After an extended construction and testing period, and a whirlwind employee preview and soft opening this past week, Universal Orlando's Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit finally officially opened to guests on August 19. Although the ride was originally scheduled to premiere in Spring of this year, the opening yesterday came as a surprise to theme park industry insiders and guests alike.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit features a 17-story tower drop and reaches speeds up to 65 mph, making it one of the most impressive roller coasters in the Central Florida theme park area. The ride features three roller coaster "firsts": the world's largest non-inverted loop, a spiraling, negative gravity move, and a "crash" through a building facade.

Each rider has a touchpad screen which allows them to select a song to play through speakers located on their headrests. Song options from different genres -- classic rock/metal, country, pop/disco, rap/hip-hop, and club/electronica -- promise a truly personalized audio experience.

A combination of on- and off-board cameras creates a music video of each rider's experience. Guests can purchase DVDs or have videos of their ride emailed to themselves and friends and family.

A few wdwdreaming.com readers were among the early riders, and they have chimed in with their reviews.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit is a great ride, and a wonderful addition to UO, but coaster enthusiasts will probably find it surprisingly tame considering how impressive it looks from afar. The musical aspect of the attraction makes it worth doing multiple times, though, as you truly get a unique ride each time.

Fun attraction, but all in all I enjoyed [SeaWorld's] Manta more.

Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit (terrible name, by the way -- why not just Hollywood Rockit?) -- is big and wild, but not as rough as similar coasters you might find at your local theme park. And that's just fine by me. I can easily see myself, doing HRRR several times a visit. Heck, I usually only visit either Universal Orlando or Islands of Adventure, so this ride will probably have me park hopping more.

Do you have video, photos, or a review of Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit? Send it in!