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Adventures in Amity: Tales From The Jaws Ride
YOU'RE CLEARED FOR DEPARTURE, AMITY SIX. HAVE A GOOD TRIP.
Set sail with author Dustin McNeill as he goes behind the scenes of Captain Jake's Amity Boat Tours! ADVENTURES IN AMITY is the ultimate guide to the legendary attraction that once stood at Universal Studios Florida. The book contains over thirty new interviews with the ride's designers, engineers, and skippers for unprecedented insight into its creation and operation. Hear the untold story of the Jaws ride for the first time ever from those who were actually there!
Points of interest:
Introduction by filmmaker J. Michael Roddy ("The Shark is Still Working" documentary) Features never-before-seen photos and concept art from the ride's original 1989 construction Hear from park execs about the disastrous opening of both Jaws and Universal Florida Read about the seldom seen 1990 Jaws ride that closed down shortly after the park opened Trace the evolution of the spiel script starting with its original and vastly different 1987 pitch See rare images of the Jaws lagoon without water Learn how engineers guaranteed the ride's operational reliability upon its 1993 re-opening Read stories from the 1990/1993 opening teams as well as the 2012 closing team Hear from skippers about working with the sometimes temperamental mechanical sharks Contains stories about other classic Universal Studios Florida attractions including Kongfrontation, Earthquake: The Big One and the E.T. Adventure Read tales of breakdowns malfunctions, pranks, celebrity guests, and falling overboard Contains coverage of the Jaws ride still operating in Osaka, Japan
Set sail with author Dustin McNeill as he goes behind the scenes of Captain Jake's Amity Boat Tours! ADVENTURES IN AMITY is the ultimate guide to the legendary attraction that once stood at Universal Studios Florida. The book contains over thirty new interviews with the ride's designers, engineers, and skippers for unprecedented insight into its creation and operation. Hear the untold story of the Jaws ride for the first time ever from those who were actually there!
Points of interest:
Introduction by filmmaker J. Michael Roddy ("The Shark is Still Working" documentary) Features never-before-seen photos and concept art from the ride's original 1989 construction Hear from park execs about the disastrous opening of both Jaws and Universal Florida Read about the seldom seen 1990 Jaws ride that closed down shortly after the park opened Trace the evolution of the spiel script starting with its original and vastly different 1987 pitch See rare images of the Jaws lagoon without water Learn how engineers guaranteed the ride's operational reliability upon its 1993 re-opening Read stories from the 1990/1993 opening teams as well as the 2012 closing team Hear from skippers about working with the sometimes temperamental mechanical sharks Contains stories about other classic Universal Studios Florida attractions including Kongfrontation, Earthquake: The Big One and the E.T. Adventure Read tales of breakdowns malfunctions, pranks, celebrity guests, and falling overboard Contains coverage of the Jaws ride still operating in Osaka, Japan
- GenresNonfiction
286 pages, Paperback
Published August 18, 2018
73 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Dustin McNeill
10 books67 followersDustin McNeill is the author of eight books released through Harker Press. A lifelong genre fan, he began his writing career in the pages of HorrorHound Magazine before publishing his first book in 2014. Titled Phantasm Exhumed, this franchise companion was warmly received by fans and filmmakers alike, which encouraged the author to continue his writing efforts. In 2019, he teamed with co-author Travis Mullins for the best-selling and critically acclaimed Taking Shape book series, which the pair followed up in 2022 with Reign of Chucky: The True Hollywood Story of a Not So Good Guy. In 2023, Dustin penned yet another solo effort with House of Rejects: The Making of Rob Zombie's Firefly Trilogy. He has contributed supplemental material to multiple Phantasm and Chucky boxsets by Arrow Video and Scream Factory. In 2024, Dustin recorded an official audio commentary for Via Vision Entertainment's Blu-ray release of the original Halloween II.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 7, 2025
I miss the smell of the gas. I miss night time rescue drills. But I miss the happiest days of my life. What a joy to revisit memories in this really cool oral history of the greatest ride that is no longer. Amity 6 to base, we’re coming home!
