Back to the Future... The Ride (1991 Video) User Reviews

Really clever ride, well done.

[TOMNEL · 9/10 · 9 March 2007]

Stars: Christopher Lloyd.

Biff has stolen Doc Brown's car and we have to ram him in another prototype version of the Delorean. We go through time and see a lot of interesting sites. The safety video for the ride shows Biff fooling the security guards and imprisoning Doc Brown. Doc gives the safety spiel and we go in to the room with the ride. You enter a copy of the Delorean with screens on it to see Biff along the ride. It's really fun and kind of a trademark of Universal Studios Hollywood now. The ride itself lasts around 4 minutes long.

Great ride!

An ultimate experience a must ride at least once!

[blanbrn · 8/10 · 18 September 2014]

"The Back to the Future" Ride everyone must experience at least once in their life, as I had the pleasure several years ago while on vacation with my parents in Florida at Universial Studios. You actually never move but it's like you ride as pictures and images and 3D images come at you you feel like it's actual time travel it's neat don't close your eyes you might miss something! It's fun and clever as the motion carries you thru space seeing sight after sight it's a whole new dimension! From a great movie comes a great ride you want be displeased it's fun and enjoyment at least ride it once! Universial Studios lives up to it's word you do ride the movies!

Definitely will be a remembered classic...

[Anonymous_Maxine · 8/10 · 8 July 2008]

There was an interesting paradox taking place as the Back to the Future ride got older and more dated, and as I got older and the ride, like all rides, lost some of that childish excitement. The first time I rode it was in the early 90s when I was maybe 12 or 13 years old and I was absolutely thrilled. After that I didn't ride it again until maybe two years ago, nearly 15 years after my first ride. Between 2004 and 2007 I lived in Culver City and then Venice Beach, so after years of living in northern California I was finally near Universal Studios (Hollywood) again, one of my childhood favorites, so I immediately snatched up a year pass each year (since they were basically giving them away and probably still are) and returned to my favorite movie magic place in the world.

But the interesting thing about the Back to the Future ride is that even though it's not as wildly thrilling as it was when I was a kid, and even though it's not nearly as technologically advanced as most of the other rides at Universal Studios or Disneyland or even Magic Mountain, when you walk in, it is (or was, before it closed) still hosted by all of the original cast from the movies, and it really takes you back to the time when the movies were released because the characters are the same.

Sadly, I imagine the ride doesn't have a lot of repeat riders, it's just one of those rides that you usually ride once, maybe twice, and then move on. Not like other rides that you can ride over and over again and are still fun and exciting, like the Jurassic Park water ride and the Indiana Jones ride, as a couple of Universal Studios examples.

Personally the Studio Tour will always be my favorite attraction at Universal Studios, even though it is evolving away from it's glory days (when it was centered around things like the Jaws scare and the Back to the Future courthouse set and the Psycho house and the elaborate and classic King Kong and earthquake experiences) and is integrating more modern but less impressive attractions, like the War of the Worlds plane crash site and a genuinely ridiculous Fast and the Furious thing with dancing cars. What a joke.

But then again, it is important to keep the attractions up to date, and no matter how good the Back to the Future movies were and how sad it is to see part of their legacy being removed from the park, you gotta keep people coming back. I just hope the Simpsons ride is good, and more important, from now on can we keep the Fast and the Furious and other such nonsense on the sidelines where they belong?

Help Save the Back to the Future Ride from extinction

[filmkr27 · 26 July 2006]

from bttf.com Saturday, July 22, 2006

Universal Orlando permanently closing gullwing doors on 'Back to the Future...The Ride' in September

Orlando — The rumors are seemingly true: Universal Orlando will apparently close Back to the Future™...The Ride permanently in September 2006 after 15+ years of continuous service successfully taking time travel volunteers across the space-time continuum.

Back to the Future™...The Ride has been a staple at Universal Studios Florida since it first opened to the public on May 2, 1991. Following on the heels of two extremely popular sequels in 1989 and 1990 respectively, the attraction finally gave fans a physical location where they could literally ride the movie and visit Doc Brown's lab anytime they wanted.

