Of all the movie-related rides in the US, the Jaws ride at Universal Studios Orlando would probably rank among the most recognizable and popular. Unfortunately, the park has announced that on January 2nd the ride will officially be closed to make way for “an exciting, NEW experience.” The decision is based on an effort to reinvigorate Universal Studios, which has been eclipsed in recent years by sister parks, Islands of Adventure and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Jaws ride has been a mainstay at the park since it opened in 1990 as well as the Amity-themed area surrounding the attraction. I suppose it’s the nature of amusement parks to keep everything relevant and up to date, so a 20-plus year ride based on a 36 year-old film just doesn’t make the cut anymore. Universal made an official statement on the news via their Facebook page:

Hey fans, we want you to be the first to know… JAWS! and the Amity area will officially close on January 2 to make room for an exciting, NEW, experience we’re planning for you. We know you love JAWS! and we do too. It has been an amazing attraction and after terrorizing the waters of Amity here at Universal Orlando for 20 years, it’s a VERY important part of our history. So, we’ve got a couple things planned to ensure we always remember and honor it. We know it’s hard to say goodbye, but we can’t express how EXCITED we are about the new, innovative & amazing experience we’re going to be bringing you.

Among the new attractions coming to Universal Studios Orlando qre a 3D ride based on Despicable Me and there’s a rumor that a Hogwarts Express might be built to link all the parks together. What are your thoughts on the park updates?