Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast was a simulator ride
at Universal Studios Florida
that replaced The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
. The story line revolved around Ooblar, (brother to King Goobot who is an enemy of Jimmy's) from the Yolkian planet has stolen Jimmy's newest rocket creation, the Mark IV. Jimmy, along with his best friend Carl and robotic canine, Goddard, invite the audience to give chase in other rockets through the worlds and sound stage
s of the Nicktoons
.
On March 14, 2011, Universal announced that the attraction would begin operating on a seasonal schedule starting on April 1, 2011, and would operate for limited amounts of time throughout the spring and summer seasons before it closed completely on August 18, 2011. The attraction will be replaced by Despicable Me
in 2012.
. The guests are then taken into a preshow area where the storyline for the ride would be revealed.
, (the ride vehicles themselves), while he, Carl, and Goddard follow in the Mark II. Earlier, Carl had asked what happened to the Mark III rocket, and Jimmy replied, "Don't ask." At this point, the screen goes black, and the guests are ushered to the rockets.
s to spot throughout the aerial pursuit, but this part of the ride has the most. Jimmy then warns the audience to watch out for the giant Slime Tower as the rockets head into Arnold's
neighborhood. Straight ahead is the Rugrats
sound stage where the characters are enjoying a Reptar-themed birthday party at Tommy Pickles' house. As Jimmy's rocket swoops in to follow Ooblar through the house, Goddard activates his roboclaw on Jimmy's command and grabs Angelica who is then carried through the house and up the stairs. The rockets then crash through an upstairs bedroom window as Angelica is dumped on the bed, and enter The Fairly OddParents
sound stage where Jimmy asks Cosmo and Wanda to help them get the Mark IV back. However, Cosmo's antics get in the way and Wanda asks him to give his wand to Carl to help stop Ooblar. Carl then makes Ooblar disappear to the Yolkian planet and Wanda grants Jimmy's wish to follow him. On the Yolkian planet, Jimmy, Carl, and Goddard meet up with King Goobot who introduces them to Poultra, a gigantic alien chicken from the movie
. While trying to flee from Poultra, the Mark IV is destroyed by her breath while simultaneously causing Jimmy's rocket to lose power and Ooblar to be turned into a fried egg. Carl uses Cosmo's wand to return to Earth where they crash land into Bikini Bottom where SpongeBob
and Patrick
are jellyfishing in Jellyfish Fields. SpongeBob is excited to see a "rocket-powered jellyfish" (Jimmy's rocket) and immediately gives chase by diving off a cliff onto Jimmy and then being pulled along behind the rocket in water skiing
fashion. While hastily cruising around Bikini Bottom, Jimmy's rocket collides into the Krusty Krab
, causing Mr. Krabs
to unintentionally hitch a ride along with SpongeBob. Jimmy then drags SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs underwater to a large pipe that leads back to his rocket lab. As the water drains into the floor, a very angry King Goobot shows up and traps Jimmy and Goddard in a floating bubble while forcing the audience and Carl to listen to the Chicken Dance
as the seats move and bounce to the song. Carl manages to break free of the hypnotic music and uses Cosmo's wand, (which he still has), to blast King Goobot's staff where he controls the music and the bubble. Jimmy and Goddard are freed and King Goobot is reduced to a quivering mass after his shell is broken. Carl then starts wishing up tons of llamas as Jimmy thanks the audience for saving the universe. The door with the large letter "N" closes and the ride attendants congratulate the guests on a job well done.
There is a 40-inch height requirement for the simulator, requiring smaller children to sit in a non-motion seat. Expectant mothers, people with motion sickness, heart problems, back or neck problems, are all encouraged to sit in a non-motion seat. People occasionally panic during the ride due to the intense motion, and the ride is stopped by an operator.
. In June 2008, the signs from old Nickelodeon shows were taken away and were replaced with signs from newer Nickelodeon shows such as Naked Brothers Band and iCarly
. Cosmo
and Wanda
appear in different areas from time to time to talk about the thing they have poofed into, before disappearing.
was one of Universal Studios Florida's original attractions, opening with the park on June 7, 1990. In 1998, Universal officials noticed that the ride had lost a large percentage of its operating capacity, most likely because children were not interested in Hanna-Barbera
cartoons anymore, and they secretly began work on a new attraction to replace it with which would be based on modern cartoons rather than older animation due. Universal then brought up the idea of opening a Nickelodeon
themed simulator ride
.
