Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon: A Wild Ride Through the Big Apple and Beyond
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon is a 3D motion simulator attraction at Universal Studios Florida, immersing guests in the world of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." This ride replaced Twister…Ride it Out, which closed in 2015 after seventeen years. The new attraction opened on April 6, 2017, and is based on the popular celebrity race segment from Fallon's show.
From Talk Show to Theme Park: The Genesis of the Ride
The concept for the ride originated with Jimmy Fallon himself during his tenure hosting "Late Night." He pitched the idea to Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Creative, who initially declined. However, after Fallon's successful transition to "The Tonight Show," the project was greenlit.
Filming for the ride commenced on November 4, 2015, at Studio 8H, where "Saturday Night Live" originates. Fallon shared photos on his Instagram account showing him wearing a motion capture suit and helmet while sitting on a makeshift go-kart, surrounded by motion capture cameras. He credited Industrial Light & Magic for the motion capture filming.
Entering the World of "The Tonight Show"
As you enter the ride building, you step into a replica of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, home to NBC Studios. The hallways mimic those of the iconic studio, setting the stage for the immersive experience.
The Lobby: A Tribute to "Tonight Show" History
The downstairs lobby pays tribute to the history of "The Tonight Show," showcasing sets, props, and memorabilia from each era of the show. Exhibits dedicated to past hosts, including Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, and Conan O'Brien, are on display. You can see suits and desk props used by the hosts, admittance tickets from each host's tenure, and an NBC video camera used for the show's taping in the golden age.
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The Interactive Queue: Entertainment While You Wait
After exploring the first floor, guests ascend to the upstairs area, which features an interactive queue room. Here, guests receive a color-coded ticket based on one of the colors on the NBC peacock logo. While waiting to enter the preshow room, several activities are available.
The Ragtime Gals barbershop quartet performs live on a replica of "The Tonight Show" stage, entertaining guests with their harmonies. Screens in the stage area play Jimmy's monologues, popular interviews, and sketches like "History of Rap" and "Lip Sync Battle." Guests can also enjoy some Hashtag the Panda moves or play interactive games. For those who have always wanted to host their own show, there is an interactive desk where they can play host.
When the giant NBC peacock logo begins to glow a certain color, guests with that ticket color are sent to another area, where they receive 3D glasses for the show. They are then moved to a small room with TV screens and asked to stand on a dot on the floor to indicate their seating in the theater. Light-up signs with the word "Applause" flash when guests are supposed to applaud for authenticity.
The Preshow: Getting Ready to Race
On the screen, the intro to "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" begins to play. However, instead of announcing various guests for the show, the announcer says that you are tonight's guests. Jimmy then appears and welcomes everyone to the show, detailing what he and the guests will do on the ride.
After going through the safety instructions, Sara from the "Ew!" music videos (also portrayed by Fallon) becomes impatient and wants the show to start. When Jimmy informs the guests of the gift shop after the ride, Sara and her father leave the theater and head towards the shop.
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The Race Begins: A 3D Adventure Through New York City and Beyond
Once all guests are seated and have put on their 3D glasses, the curtains rise, and Jimmy Fallon appears on "The Tonight Show" stage, now driving a car called The Tonight Rider, a parody of the titular car from the NBC TV series "Knight Rider." The announcer begins the countdown for the race, which starts in the backstage area of Studio 6B.
Multiple cast and crew members desperately try to avoid the cars, with Hashtag the Panda nearly being hit. The race continues in New York City, where Jimmy crashes into a taxi after being distracted while talking to the guests, who then take the lead.
Iconic Landmarks and Hilarious Encounters
The riders then meet up with Jimmy near Sara and her father, who has a basket of golden retriever puppies used for the Puppy Predictors segment of "The Tonight Show." Jimmy converts his car into an aircraft, with the riders following suit, and the two vehicles begin to fly through New York.
The race goes past the Flatiron Building before diving into the East River, where a shark appears and scares Jimmy and the audience, a reference to Jaws. As fireworks explode around Lady Liberty, the race heads towards the Empire State Building, where a giant Hashtag the Panda is seen climbing the tower in an obvious reference to King Kong. Mistaking the guests for another plane attacking him, he grabs the car and throws it, sending the riders and Jimmy to the moon.
Zero Gravity and Lunar Thank You Notes
On the moon, Jimmy temporarily exits his vehicle due to the low gravity. Both Jimmy and the riders then approach a ride station, where the announcer informs them that it is the Space Train and will be the first roller coaster on the moon once completed. Jimmy responds with "Once completed?!" before both he and the riders are launched back towards Earth.
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To avoid being incinerated while re-entering Earth's atmosphere, Jimmy activates a tube that leads back to 30 Rockefeller Center. Once again backstage, Jimmy begins to arrogantly claim the race is his but crashes his car, as the audience wins the race at the last minute.
Ride Details and Special Touches
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon gives Universal Studios Florida guests a 3-D glimpse behind the curtain of "The Tonight Show." The ride utilizes a unique "flying theater" vehicle that seats up to 72 people.
The queue is divided into two parts, a lower level and an upper level. In the lower level, guests receive a ticket that matches one of the six colors in the NBC peacock logo. This level features displays of items from the entire history of "The Tonight Show," including exhibits dedicated to each of its past hosts. In the upper level, guests are entertained with a live performance from The Ragtime Gals barbershop quartet.
Hidden Tributes and Easter Eggs
Several references to various films, some of which were adapted into current or former attractions at Universal Orlando Resort, exist in the ride. The attraction's former enclosed queue line was later reused as prop windows. Inside these windows, guests can find Bill Paxton's light blue shirt, a stapler labeled "B. Paxton," and an advertisement for the fictional Twister Cola, which pays tribute to the former attraction.
The Tonight Shop: Souvenirs and More
The fun doesn't have to stop after you finish the race. Celebrate your victory and stop by the NBC store to stock up on NBC merchandise and apparel, just like the ones you find at the NBC Studios store in New York City. If you love the show and its characters, grab yourself a Hashtag the Panda plush and some white tight pants.
The VIP Studio Tour: A Secret Behind-the-Scenes Experience
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon offers a secret way to visit corners of the studio that even The Roots don't get to see with the unadvertised Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon VIP Studio Tour. Like the other "secret" tours at Universal, the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon VIP Studio Tour is completely free for all guests, but availability is dependent on staffing and never guaranteed.
The Studio Tour starts in the entrance hallway, where you'll hear about the history of the various NBC logos lining the wall. Of course, Fallon himself gets the largest display. After exploring the first floor, guests on the Jimmy Fallon VIP Studio Tour next ascend an elevator and are whisked backstage for a peek at the control room, where employees monitor operations of the twin "flying theater" simulator rides. Finally, VIP Studio Tour guests get to visit the balcony that overlooks Music Plaza stage, which is usually reserved for private parties. There, you'll spot this compass, which some claim once marked the geographic center of Universal Orlando's property.
A Lawsuit Arises
In April 2021, a lawsuit arose between Universal Orlando and Dynamic Motion Rides over work on the Jimmy Fallon ride.
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