On a reported budget of $40 million, the state-of-the-art simulator ride was light-years ahead of its time — blowing away Disney's Star Tours & Body Wars attractions and paving the way for other popular simulator attractions to land in Orlando such as Islands of Adventure's highly popular Spiderman ride. It spawned two sequels of sorts of its own, with the same attraction popping up in similar layouts at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California (1993) and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka (2001).

Back to the Future™...The Ride was one of the very first attractions to successfully bridge the gap between films & theme park attractions by employing many of the cast & crew who worked on the highly successful trilogy. BTTF veteran actors Christopher Lloyd and Tom Wilson returned to their famous roles as 'Doc Brown' and 'Biff Tannen' respectively, and BTTF composer Alan Silvestri composed the ride's score. Appearing in smaller roles, Darlene Vogel who appeared as one of Griff's gang members 'Spike' in Back to the Future™ Part II appeared as 'Heather', the spokesperson at the Institute of Future Technology, and BTTF Unit Publicist Michael Klastorin appeared as one of the security checkpoint guards Biff ultimately foils to gain access to Doc Brown's office during the attraction's highly entertaining pre-show.

For years though, rumors have circulated the internet that Universal would soon close the attraction and replace it with something else. UO President & CEO Bob Gault told the Orlando Sentinel on more than one occasion that he'd like to replace BTTF with another story & vehicles which guests could, in his words, "relate to better." As far back as 2002, Universal's semi-popular The Fast & The Furious film series has topped those rumors as the choice to replace the attraction, but now various unconfirmed online sources point to a non-Universal property set to take its place — The Simpsons.

When reports of a closure once again surfaced this week, my knee-jerk reaction was to quickly write them off as rumors as usual. Even after emailing a few contacts inside the park for verification, everything seemed safe at least for a little while longer. However, by the end of the week, my sources one by one began to do a 180° on me — stating that apparently it was true after all. Based upon what I've been told from a top management source inside Universal's lot, they are indeed going to phase out the attraction beginning next month — one theater at a time. One of the two theaters will be taken down in August, and then the other one will close in September.

Writer/Producer Bob Gale tells BTTF.com that while he has no current knowledge of Universal's plans for the attraction, he wasn't too surprised to learn that it may be closing after knowing "what awful shape the DeLorean they'd had on display at the tour out here was in before they refurbished it for the premiere of the DVDs." While there has been no formal announcement made by Universal, fans may not wish to sit back and allow the decision to be made quietly. "If the fans want to complain, I suggest they address their complaints not only to the tour but to Steven Spielberg" states Gale, reminding me that Spielberg remains a paid Creative Consultant to the park and specifically on Back to the Future™...The Ride since it is an Amblin property. "If he wanted to save it and improve it, I believe he could have a lot of influence."

So, just how do you do that? Here's where you can send your letters to Save Back to the Future...The Ride!!!:

"Save Back to the Future...The Ride!!!"

Attention: Bob Gault, President & CEO

Universal Studios Florida

1000 Universal City Plaza

Orlando, FL 32819

"Save Back to the Future...The Ride!!!"

Attention: Steven Spielberg

Amblin Entertainment, Inc.

100 Universal City Plaza, Building 477

Universal City, CA 91608

A nice touch may be to send copies of photographs from your family trips to Universal showing you and your family outside the Institute of Future Technology, shopping in the BTTF Gift Shop, or chatting it up with 'Doc Brown'. Let them know that Future fans won't just sit back quietly and let our attraction go the same way as Ghostbusters and Kongfrontation! As Doc Brown would say, "the future hasn't been written yet."

That one still rocks

[May-16 · 10/10 · 2 August 1999]

The Back To The Future Ride still truly rocks after all these years.Though it´s one of the older attractions of the Universal Studios and it isn´t as high tech as Terminator 2000,it still amazes you and it´s worthwhile to wait 20 minutes to get in.

