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Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

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Coordinates: 28°28′32.46″N 81°28′10.02″W / 28.4756833°N 81.4694500°W / 28.4756833; -81.4694500
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Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
The ride is housed in a recreation of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, or the Comcast Building, at Soundstage 50, with The Tonight Shop serving as the ride exit.
Universal Studios Florida
AreaNew York
Coordinates28°28′32.46″N 81°28′10.02″W / 28.4756833°N 81.4694500°W / 28.4756833; -81.4694500
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateMarch 2, 2017 (2017-03-02)[2][3][4]
Opening dateApril 6, 2017[1]
ReplacedTwister...Ride it Out
Ride statistics
Attraction typeMotion simulator
ManufacturerDynamic Attractions
DesignerUniversal Creative
ThemeThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
MusicThe Roots
Vehicle typeFlying theater
Participants per group72
Duration4:00
Height restriction40 in (102 cm)
Ride hostJimmy Fallon
AnnouncerSteve Higgins
Virtual queue
Universal Virtual Queue available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Closed captioning available

Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon is a 3D motion-simulator attraction[5][6] at Universal Studios Florida based on Jimmy Fallon's tenure at The Tonight Show. The ride was officially announced on the October 27, 2015 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and opened on April 6, 2017,[1] replacing Twister...Ride it Out.

History

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Saturday Night Live alum, Jimmy Fallon, on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and it is the seventh incarnation of NBC's long-running Tonight Show franchise, with Fallon serving as the sixth host. The show also stars sidekick and announcer Steve Higgins and house band The Roots. The Tonight Show originates from NBC Studios' Studio 6B, where Johnny Carson's Tonight Show was also taped, in Rockefeller Center, New York City. Fallon's tenure at The Tonight Show also marked the return of the franchise to its New York City origin after little over forty years, before it was moved to Burbank, California in 1972, ten years after Carson's tenure began.

On the October 27, 2015 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Fallon officially announced Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, the first one based on a late night talk show, for a 2017 opening at Universal Studios Florida. The attraction would be based on the popular celebrity race segment from Fallon's show.[7] That same day, Universal Studios Florida announced that Twister...Ride it Out would permanently close on November 1, 2015 to make way for Race Through New York.[8] The attraction's former enclosed queue line was later reused as prop windows. Inside these windows, guests can find Bill Paxton's light blue shirt, a stapler that reads "B. Paxton" and an advertisement for the fictional Twister Cola, which pays tribute to the former attraction.[9] On January 21, 2017, The Tonight Shop opened to guests.[10] As announced on January 12, Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon would officially open to the public on April 6, 2017.[1]

Development

Jimmy Fallon originally pitched the idea to Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Creative, while at the helm of his Late Night tenure. Initially, Woodbury declined the pitch, until Fallon's move to The Tonight Show proved to be an immediate success. After Woodbury reached out to develop the concept, Jimmy Fallon worked with two of his main writers on the ride's concept for three and a half years.[11]

Filming commenced on November 4, 2015 at Studio 8H, where Saturday Night Live originates, as confirmed from photos shared by Fallon on his Instagram account. Fallon is seen wearing a motion capture suit and helmet, while sitting on a makeshift go-kart, surrounded by motion capture cameras, crediting Industrial Light & Magic for the motion capture filming for the attraction.[12] Fallon posted another photo on his Twitter account on a closed set in Vancouver filming new scenes for the attraction on April 18, 2016, this time wearing a suit as he usually wears on The Tonight Show, sitting in a hydraulic go-kart simulator in front of a green screen.[13] The removal of the Twister attraction began promptly in December 2015 after its closing.[14] Construction began in March 2016, when the first supports for the ride's facade were brought to Soundstage 50, where the ride would be housed.[15] The building's facade is based on 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York, where Studio 6B is located.

In a behind-the-scenes video released by Universal Orlando, early November 2016,[16] and a post by the theme park's official blog[17] various cast and Fallon characters were revealed to have an appearance in the attraction, including Sara and her stepdad, Gary, who was carrying a basket with the Tonight Show Golden Retriever puppies inside, Fallon's Tight Pants character, announcer Steve Higgins, The Tonight Show house band The Roots, The Ragtime Gals and the show's mascot Hashtag the Panda. The ride is also the first Universal Orlando attraction to feature virtual queuing.[1] Universal debuted a new ride vehicle for the attraction, which seats up to 72 people, as "a unique flying theater".[17] The ride experience is in 3D and features various effects such as smells of New York-style pizza, wind and water spritzes as well as a full immersive motion experience.[1]

