JAWS! To Close At Universal Orlando

All good things must come to an end and one of the major attractions at Universal Orlando is now having it’s swan song.

JAWS! is closing.

The final ride will be on 2nd January 2012 when the JAWS! ride and the Amity area will close.

The folks at Universal Orlando made the announcement this morning and they have been at pains to lessen the pain for fans of the ride. The statement said:

We are closing JAWS! and the Amity area to make room for an exciting, new attraction experience. JAWS! has been an amazing attraction and an important part of our history. But we must always work to provide new, innovative, entertainment experiences for our guests. We know that JAWS! holds a special place in the hearts of our guests and we have put a great deal of thought and care into this decision. We can’t wait to share details of our plans – in due time. Meanwhile, our guests should take this opportunity to enjoy their last rides on JAWS!.

The official close date for JAWS! and the Amity area is January 2, 2012 at 9 p.m.

Personally, I believe it’s time had come. It’s been a stalwart of the Universal Orlando park since 1990 but the 1975 film that it was based on isn’t really remembered all that well by today’s generations. In fact, many folks below the age of 25 admit they’ve never even seen the movie.

It’s always kind of sad when something has to come to an end but I believe it’s the right decision. The ride has been a wonderful feature of the park with it’s 32 foot, three ton shark (made of steel, fiberglass, latex skin and urethane teeth) moving through the water at realistic speeds of 20 feet per second, but it’s now time for the new. We must look forward and not back and to the new.

If you want to ride JAWS! one more time, you’ve still got time… might even be the perfect reason to visit Orlando! 😉

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