In the early 2000s, a contract was granted with Viacom
and Nickelodeon
to replace "Hanna-Barbera" with a simulator ride titled "The Nicktoon Blast". In 2001, when it was decided the newest Nicktoon character Jimmy Neutron would host the ride, and it was secretly greenlit as "Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast". Production on the ride film and conceptual art of the new look for the ride was done in 2001 through very early 2003.
In July 2002, Universal officially confirmed that they would not renew their contract for the Hanna-Barbera ride and that it would be replaced by "Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast" in 2003. They had also announced the replacement of Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies with Shrek 4-D
on the same day.
as the distributor, and the only involvement which Universal Studios had in production of the ride film was an appearance of the Universal logo on the character Ooblar's hat during the pre-show portion. However, Mario Kamberg, Allen Battino and Totally Fun Company
's Trey Stokes
, who designed the ride film for "Hanna-Barbera", also signed on to take part in the animation of the Nickton Blast ride film. The reason for which "Hanna-Barbera" needed a contract as well despite Universal still in ownership of the ride film was due to the fact that Universal did not own the characters and needed a license to use them at their theme parks. By the end of the run of Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast on August 18, 2011, Kamberg, Battino and Stokes will have had both their films playing in the same theater for over 20 years.
There has been speculation that Hanna-Barbera characters have a very brief cameo in the opening portion of the main ride, as in homage to the Hanna-Barbera ride. However, this is not the case because Nickelodeon produced the ride film and Hanna Barbera characters are copyrighted by Hanna-Barbera Productions, an asset of Time Warner
. In the pre-show portion of the ride film, Jimmy Neutron's rocket the Mark IV which Ooblar steals bears an almost total resemblance to Dick Dastardly
's space rocket in "Hanna-Barbera".
's history behind the change from Earthquake: The Big One to Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You!. Changes are very minimal, and the experience is essentially the same, similar to "Disaster!". The changes include new paint on soundstage 42's exterior, as well in the tent for the queue area, and on the ride vehicles. In the pre-show portion, minimal rethemeing was done, and it is almost entirely the same from Hanna-Barbera. The only changes in the pre-show portion are the new ride film as well as the removal of the Jetsons
style robot arm which would "hold" one of the pre-show screens in Hanna-Barbera. Another change was the addition of a red alert signal when the pre-show video plays. The Hanna-Barbera rocket and projector still remain exactly intact.
In the main ride portion, the rocket style ride vehicles have been repainted to bear the resemblance of Jimmy's Mark 1 rocket rather than the Hanna-Barbera rockets. Jimmy's "N" insignia has also been etched into the seats of each ride vehicle, as well as above the ride screen, and the new ride film also plays. New effects were also added as well,which include lighting flashes in some parts of the ride, and riders also feel water and bubbles come down from the ceiling during other portions. Many of the motion system's movements are the same from Hanna-Barbera because the same system is reused, except for the chicken dance
finale. Rocket windows on the right and left sides of the theater are still exactly in tact from Hanna-Barbera.
During the interactive post show, nothing has been reused from Hanna-Barbera except for a projection screen used for one of the games. Every other set is newly built.
As for the gift shop, it has been slightly refurbished for Nicktoon themeing, and new paint has been added in place of previous Hanna-Barbera murals.
and Ren and Stimpy but eventually showed clips from newer Nicktoons such as Danny Phantom
, Avatar: The Last Airbender
and Catscratch
. The old television monitors in the queue, which had been re-used from "Hanna-Barbera", have recently been replaced with new flat screen plasma television monitors.
. It was run during Horror Nights the following years.
The attraction began operating only during peak seasons on April 1, 2011. It remained operating in the seasonal schedule until closing on August 18. On May 19, 2011, Universal Orlando officially announced that the new attraction
would be based on the 2010 animated film Despicable Me
and is scheduled to open in 2012.
Some received the ride positively. The website Orlando Rocks gave a positive review stating "Move over Hanna! This ride is wonderful". On IMDB, a user gave a positive review of 8 out of 10 stars stating that it was "simply fun" but that it "doesn't hold up to it's predecessor" a reviewer on Theme Park Insider said that "it is a fun little ride". One user said "I had a fun time on here, the dancing was the best part" and another called it "a memorable experience" but that it "is one of the most underrated attractions at Universal".
