Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The story line has the conniving Sideshow Bob secretly arriving at Krustyland, the
aforementioned amusement park, and plotting his revenge on Krusty and Bart, who, in a
past
Simpsons
episode, revealed that Sideshow Bob had committed a crime for which he'd
framed Krusty. Sideshow Bob gets even by making things go wrong with the attractions
that the Simpsons (and you) are riding.
Like the show on which it's based, The Simpsons Ride definitely has an edge, and
more than a few wild hairs. There will be jokes and visuals that you'll get but will fly over
your children's heads—and most assuredly vice versa. A mom from Huntington, New
York, had this to say:
The ride is lots of fun and suitable for all guests. I'm not a fan of wild motion [sim-
ulators], but I was fine on this ride. The field of vision makes it very engrossing, like
Soarin'.
TOURING TIPS
You can expect large crowds all day. We recommend arriving at the park be-
fore opening and making the ride your first stop after experiencing the Lower Lot attrac-
tions. Though not as rough and jerky as its predecessor, it's a long way from being tame.
Several families we interviewed found the humor a little too adult for their younger chil-
dren. Don't miss the neighboring Kwik-E-Mart gift shop for more snarky Simpsons sight
gags, and look for other Springfield-inspired eateries to appear in 2014.
Special Effects Stage
What it is
A theater presentation on special effects.
Scope and scale
Major attraction.
When
to go
Anytime.
Special comments
Predictable but still interesting; may frighten young chil-
dren.
Duration of show
30 minutes.
Probable waiting time
15 minutes.
DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTS
Guests view a fast-paced presentation on special effects,
with elements borrowed from both the old Special Effects Stages (formerly on the park's
Lower Lot) and the
Horror Make-up
and
Disaster!
attractions found in Universal Studios
Florida. Audience members participate in demonstrations ofgreen screens, computer-gen-
erated imagery (CGI), and motion capture. For the finale, a volunteer is apparently at-
tached to a flying rig (left over from the short-lived
CreatureoftheBlackLagoon
musical
that once occupied this space) and sent sailing above the crowd. The educational content
will already be familiar to anyone who has ever watched a DVD making-of documentary,
and the thin through-line about a youthful digital-era director upstaging an aging analog
artist may mildly offend viewers who still appreciate old-fashioned films that don't look
like video games.
TOURING TIPS
The best seats seem to be in the center of the theater, not directly up front. Or
try the seats to the left of the stage.
