Back to the Future: The Ride is a motion simulator ride attraction at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan that opened on May 2, 1991 which is based on the Back to the Future franchise. The attraction is a mini-sequel to Back to the Future Part III, and was mentioned in 1990 on The Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy, a behind-the-scenes television show hosted by Kirk Cameron, as opening in November of that year.
The attraction then permanently closed on September 3, 2007 and got replaced by The Simpsons Ride. In Japan the attraction permanently closed on May 31, 2016 and got replaced by Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem.
Synopsis[]
The ride opens with a set-up video featuring characters from the film trilogy. Somehow, due to an error made by one of Doc Brown's (Christopher Lloyd) time-travel crews, Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson) stows away and finds himself at Doc's Institute of Future Technology (I.F.T.). There he tries to locate Doc's 'flying DeLorean', as well as cause plenty of mayhem for Doc and the Institute's crew — which includes receptionist Heather (Darlene Vogel).
Just as each party of Institute "volunteers" — i.e. park guests — is getting ready to take Doc's 8-passenger DeLorean on a journey across the space-time continuum, Biff complicates matters even further. He locks Doc in his lab, and steals one of the new DeLorean time machines, causing Doc to worry about the possible ramifications of Biff's joyride through time. Unable to escape the lab himself, Doc devises a plan and recruits the volunteers to help, using the 8-passenger DeLorean to chase Biff across time. If the 8-passenger DeLorean gets close enough to Biff, it can 'bump' him back to the present time by reaching 88 m.p.h. Using his remote control, Doc sends the DeLorean's party to follow Biff into the future to 2015, back to the ice age, and even into the heart of an active volcano that existed in the primeval Hill Valley. Eventually after several minutes, Doc is successful in bumping Biff back to the present where he crashes back at the I.F.T. Biff thanks Doc and the riders for the rescue, but is soon restrained by security.
Doc appears on the main video screen and tells the volunteers: "You did it! Not only did you catch Biff and save the Universe, but you've proved my latest invention is a success! Go forth, time travelers, and remember: the future is what you make it!" An animated I.F.T. pyramid logo then appears, with the on-screen caption "PLEASE LIFT LAP BAR AND EXIT" — the text of which is also read out by a female announcer's voice. As the volunteers leave, Doc reappears on the screen and warns "Hurry up! Get out, before you meet yourself coming in!" before the song "Back in Time" by Huey Lewis and The News plays.
Cast and Crew[]
Cast[]
- Dr. Emmett Brown — Christopher Lloyd
- Biff Tannen — Thomas F. Wilson
- Heather, the I.F.T. receptionist — Darlene Vogel
- Marty McFly — Michael J. Fox (archive footage)
- Einstein — Freddie
- Institute scientist #1 — David de Vos
- Voice of Audience Scanning Device — Stephanie de Vos
- Institute scientist #2 — William Guest
- Security guard — Michael Klastorin
- Institute scientist #3 — Douglas Trumbull
- Voice of tyrannosaurus — Frank Welker
Crew[]
- Ride Film Director — Douglas Trumbull
- Pre-Show Director — Les Mayfield, David de Vos
- Writers — Peyton Reid, John Groves
- Music Composer — Alan Silvestri
- Executive Producer, Creator and Writer — Peter N. Alexander
- Producers — Craig Barr, Philip Hettema, Terry Winnick
- Production Executives — Jay Stein, Barry Upson
- Based on Characters created by — Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale
- Creative Consultant — Steven Spielberg
- Designers — Universal Creative and Berkshire Ridefilm
- Distributors — Universal Studios