Others were more negative of the attraction. On IMDB, another user gave a lackluster review stating "It's basically the same exact ride, only there's a different movie and the ride vehicles have all been repainted" and also said "skip this one in favor of more innovative and exciting rides" Most reviews conducted on Theme Park Insider mention that the ride is nothing more than "Just O.K.", with one reviewer saying "it hurts your butt when it does the chicken dance". Another reviewer said that "This is probably not the ride for adults without kids, especially if you really like Hanna-Barbera cartoons. But hey, if there is nothing else to do, then go for it"
The ride received a 7 out of 10 rating on the website Theme Park Insider. On IMDB, it received a 6 out of 10 star rating. Comparingly, the Hanna-Barbera ride received an 8 out of 10 rating.
Simulator ride
Simulator rides are a type of amusement park ride, where the audience is shown a movie while their seats move to correspond to the action on screen.-History:...
at Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
that replaced The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (ride)
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was a simulator ride at Universal Studios Florida, and one of the park's original attractions. The story line was that Dick Dastardly and Muttley have kidnapped Elroy Jetson, Yogi Bear gives chase and the audience is in for the ride of their lives. Peter N...
. The story line revolved around Ooblar, (brother to King Goobot who is an enemy of Jimmy's) from the Yolkian planet has stolen Jimmy's newest rocket creation, the Mark IV. Jimmy, along with his best friend Carl and robotic canine, Goddard, invite the audience to give chase in other rockets through the worlds and sound stage
Sound stage
In common usage, a sound stage is a soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for the production of theatrical filmmaking and television production, usually located on a secure movie studio property.-Overview:...
s of the Nicktoons
Nicktoons
Nicktoons are animated television shows that are produced by and aired on the children's television channel Nickelodeon. Prior to 1991, Nickelodeon aired mostly foreign made animated series. The idea for Nicktoons was formed in 1989 and on Sunday, August 11, 1991, the first Nicktoon, Doug, was...
.
On March 14, 2011, Universal announced that the attraction would begin operating on a seasonal schedule starting on April 1, 2011, and would operate for limited amounts of time throughout the spring and summer seasons before it closed completely on August 18, 2011. The attraction will be replaced by Despicable Me
Despicable Me (attraction)
Despicable Me is the tentative name for an upcoming attraction currently under construction at Universal Studios Florida. The attraction will be based on Universal Studios and Illumination Entertainment's 2010 animated film Despicable Me and it will employ 3-D HD digital animation. The attraction...
in 2012.
Synopsis
In spring 2003, Universal Studios Florida released this official synopsis:Summary
The facility which used to house The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera is used for the same purpose as its predecessor. Enough changes were made to re-invent the ride as Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast, such as paint and a new movie, but it is essentially the same.Queue
The outside queue area, where people wait in line, feature several television screens that show various Nicktoons on a loopLoop
- Technology :*Loop , sending a signal on a channel and receiving it back at the sending terminal*Loop , a method of control flow in computer science*Loop device, a Unix device node that allows a file to be mounted on a directory...
. The guests are then taken into a preshow area where the storyline for the ride would be revealed.
Pre-show
Inside the preshow, there is a television screen with an atom and electrons revolving around it (Jimmy Neutron's insignia). When the demonstration starts, Jimmy introduces himself, Goddard, and Carl to the audience and then Jimmy instructs Goddard to give a layout of Nicktoon Studios. Shortly thereafter, the alarms go off and Jimmy's computer, the VOX-9000, alerts him that an intruder is on the premises. After a quick inspection of the lab, everything seems normal until a laser starts cutting the wall behind Jimmy, Carl, and Goddard. Ooblar shows up dressed as a tourist (notice that he's wearing a Universal cap). Jimmy asks what he's doing here and Ooblar responds that he came by to give Carl back his stuffed bear, Mr. Fluffkins. Jimmy is perplexed at this statement saying, "You came all this way to return Carl's bear?" Ooblar laughs and then plays a video that shows him and King Goobot arguing if Ooblar can enslave the Earth. King Goobot eventually gives in and requests that Ooblar bring the Mark IV rocket back to him so that he can duplicate it and then his armies can enslave the Earth. Ooblar then gets into the Mark IV and prepares to fly off but not before threatening Carl to hand over the remote control to pilot it. Ooblar then leaves through the hole in the wall that he caused and Jimmy asks the audience to follow them in some Mark I rockets that he will pilot by remote controlRemote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
, (the ride vehicles themselves), while he, Carl, and Goddard follow in the Mark II. Earlier, Carl had asked what happened to the Mark III rocket, and Jimmy replied, "Don't ask." At this point, the screen goes black, and the guests are ushered to the rockets.