August 31, 2018
As a theme park fanatic, it was very easy for me to sit down over the course of a few evening and reminisce about a ride I used to love.
The book is essentially a series of short interviews with just about everyone the author could get a hold of that had been involved with the ride. You get to hear all about the ill-fated disastrous failure of the ride’s first iteration, from the perspectives of the executives, designers and of course, the skippers.
Want to know about what scene was the hardest to cover for when it didn’t work? No problem. Want to hear dissenting opinions on why the first ride failed? Check. Want to hear about how skippers were a tight knit family? There is plenty of that here.
Ultimately, most of the people who worked on this ride thought it was something special, which is why this book exists, as a love letter to days gone by. Be aware, it can get a bit repetitious when hearing from skipper after skipper, but better too much information than not enough, right?
If you loved the jaws ride, or even have a keen interest in how theme park rides are developed I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly. If you’re not, chances are there’s no reason for you to read this in the first place.
The book is essentially a series of short interviews with just about everyone the author could get a hold of that had been involved with the ride. You get to hear all about the ill-fated disastrous failure of the ride’s first iteration, from the perspectives of the executives, designers and of course, the skippers.
Want to know about what scene was the hardest to cover for when it didn’t work? No problem. Want to hear dissenting opinions on why the first ride failed? Check. Want to hear about how skippers were a tight knit family? There is plenty of that here.
Ultimately, most of the people who worked on this ride thought it was something special, which is why this book exists, as a love letter to days gone by. Be aware, it can get a bit repetitious when hearing from skipper after skipper, but better too much information than not enough, right?
If you loved the jaws ride, or even have a keen interest in how theme park rides are developed I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly. If you’re not, chances are there’s no reason for you to read this in the first place.
January 20, 2025
If you love Jaws and went to Universal Studios when this ride was there (two boxes I tick) then you probably still won't get much out of this book. I don't know what I was thinking, to be honest. I'm giving it 3 out of 5 mostly out of politeness because its not the book's fault I'll read anything with the Jaws logo on it. Also, change the 3 to a 5 if you are horny for extremely detailed anecdotes about building/operating a ride (albeit anecdotes that are repeated by different interviewees over and over)
July 29, 2025
I really wanted to love this book. As someone who enjoyed the Jaws Ride and finds the history of Universal Studios Florida genuinely fascinating — especially in the context of its rivalry with Disney — Adventures in Amity seemed like a perfect fit for me. There’s no denying the ride’s legacy or the behind-the-scenes drama that came with building and maintaining something that ambitious.
The problem is, the book just didn’t hold my attention. After a while, it started to feel repetitive and stretched out. The interview format could’ve been a strength, but the questions were largely the same across the board. You get the point pretty quickly: the ride was expensive and difficult to pull off, closing it was emotional and surprising, and it left a lasting impact. All valid, all important — but hearing the same themes echoed over and over without much variation made it a bit of a slog to get through.
That said, I did enjoy the early chapters. The story of the ride’s initial closure in 1990 and its relaunch in ’93 with a new storyline was genuinely interesting, and I wish the book had gone deeper into those kinds of developmental details.
In the end, while Adventures in Amity has its moments and will definitely appeal to die-hard theme park fans or Jaws Ride devotees, it just didn’t fully land for me. There’s a compelling story here — it just needed a sharper edit and more variety to really make it sing.
The problem is, the book just didn’t hold my attention. After a while, it started to feel repetitive and stretched out. The interview format could’ve been a strength, but the questions were largely the same across the board. You get the point pretty quickly: the ride was expensive and difficult to pull off, closing it was emotional and surprising, and it left a lasting impact. All valid, all important — but hearing the same themes echoed over and over without much variation made it a bit of a slog to get through.
That said, I did enjoy the early chapters. The story of the ride’s initial closure in 1990 and its relaunch in ’93 with a new storyline was genuinely interesting, and I wish the book had gone deeper into those kinds of developmental details.
