Universal's Abandoned Dr. Seuss Ride: Sylvester McMonkey McBean’s Very Unusual Driving Machines

[@AdventuresWithParker]

I had no idea this ride had such a complicated history! I would've loved the interactive components of the original, but I'm glad Universal was eventually able to open the version we have. This ride is seriously underrated!

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thanks for watching! It’s interesting to say the least they kept much of the original track and were able to engineer a solution on top of it!

[@andrewcb9255]

Great video as always! I’m honestly glad that instead of leaving the track completely dormant for years they added the two prop vehicles on it. It at the very least gave the track a purpose and added some kineticism to the land rather than just an eyesore for it.

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thank you! Yeah, that definitely helped with the Seussian feel, but it of course wasn’t perfect. They’re great designs though!

[@OliJaylin]

I agree! Genuinely wonder what happened to the prop vehicles upon the ride opening though? Though intended to be temporary, they were really nicely designed.

[@MrEric0576]

@@OliJaylinI wonder what happened to the original cars that were supposed to be used for the ride. I heard they were built and stored somewhere but that could’ve just been a rumor.

[@ballbag]

I visited IOA in 1999, 2003 and 2005, and had always wondered what the track was for when it was there. I think back then I researched it and found a forum or similar saying it was a failed project. So cool they revitalised it and now its just like its always been there.

[@StorybookAmusement]

Yeah I'm glad the track eventually got some purpose! It's always lovely walking around while the trains are cruising by above and people are waving.

[@Inurantchan]

I went to islands of adventure on opening day. I vividly remember all the talk about the ride above opening soon from employees, then the next year, then the next. Even rumors of turning it into a coaster. I was very excited once it did open, having been able to attend a preview for it, but I also remember a lot of people in line being underwhelmed due to all the rumors/long line I recall at the time. Since then the ride has been pretty dead upon each visit, although I haven't been since 2019. I do really enjoy the ride, but I also miss the vehicles that were there before. While I am glad it opened, I have never been a fan of the track added above the original one. I wish they could have found a way to make vehicles with more capacity for the one rail, since as it stands: I personally have never liked the look of them. Small potatoes though for what is such a now ignored part of islands of adventures that I really wish Universal gave the same care to as they have always done for the other lands. The poor cat in the hat ride looked horrible in 2019, I worry for it now.

[@StorybookAmusement]

It really is a lovely ride, but those rumors pre-Trolley were always bit over the top. 😅 I hadn't heard that roller coaster rumor before! Cat in the Hat is in pretty rough shape these days, I'm sad to say. It has so much potential, but it just gets worse and worse each year.

[@BobbyHealy]

Genuinely had no idea this ride didn’t open with the park! Fascinating video about one of the most underrated rides in the park.

[@StorybookAmusement]

Glad you enjoyed! I hear there’s more to the story that wasn’t mentioned here. There’s more McMonkey McBean to come. 😄

[@LazloTheGhoul]

God i love the Suessland and wish theyd add more to it but totally understand why they are growing to other aspects for the new and old park.

[@StorybookAmusement]

There's so much potential with a Seuss land. If only they had more space!

[@PiTheThemeParkGuy]

Fantastic and fascinating video! Funny timing since I have a video on the same topic coming out tomorrow or the day after that even uses a lot of the same B Roll lol. Great minds and all that! Fascinating getting to see different takes on telling the same story! As always I adore your attention to detail, thoroughness, and professionalism while still keeping a snappy pace! Great work!

[@StorybookAmusement]

I'm looking forward to your video! There's not a lot of info out there on this attraction. I can't wait to see what you dig up about it!

[@WheezyLiam]

I was looking for this video for months and I couldn't remember the ride's original name so I could never find it. Also, no other videos or websites mention this planned ride at all, so I felt like I was losing my mind.

[@StorybookAmusement]

How could you possibly forget a name like Sylvester McMonkey McBean’s Very Unusual Driving Machines 😅

[@TheHaloRed]

If anything, this ride probably had the longest name for a theme park attraction in history.

[@StorybookAmusement]

Half the script for this video was just copying + pasting the ride name

[@gamer_51tv5]

Wow I never knew this was here so this what it was before the seuss trolley train ride 😱😁

[@UmpireSam1]

i rode it when it was broke in 2000

[@StorybookAmusement]

Must've been a great time!

[@JasonRBeing]

A Dr. Seuss themed ride which is a mix of PeopleMover and Tomorrowland Speedway, that would have been a dream, for most people!

[@StorybookAmusement]

I would've loved the original version of this ride! Too bad it didn't work out.

[@MatecaCorp]

Until this video I had no idea that this ever existed! What an insane story!

