originally posted on 3/10/2023
Mission Ferrari.
Photo: Dick Erman. View full-sized image.
In the history of roller coasters, there are occasional projects that are long in the making. Knoebels’ (Elysburg, Pennsylvania) Flying Turns took close to seven years to open. Modifications to Six Flags Over Texas’ (Arlington) Aquaman: Power Wave made it into a four-year project. The adage “Good things come to those who wait” is sometimes proven true.
Ferrari World (Abu Dhabi) has premiered numerous attractions since opening its gates in 2010. Its accolades include the world’s fastest roller coaster, Formula Rossa. The park now boasts six roller coasters with the January debut of Mission Ferrari. This ride, too, has some bragging rights.
Many enthusiasts may not be familiar with the manufacturer Dynamic Attractions. It is a company that commonly works with industry giants such as Disney and Universal. Flying theaters and the like have been crowd pleasers. In the field of coasters, it is somewhat of a newcomer.
Kind of.
Mission Ferrari has roots going back to 2012. Ideas began in creating what the company would term a special effects coaster. The original concept was developed over a six-month period by a team of six senior engineers and a creative director. By 2015, the development was awarded Best New Product Attraction Concept at the IAAPA Expo in 2015.
“Thrill seekers want more than just a train on a track,” said Guy Nelson, CEO, Dynamic Attractions. “We’ve combined spectacular storytelling and eye-popping special effects with the most technically advanced ride. This has the amusement industry’s top draws — dark rides and roller coasters — in one unbelievable experience. It is the first of its kind in an entirely new category of rides.”
Ferrari World stepped up to be the first. But it has been a long road since. Structurally, the ride has been in place for years. Other coasters and attractions have opened while this project continued to be refined. Cutting-edge technology is super cool, but often it takes time to get it to work just right. To use terms such as complex and innovative would be an understatement. Throw a global pandemic in the proceedings and … well, more delays.
So what does it do?
Entrance to Mission Ferrari.
Photo: Courtesy of Dynamic Attractions. View full-sized image.
Anyone planning to head to Abu Dhabi soon can stop reading now if they wish to be completely in the dark, but — spoiler alert — this is the setup. The attraction features a storyline. Guests on a spy mission race through indoor scenes that use 3-D imagery to tell the tale. This component merges both dark ride experiences with those of a roller coaster. Audio, video and physical sets make the attraction incredibly immersive. High praise from reviews vault it into a class of the world’s most elaborately themed coasters.
Mission Ferrari track runs in and out of the show building.
Photo: Faisal Almaki. View full-sized image.
At Universal Studios Florida (Orlando), Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts delivers a similar concept with sporadic coaster sequences interspersed with dark ride show scenes. Mission Ferrari just takes all that and goes over the top. One particular “effect” uses a piece of track to tilt and rotate within a domed show scene. It culminates in an unexpected backward drop. A first-of-its-kind maneuver called the “sideways drop” is also among the notable attributes. The ride does feature two inversions, one in view of the public and one in the show building.
Photos: Courtesy of Ferrari World. View full-sized image.
View full-sized image.
The track design looks massive. Large single-car vehicles seat nine passengers in a front row of four and a back row of five. Six cars race along the coaster track.
The roller coaster features 1,840 feet of track, which may sound short to coaster fans, but it offers a ride time of more than four minutes. During that time, riders experience many scenes that play out, which are followed by various launches. Mission Ferrari does not feature a typical lift hill. The top speed is 45 mph.
If Ferrari World has a goal of providing standout coasters, then mission accomplished. Flying Aces, Turbo Track, Formula Rossa and now Mission Ferrari deliver some world-class coaster experiences.
Of note, a second special effects coaster from Dynamic Attractions — also long awaited — has been erected at Genting SkyWorlds in Genting Highlands, Malaysia. While standing, there is no official word when the as-yet-to-be-named ride may open. Perhaps the operational completion of Mission Ferrari will be the key needed to commission that second installation.
— Tim Baldwin, ACE News
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