In the end, while Adventures in Amity has its moments and will definitely appeal to die-hard theme park fans or Jaws Ride devotees, it just didn’t fully land for me. There’s a compelling story here — it just needed a sharper edit and more variety to really make it sing.
December 31, 2020
I don't know how long I can make this review. I mean, this is a book about an amusement park ride.
And there's not really that much you can write about a ride, even one that features Jaws.
Dustin McNeill's book suffers from being an examination of something so specific that it's limited from the outset. The author gives the original Hollywood Jaws attraction a whopping one paragraph in his text, instead choosing to focus on the version that emerged in the studio's Florida park, ostensibly as an attraction to compete with Disney's then-new parks nearby.
The issue for me is that this reads a little bit too much like a fanclub publication: it's designed for people with a particular level of knowledge and affection. Sure, there's interviews with people key in the construction and redesign of the ride, but at no point are we provided with plans or diagrams. There's a couple of cool behind-the-scenes photographs, but nothing befitting a documentary kind of work. Plenty of information is given about times when the ride didn't really work, but the mechanics and the politics of why it didn't are vaguely glossed over.
To be fair, I guess this isn't presented as a documentary work. It's a collection of "adventures", largely from the people who played the role of skipper on the boat-tour fantasy that made up the ride. This is a book that'd be great to read if you had been one of those skippers, or knew one, but I was left a bit cold.
(The exception to this is the description in some interviews of the tussling between Disney and Universal to pull off bigger and better attractions - I'd happily read a book about that, and was saddened that it didn't show up in here more.)
I'm lucky enough to have been to Universal in Osaka, and I've ridden the Japanese variant of the ride, which is the only surviving iteration. It's a bit cheesy, and I can imagine that it's memorable and great if you're younger. If the ride was super important to you, you'll love it - otherwise you'll be the sort of reader that finds this of only passing interest, at best.
And there's not really that much you can write about a ride, even one that features Jaws.
Dustin McNeill's book suffers from being an examination of something so specific that it's limited from the outset. The author gives the original Hollywood Jaws attraction a whopping one paragraph in his text, instead choosing to focus on the version that emerged in the studio's Florida park, ostensibly as an attraction to compete with Disney's then-new parks nearby.
The issue for me is that this reads a little bit too much like a fanclub publication: it's designed for people with a particular level of knowledge and affection. Sure, there's interviews with people key in the construction and redesign of the ride, but at no point are we provided with plans or diagrams. There's a couple of cool behind-the-scenes photographs, but nothing befitting a documentary kind of work. Plenty of information is given about times when the ride didn't really work, but the mechanics and the politics of why it didn't are vaguely glossed over.
To be fair, I guess this isn't presented as a documentary work. It's a collection of "adventures", largely from the people who played the role of skipper on the boat-tour fantasy that made up the ride. This is a book that'd be great to read if you had been one of those skippers, or knew one, but I was left a bit cold.
(The exception to this is the description in some interviews of the tussling between Disney and Universal to pull off bigger and better attractions - I'd happily read a book about that, and was saddened that it didn't show up in here more.)
I'm lucky enough to have been to Universal in Osaka, and I've ridden the Japanese variant of the ride, which is the only surviving iteration. It's a bit cheesy, and I can imagine that it's memorable and great if you're younger. If the ride was super important to you, you'll love it - otherwise you'll be the sort of reader that finds this of only passing interest, at best.
June 5, 2025
As a super fan of the first film and an avid rider of the Universal ride (while I could ride it), this book felt like a no brainer. Unfortunately, it was a little more redundant than I cared for (I guess there is only so many questions you can ask the past skippers and creative team behind the ride), and it was not always the page turner it promised to be. That being said, I applauded the ambition of this text and the love and care put into it as a historical document of a beloved, but sadly bygone experience.
