Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster is currently in a soft opening period for Memorial Day Weekend following a multi-month refurbishment of the rockin’ attraction. During the closure, the attraction interior received a much-needed refresh of the glow-in-the-dark paint and all-new lighting. The experience remains the same – a twisting and turning high-speed stretch limo as we rush to an Aerosmith concert. Disney didn’t offer much in the way of announced details, leading some to speculate that there would be a new theme when the ride opened, but that isn’t the case. Earlier today we made it out to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to take some photos of the returning fan-favorite ride.
Before we jump in, we’re going to clarify again that the ride is in a soft-opening phase. This means that the ride could close at any time as Cast Members continue to work through the operations of the attraction before an official opening. Disney World has not announced an official opening for the ride beyond “summer”. This also means that Lightning Lane is not being sold at this time, which helps with keeping some of the wait times down. The ride does not have official operating hours, and wait times or even operational status are not available in the My Disney Experience app. Ok, with that out of the way, let’s take a look at the return of Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster!
When we visited earlier this morning, the pre-show was in a walk-through state, but that could just be because of low crowds and an interest to get more guests through the ride. The pre-show is the same and the queue appears to be the same as when we rode earlier this year before the closure. Cast Members said that Disney repainted not only the sets inside the ride but also the parking garage area past the pre-show.
While no photos or videos are allowed on the ride, we can say that the entire ride now contains super vibrant signs and set pieces. It’s very noticeable and a very welcome update after years of fading scenes. The ride looks amazing now. One part of the ride that seemingly didn’t get an upgrade is the audio system, which is now falling woefully behind newer rides from Disney like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and TRON Lightcycle Run. We wish Disney World would’ve spent some time upgrading the audio system because its certainly not keeping pace with newer rides.
The post-show and gift shop are the same as before the closure.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!