Ride
Right in front of the audience is a giant metal door with a large letter "N" for Neutron on the front. All of a sudden, the door opens and the rockets follow Jimmy, Carl, and Goddard out through the hole in the wall and enter Nicktoon Studios. There are a lot of Nicktoon cameoCameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s to spot throughout the aerial pursuit, but this part of the ride has the most. Jimmy then warns the audience to watch out for the giant Slime Tower as the rockets head into Arnold's
Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett for Nickelodeon. The show's premise focuses on a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends...
neighborhood. Straight ahead is the Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
sound stage where the characters are enjoying a Reptar-themed birthday party at Tommy Pickles' house. As Jimmy's rocket swoops in to follow Ooblar through the house, Goddard activates his roboclaw on Jimmy's command and grabs Angelica who is then carried through the house and up the stairs. The rockets then crash through an upstairs bedroom window as Angelica is dumped on the bed, and enter The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents
The Fairly OddParents is an American-Canadian animated television series created by Butch Hartman about the adventures of Timmy Turner, who is granted fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda. The series started out as cartoon segments that ran from September 4, 1998 to March 23, 2001 on Oh Yeah!...
sound stage where Jimmy asks Cosmo and Wanda to help them get the Mark IV back. However, Cosmo's antics get in the way and Wanda asks him to give his wand to Carl to help stop Ooblar. Carl then makes Ooblar disappear to the Yolkian planet and Wanda grants Jimmy's wish to follow him. On the Yolkian planet, Jimmy, Carl, and Goddard meet up with King Goobot who introduces them to Poultra, a gigantic alien chicken from the movie
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (film)
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius is a 2001 computer-animated film based on a few three-minute animated shorts shown on Nickelodeon between the years 1999-2002, and a pilot in 1998. The film was produced by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies with O Entertainment and DNA Productions...
. While trying to flee from Poultra, the Mark IV is destroyed by her breath while simultaneously causing Jimmy's rocket to lose power and Ooblar to be turned into a fried egg. Carl uses Cosmo's wand to return to Earth where they crash land into Bikini Bottom where SpongeBob
SpongeBob SquarePants (character)
SpongeBob SquarePants is a main fictional character in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by Tom Kenny and first appeared on television in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. SpongeBob was created and designed by cartoonist Stephen Hillenburg...
and Patrick
Patrick Star
Patrick Star is the deuteragonist of the Nickelodeon animated comedy series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by creator Stephen Hillenburg and voiced by Bill Fagerbakke. Patrick's most significant character trait is his lack of common sense, which sometimes makes him a negative influence on his best...
are jellyfishing in Jellyfish Fields. SpongeBob is excited to see a "rocket-powered jellyfish" (Jimmy's rocket) and immediately gives chase by diving off a cliff onto Jimmy and then being pulled along behind the rocket in water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
fashion. While hastily cruising around Bikini Bottom, Jimmy's rocket collides into the Krusty Krab
Krusty Krab
The Krusty Krab is a restaurant in the city of Bikini Bottom in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants.-Depictions:The owner of the Krusty Krab is Eugene H. Krabs, although ownership changed to SpongeBob in "Patty Hype" and to Howard Blandy in "The Algae's Always Greener"...