Summary

Queue

The attraction is housed inside a replica of 30 Rockefeller, where The Tonight Show is taped. The corridors of the actual NBC Studios are also replicated in the queue. Divided in two parts, the queue is composed of one in a lower level and the second in the upper. As guests enter the lobby in the lower level, they receive a ticket that matches one of the six colors in the NBC peacock logo. This level features displays of items from the entire history of The Tonight Show, including exhibits dedicated to each of its past hosts. Items on display include suits and desk props used by the hosts, admittance tickets from each host's tenure, and an NBC video camera used for the show's taping in the golden age, all adjacent to a display of Jimmy Fallon as the current host.[17] Guests continue to the upper level once the lobby's lighting changes to the color of the NBC ticket they were given.

In the upper level of the queue, guests are entertained with a live performance from The Ragtime Gals barbershop quartet onstage, with screens showing Jimmy's monologues, and sketches, including "History of Rap" and "Lip Sync Battle". The queue also has interactive desks throughout the waiting area where guests can send personalized Tonight Show Thank You Notes, play retro-style Fallon video games and have a meet-and-greet with Hashtag the Panda.[17]

Pre-show

Guests are called in to enter Studio 6B once the lighting in the upper level waiting area changes to the color of the NBC ticket they were given at the receptionist desk. After guests are ushered into the doors that lead to Studio 6B, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon begins in the screens. The show begins with its intro and music played by The Roots, with Steve Higgins announcing the guests for this episode: you (the audience) "and featuring the Legendary Roots Crew". The shot cuts to Questlove yelling "Universal Studios!" followed by Higgins introducing Jimmy Fallon. As he emerges from the curtains, studio applause lights flash, indicating the guests to do so as the show intro proceeds.

After the intro ends, Fallon begins the show with a quick monologue about the sights the audience will get to see in the race through New York City and requests the help of Roots vocalist Tariq Trotter to rap about the safety precautions of the ride, instead of reciting them because "that's boring". After the applause lights flash again for The Roots, Sara and her stepdad, Gary, make an appearance as the only people in the studio audience, who later leave the studio for the ride's gift shop. After they leave, Fallon ushers guests to step inside Studio 6B to begin the race, then goes backstage through the curtains so he can board his vehicle, "The Tonight Rider" (a nod to Knight Rider, which aired on NBC).

Ride

The race through New York begins with Jimmy Fallon emerging once again from backstage through the stage curtains, this time driving "The Tonight Rider", challenging the audience to the race. The Roots can be seen to provide the music as Steve Higgins counts down the start of the race. The race kicks off through Studio 6B's backstage corridors, racing through NBC personnel, passing by Tight Pants and Hashtag the Panda. After almost crashing into Hashtag, Jimmy's vehicle skids through the corridor and crashes through the wall along with the audience, landing at West 50th Street between the NBC Studios marquee and Radio City Music Hall. From there, the race immediately continues through Times Square, after Jimmy crashes into a taxi driven by Travis Bickle (Fallon).

The race continues under the Hard Rock Cafe marquee and heads towards the New York City Subway's Times Square–42nd Street station, where the audience encounters The Ragtime Gals singing a melody before turning to the subway tracks and almost crashing with an oncoming train (operated by Fallon). The audience gets to escape by reversing and turning into a tunnel under construction and later exiting to the first checkpoint, where Sara is crossing the street with her stepdad, Gary, who's carrying a basket full of the Tonight Show Golden Retriever puppies. Jimmy's wife, Nancy Juvonen makes a cameo appearance with their daughters, Winnie and Frances Fallon.

The race now takes the skies as Jimmy's vehicle converts into a hovercraft, soaring through the city, throwing pizza to the audience and t-shirts out of a t-shirt cannon. The race goes past the Flatiron Building before diving into the East River for the second leg of the race, where a shark appears and scares Jimmy and the audience (a reference to Jaws).[18] After resurfacing, the race reaches the Statue of Liberty for the third checkpoint.

As fireworks explode around Lady Liberty, the race heads towards the Empire State Building where a giant Hashtag the Panda, trying to flick off planes, grabs the audience and shoots them straight to the Moon. There, Jimmy remarks The Roots as "the first band on the moon", who are all dressed up in spacesuits. He then, asks James Poyser to play his thank you note-writing music, to write a thank you note addressed to the moon. The race reaches the Space Train, a roller coaster launcher on the moon, which is under construction, shooting both Jimmy and the audience back towards Earth. Coming in too hot, Jimmy opens up a hyperdrive in the form of a tube that leads directly to 30 Rock and back inside Studio 6B, where the audience wins the race after Jimmy crashes his "Tonight Rider" just before crossing the finish line.

