Nine years ago, Jimmy Fallon approached Universal Studios Florida hoping to partner with the theme park on a new attraction. At the time, he got a “thanks, but no thanks” because the timing wasn’t right, but that all changed when he became the Tonight Show host and the park decided it was time to swap out its old Twister attraction with something new. Now Jimmy’s dream has come to life in Race Through New York With Jimmy Fallon, with a grand opening date of April 6, just in time for the summer season ahead.
A ride that lives up to its name
Race Through New York With Jimmy Fallon offers pretty much what you would expect from its name.
Guests are pitted against Fallon, who pilots the Tonight Rider to challenge them on a wild race through the streets of the Big Apple, along with other terrain like a jaunt under water and a trip up to the moon. The 4-D motion simulator offers special effects to help enhance the experience, but it’s all surprisingly smooth and rideable by just about everyone. While it might bother those who tend towards severe motion sickness, overall it’s family friendly, with enough action to keep riders entertained without going overboard into wild thrill ride territory.
If you’d like to see Jimmy Fallon’s reaction to the ride, check out the video below. He traveled to Orlando in advance of the opening to see the final result of the project he wanted to bring to life for so many years.
Full Tonight Show experience
Jimmy Fallon fans will love the fact that this newest ride at Universal Studios Florida gives them a very realistic Tonight Show experience. As members of the audience, they enter the familiar set, see The Roots, and even encounter Ew! (be sure to leave that H off “Sara”) and her stepdad in both the pre-show experience and the ride itself.
The normally dry safety spiel is turned into a rap that prepares riders before they head into the theater and get immersed in the ride experience.
What about Hashtag the Panda? He’s there, and there’s no way you’ll miss his big appearance. However, you might miss some fun little Easter eggs, like an appearance by Jimmy’s wife and children, if you don’t pay close attention and scan every part of the screen.
Since that’s nearly impossible to do on just one ride-through, you’ll want to experience Race Through New York With Jimmy Fallon at least a couple of times to catch all the details that make it such a great experience.
Universal Studios Florida eliminates the wait
Brand new rides at theme parks like Universal Studios Florida typically rack up long wait times, especially during the summer. However, Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon eliminates traditional rides and lets guests have a full Tonight Show experience even before they enter the theater where things culminate. They sign up for a time, either via their phones or kiosks in the park, then head over when that time arrives. They enter the themed building that gives the feeling of stepping into 30 Rock and have time to pour over NBC memorabilia and learn about the Tonight Show’s history and past hosts.
Everyone gets a colored card, and when it’s time to head into the studio, the lighted NBC peacocks switch from their usual multiple colors to the color of the cards being called upstairs.
The second floor is an attraction unto itself, with comfy couches that have USB charging ports and interactive game screens. However, the best part is live entertainment by the Ragtime Gals and Hashtag the Panda. Even though you're still at Universal Studios Florida, you'll think that you somehow teleported to New York.
The “ride” is actually a stationary platform with six rows, and riding Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon in different spots gives you different experiences in terms of both motion and visuals. The virtual queue system means you can experience it multiple times without waiting in long lines each time.