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@Discoveryy]

I’ve been really enjoying your Islands of Adventure history videos. Great work 🙌🙌

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thank you so much! This park means a lot to me, so I’m happy to share about it. Glad you enjoyed.

[@NickMatzkeMusic]

Great work as always! I never knew that was the original car sitting at the end. Also kinda blew my mind that I never realized they put the new track on top of the old one.

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thank you! The old track was removed in the indoor scenes for clearance (taller ride vehicles than the original), and it was also slightly modified in various point for reasons like that. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same! I appreciate you tuning in. 😁

[@MinnoMinori]

The strange, Rocket Rod-like feels I get from the initial design -- minus the speed and thrills and 'plus' the ability to bump. That Grinch's Lair, tho 👀👀👀

[@StorybookAmusement]

Now that you say that, I see an Eisner-like optimism in the original design. It's like an attraction made for the overall feel of the land, something bigger than just cars on a track. They seemed to do more dreaming than planning. Thanks as always for dropping in!

[@MinnoMinori]

@@StorybookAmusement I can't drop in if I live here. 😌 I'm just the quiet basement roommate who gets too busy with work or a project but occasionally gets to pop their head out the door to say how much you're adored and supported for the work you do. 💜

[@StorybookAmusement]

Well thanks for knocking this time! 😅 But seriously, I appreciate that so much. Means a lot to hear that.

[@MatecaCorp]

It’s kinda like a reverse Rocket Rods, going from thrill ride to peoplemover

[@scottin360]

Awesome video! I had no idea the High in the Sky had such an interestingness history. Thanks for sharing!

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thanks for watching! There's certainly a lot of appreciate, but you would never suspect it from that ride.

[@worldofartloveartwork1472]

I didn't think Seusslanding had a hard time making this ride. I noticed how Seusslanding looks different since it was opened. Not only that, when the ride first opened it used to have a different kind of show and it even featured Horton! If you'd look at 7:08 you can see his ears at the grand opening. I wish they can bring him back somehow and maybe add more Dr. Seuss characters too. Do you by chance know anything about Horton's appereance in Seusslanding?

[@StorybookAmusement]

Unfortunately, I don’t know much about the character. Some of the best footage I’ve seen of it is in the show opening for when The Rosie O’Donnell Show was at IOA. Check about 30 seconds into this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/harHiKKLjcuIfdU

[@worldofartloveartwork1472]

@@StorybookAmusement That's alright, I'm just glad you believe me! 😄 But I agree, Seusslanding isn't treated like all the other attractions. I wish they can go back and add bigger things for it. Horton would make a good attraction for Seusslanding. He is Giesel's oldest character he made. Even before the Grinch and the Cat In The Hat. If he's part of Seusslanding, he could hang out next to that tree where his egg is, blowing his trunk and spray water. Or they can even play how low can you go for fun in my perspective! 😄

[@ktm6612]

Also Guy i am is no longer present in the land besides being featured since the opening day of the park

[@festivalrat]

9:10 wubbulous world reference!

[@StorybookAmusement]

I've been waiting for this comment for over a year 😅 thank you

[@ParkTwister]

What a fascinating piece of theme park history!

[@StorybookAmusement]

It’s neat to see why the parks are the way they are!

[@dinocas420]

Too bad Disneyland can't do something about the peoplemover track...reminds me a lot of that.

[@StorybookAmusement]

Just imagine if they tried putting Rocket Rods on this poor little track haha. 😬

[@dinocas420]

@@StorybookAmusement 🤣 omgggg yes

[@bluebridgette]

I never knew this! amazing video :)

[@StorybookAmusement]

Thanks for watching!

[@WDI2008]

The People Mover/Rocket Rods track at Disneyland is almost the same

[@StorybookAmusement]

They are close! The concept sans theming is very similar.

[@mattstecker]

Lol I remember when I went there in the early 2000s and seeing those creepy cars with animatronics on the track I thought they were creepy looking and then I went on the ride after it opened I went on it a bunch of times

[@StorybookAmusement]

Legend has it that the Sneetch car still drives around on the streets to this day, maybe to your house. 👀

[@mattstecker]

@@StorybookAmusement wow I was wondering what happened to that other car with the sneeches I thought universal just left them sitting abbanded somewhere I saw that they kept the other car for the ride in your video and I knew it looked familiar when I rode the ride and I kind of knew the mc bean in the ride was the one from the track but now I know for sure that's so creepy that someone's driving the sneeches car that's a really creepy story thats crazy how they turned it into a car I wonder why universal didn't keep them in the ride too

[@StorybookAmusement]

Actually I was wrong about the car, unfortunately. The prop on the ride is not the same one that ran on the track. Comparing them side by side, it’s obvious. To late to change the video! 😫