The Tonight Show's real-life stage manager, Niclana Tolmasoff, makes a cameo appearance at the end of the ride as well as one of the show's real-life former writers, Mike DiCenzo, who appears as a stage crew member.

The Tonight Shop

After the ride concludes, guests exit downstairs to The Tonight Shop, with merchandise from both the ride and Fallon's Tonight Show tenure, like in the real NBC Studios in New York City.

Cast

The Tonight Show taping and the ride's opening day

In anticipation to the opening of the ride, The Tonight Show was taped from Universal Studios Florida for the second time in Fallon's tenure, April 3–6, 2017. Out of his guests for the 4-day show broadcast, Fallon invited country singer Blake Shelton to experience Race Through New York, to which Shelton felt it was a punishment, admitting to having a fear of rollercoasters; both Shelton and Fallon have previously pushed each other into trying things they both dislike or have never tried such as eating sushi and milking a cow.[21] Jimmy Fallon also invited Dwayne Johnson to go out on the streets of Universal Studios Florida, each dressed in a college mascot costume of themselves, in a competition for the most high fives, hugs and selfies taken in an amount of time, resulting in Fallon winning. They continued their stunt inside the attraction's stage to photobomb park goers in their college mascot costumes; one of them got emotionally surprised when meeting Johnson, who was his lifelong hero.[22]

On April 6, 2017, opening day, Jimmy Fallon was paraded to the entrance of the attraction on a New York-themed float joined by Steve Higgins, The Roots, Sara's stepdad, Gary, and Hashtag the Panda, from the backlot. After giving a speech, accompanied by his wife, Nancy, and their daughters, Winnie and Frances, Fallon officially opened the attraction during the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Engel, Neil (January 12, 2017). "Your Wild Ride with Jimmy Fallon Begins April 6 - Close Up". Universal Orlando Resort. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  2. ^ Porter, Sarah (March 2, 2017). "Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon is in Technical Rehearsal". Close Up. Universal Orlando Resort. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  3. ^ Bevil, Dewayne. "Universal Orlando's Jimmy Fallon starts racing through New York". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  4. ^ Lee, Banks (March 2, 2017). "Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon soft opens at Universal Studios Florida". Attractions Magazine. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  5. ^ "Jimmy Announces Universal Studios Tonight Show Ride". nbc.com. National Broadcasting Company. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  6. ^ Jimmy Announces Universal Studios Tonight Show Ride (Online video clip). The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. October 28, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2020 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Surrel, Jason. "Jimmy Fallon to Get His Own Ride at Universal Orlando Resort in 2017". blog.universalorlando.com. Universal Orlando Resort. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  8. ^ "Join us as we say goodbye to Twister at Universal Orlando". Attractions Magazine.
  9. ^ "Universal Orlando pays tribute to Bill Paxton, 'Twister' attraction in new 'Jimmy Fallon' ride".
  10. ^ "New Store opens in Universal Orlando for Jimmy Fallon Attraction".
  11. ^ Levine, Arthur. "Race Through New York: Jimmy Fallon on his new Universal ride". USA Today. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  12. ^ Niles, Robert. "Here's Jimmy Fallon, On the Set for His New Universal Orlando Attraction". themeparkinsider.com. Theme Park Insider. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  13. ^ Fallon, Jimmy [@jimmyfallon] (April 18, 2016). "Filming @UniversalORL's new attraction Race Through New York!! Crazy fun. See it Spring 2017!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 18, 2015 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "PHOTOS: New demolition work for Jimmy Fallon ride at Universal Orlando currently underway".
  15. ^ @Orlando_United (March 13, 2016). "A large crane and the first supports for a new facade have arrived for the new Jimmy Fallon ride" (Tweet). Retrieved March 23, 2016 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ The Making of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon - YouTube
  17. ^ a b c d Engel, Neil. "Details Revealed for Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon". blog.universalorlando.com. Universal Orlando Resort. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  18. ^ a b c Hochwald, Lambeth (March 24, 2017). "Jimmy Fallon Takes Us Along for the Ride as He Races Through New York". Parade Magazine. New York City: Athlon Media Group. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  19. ^ Niclana Tolmasoff on IMDb
  20. ^ Mike DiCenzo on IMDb
  21. ^ Freeman, Jon (April 5, 2017). "See Blake Shelton Tour Jimmy Fallon's New Theme Park Ride". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  22. ^ McRady, Rachel (April 6, 2017). "Jimmy Fallon and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Go Undercover at Universal Studios, Bring One Fan to Tears". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
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