I remember my first ride on Jaws during my junior/senior class trip in the summer of 1994 like it was yesterday. That in itself is I believe the point of this text. Whether you were a skipper, a leader, a designer, a visitor, or simply a fan, the memory of this ride remains vivid and colorful long after the shadows of its remains have faded permanently in the Central Florida sunshine.
I remember my first ride on Jaws during my junior/senior class trip in the summer of 1994 like it was yesterday. That in itself is I believe the point of this text. Whether you were a skipper, a leader, a designer, a visitor, or simply a fan, the memory of this ride remains vivid and colorful long after the shadows of its remains have faded permanently in the Central Florida sunshine.
November 14, 2025
LOVE LOVE LOVE
As a HUGE Jaws fan (both movie and ride) this book was such a delight to read! I learned so much about Universal Orlando and the behind scenes of the park that I never would’ve guessed! Very cool to see all the different views of people that were so closely connected to the ride!
As a HUGE Jaws fan (both movie and ride) this book was such a delight to read! I learned so much about Universal Orlando and the behind scenes of the park that I never would’ve guessed! Very cool to see all the different views of people that were so closely connected to the ride!
February 28, 2025
About as good as a book about a defunct ride based off of my favorite movie could possibly be. Some of the interviews do tend to become repetitive but it was a quick read with some cool behind the scenes photos and stories
April 30, 2023
Due to the nature of the book being transcripts of interviews, there is a lot of repetition, but each person that had experience with the ride gives their own perspective of the ride which makes for a great read!
January 1, 2019
The Jaws Ride holds a special memory for me. I rode it days before it was due to close because it had always been a childhood dream of mine. Of course it became my favorite ride. When I returned to Universal Studios a few years after, it just wasn't the same without it.
This is a very informative book concerning the original ride and the adapted ride, both of which had their own issues. The book is a series of interviews done by people involved with the Jaws ride. I admit that I liked the interviews from the skippers better than anyone else's, though it was interesting to learn how the ride was first envisioned, the issues that came with it, and the revamp of the ride that I went on and the issues that came with that.
Jaws was a movie that came with many issues so it's fitting in a way that the ride would face its own challenges. Truth be told, the ride lasted much longer than some expected and I am so happy I got to experience it. It was a joy reading a book in which many others demonstrate their love for the ride as well. The skippers definitely made the ride what it was and I am grateful for their love and dedication to the ride. For me, it will always be more of a memory than a ride.
The book also contains photos of the ride, people involved, and promotional materials. The Back to the Future, E.T., Earthquake,and Kongfrontation rides are also mentioned.
Overall, I give it 4.5 stars. While the interviews are interesting, it did make it a slower read and I would have liked to see a little more variety sprinkled in among the interviews. A must read for Jaws fans and anyone who loved the ride!
This is a very informative book concerning the original ride and the adapted ride, both of which had their own issues. The book is a series of interviews done by people involved with the Jaws ride. I admit that I liked the interviews from the skippers better than anyone else's, though it was interesting to learn how the ride was first envisioned, the issues that came with it, and the revamp of the ride that I went on and the issues that came with that.
Jaws was a movie that came with many issues so it's fitting in a way that the ride would face its own challenges. Truth be told, the ride lasted much longer than some expected and I am so happy I got to experience it. It was a joy reading a book in which many others demonstrate their love for the ride as well. The skippers definitely made the ride what it was and I am grateful for their love and dedication to the ride. For me, it will always be more of a memory than a ride.
The book also contains photos of the ride, people involved, and promotional materials. The Back to the Future, E.T., Earthquake,and Kongfrontation rides are also mentioned.
Overall, I give it 4.5 stars. While the interviews are interesting, it did make it a slower read and I would have liked to see a little more variety sprinkled in among the interviews. A must read for Jaws fans and anyone who loved the ride!
October 19, 2020
A few too many interviews that overlapped, particularly of ‘skippers’, but overall a fun, brisk read.
