Mid Week Update

Hello everyone!!! This is the Drill.

So after yesterday's news that production on "The Simpsons" movie is moving forward I thought it would be cool to share with you here plans for a Simpsons ride. Years ago, Universal Creative (The design team behind Universal Studio rides and attractions) approached the producers of "The Simpsons" with a proposal for a simulator ride based on the TV show. This ride would replace the "Back to the Future" rides at both Universal Hollywood and Universal Florida.

Here now, is the proposed ride as it was pitched. (Special thanks to Jim Hill)

The Simpsons: The Ride

The old science center that currently holds the "Back to the Future" ride has been rehthemed to look like Spingfield Nuclear Power Plant.   

In the attraction's pre-show, we learn that -- as parents of students at Springfield Elementary -- we've been assigned to join Miss Krabappel, Principal Skinner and Groundskeeper Willie as chaperones on a tour of the Springfield nuclear power plant.

So -- as we tour the plant -- we get to interact with Mr. Burns, Smithers, Lenny and Carl  before we finally arrive at Homer's control console in Sector 7-G. And -- of course -- as we're visiting Bart & Lisa's dad, he accidentally releases a cloud of deadly radiative gas. Which begins to cause various workers at the plant mutate horribly.

Clearly this isn't a place that we want to be anymore. So Skinner hurries us all back outside to the school bus. Where we learn that the gas has now leaked out of the plant and is now effecting the entire town of Springfield.  This is when the Principal gives Otto the order to drive to straight to Shelbyville.

Mind you, Otto or Principal Skinner or Miss Krabappel don't actually last all that long in the attraction. They're picked off in gruesome but funny ways by various monsters that we encounter along the way.

Take -- for example -- Otto's fate. As we come around a corner, we suddenly encounter a 50-foot version of Marge. Who -- after picking up the school bus and shaking it back & forth a few times -- swallows the stoner whole.

It's then that chronic under-achiever -- Bart Simpson -- comes to our rescue by taking the wheel of the bus. Which is when that the thrills & laughs start coming thick & fast.

This proposed Universal Studios attraction has dozens of great gags. Including this dig at "Ah-nuld"

As we're zooming through the streets of Springfield, who should pull up beside us in a speeding jeep but action film star Rainier Wolfcastle. Dressed in full "Terminator" regalia (I.E. The leather jacket, the sunglasses, the works), Rainer tells everyone on the bus: "Come with me if you want to live."

The only problem is -- as Rainer is talking with us -- he doesn't see that bridge abutment that's directly in front of him.  Wolfcastle's jeep hits the concrete pillar at full speed, then explodes in a ball of flames.

After a short pause, Bart -- while still driving the bus -- looks over his shoulder and says to the assembled theme park guests: "All in all, it's probably best that we didn't go with him."

So after more twists and turns and laughs we finally make it to safety.

This ride sounds like a blast and Simpsons producers certainly thought so. Unfortunetly, because the staff and animators are so wrapped up in working on the show and now the movie, Exec Prodcuer James L Brooks decided to wait until the show ends for them to begin work on the ride. Seeing as how The Simpsons is aiming for 20 seasons and the movie isnt set to release at least until 2007, it might be 2009 at the earliest that we'll get to take that crazy ride with Bart and Co. Still, here's hoping they do get this ride off the ground and running.

Alright, that will do it for now. Til the next time we meet.

 

DQ