A Ride That Will be Missed and never Forgottened....

[Raiden_OC · 10/10 · 1 August 2007]

What can you say about the Ride but the Name its Self...Back To The Future THE RIDE!!!!!!I loved this ride as a Child I first rode it when i was around 5 or 6 years old in Orlando and even since then I always wanted a Deloran that can Fly and Go Through time and A Hoverboard....I recently Rode the one in Hollywood again for my 20th birthday do to the fact of it gonna be gone so i had to Live my childhood once more....lets see you have Doc Brown and his new Company along with Eine and Biff...you even get a Darlene Vogal (Aka Spike From BTTF II) as the Host of the ride...the Ride its self is one of a Kind and will be Sorely missed....Thanks for all the Great Years Back To The Future The Ride!!!!

Yes, The BTTF ride is closing (March 30th, 2007).

[sodom18 · 10/10 · 23 March 2007]

Yes, The BTTF ride is closing this month, next Friday in fact (March 30th, 2007). Luckily, i was in orlando last week and got to ride it a couple more times. i also got some stuff from the store there, now i have a couple model deloreans!! yes, this was an awesome ride...its sad that they are taking it down. But i guess it is old, and they're gonna put something new and "updated" in. i asked around, and even the people that worked at the BTTF ride and store didn't know what was going to replace it. I guess its kind of like how they took the King Kong ride out and replaced it with the Mummy roller-coaster. its a bummer though, back to the future was classic. and the ride was sweet too!

An Amazing Ride!!

[Funkypizza2001 · 10/10 · 9 January 2003]

This ride is the best ride at Universal Theme Park!! It's just like the movie and it is so much fun!! Biff Tannen, from the trilogy, steals the time machine but the "Doc" is locked up, so it's up to the audience to steal it back. Definitely one to ride over and over again!!!!!

Don't ride after breakfast!!

[graemesmith50 · 6/10 · 20 August 2005]

I rode this ride a couple of weeks ago while on holiday in Florida. If I had known that the ride would have been that chlaustrophobic and violent I think I would have decided against breakfast. The space to sit in is very tiny and although i am not what you would call large I was very squashed both between the seat in front and the guy next to me. I have no idea why the makers of this decided to send us to the Jurassic period. After all this is a ride about BTTF not Jurassic park. However we do get to chase the ever manic and slightly evil Biff after he hijacks a DeLorean for a joyride. The screen before you go in shows a film of Doc Brown explaining about the new 8 seater DeLorean and the advances he has made in time travel. He spots an intruder on the CCTV and realises it's Biff. The brilliant Tom Wilson then comes and ties Doc up so that he can travel through time in a stolen vehicle. The only way to rectify the situation is to bump the DeLorean with the DeLorean you are travelling in.

If you are chlaustrophobic then I would STRONGLY suggest that you don't ride. I'm not but I was glad to be out of the squashed space. If you are a BTTF fan then you have to experience this at least once.

Fast paced and very exciting!

[af277405 · 10/10 · 2 August 2006]

It was the best ride ever; and I would know because I've been to every amusement park. It was fun to fly in a time machine. The wait in line was worth it for this ride. If you saw the movie you'll love this even more since you experience it. My favorite part was when you traveled into the future then quickly into the old west. I think it was really cool how you go in a life-like model of the time machine when you go on this ride. This ride to me makes Universal a really sweet theme park. I recommend this ride to anyone who looks for adventure, action, and fast cars. I think if you look for these things in a ride then you'll agree with me that this is the best ride ever.

Great Fun for All

[gala0008 · 10/10 · 27 March 2006]

Back to the Future was a great movie series and the ride at Universal Studios is one of the best Orlando has to offer. It offers the rider a chance to take a ride in Doc Brown's famous Delorien time machine in pursuit of the not so intelligent Biff. I'll admit that the graphics on this aren't really that great but considering it was done in 1991, I feel like this ride was excellently done. To those who complain that this ride doesn't follow the guidelines of the movie series, think for a second. Any ride for any movie can do exactly the same stuff the movie does, but this ride actually goes beyond the silver screen. To those who claim that dinosaurs were in this only to cash in on the Jurrasic Park craze, don't forget that the movie didn't come out until two years after the ride did. The ride doesn't deserve a bad rap just for offering what the movie didn't. If you have never been on it, you must give it a spin.