, causing Mr. Krabs
Mr. Krabs
Captain Eugene Harold "Armor Abs" Krabs is a fictional character in the American cartoon series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by Clancy Brown. Mr. Krabs is seen in most episodes of the show, as well as in movies, video games, and other media based on the series...
to unintentionally hitch a ride along with SpongeBob. Jimmy then drags SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs underwater to a large pipe that leads back to his rocket lab. As the water drains into the floor, a very angry King Goobot shows up and traps Jimmy and Goddard in a floating bubble while forcing the audience and Carl to listen to the Chicken Dance
Chicken Dance
The "Chicken Dance" is an oom-pah song and its associated fad dance is now a contemporary American folk dance. The song was composed by accordion player Werner Thomas from Davos, Switzerland, in the 1950s....
as the seats move and bounce to the song. Carl manages to break free of the hypnotic music and uses Cosmo's wand, (which he still has), to blast King Goobot's staff where he controls the music and the bubble. Jimmy and Goddard are freed and King Goobot is reduced to a quivering mass after his shell is broken. Carl then starts wishing up tons of llamas as Jimmy thanks the audience for saving the universe. The door with the large letter "N" closes and the ride attendants congratulate the guests on a job well done.
There is a 40-inch height requirement for the simulator, requiring smaller children to sit in a non-motion seat. Expectant mothers, people with motion sickness, heart problems, back or neck problems, are all encouraged to sit in a non-motion seat. People occasionally panic during the ride due to the intense motion, and the ride is stopped by an operator.
Post-show
Like its predecessor, after the show, guests were escorted into an interactive area where they can interact with various technologies geared towards children. This area held various logo signs and props from old Nickelodeon shows, such as Double Dare 2000 and All ThatAll That
All That is an American live-action, sketch comedy-variety show that aired on the Nickelodeon cable television network featuring short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests. The theme song for All That was performed by TLC...
. In June 2008, the signs from old Nickelodeon shows were taken away and were replaced with signs from newer Nickelodeon shows such as Naked Brothers Band and iCarly
ICarly
iCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...
. Cosmo
Cosmo
Cosmo may refer to:*Cosmo , a surnameCosmo may also refer to:-Anime:* Cosmo Police Justy, 1985 Japanese anime* Cosmo Ranger, alternate name of the 1982-1983 Japanese anime Baxinger...
and Wanda
Wanda
-Derivation:It is derived from Wandalus or Wandalarius , the name of several Amali Gothic rulers. The first Polish historian Kadlubek wrote the Princess Wanda story. He describes her as live amongst the Wandali and claims that a river in the land of the Vandals is named Wandalus after Wanda...
appear in different areas from time to time to talk about the thing they have poofed into, before disappearing.
Cast
- Debi DerryberryDebi DerryberryDebi Derryberry is an American voice actress, singer, composer and kids' entertainer who won an American Anime Award.-History:...
– Jimmy Neutron - Rob PaulsenRob PaulsenRobert Fredrick "Rob" Paulsen III , sometimes credited as Rob Paulson, is an American voice actor, best known as the voice behind Raphael from the 1987 cartoon of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yakko Warner and Dr...
– Carl Wheezer - Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
– GoddardGoddard-Places:In the United States:* Goddard, Alaska* Goddard, Kansas* Goddard, Maryland* Goddard Memorial State Park, Warwick, Rhode Island* Goddard College, a private college in Plainfield, Vermont* Maurice K...
, Poultra - S. Scott BullockS. Scott BullockStuart Scott Bullock , best known as S. Scott Bullock, is an American actor Bullock is best known for his role as Eddy "Edgar" the Jersey Cow in Barnyard: The Original Party Animals and Back at the Barnyard, Mr...
– King Goobot, Elvis Ooblar - Paul Greenberg – Ooblar
- Tom KennyTom KennyThomas James "Tom" Kenny is an American actor, voice actor and comedian. He is especially known for his long-running-role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the television series of the same name, as well as the live-action character Patchy the Pirate, Gary the Snail and the French narrator based on...
– SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants (character)SpongeBob SquarePants is a main fictional character in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. He is voiced by Tom Kenny and first appeared on television in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999. SpongeBob was created and designed by cartoonist Stephen Hillenburg...
, Gary - Rodger Bumpass - Squidward Tenticals
- Cheryl ChaseCheryl ChaseCheryl Chase is an American voice actress best known as the voice of Angelica Pickles on Rugrats, All Grown Up! and Angelica and Susie's Pre-School Daze...
– Angelica PicklesAngelica PicklesAngelica Charlotte Pickles is a character voiced by Cheryl Chase in the Nickelodeon shows Rugrats and All Grown Up! and is among the series' original characters. She is a spoiled brat and the cousin of Tommy and Dil Pickles, serves as the main antagonist or the tritagonist of the series... - Daran NorrisDaran NorrisDaran Morrison Nordland , usually credited as Daran Norris, is an American film and television actor and voice artist. Since 1977 he has participated in more than 400 films, video games, and television projects. He is best known as Gordy from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, the voice of...
