Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit just couldn’t leave the stage quietly. After officially closing back in August, the iconic music-fueled coaster at Universal Studios Florida tried to go out with one last showstopper—literally.
Last Friday morning, flames were seen climbing the remains of the coaster’s lift hill, sending plumes of smoke into the Orlando sky. The fire was first reported by WESH 2 around 11:42 a.m., with live footage showing firefighters working to douse the flames just minutes later.
The lift hill—one of the last standing pieces of the once high-energy coaster—was blackened by the blaze. The fire appeared mostly out by 11:56 a.m., though occasional flickers of flame and dark smoke continued as crews kept soaking the track.
By about 12:04 p.m., the situation seemed under control. The fire was largely contained to the upper portion of the lift hill, and although firefighters’ ladders didn’t reach that high, they managed to spray water far enough to tamp down the heat. Portions of the coaster’s signature yellow supports were also singed black by the fire.
The Orlando Fire Department confirmed they were “working a small active fire on the tracks of a closed coaster.” No injuries were reported, and Universal Studios Florida continued operating normally. The affected area is currently closed to guests as demolition work continues.
While the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, construction and teardown efforts have been ongoing since the coaster’s closure on August 18.
It seems Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit just couldn’t resist one last curtain call before bowing out for good—an unplanned encore that came with a little too much pyrotechnics.
What do you think this means for the site’s future? Could Universal fast-track its replacement, or will the singed steel slow things down? Either way, Rip Ride Rockit certainly made sure its exit won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
