Spider-Man Ride, Universal Studios

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

Put on your 3-D glasses for an eye-popping, first-of-its-kind 3-D thrill ride. Careening through the streets and swinging high above the city, you'll see, hear and actually FEEL the action as this ride drops you (literally) right in the middle of the web-slinger's most amazing adventure ever!

unused, bought in 2010

On a side note: this is my favorite ride of any theme park we've ever been to! This ride alone is worth the price of the admission to the park. (Disney's Epcot is my favorite park overall though)

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Ride:
After donning night vision goggles (3D glasses) the "cub reporters" get in the Scoops and leave the loading docks to a New York back alley where they encounter Spider-Man. He warns that he is in for the most dangerous night of his life and for the guests to be careful. The guests enter a warehouse where the Sinister Syndicate are holding the Statue of Liberty hostage. Once spotted, Electro, Scream, and Doctor Octopus attack and hurl the Scoop into the sewer, where Spider-man is waiting. After he fends off Hydro-Man there, the guests escape narrowly to the river, where Hobgoblin attacks with exploding pumpkins and sends guests into the streets. Doctor Octopus lifts the Scoop using an anti-gravity cannon. (Amazing part of the ride!!) Spider-man attempts to pull it down but is attacked by all the supervillains. Spidey thwarts them, but not before Doctor Octopus disengages the anti-gravity device, sending the Scoop on a 400-foot (120 m) free-fall (you actually feel like your 'car' is dropping straight down!) until it is rescued by Spider-Man's webbing, where it stops over a sewer that says "Not an exit". Then Spider-Man thanks the guests for their help and sends them back to the Daily Bugle, where he has rigged the anti-gravity cannon to lift Jameson to the ceiling in his office.

Ride effects:
There are 13 large screens in the attraction, 12 of which use 3D projection. The process utilizes two projectors that have polarizers to interact with each lens of the 3D glasses. By blocking light from one projector with each lens, the 3D effect is achieved.
The illusion of levitating the ride vehicle is achieved by a choreographed combination of several elements: the on-screen visuals with faux-projected windows to the left and right; a large, collapsible building facade; the vehicle's DOF (Degrees of Freedom) motors moving slowly and without stops; and overhead fans blowing air down onto the vehicle. Afterward, two IMAX screens in the following scene allow for the feeling of being whipped high above the city during the final showdown.