– CosmoCosmoCosmo may refer to:*Cosmo , a surnameCosmo may also refer to:-Anime:* Cosmo Police Justy, 1985 Japanese anime* Cosmo Ranger, alternate name of the 1982-1983 Japanese anime Baxinger... - Susan Blakeslee – WandaWanda-Derivation:It is derived from Wandalus or Wandalarius , the name of several Amali Gothic rulers. The first Polish historian Kadlubek wrote the Princess Wanda story. He describes her as live amongst the Wandali and claims that a river in the land of the Vandals is named Wandalus after Wanda...
- Clancy BrownClancy BrownClarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
- Eugene Krabs - Bill FagerbakkeBill FagerbakkeWilliam Mark "Bill" Fagerbakke is an American actor and voice actor. He is well-known for his long-running-roles as Patrick Star in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants and "Dauber" Dybinski on the sitcom Coach....
– Patrick StarPatrick StarPatrick Star is the deuteragonist of the Nickelodeon animated comedy series SpongeBob SquarePants, created by creator Stephen Hillenburg and voiced by Bill Fagerbakke. Patrick's most significant character trait is his lack of common sense, which sometimes makes him a negative influence on his best... - Universal Studios Employee – Nicktoon Studios Attendant
Crew
- Directed by- Mario Kamberg
- Produced by- Joel Krasnove, Gaylee Reznik, Kevin Susman
- Music Composed by- James S. LevineJames S. LevineJames S. Levine is a composer and member of Remote Control Productions . He has won two BMI awards. His credits include Running with Scissors, Delta Farce, "The Weather Man" and the TV shows Nip/Tuck, Glee, and The Closer...
- Production Design and Art Direction by- Allen Battino
- Production Managed by- Julie Peng
- Production Artists- Chris Darroca, Kenny Pittenger
- Sound Edited by- Roy Brauerman
- Animation by- Trey StokesTrey StokesTrey Stokes is an American filmmaker and puppeteer, best known for his Star Wars parody series Pink Five, and his puppeteering work on various movie, TV, and motion-ride projects.-Early career:...
- Sound Mixed by- Roy Brauerman
- Visual Effects Designed by- Heather BakerHeather BakerHeather Baker is a female American singer, songwriter and guitarist, and founder of the band The Afterlife. She is currently touring with the all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens .-Biography:In 2004, Heather Baker and a group of friends formed the band As Night Falls...
, Robert J. Baldwin, Christopher Lee Fowler, Ronn Harbin, Jason Meier, David Ridlen, John Sore, Donny Sorvala, Trey StokesTrey StokesTrey Stokes is an American filmmaker and puppeteer, best known for his Star Wars parody series Pink Five, and his puppeteering work on various movie, TV, and motion-ride projects.-Early career:...
, Hanzhi Tang, Ride Trade - Production Assistant by- Trinity Murphy
- Distributed by- Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Viacom Productions
History
The Funtastic World of Hanna-BarberaThe Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (ride)
The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera was a simulator ride at Universal Studios Florida, and one of the park's original attractions. The story line was that Dick Dastardly and Muttley have kidnapped Elroy Jetson, Yogi Bear gives chase and the audience is in for the ride of their lives. Peter N...
was one of Universal Studios Florida's original attractions, opening with the park on June 7, 1990. In 1998, Universal officials noticed that the ride had lost a large percentage of its operating capacity, most likely because children were not interested in Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
cartoons anymore, and they secretly began work on a new attraction to replace it with which would be based on modern cartoons rather than older animation due. Universal then brought up the idea of opening a Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
themed simulator ride
Simulator ride
Simulator rides are a type of amusement park ride, where the audience is shown a movie while their seats move to correspond to the action on screen.-History:...
.
In the early 2000s, a contract was granted with Viacom
Viacom
Viacom Inc. , short for "Video & Audio Communications", is an American media conglomerate with interests primarily in, but not limited to, cinema and cable television...
and Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
to replace "Hanna-Barbera" with a simulator ride titled "The Nicktoon Blast". In 2001, when it was decided the newest Nicktoon character Jimmy Neutron would host the ride, and it was secretly greenlit as "Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast". Production on the ride film and conceptual art of the new look for the ride was done in 2001 through very early 2003.
