Why did Jaws: The Ride close?

Many theme park fans question ‘Why did Jaws: The Ride close?’, as its popularity seems too great for its demise to have been a wise decision. It is rare for a day to pass without our twitter feed being filled with nostalgic demands to bring back Jaws: The Ride to Universal Studios Orlando. This is probably in part a result of accounts such as @bringbackjaws, which is dedicated to the act of ‘Tweeting the same image of Jaws: The Ride’ until the attraction returns. Clearly this account is not intended with all seriousness, although if their attempts at barraging Universal were to prove successful, I’d be first in line to thank them for their tireless work. Even with such efforts done in jest, their sentiment is no joke. There are many people who, even almost ten years after the ride’s closure, still feel the pain of this significant loss. Their feelings are not born out of just nostalgia, for it is clear that even when the closure was first announced, outrage was sparked. Accounts from fans who were lucky enough to be there for the rides last day are enough to bring a tear to any enthusiasts eye. From crew members dressed in t-shirts stating ‘For the first time in Amity, it will be July 5th’ to farewell chants, it is clear the demise of Jaws: The Ride was as poorly received back then as it still is today. 

However, unlike in most cases of fury regarding the defunct nature of a ride, even the biggest Jaws: The Ride fans (myself included), struggle to outright shun its replacement. Jaws: The Ride and the wider area of Amity, was replaced by Diagon Alley. This expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter saw Universal continuing the precedent they had set in place with the initial section of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Hogsmeade. This themed area, or Island as it is rightfully referred to in the context of its park ‘Islands of Adventure’, is unquestionably one of the most significant moments in theme park history. Universal raised the standard of themed areas, building an almost exact replica of the small town and Hogwarts castle from the films. Although fairly criticised for its confined walkways, this land redefined theme parks by raising the standard of what was seen as possible. It may be an unprovable statement, but it is likely that without this competition we would have never seen the likes of Cars Land, Pandora: The World of Avatar and, as hard as it is to believe, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, being constructed by Disney. 

J.K.Rowling’s demands for accuracy may have been absurd and may even still be irritating even to this day (I’m referring not only to the lack of space, but also the lack of refreshing Coca-Cola products for sale, of which I promise I’m not a salesperson but simply a person with the desire for a coke to accompany an admittedly delicious meal at The Three Broomsticks on a humid Florida day), but there’s no denying that when she got what she wanted, we got a whole new wave of theme park excellence. Diagon Alley took this same formula and built such an immersive land that it becomes hard to accept that you aren’t an excited first year buying school supplies or a wizard with a tendency for the dark arts, popping into Knockturn Alley to check out the offerings at Borgin and Burkes. Even as someone who isn’t the biggest fan of the land’s only attraction, Escape from Gringotts, I can’t deny that it’s a great addition to Universal Studios even with the necessary and painstaking loss of Jaws: The Ride.

Despite this, Universal cannot have been certain that their difficult decision would have been as widely well received as it is today. Thus, it is clear that there must have been a good set of reasons as to why they chose to demolish Jaws: The Ride rather than another attraction to make space for the impressive land. After doing some research, I believe I have pinpointed the exact reasons behind Universal’s decision. So, here are the reasons I believe answer the pressing question ‘Why did Jaws: The Ride Close?’

Harry Potter and park attendance 

Throughout the early 2000s, Universal were dissatisfied with the attendance to both their original Orlando park Universal Studios Florida and the newly opened Islands of Adventure. In comparison to their direct competitor Disney, Universal was doing appallingly. This however all changed in 2010 when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened in Islands of Adventure and guests flocked to the park in huge numbers. In 2011 Comcast took full control over the parks and decided to keep spending money on the successful earner that was Harry Potter. With all this focus on Harry Potter in Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida was falling behind with 20% less attendance. In order to solve this, Comcast knew they would need to extend their Harry Potter spending spree across Universal’s original Orlando park. The land occupied by Jaws: The Ride was picked to be home for this spending as it ‘offered the largest  area for us to create something that was about the same footprint that we did back at Hogsmeade’ according to Universal Creative Thierry Coup. 

Time for Change

Coup also suggested that as the ride had been there for 22 years, within ‘the rating of all the attractions of the park, it was probably time for it to be refreshed or changed’. Put more simply, the ride was becoming outdated and did not draw in guests as much as the park’s other attractions. Whilst this may seem debatable, with the everlasting popularity of the 470 million dollar box office earning blockbuster, it’s hard to argue with Universal’s own observations. Coup’s comments are the most direct that can be found about the decision, although reasons for this choice don’t seem to stop there. From high maintenance costs to potential dangers, Jaws: The Ride caused so many issues that it’s no surprise Universal would have wanted an escape from them. 

