Universal Parks Unleashing Giant Freakin' Robots With Transformers Ride

In recent years Universal Studios theme parks have made great strides to compete with Disney’s Imagineers. While many people maintain that Disney World and Disney Land are just for kids, or not cool enough for the adult crowd, attendance numbers have shown a different story. Now Universal is in the process of putting in a Harry Potter section of its Orlando park. This will be followed up by a Transformers themed ride in the Hollywood and Singapore parks.

According to Variety, Universal Parks has teamed up with Hasbro and DreamWorks Pictures to build an attraction that features 3-D HD footage and puts riders in the middle of a war between the Autobots and Decepticons. This past summer Universal unleashed the $40 million The Simpsons Ride, and it has become one of the most popular ride launches in the history of the industry. I’m sure Universal is hoping the same will happen when Transformers opens in 2011.

Transformers The Ride will open first in Singapore, to be followed the following year in Hollywood. The plan is to shut down the out of date Backdraft attraction. Seriously, that thing is still around? This is just another example of Universal’s recent affinity for landing major creative deals to get their parks up to the level of Disney.