The journey begins as riders enter the Museum of Antiquities. It's not really a museum, but the hot set of the next "Mummy" movie sequel. (It's not REALLY a movie set, that's part of the attraction's storyline. But, play along with me, OK?) When you see the cameras, movie lights, storyboards, and costume cribs, you realize you've walked onto the film set's backstage area.
While in the queue (which is positively enormous and can accommodate a slew of riders on peak attendance days), video monitors show a "mockumentary" about the making of the latest "Mummy" flick. It seems weird stuff has been happening on the set. Some of the film's stars believe the place is cursed, while others say there's no such thing as curses. (Oh oh. Theme park calamity foreshadowing.) The video introduces Reggie, a low-level, but highly enthusiastic member of the movie's crew. He may have something to do with the ensuing calamity.
The core of the queue winds around a burial chamber and an archaeological dig. In the center is an enormous Egyptian statue that sits above a freshly unearthed keystone.
Confronting the Mummy
Anyway, all of this tomb raiding has made Imhotep, the main Mummy, quite perturbed. It therefore makes perfect sense to go into his catacombs for a showdown, right? The queue leads guests up to the second level where they board the ride.The 16-passenger single-car vehicles look nothing like coaster trains. Made to resemble industrial carts, they are articulated in the middle to accommodate the ride's twists and turns. In the first scene, a voice from around the corner beckons. It's a slightly mummified Reggie who warns us that the curse is very real and that we need to get out. An imposing and highly fluid Mummy animatronic character emerges and sucks the life out of Reggie. He turns to the riders and says, "With your souls, I will rule for all eternity." The vehicle hightails it out of there and into the next chamber.
Behind an altar, the Mummy appears as a large sand face. He makes an offer: "Join me and savor the riches of a thousand dynasties." A treasure trove of gold and jewels appears on either side of the train. "Or refuse and suffer a more bitter treasure." The room darkens, and animated warrior mummies pop out of troughs on either side of the train. Braziers on the altar burst into flames. The vehicle moves toward a huge stone wall that's descending and threatens to crush the passengers. At the last moment, it makes a little coaster-like dip under the wall.
Backwards to the Future
The vehicle speeds around a corner and makes an abrupt stop at a dead-end wall. Scarab beetles pour from the wall and invade the car as the lights fade to black. I think Universal could have upped the psyche-out fear quotient here if it had employed those ankle-level tickling devices it uses to great effect in Shrek 4-D.This is where the ride gets crazy. While the invading bugs distract the passengers, the track behind the car switches. The vehicle proceeds backwards, but instead of retracing its course, it makes a straight, steep drop into the next scene and onto a turntable.
As the car turns 180 degrees, a projected Mummy follows its path and taunts the passengers. Facing a giant Mummy head, the vehicle enters its mouth and launches 45 degrees uphill into the high-speed coaster part of the ride. There are some wild drops, ejector air, and moments of weightlessness that make for a giddy and nerve-wracking, if too-short ride. Fly-by apparitions help create the illusion of even greater speed.
I'm not going to give away everything here, because the ride designers have incorporated some great surprises and, well, mum's the word. Suffice it to say that it wouldn't be a top-shelf Universal attraction if it didn't include massive doses of fire and percussive explosions. You'll just have to make your way down to Orlando and have your own soul appropriated. You may want to bring your mommy.
Next page: Revenge of Revenge of the Mummy. How the California and Florida Mummy Rides Differ.
Revenge of the Mummy Universal Studios Florida Photo Gallery