August 29, 2021
If you grew up during a certain period where Universal Studios was synonymous with Back to the Future, King Kong, and Jaws, then you're the target audience for this slice of nostalgia. This fan(boy--and more on that in a bit)-written book examines the history and operation of the Florida ride in both its iterations. The first half or so of the book are interviews with design and planning teams, engineers, marketers, etc. The next half focuses on the ride skippers. What is clear very early on though is just how repetitive these interviews are. The same basic questions seem to get asked of everyone "were you surprised Jaws closed", "what was your favorite part of the ride", "what would happen when the shark didn't work" and without fail literally every interviewee's answers are the same. It quickly becomes a book of repetition and no one interview feels notable. A perhaps unintentional theme that does seem to come out though is one of Universal selling out, and pivoting away from what made the original park so different from Disney. The other thing that became excruciatingly clear was the exclusion of women--both in the initial concept for the ride and from this book's own pages. There are about 30 interviews in this book, and only two are with women--the first female skipper and the last skipper hired. Apparently no woman was involved at all in the construction of this ride or its PR, marketing, set construction, etc...and no female skipper apparently did anything of consequence to warrant inclusion of their youtube channels, websites, or history like what the author includes for several of the male skippers. This part of it just put a bad taste in my mouth and reeks of exclusionary fanboy.
The earlier chapters of this book detailing the birth of Universal Studios and the initial (and eventually reworked) Jaws ride concepts were very interesting. I could have done without the advertisements and plugs for some of the skippers' post-ride careers and would have loved to see in place of that much more behind the scenes photos, maps, concept art, etc. Maybe we'll get this and more inclusivity from the next fan's Jaws-related book.
The earlier chapters of this book detailing the birth of Universal Studios and the initial (and eventually reworked) Jaws ride concepts were very interesting. I could have done without the advertisements and plugs for some of the skippers' post-ride careers and would have loved to see in place of that much more behind the scenes photos, maps, concept art, etc. Maybe we'll get this and more inclusivity from the next fan's Jaws-related book.
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December 31, 2023primary takeaway: did not finish.
I don't know what i was expecting here -- Dustin McNeill's Halloween monographs are exceedingly engaging. I kinda presumed this would be about an absurd Hollywood movie promotional with plenty of Universal executives buffoonery & surreal B-T-S/theme park anecdotals.
Early on the author briefly surmises the never ending mediocrity clusterFck the Jaws Ride supposedly yielded pre-1994, but quickly bypasses this entire timeline as off-topic. Unfortunate since this sounds exactly like what I'd hoped would be covered -- Safe to presume the author agreed to
#dnf
February 5, 2020
Every so often I'll read something a bit lighter for fun. This book represents one of those times, and it didnt disappoint. While I never got to ride the attraction before it closed, I did read an AMA by a skipper at the ride years ago. That and my love for the movie made this an easy read.
This book covers the entire history of the ride through interviews with practically anyone who had anything to do with it. In reading through the book, I gained a new appreciation for the work that goes into theme parks and the performing arts. Besides that, it was just fun to read stories from folks who really enjoyed their unique job and the happiness that they were able to bring to guests.
This book covers the entire history of the ride through interviews with practically anyone who had anything to do with it. In reading through the book, I gained a new appreciation for the work that goes into theme parks and the performing arts. Besides that, it was just fun to read stories from folks who really enjoyed their unique job and the happiness that they were able to bring to guests.
March 4, 2020
I am a huge fan of the movie Jaws, but never got to ride The Jaws Ride. I always wanted to, and was always interested in how it got put together and how it worked. Adventures in Amity does a fantastic job of taking you through The Jaws Ride's early formation, to it's closing and redesign, to the final closing of the ride. I loved reading the interviews with the people who worked on the ride, particularly the Skippers. Getting to read their memories of running the boats, in their own words, was a fantastic glimpse into the ride, the mishaps, and their favorite parts and memories of The Jaws Ride.
