The Incredible Hulk coaster at Islands of Adventure is preparing to reawaken after a nine-month overhaul. And from the looks of details released by Universal today, enduring those nine Hulk-less months will pay off.
The makeover, announced in August 2015, will bring the legendary 1999 Bolliger & Mabillard launched steel coaster into the 21st century with new trains as well as a refreshed backstory, ride entrance and queue experience.
Really, the only thing holdover from the old Hulk is the coaster’s layout. But even there, every piece of track and support has been replaced.
According to a Universal Orlando blog post:
This fan favorite is undergoing thrilling, new enhancements that will make it feel more immersive and high-tech – but will still have the same “Incredible” personality that makes it one of America’s most popular coasters.
As they enter the queue, riders will pass under a towering hulk figure that is holding (actual) pieces of the Hulk’s old track.
New Story and Queue
Beyond a refreshed appearance, the Incredible Hulk will also feature a revamped backstory:
General Thaddeus Ross is calling for volunteers for a new experiment. Your only warning is that you’ll be subjected to high levels of gamma radiation through a process called Hulk-a-fication – a potentially life-altering process first introduced by Dr. Bruce Banner. The end result is said to give subjects magnificent strength and a forceful amount of energy. Will you emerge as the military’s next super soldier…or something else entirely?
Also receiving TLC is the ride’s queue line, which has been redesigned as a “state-of-the-art military research compound” under General Ross’ command:
Inside, General Ross is conducting an array of questionable, bio-radiological experiments. You’ll pass by laboratories containing high-tech equipment his team uses to execute his mysterious tests.
Riders will then reach the Gamma core, the “intense energy source that sends pulsing waves of radiation upward to fuel General Ross’s experiment.”
After passing through the queue, riders will be directed to the loading platform, which will be “sparking with electrical bursts” from the Gamma accelerator, which will launch the train up the 110-foot-tall hill into a zero-G roll.
New Trains
All images © Universal Orlando
Incredible Hulk will also receive sleek and modern new trains, which will feature an in-seat audio system booming an original ride score from Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump.
These new trains will look great speeding along the coaster’s green track (with black instead of silver supports).
Watch a video with more information below:
When the train launches from 0-40 mph, riders will experience the same exhilarating ride that has been thrilling riders for more than 16 years.
The Incredible Hulk will reopen late summer 2016, according to the blog post. Stay tuned for more details as the reopening approaches.
What are your thoughts on the new Incredible Hulk? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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