UniversalParksBlog News for October 12th, 2025
Okay, with Stardust Racers up and running again, this should be a relatively calm week for…
Wait a minute. Is Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit on fire? Hoo boy.
Grab a stiff drink and mentally prepare for another strange week of UniversalParksBlog News.
Sure, Why Not?
Universal
When it rains, it pours, and Universal Studios executives need a good umbrella right now.
Just as normalcy was returning to the parks after a tragedy, something else happened.
Image Credit: Universal Orlando
As Kristin Sabol reported on Friday, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit caught fire that morning.
I know what you’re thinking, and it’s not your imagination. Yes, the roller coaster closed in August.
Image: Universal
Demolishing a giant theme park attraction takes some time, especially since Universal wants to reclaim some parts.
Others will be used for the sake of theme park history, which forces a bit of restraint with deconstruction.
You can watch a quick video of the fire here:
Here’s another video that shows the process of extinguishing the flames on the tracks:
Since the ride had closed and nobody was injured, this story is funny more than anything else.
There’s a distinct “What now?” vibe to it that punctuates Universal’s frustrating 2025.
The theme park operator appeared to be riding a high with the opening of Universal Epic Universe.
Universal
Then, some questioned the park’s attendance, which was a grossly misleading subject.
Park officials persuaded corporate ownership to start small with Epic attendance, which they did.
So, that particular aspect was a feature, not a bug. Then, the Stardust Racers tragedy occurred.
Now, we have publications like the Orlando Sentinel demanding more industry-wide scrutiny.
Attraction Insight
Meanwhile, Universal cannot even keep the offline attractions from catching fire.
This is much ado about nothing, but it’s also another bad look for a company that desperately doesn’t need or want one.
Still, we should keep in mind the truth here. Nobody would care about this story if not for the recent tragedy.
We’d all have a good laugh about how it’s a good thing Universal closed this terrible, terrible roller coaster.
Speaking of which…
WESH
As expected, the family of the victim on Stardust Racers is NOT happy about the ride’s reopening.
I read social media an unusual amount (for me) and noticed many Universal fans were excited to see it back.
Facebook: Kevin Rodriguez Zavala
The family expressed outrage, as indicated by their attorney, Ben Crump, who made multiple statements this week.
During one on Thursday, Crump called for Universal officials to close the ride again.
Universal
I’m sure he knew that Universal wasn’t about to do that, but he made the request anyway.
According to Crump, “the same restraint malfunction reportedly occurred again.”
OC Register
He added that guests this week reported issues that “mirror witness accounts…showing that his lap bar failed to lock properly until a fourth, forceful attempt by a Universal ride operator.”
The parents included this comment: “Universal said the ride was safe, yet news reports show one of the same safety issues that my son experienced just happened again. That tells us nothing has been fixed.”
Universal
As previously mentioned, Universal updated its safety procedures and posted rules.
Now, “Guests using mobility devices must be able to walk independently.” This rule applies to Dragon Racer’s Rally and Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
Those are in addition to the change at Stardust Racers. So, you’re probably wondering something.
Attractins magazine
Did the accident deter guests from riding this roller coaster? My answer is, “Less than you may think.”
As I discussed last week, Stardust Racers averaged a wait of 44 minutes in September before the tragedy.
Attraction Insight
During its reopening week, the coaster averaged a wait of 38 minutes, which is down but not a lot.
So, the news doesn’t appear to be much of a deterrent, if at all. Read into that what you will.
Universal Miscellany
Image: WWE
Let’s start with something fun. A wrestler I adore, Alexa Bliss, did the funniest thing…
One of the characters in WWE Presents: The Horrors of the Wyatts Sicks is supposed to be Bliss.
Photo: Universal
So, the horror film lover and diehard theme park fan subbed in for the Scareactor for a night.
The Halloween Horror Nights fans that night got a very special treat, although only a few seemed to realize.
In a story I haven’t had a chance to cover yet in the news for…reasons, Rock the Universe will return!
Universal announced the dates for 2026. You can go on January 23rd and 24th.
This year’s biggest act is Switchfoot, who crossed over to mainstream success with Dare You to Move and Meant to Love.
Personally, I know them for This Is Your Life, which I have on my playlist. They’re a good get.
Universal
In other news, something we’ll cover in more detail next week, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Despite the fact that we have nearly three weeks of Halloween remaining, park officials announced some stuff.
Specifically, Universal’s holiday season will run from November 21st through January 3rd.
We’ll talk about it more next time, presuming Universal can go a full week without any shenanigans.
Photo: Universal
I see it as a coin flip. Prove me wrong, Universal Studios!
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Feature Photo: Universal