In July 2002, Universal officially confirmed that they would not renew their contract for the Hanna-Barbera ride and that it would be replaced by "Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast" in 2003. They had also announced the replacement of Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies with Shrek 4-D
Shrek 4-D
Shrek 4-D is a 4-D film at various theme parks around the world. Universal Parks & Resorts owns the main rights to the film which is currently shown at their parks in Hollywood, Florida, Japan and Singapore...
on the same day.
Production
Unlike the ride film of "The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera" which Universal had co-produced with Hanna-Barbera Productions, the ride film of Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast was created solely by Nickelodeon Animation Studios with Viacom ProductionsViacom Productions
Viacom Productions was a television production company active from 1974 until 2004.-History:*1971: Viacom Enterprises was reincorporated from CBS Enterprises .*1973: Viacom Enterprises was spun-off from CBS....
as the distributor, and the only involvement which Universal Studios had in production of the ride film was an appearance of the Universal logo on the character Ooblar's hat during the pre-show portion. However, Mario Kamberg, Allen Battino and Totally Fun Company
Totally Fun Company
Theme Park design company started by Peter Alexander, former Disney Imagineer, Universal Studios creative executive and Six Flags Executive Producer, based in Tampa, Florida.Disney and Universal...
's Trey Stokes
Trey Stokes
Trey Stokes is an American filmmaker and puppeteer, best known for his Star Wars parody series Pink Five, and his puppeteering work on various movie, TV, and motion-ride projects.-Early career:...
, who designed the ride film for "Hanna-Barbera", also signed on to take part in the animation of the Nickton Blast ride film. The reason for which "Hanna-Barbera" needed a contract as well despite Universal still in ownership of the ride film was due to the fact that Universal did not own the characters and needed a license to use them at their theme parks. By the end of the run of Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast on August 18, 2011, Kamberg, Battino and Stokes will have had both their films playing in the same theater for over 20 years.
There has been speculation that Hanna-Barbera characters have a very brief cameo in the opening portion of the main ride, as in homage to the Hanna-Barbera ride. However, this is not the case because Nickelodeon produced the ride film and Hanna Barbera characters are copyrighted by Hanna-Barbera Productions, an asset of Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
. In the pre-show portion of the ride film, Jimmy Neutron's rocket the Mark IV which Ooblar steals bears an almost total resemblance to Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly
Dick Dastardly is a fictional character and antagonist who appeared in various animated series by Hanna-Barbera Productions. Dastardly's most famous appearances are main character in the series Wacky Races and its spin-off Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines...
's space rocket in "Hanna-Barbera".
Ride
The rebuilding of "Hanna-Barbera" into "Jimmy Neutron" lasted 5 months and two weeks, currently the second shortest ride turn around in Universal Orlando ResortUniversal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida. It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal and its affiliates. The resort consists of two theme parks , Universal CityWalk , and three Loews Hotels...
's history behind the change from Earthquake: The Big One to Disaster!: A Major Motion Picture Ride...Starring You!. Changes are very minimal, and the experience is essentially the same, similar to "Disaster!". The changes include new paint on soundstage 42's exterior, as well in the tent for the queue area, and on the ride vehicles. In the pre-show portion, minimal rethemeing was done, and it is almost entirely the same from Hanna-Barbera. The only changes in the pre-show portion are the new ride film as well as the removal of the Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
style robot arm which would "hold" one of the pre-show screens in Hanna-Barbera. Another change was the addition of a red alert signal when the pre-show video plays. The Hanna-Barbera rocket and projector still remain exactly intact.
In the main ride portion, the rocket style ride vehicles have been repainted to bear the resemblance of Jimmy's Mark 1 rocket rather than the Hanna-Barbera rockets. Jimmy's "N" insignia has also been etched into the seats of each ride vehicle, as well as above the ride screen, and the new ride film also plays. New effects were also added as well,which include lighting flashes in some parts of the ride, and riders also feel water and bubbles come down from the ceiling during other portions. Many of the motion system's movements are the same from Hanna-Barbera because the same system is reused, except for the chicken dance
Chicken Dance
The "Chicken Dance" is an oom-pah song and its associated fad dance is now a contemporary American folk dance. The song was composed by accordion player Werner Thomas from Davos, Switzerland, in the 1950s....
finale. Rocket windows on the right and left sides of the theater are still exactly in tact from Hanna-Barbera.