Technical Issues

Jaws: The Ride was plagued with technical issues from its earliest stages of development, right up until the day it finally closed in 2012. When the attraction was still being developed, the potential complications that would arise were already recognised by many. In regards to the complicated task, Disney Imagineering legend Bob Gurr recalled how he declined the ‘monstrous job in Florida that had sharks in it’, a seemingly wise decision. Despite the difficulties involved in creating such a perfectly timed attraction with giant underwater animatronics, Universal, with Steven Spielberg as creative consultant, were able to pull it off, although their first attempt was not particularly successful. The original incarnation of Jaws: The Ride cost 30 million dollars to build, but even with such an incredible cost, the ride was far from functional, let alone perfect. Jaws: The Ride opened unsuccessfully. This original version had such awful technical problems that it had to be rebuilt after only a few months of partial operation. Jaws: The Ride closed on August 22nd 1990 and didn’t reopen until August 1993. The new incarnation of the ride removed the shark biting onto the boat and changed the ending, making the attraction significantly more reliable. However, before you think I’m describing an issue which vanished completely with this change, Jaws: The Ride was by no means a smoothly operating attraction. This new version of Jaws: The Ride was far more reliable on a day to day basis, allowing Universal to actually advertise the attraction to guests, but it was not without its problems. Specifically, the addition of fire which came with a high maintenance cost.

Maintenance costs

The revamped Jaws: The Ride attraction was incredibly expensive to maintain. It’s estimated that the gas needed to fuel the rides’ new end scene cost Universal 2 million dollars each year. This cost was so significant that after the 2004 hurricane season, Universal had to temporarily close the ride for most of 2005 due to the rise of gas prices. The attraction operated seasonally, only on busy days, from December 2005 until February 2007 when it properly reopened. 

In addition to the cost of fuel, the large lagoon had to be drained once a year as demanded by the Department of Environmental Protection. This was due to the high levels of petroleum pollutants and heavy metals found in the water and not, as many rumours suggest, an endangered species of worms. In June 1995 Universal were forced to apply for an industrial wastewater permit, requiring them to conduct regular tests on the water. They were also made to switch to a nontoxic and biodegradable hydraulic fluid. These were both costly and time consuming processes. 

Was the ride as dangerous as the famous shark?

If you’re in any way familiar with the lore surrounding Jaws: The Ride, you’ve likely heard countless tales of tragic accidents and horrifying encounters with the mechanical beast. I’m happy to disclose that most of those stories are false, particularly the ones which involve ghosts, demons and the animatronic coming to life (yes, those can be found somewhere in the depths of the internet). However, there is one real incident that may satisfy your cravings for such tales. In July 1990, Anthony Salamone, a Park guest, fell through the rides railings and into the water with Jaws. This was thankfully a one off incident and the man was pulled quickly to safety. Jaws: The Ride certainly did not close due to frequent dangerous and unplanned swims in the lagoon.

Falling in with the shark is far from the only horrifying tale you can find about the ride. One of the most frequently discussed horrors witnessed on the ride involves exploding ducks. Yes…exploding ducks. According to the accounts of many Universal team members who had the pleasure of working on Jaws: The Ride, this tale is actually true. Incidents occurred where ducks would swim into the final scene and get caught in the explosion, resulting in blood and guts flying through the air. It is even stated that these remains would occasionally find their way onto guests’ laps. In order to avoid this becoming a regular occurrence, team members were ordered to E-stop the ride if ducks came too close to the boat or the effects. Whilst undeniably horrible, this issue clearly didn’t cause enough problems to force Jaws: The Ride to close. 

Another rumour you may have read involves the singeing of passengers’ hair in this same end scene. Many people recall their arm hair having been burned off by the large fire that exploded in this scene. Despite this, Universal have always insisted that the pyrotechnics were very well controlled and intended to merely discomfort guests without the possibility of actual harm. There was certainly never a case where someone was set alight on board, so it seems these recollections of singeing are likely dramatised memories, rather than a dangerous occurrence that could have led to the rides demise.

Jaws lives on

From a mere lack of popularity to technical issues and a high maintenance cost, it is clear that Universal’s decision to close Jaws: The Ride was carefully guided. Whether you still feel a Jaws: The Ride shaped hole every time you visit Universal or not, the park evidently did not make the tough choice just to be cruel. With all this being said, Diagon Alley opened to huge crowds in 2014. The land was met with great success, much like its predecessor, and the ghost of Jaws: The Ride goes unnoticed by most casual guests who visit the park. However, for those who desire a walk down memory lane, the park still offers small tributes the classic film and attraction. In a record store located on the London Waterfront, you will find a record titled  “Here’s to Swimmin’ with Bow Legged Women”, by the Quint Trio. The shrunken heads in Knockturn Alley sing “Show Me the Way to Go Home” and a set of shark jawbones can be found in the storefront of Mr. Mulpepper’s Apothecary. 

The legacy of Jaws: The ride lives on in other ways too. The attraction showed that theme park experiences could be edgier and scarier than anything Disney had ever tried. It is rumoured that this is what inspired Disney to build The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror at their direct competitor to Universal Studios Florida, MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios). Universal have clearly also kept up this trend, with the increasingly popular annual event Halloween Horror Nights. 

For those who still wish to experience Jaws: The Ride, the attraction lives on at Universal Studios Japan and the Jaws section of the tram tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, which inspired the original attraction, can also still be enjoyed. 

I hope this answers the question ‘Why did Jaws the ride close?’, without opting just for the simple, although true, answer of Harry Potter. 

Thanks for reading our article on ‘Why did Jaws: The Ride close?’

Please check our full POV of Jaws: The Ride at Universal Studios Japan.

Also check out our review of Universal Studios Japan.