One for the fans

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 3 October 2013]

This short short film by notable visual effects artist Douglas Trumbull features is basically a four-minute ride with instruction/information footage from main characters from the "Back to the Future"-trilogy on the bottom right. It's rather disappointing compared to other attractions though, like the ones from Indiana Jones or Terminator which usually have all or almost all of the central characters included. This one does have at least Christopher Lloyd, but the omission of Michael J' Fox' main character is a negative surprise and an unusually slow running time of only slightly over 4 minutes doesn't help the matter either.

Nonetheless, if you liked the films, you'll probably enjoy the ride too, otherwise it's one just for the children who can have a great time without having seen a second of the trilogy.

Simulation Stimulation (spoilers)

[vertigo_14 · 4 August 2004]

Back to the Future is one of the few exciting rides at the Universal Studios original theme park (though many tourists may probably opt to travel to Universal Studios, Islands of Advertisements instead).

This was one of the earlier simulation rides that I remember, and one that was done much better than most that I've had the opportunity to enjoy (like Body Wars or the Star Wars rides) where you sit in a mall and pretty stationary where you get a few bounces, but you can't really enjoy the simulating experience because the ride is wimpy and the lighting is too bright (rather than dark enough to keep your attention on the screen). Whereas, on the Back to Future Ride, you sit a few people to car which is, of course, the time traveling machine. You're basically enclosed in a half a car, which goes up to your shoulders and the seats have body restraints to keep you from jutting every which way too fast. Instead of a stationary theater screen, each of the cars are seperate and are built on motion devices that move the car about (if you're tall enough to see out of the car in which you're sitting, you can see the cars all lined up on first and second floors moving as your do with a robotic arm and crane). And all of the cars are facing a huge I-Max sized screen, which make it a better experience. (It would be even cooler to have the whole thing in 3-D). Unlike a stationary theater, you can move forward, backward, up, and many more directions, and can do so at a more rapid and random speed, which is terrific. This is also better than the Spiderman ride at the other Universal theme park, which uses the same concept, putting you in a Spiderman themed ride and having you move around from one theater screen to the next (which Back to the Future doesn't do), but they waste too much time on a story you can't hear (nor care about) and tease you with sudden drops and quick darting, but never delivering on either (and by then, the ride is over).

The concept for the Back to the Future ride is that Biff Tannen has stolen the Delorian and is wreaking havoc through all sorts of time dimensions. Being the impulsive idiot, of course, he gets himself into trouble, and as time travelers trailing him, you have to bail him out. The scenery is a lot of fun, especially if you've got younger kids on board because Biff faces off with a T-Rex, a volcano, and other sorts of dangerous obstacles. They did a good job trying to bring the ride to life. The thrill factor is high, the story is a little dumb if you're too old to appreciate it. But Biff is such a bozo, and Doc Brown is there to help you out via the intercom, that you may still find it entertaining. I recommend checking it out if your in town. In fact, I'd recommend giving Universal Studios theme park a whirl rather than that rip off park, Islands of Advertisements.

Awesome and Fast-Paced!!

[AllisonLVenezio · 2 November 2001]

Step into the DeLorean, set the clock back to 1955, and hang on for you life!

"Back to the Future...the Ride" at Universal Studios, is based n the movie series "Back to the Future." Biff Tannen has stolen the time machine, and the audience along with Doc Brown, must recover it. In this fast paced adventure, audiences sit in a DeLorean and hang on for their life as they fly. Can you stop Biff???