During the interactive post show, nothing has been reused from Hanna-Barbera except for a projection screen used for one of the games. Every other set is newly built.
As for the gift shop, it has been slightly refurbished for Nicktoon themeing, and new paint has been added in place of previous Hanna-Barbera murals.
Construction and Opening
"The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera" closed on October 20, 2002 and construction began almost immediately afterwords. The attraction started previews in late March 2003 known as "Technical Reheasals". The ride was officially opened by Universal Orlando on April 11.Updated queue
When the ride was first opened, the queue video showed clips from Hey Arnold, Invader ZimInvader Zim
Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by Jhonen Vasquez. It was produced by and subsequently aired on Nickelodeon. The series revolves around an extraterrestrial named Zim from the planet Irk, and his ongoing mission to conquer and destroy Earth...
and Ren and Stimpy but eventually showed clips from newer Nicktoons such as Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon, produced by Billionfold Studios. The show was about a teenage half-ghost boy, who frequently saves his town and the world from ghost attacks, while attempting to keep his ghost half a secret...
, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz...
and Catscratch
Catscratch
Catscratch is a American animated television series created by Doug TenNapel airing on Nickelodeon in 2005 and on Nicktoons in late 2007 . It was also shown on Nickelodeon UK/Ireland in 2006. It is a light-hearted adaptation of TenNapel's graphic novel, Gear, which is also the name of the cats'...
. The old television monitors in the queue, which had been re-used from "Hanna-Barbera", have recently been replaced with new flat screen plasma television monitors.
Halloween Horror Nights
The attraction has frequently been run at the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Orlando ResortUniversal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is a theme park resort in Orlando, Florida. It is wholly owned by NBCUniversal and its affiliates. The resort consists of two theme parks , Universal CityWalk , and three Loews Hotels...
. It was run during Horror Nights the following years.
- HHN (2004)
- HHN: Sweet 16 (2006)
- HHN: Carnival of Carnage (2007)
Closing
On March 14, 2011, Universal Orlando released this statement via their Facebook page:The attraction began operating only during peak seasons on April 1, 2011. It remained operating in the seasonal schedule until closing on August 18. On May 19, 2011, Universal Orlando officially announced that the new attraction
Despicable Me (attraction)
Despicable Me is the tentative name for an upcoming attraction currently under construction at Universal Studios Florida. The attraction will be based on Universal Studios and Illumination Entertainment's 2010 animated film Despicable Me and it will employ 3-D HD digital animation. The attraction...
would be based on the 2010 animated film Despicable Me
Despicable Me
Despicable Me is a 2010 American computer-animated 3D comedy film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment that was released on July 9, 2010 in the United States. The film features the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, and...
and is scheduled to open in 2012.
Reception
The ride received a mixed reception from guests and theme park fans. Most believe that the attraction does not outdo the previous ride. Most describe "Nicktoon Blast" as being a duplicate of the original, with a Nicktoon theme. Also more people describe that that it was boring and childish.Some received the ride positively. The website Orlando Rocks gave a positive review stating "Move over Hanna! This ride is wonderful". On IMDB, a user gave a positive review of 8 out of 10 stars stating that it was "simply fun" but that it "doesn't hold up to it's predecessor" a reviewer on Theme Park Insider said that "it is a fun little ride". One user said "I had a fun time on here, the dancing was the best part" and another called it "a memorable experience" but that it "is one of the most underrated attractions at Universal".
Others were more negative of the attraction. On IMDB, another user gave a lackluster review stating "It's basically the same exact ride, only there's a different movie and the ride vehicles have all been repainted" and also said "skip this one in favor of more innovative and exciting rides" Most reviews conducted on Theme Park Insider mention that the ride is nothing more than "Just O.K.", with one reviewer saying "it hurts your butt when it does the chicken dance". Another reviewer said that "This is probably not the ride for adults without kids, especially if you really like Hanna-Barbera cartoons. But hey, if there is nothing else to do, then go for it"
The ride received a 7 out of 10 rating on the website Theme Park Insider. On IMDB, it received a 6 out of 10 star rating. Comparingly, the Hanna-Barbera ride received an 8 out of 10 rating.