Transformers The Ride 3-D Opens at Universal Studios Orlando

Transformers The Ride 3-D opened on Thursday to a lot of excitement and fanfare with a parade of villains, heroes, and Hummers touring down the street as crowds lined up to see the battle between Optimus Prime and the forces of evil.  Opening day was extravagant and the crowds stood in 90 degree heat to be the first inside one the red carpet rolled up. 

courtesy of Universal Studios

Famed director Steven Spielberg showed up for the Grand Opening of Transformers and the crowds turned out.  By noon the wait was 90 minutes and has wavered between 60-20 minutes for three days.  Transformers does have Express Pass if you have one.  You either add a charge to whatever pass you have or, if you stay at one of the on-site hotels (Hard Rock, Portofino Bay, or Royal Pacific) your room key gets you all day Express Pass. There is also a single riders line which can go much faster if you don't mind being separated from your party for the ride. On Friday the wait for the regular line was 120 minutes when we arrived.  We got in on Express Pass in 50 minutes. Not real "express" but better than standing 2 hours.


  The Transformer ride itself was really pretty awesome.  You sit in a car carrying 12 people and wind your way through streets in the middle of a war between Optimus Prime and the Bots.  The technology and effects are topnotch which you night expect from Universal.  This one will be a real hit with Transformers fans and everyone else as well.  It was really well done but I don't think it's opening will be as big as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was. I also don't think Universal expects it to.  It was, however, a superb ride in every way.  

What I did notice is that even though the crowds were long there was plenty of rope set up as though expecting a bigger crowd.  The only flaw , if there was one, is that the ride is almost an exact copy of  Spiderman at Islands of Adventure.  It was like they took a template and copied it by just changing the characters and background.  Even the cars in the ride were almost identical. It didn't however, take away from the fun and excitement.  If you have never been on Spiderman I do believe you'll enjoy it more.  Judge for yourself but it was a great ride anyway.

courtesy of Universal Studios