Last laughs: Goodbye, Woody Woodpecker coaster

Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel
·3 min read
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The days are numbered for Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster and a handful of other KidZone attractions at Universal Studios theme park. They will be shut down in January, Universal Orlando announced recently.

Woody, the animated character, may not be peak of his popularity, but the coaster has redeeming qualities that still may tickle kids and prompt surges of nostalgia for their parents and their nanas. (Woody and his trademark laugh date back to 1940 and the short film “Knock Knock,” a star vehicle for Andy Panda, who does not have a roller coaster.)

The ride was added to the park in 1999, tucked back between (and mostly overshadowed by) E.T. Adventure and “A Day in the Park with Barney,” a kiddie show featuring the purple dinosaur, who once had TV fame.

I had not been on Nuthouse Coaster — wow, that’s not a very 21st century name — for years but went back after the closing-soon announcement to see what I had been missing.

Things that make you go ha

A few months ago, I noticed a simple pleasure on the coaster. The sides of the red train have HA HA HA HA HA painted on individual rows, a nod to the cackle of the character. It made me laugh.

Sound off

I queued up for a ride and was surprised to find that a line had formed on a weekday afternoon. I blame nostalgia. I waited about 15 minutes, and some of that can be attributed to Universal Express buyers, who could practically get right onto the ride.

Anyway, the ride is enhanced by a few sound effects I had not noticed from the ground, including a train bell rung by a team member, a snippet of Woody’s theme song and that cackle again as we crested the lift hill. (You can hear the last one from the plaza if you pay attention.)

Use your words

I didn’t cackle, but my inner child and I did appreciate the rebus motif in the queue. You know, word puzzles using pictures to visually spell out a word, such as a drawing of a well and a comb to signal “Welcome.” The one that indicates “Are you a screwball?” felt a little personal, but I’m not so delicate of a flower that I didn’t ride.

Sign Woody up

The Nuthouse Coaster sign at the entrance is top-notch and has motion. A Woody figure rides a cart around a rotating cog that’s atop a wooden structure with more cogs. The loading dock also has a formidable sign atop the roof, but many of the ride’s details are obscured by the neighboring attraction, Fievel’s Playland.

Quick and easy

The ride itself? It’s an old school, junior coaster on which we’re taken immediately to the top of the hill and then gravity makes sure there’s no stopping after that. There are curves, but it’s not too rough until the brakes are applied. There’s a good amount of legroom, grown-ups. It moves at 21.7 mph and lasts 45 seconds, according to the online Roller Coaster Database.

It’s good for kids. We’re in the KidZone, right? Woody’s attraction has long been a gentle introduction to thrill riding.

And while on the rail you’ll notice one more sight gag. Barrels of laughs. They’re marked with ha has. Snort.

The end

The last run of Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster will be Jan. 15. Also closing in KidZone that day are Curious George Goes to Town, Fievel’s Playland, DreamWorks Destination and Shrek and Donkey’s Meet & Greet.

E.T. Adventure, “Animal Actors on Location,” SpongeBob StorePants and KidZone Pizza Company are staying open, Universal says. The company is “bringing exciting new family entertainment to Universal Studios Florida that will immerse guests in the adventures of beloved animated characters,” according to its news release. No timeline has been shared.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters or the Theme Park Rangers podcast at orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-podcast.