about those words that just roll off the tongue.
8.
It’s FUNNY
On what you could call a post show Brendan Fraser is acting like an ass backstage and says the now infamous lines “I would have enjoyed my interview more IF I HAD GOTTEN MY CUP OF COFFEE” (ghostly swoosh) and gets attacked by the stray mummy hand who passes Brendan a cup of coffee. Just goes to show don’t talk down to service people!
9.Theres never a queue
Usually when rides have a short wait time you assume that its because its either a kids ride or is unpopular. I’m not going singleout any rides here but a certain lets call it “Family” ride (wink wink )is pretty much a walk on. This is not the case with The Mummy though it just seems to be Universally loved so I would probably put this down to the loading system as I mentioned before and the short-ish ride time.
10.
The queue is pitch black
Walking into the Mummy’s show building after being out in the Florida sun you could be forgiven for thinking that you are suffering from temporary blindness. The queue is so pitch black the first time you ride it that I always jokingly ask myself how it passed health and safety, but boy am I glad it did.
11. The queue
This is one queue that I actually haven’t experienced/explored much because I am always practically speed walking to the loading station because we established that it never has a queue. The areas of the queue that I do constantly revisit remind me of what Universal for all intents and purposes is, a studio.This queue really gibes the classic universal studios “Ride the movies” vibe and atmosphere. The queue is also interactive so its cool to set things off and scare people and is a great place to look for some Easter eggs, if you look closely you will see a nod to Kongfrontation.
12.
NO SCREENS IN SIGHT
This is just what Universal does best,a ROLLERCOASTER based on a popular franchise. Although I have a lot of love for most of the simulators at the parks and some of which are up there with my favourite attractions, the screen rides just cannot match up to the thrill of an actual rollercoaster.Screen rides just don’t give you the same buzz that The Mummy does, I could never see myself taking the time to do a 23 point tribute to Kong for example even with the fantastic technology it boasts.
13. Dark rides
Dark rides are my absolute favourite, I love the unknown of not knowing what is in store and being surprised by drops,turns, going upside down. They just create a better atmosphere aswell and the fear of the unknown makes every small drop feel massive.
14.
The FIRE
The ceiling catches on fire in one of the last scenes and visually it looks incredible, it is definitely one of the most iconic parts of the ride. The smell and the HEAT definitely increases as the day goes on and it really makes it immersive and adds to the idea of being hunted down by Imhotep.
15.
The effects
Considering this ride was first opened in 2004 I still think Revenge Of The Mummy can hold its own amongst the newest more modern rides. The lighting, projections , fog combine well to make The Mummy a captivating experience from the moment you enter and exit the ride vehicle. Special mention to the scarab beetle scene and the acoompnoying sound affect of thousands of insects scurrying away, this always gives me the feeling that they are on me!
16.”the prepare to forfeit your souls:”, fall
As much as this part of the ride is epic in itself, i love every time I ride the Mummy seeing peoples first time reactions to the hidden 39 ft drop, and how do I see their reactions?Universal have put the camera mid drop so you can be guaranteed that when you are walking down the ramp from the ride into Sahara Traders you will have a good laugh at some unfortunate souls over the top reaction.
17.
It’s FAST
The Mummy reaches a top speed of 45mph, considering its a dark ride it feels a lot faster. The speed is definitely enough to lift you off your seat when the ride vehicle is at its top speed and gives you butterflies.
18.
That guy Imhotep
He’s nothing if not persistent is Imhotep, he first appears in the story after the famous “…The Curse is real!” and warns riders with “Silence with your souls I shall rule for all eternity” popping out from a sarcophagus. He then tries to win the riders round at the tomb mural scene saying “Serve me and savour riches beyond treasure” but were not really believing him and he sends 6 (5,the other one still isn’t feeling it!) soldier mummies to pop out at the riders just as he curses the ride vehicle with “Akudei makrraken ra!”. After taunting the riders and the cart following his voice to “not even the Medjai can save you now” and thus starting the epic rollercoaster part of the ride we do know he is slayed by the Medjai after all because just at the end of the ride a Medjai symbol lights up showing riders they have been saved.RIP Imhotep.
19.
The launch
The part of the ride where the vehicle does a 180 and is launched by the awaiting Imhotep into his mouth is absolutely awesome. The standing start to a speed of 45 mph really makes this ride a thrill and the whole track from there on out will make you scream and laugh in equal amounts with so many twist and turns and surprises in store.
20.
The stilt walking Pharaohs,
I first plucked up the courage to ask for a photo with the famous Pharoahs on my July trip last year, and the photo just makes me mortified every time I look at it. To say I am sunburnt in the photo is playing down that I resembled more lobster than girl for them few days,on walking up to the pharaoh he proceeded to rub his hands together and toast them over my bright red shoulders and could not stop pointing to my shoulders, the sun and then bowing down and worshiping to them. I guess the Egyptians worshipped the sun or red millennials who forget to wear sun cream.
21.
The show building
That feeling you get when you walk underneath the Universal arches or Port Of Entry is the same heart tugging feeling I get when I see Revenge Of The Mummy. Its where my holiday starts and is what I work hard all year to catch a glimpse of every once in a while. The locker revamp also makes for a much grander unspoiled entrance, and by the way I’m a pretty big fan of the lockers too, they’re my guilty pleasure.
22.
Still waiting for a ride photo
The ride gets so intense after the launch that by the time you get to the cast member being pushed away by Imhotep you aren’t going to be looking your best. I’ve rode Revenge Of the Mummy hundreds of times and I am still naive to how thrown about you get, when the cart slowly rolls into the last scene I always try and fix my hair knowing that the photo-op is coming up only for the cart to grind to a sudden stop and for my hair to be all over the place. NEXT TIME!
23.
Re-ride ability
All of these reasons combined makes the Revenge Of The Mummy the most re-ridable in the park. I tend to ride it 10 times in a row and its not an OCD thing or anything but I just struggle to leave it because I just love it so much and I know its probably going to be the only walk on ride of the day, and then of course I go back for just “one more ride” a few times a day. Apart of me also tries to lap it up while I am there in my element because when I am at home I will be wishing I was getting chased by Imhotep,kind of like what I’m doing right now.
Thank you to all of my readers and fellow Universal fans for indulging me in this obsession and for reading along. I hope that everyone who is able to visit Universal Orlando right now is showing the Revenge Of The Mummy the love it deserves.This awkward brit doesn’t clap for planes landing but I definitely clap at the end of the Mummy until my hands start to hurt . In my world thats how Universal know how much this ride is loved along with my constant rides inflating the figures and won’t plan on changing it in any way, so please give it a clap and keep riding it! I really enjoy the history of attractions and exploring them in a lot of detail so if you would like to read that please let me know in the comments and follow along on social media at @thestudiosgirl thank you! There is going to be a giveaway very soon I’m just waiting for a couple of last minute things to arrive so stay checking in with my page. oh and I would have enjoyed my blog a lot more if I had gotten my cup of coffee, naturally.
The Studios Girl 