IT can take years in development before a big new attraction opens here, in the highly competitive theme park capital of the world. So it should be no surprise that some of the most ambitious undertakings in years are opening in unison at SeaWorld, Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World this spring and summer, despite the downturn in travel and the overall economy. The theme parks have spared no expense to capture new revenue and repeat visitors, so the only signs of recession around these parks might actually be welcome for tourists: shorter ride lines and deeper-than-usual discounts on stay-and-play packages across central Florida. There are also fewer employees, but the parks say the cuts are targeted in areas they hope guests will least notice. Disney and Universal are launching what might be their most ambitious interactive experiences ever, though the two could scarcely be more different: An “American Idol” show at Disney and a roller coaster where riders choose personal soundtracks at Universal. And SeaWorld is unleashing its first roller coaster in a decade — a high-concept thrill ride called Manta that incorporates real-life sea creatures. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – Universal, Orlando Universal's first new coaster since the 2004 “Revenge of the Mummy-The Ride” is so complicated the park has delayed its debut for weeks to ensure that its many moving parts are in synch. It's only building anticipation among enthusiasts desperate to test one of the most guest-interactive thrill rides in history. Riders will travel 3,800 feet in one minute and 53 seconds, the first few of which might be the most terrifying. The trip begins with a 90-degree ascension to its tallest point — 167 feet straight up. Thus begins a 65-mph journey through six maneuvers — three of which the park says are brand new. But that's not even the most interesting part. The coaster is called the “Rockit” because riders get to pick their own soundtrack from about 30 songs in five genres: rap/hip-hop, country, classic rock/metal, pop/disco and club/electronica. Tunes are delivered through a 150-watt system that continuously pumps about 55 watts to each passenger. “You can literally ride this thing 30 different times and have a different experience every time,” said Mike West, executive producer with Universal Creative. The gigantic track — with pretzel loops and music-inspired maneuvers like the “Treble Clef” — can be seen from all over the park. It flanks the whole south side, at one point buzzing just 30 feet above the “Rockit” waiting queue (the “Crowd Surfer” maneuver). There's also a negative-gravity “Jump Cut” that makes riders feel like they'll be thrown out of the car. All of this is accomplished with only a lap belt and no shoulder harness — making the Rockit seem even more daring. Special LED lights visible during the day make the coaster an interesting back drop — and at night a continuous blur. “If you're brave enough to ride this, you can not only tell people about it, you can show them,” West said. Manta — Seaworld, Orlando SeaWorld has never cared to play along in the annual theme park competition of who has the fastest, tallest or scariest new rides. Manta won't set any records for highest drop or quickest takeoff, but that's just fine with the park. The flying roller coaster that emulates the movement of a giant manta ray is about much, much more. “It's is not to be dismissed as a roller coaster, but it's not so impactful that not all guests can't experience it,” said Brian Morrow, director of design and engineering for SeaWorld Orlando. “We want it to be seamless — an animal component with the thrill component. That's what we do best in the industry.” There is even an alternate route for guests who don't meet the 54-inch height requirement or just aren't keen on roller coasters — a separate tour through the stone Manta building where 300,000 marine animals live. Youngsters can crawl under an acrylic tank and poke their heads up into an aquarium filled with clown fish and sea anemone. The park wants visitors to envision they've been transported to a lost tropical cay, reachable from “mainland SeaWorld” by wooden bridges over a lagoon and amid offshoots of Manta track. SeaWorld took the “flying coaster” aspect — which means cars are suspended below the track rather than riding atop it — a step further. After boarding, the train rotates forward to put passengers through most of Manta's 3,350 paces headfirst and horizontal to the ground below, in the “prone” or “Superman” position. Manta tops out at 56 mph, and makes two close calls with the lagoon. In one, passengers and people just entering the ride queue come within feet of one another — and the waterfall separating them; in the other, Manta's wing seems to skim the lagoon surface, shooting up a 14-foot spray. Besides the pop-up clown fish feature, a giant Pacific octopus lives in dual tanks, a 220-square foot overhead window gives a bottom-up view of the rays, and a coral exhibit is growing. The American Idol experience — Walt Disney World, Disney's Hollywood Studios Leave it to industry giant Walt Disney World to base its new blockbuster attraction on the most popular show on TV, despite it airing on Fox, a lead competitor against Walt Disney Co.'s ABC. Of course, Disney knows “The American Idol Experience” represents a much bigger opportunity for the park and its guests than the TV rating wars. “We view it as a pop culture phenomenon,” Disney spokesman Rick Sylvain said. “This gives people the thrill of a live production, making them feel like they're actually on the set.” Guests get two chances to participate in this attraction — to be on-stage, or in the audience voting for the winner. There are seven regular shows a day, each featuring three performers. The winner of the eighth show, pitting the day's victors against one another, gets a grand reward: A front-of-the-line ticket to any one of the next season's “American Idol” tryouts in the country. Up to 400 can audition here each day, and about 40 will make it past the first cut. Then 21 are eventually cast to compete in seven regular shows. The audience is actually encouraged beforehand to support every contestant and heckle the judges — all three of whom are cast members, including the obligatory jerk. Singers who've made the cut arrive an hour early. They have 10 minutes of hair and make-up, 10 minutes with a voice coach and 10 more alone, with an iPod programmed with their song and its lyrics. The production feels real, with someone shouting “We're live in 3-2-1” and a giant bank of lights turning on the show's trademark “aa-AA” sound. Disney hopes to please even guests who don't make the first cut: Cast members along the way are fed electronic notes on what to help them with — pitch, nerves, gestures, etc. “We are Disney; we are not Simon (Cowell),” said Eva Medved, entertainment operations manager for the attraction. “So we want to make sure after they walk out of here they've had a good time regardless.”