I first rode "Back to the Future...The Ride" in March 1997 in Orlando, and was amazed by the action. I like "Back to the Future," so I was excited about riding this. The bad part: I was crammed between my mother and father, and 5 years ago, at age 14, I weighed 117 pounds at 5'4". This may not seem bad, but I was smashing into my dad the whole time, and my parents said because of my side and tendency to slide around they did not ride with me again. When I returned in April '99, I weighed about 8 pounds more and rode only with my brother I held on tight and only slid around a few times.

This is an amazing ride that will keep the audience excite all the way to the end. When in Orlando, please ride "Back to the Future." You will really enjoy it.

Very Cool Ride

[chapman-4 · 19 August 2001]

I went on this ride before I saw the movie. It is one cool experience! The Doc himself guides you on your ride through time to catch Biff Tannen, who has stolen the original time machine. The IMAX screen makes you feel you are actually flying through time. The moving 8-seat DeLorean helps too. Watch the little movie screen on the DeLorean-you get to see Biff beg Doc to save him. Quite a satisfying moment. The only problem is there is no Marty to help out Doc. I get the feeling he might be lonely. Still, a very cool ride! Thanks Mom and Dad-they took me on the ride and got me the movies. (They regret it now, I'm sure.) 5 stars out of 5-due to Doc's as-ever great performance and the realness of the ride. (He DOES NOT overact!)

Fun ride!

[Movieman-133 · 28 July 1999]

Well, I just recently went on the ride and it was very thrilling. The line is not as long as it used to be since the ride is old and other rides like Jaws, Twister, and ET get attention, so I suggest going and waiting because you have to wait for everything at Universal Studious. Kongfrontation is the worst line. Anyway, the ride was thrilling and I suggest to sit up front.

Time travel will really shake you up!

[Bondi-3 · 18 October 1998]

Biff steals the time machine in this Imax inter-active film. You have to catch him in a new and improved passenger Delorean. Doc Brown is your guide all the way as you travel through different time periods. The ride will shake you up. Fun for adventurous theme park guests only.

A wild ride!

[RStantz · 9 April 1999]

This ride is awesome, and is probably the only ride still at USF or USH from the eighties. Based on the Back to the Future Trilogy, this takes place at present. Our wonderful and genius Doc Brown has built a new kind of time machine: a modified DeLorean capable of holding eight people! However, while having its first batch of tourists, the ill-minded Biff Tannen steals the original DeLorean, and travels through the depths of time! Now it's your duty to catch Biff with the beefed up DeLorean! This is my favorite ride (possibly of all time), and you should go on the ride too if you're a big BTTF fanatic.

You will want to go Back to the Ride in the Future

[Kiwi-34 · 31 July 1999]

Despite the long wait (shortened by the little movie clips) the ride was well worth the wait. The ride, like the films can be seen again and again without any loss of enjoyment, especially if you want to see Biff lose again in the future, or, as the case may be, the past...

Let's Use whatever is popular...

[st0ner0ses · 19 August 2003]

Well, first things first: this isn't a "ride" at all- you never move more than about 3 meters from the door of the room you enter... It more a "motion simulation", where you sit in a seat watching a 2D screen and occasionally lean to the right...

Anyway, most people will have a hard time seeing any details from the movies in here: Christopher Lloyd's voice is there, but it would appear that Universal couldn't persuade Michael J Fox to take part. So what we are left with is a 15 minute chase after a second DeLorean with a commentary.

Also lacking is any reference to the events of the movies- you get a few seconds of the clock-tower at the start, but from then on, it's all unrelated, abstract material. A volcano might be good for an immersive theme park distraction, but it isn't really BTTF, is it? I suppose it must be said that at least the surround sound from the LaserDisc does a pretty good job.

And for some unfathomable reason there are dinosaurs in it!! This reeks of simply cashing in on the current craze at the time it was built: Jurassic Park had been a major hit the year before this opened. Actually, speaking of JP, that brings us nicely to a much better experience: The Riverboat Ride. This one does actually take you outside and around on a track, with some real models to look at... I know where I'd rather spend my queuing time.