Back to the Future The Ride Universal Studios Hollywood Electronic Press Kit Feature 2 (1993)

"Back to the Future: The Ride" was a thrilling simulator attraction featured at various Universal Destinations & Experiences parks. It debuted on May 2, 1991, in the World Expo section of Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. Subsequent openings followed on June 12, 1993, at Universal Studios Hollywood in California and on March 31, 2001, in the San Francisco area of Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Inspired by the "Back to the Future" movie series, the ride presented a first-person journey after "Back to the Future Part III," with guests chasing the villainous Biff Tannen through time after he hijacks the DeLorean time machine.
Steven Spielberg, motivated by the success of Disneyland's Star Tours and serving as the ride's creative consultant, contributed to its creation. However, waning interest by the early 2000s led to the closure of the attractions in 2007, except for the Japan location, which remained operational until 2016. The space formerly occupied by the ride was repurposed for "The Simpsons Ride" at Universal Studios Hollywood and Florida and "Despicable Me Minion Mayhem" in Japan.
The concept of a ride based on "Back to the Future" emerged from a 1986 conversation between Spielberg and Peter N. Alexander of MCA Planning and Development, sparked by Spielberg's experience on George Lucas's Star Tours at Disneyland. Spielberg's challenge to Alexander to match the achievement of Star Tours with a "Back to the Future" theme revitalized the then-stagnant Universal Studios Florida project.
Ride development kicked off in 1988, initially imagining a roller coaster but eventually settling on a simulator to better weave a narrative. The ride vehicles, designed to mimic the film's DeLorean, would move in sync with a movie projected onto a dome-shaped IMAX screen. Development involved testing with foam DeLorean models at an OMNIMAX theatre in Vancouver, Canada. Intamin was brought on to develop the sophisticated ride system.
Announced in February 1989, the ride was part of the expansion of the new Universal Studios Florida park, set to open in mid-1990. It was later slated to enhance Universal Studios Hollywood in 1991. Construction delays pushed back openings, with the Florida location debuting on May 2, 1991, with a $40 million investment, and the Hollywood site opening on June 12, 1993, after overcoming foundation issues, with costs reaching $60 million.
The Japan installation opened on March 31, 2001, at the then-new Universal Studios Japan. By 2015, Japan's "Back to the Future" gift shop had been transformed into Minion Mart, aligning with the "Despicable Me 2" themes.
0:00 About the ride
Spoken in the video:
0:38 Robert Zemeckis - Director
0:49 Steven Spielberg - Producer
1:03 Mary Steenburgen - Actor
1:19 Lea Thompson - Actor
1:40 Steve Marble - Ride Co-Producer
Ride Film Directed by: Douglas Trumbull
Pre-Show Directed by: Les Mayfield and David deVos
Written by: Peyton Reed
Music Composed by: Alan Silvestri
Executive Produced, Created, and Written by: Peter Alexander
Produced by: Sherry McKenna, Craig Barr, Philip Hettema and Terry Winnick
Production Executives: Jay Stein and Barry Upson
Based on characters created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale
Creative Consultant: Steven Spielberg
Designed by Universal Creative and Berkshire Ridefilm
Distributed by: Universal Studios
©1993 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
(www.universaldestinationsande...)
Posted for entertainment and educational purposes only.
No copyrights were infringed. All works are the property of the company listed above. Please do not reproduce without their expressed written consent.
Keywords
Universal Pictures
Fantasy Films
BTS
Behind The Scenes
Camera Crane
Interactive Opportunities
DMC DeLorean Car
Construction
Camera Model
Welcome to Hill Valley 2015
Flight
Motion Pictures
Doc Brown's Car
Technology
Flight Simulator
Hydraulics
Pneumatics
Control System
Show System
Ride System
SubSystems
Live Effects
LN2 Liquid nitrogen
Fog effects
Vibrations
Large-Scale Film Projection System
IMAX
Alternate Reality
Time
Space
Past, Present, Future
Viscerally
Level of Experience
Preshow Video
Holding Room Video
Dome Theater
Ride Vehicle
IR Lights
Infrared Lights
Hasta la bye-bye
Gull-wing door
Plutonium
Jaws 19
Hill Valley Courthouse Mall
Clock Tower
88 MPH
Dinosaur
OUTATTIME
Universal Parks and Resorts
MCA Universal
North Hollywood
Los Angeles
Thunderdome
Levels
Scissor lift
Audio
Tower Control Rooms
Command Center
Park Operations
Ride Operations
USH Technical Services
Animations
Sound/Video
Maintenance
Paint Shop
MCA Planning and Development
Universal Creative
Douglas Trumbull
Thomas F. Wilson
Michael J. Fox
Marty McFly
Behind The Scenes
Ride Opening
June 1993
#BackToTheFutureTheRide #backtothefuture #bttf #universalstudioshollywood #universalstudios #universalhollywood #entertainmentcenter #TheSimpsonsRide #imax #universalstudiosflorida #hillvalley #robertzemeckis #MovieRide #DouglasTrumbull #cowmissing

[@alexgeorge501]

Thank Douglas Trumbull for all that he has done for the theme park indusdry including this amazing ride!

[@timofeibaranovsky9850]

I liked the simulator ride. I feel bad for Back To The Future fans to see the ride gone, but I'm glad that you published the electronic press kit. I really hoped that you might publish Sesame Street 4D when the month of April starts tomorrow. #BackToTheFutureTheRide #UniversalStudiosHollyWood

[@ZakWinnick]

What a great day that opening day was. Hollywood was supposed to open before Florida, but because of some construction issues, it opened way later. I was able to ride the ride with both Tom Wilson and Steven Spielberg that day (Spielberg rode it like 8 times). It was amazing. Also, the guy at the end talking about the audio system is Steve Marble, one of the ride's co-producers.

[@cowmissing]

Thank you, Zak. Sounds like a wonderful day! I’ll add Steve’s name in the description. Was wondering who that was. :)

[@christopherrichards2350]

What was it like meeting Steven Spielberg at the Back To The Future ride?

[@christopherrichards2350]

I hope to see a press kit of the Jaws ride at Universal Studios Florida.

[@chriscravens4915]

They took out that ride at universal unfortunately….

[@ad7799]

Que cagada que la hayan sacado...

[@aviduser1961]

brain missing. integrity missing. creativity missing.

[@bluepandaman]

What..?