November 15, 2025
A really comprehensive look at the Universal Studios Jaws ride. There are some fantastic interviews and stories from a wide variety of people associated with the ride including skippers, executives and the people who built it. A couple of interviews felt a bit repetitive but this was rare.
My biggest gripe was that I listened to the audiobook version and, although I really liked the narrator and thought they did an excellent job, the narrator did both the interviewer and the interviewees parts. It would have been nice to have a second person so that there was a clearer distinction in the narrative.
My biggest gripe was that I listened to the audiobook version and, although I really liked the narrator and thought they did an excellent job, the narrator did both the interviewer and the interviewees parts. It would have been nice to have a second person so that there was a clearer distinction in the narrative.
October 6, 2023
Early on, I thought, "They can't make a full book out of this, can they?" However, as I read on, I enjoyed it more. It was interesting to hear about the woes of the ride, and some of the skippers' tales were fun. I really liked the woman who dealt with the Jesus kids. Yet after a while, it's like an extended magazine interview. Many different people answering the same questions over and over. That said, it was sweet to hear how much the ride meant to some people. I like hearing how much people enjoyed their job and feeling of family they had.
April 20, 2020
Come for the interviews and recollections from staff and engineers, stay for the education of realizing what precisely goes into building and working at a theme park ride circa late 1980s-late 2000s.
Was myself deprived of riding this when I was a kid (I got outvoted and we went to Sea World, a choice that has not aged well), but this book goes further than one would think toward supplementing that missed opportunity.
Was myself deprived of riding this when I was a kid (I got outvoted and we went to Sea World, a choice that has not aged well), but this book goes further than one would think toward supplementing that missed opportunity.
January 2, 2026
I really enjoyed this book about the history of The Jaws Ride. It was very well researched and handled. The only gripe I had with it was that by the later half to the end of the book all the interviews started to get a little repetitive. Same questions to the "skippers" and mostly same answers but other than that the Interviews with the executives, the maintencance crew and production and design crews were very well done.
April 11, 2019
The JAWS Ride.
Want to know about skipper hijinks? It’s in here.
What were the key differences between the original ride and the refit? Look no further.
What was it like to work/ maintain/ live-breathe-sleep the ride? You’ve found what you are looking for.
If you loved the ride or are a JAWS fan, quite simply - get this book.
Well-written, a blast to read. Loved every page!
Want to know about skipper hijinks? It’s in here.
What were the key differences between the original ride and the refit? Look no further.
What was it like to work/ maintain/ live-breathe-sleep the ride? You’ve found what you are looking for.
If you loved the ride or are a JAWS fan, quite simply - get this book.
Well-written, a blast to read. Loved every page!
April 26, 2020
Excellent history of the Jaws ride
This book is a must for any fans of the Universal Studios Jaws ride. It gives an insightful history of the development and running of this iconic theme park ride. There's also plenty of interviews with the people who designed, built, and worked Jaws day to day. All in all a great read
This book is a must for any fans of the Universal Studios Jaws ride. It gives an insightful history of the development and running of this iconic theme park ride. There's also plenty of interviews with the people who designed, built, and worked Jaws day to day. All in all a great read
August 6, 2025
Not what I was expecting
The beginning of the book was interesting all about the history of the Jaws ride and the problems it had over the years. The rest of the book was interviews with some of the people connected to the ride. It was not what I was expecting but it was an okay read.
The beginning of the book was interesting all about the history of the Jaws ride and the problems it had over the years. The rest of the book was interviews with some of the people connected to the ride. It was not what I was expecting but it was an okay read.
August 22, 2025
3 and a half stars. Audio book used. This was a amazing book to listen to. Hearing how the ride was first created and how it became a legend is interesting. It is also interesting to hear how many people loved the ride so much, and the interview with the skippers was enlightening.
November 23, 2018
Unbelievably in dept and fascinating! Dustin really did his homework! An absolute MUST READ for any JAWS ride fans!!
August 21, 2019
A must read
This is the most comprehensive account of both Jaws rides from Universal Studios giving a detailed history from the people involved. A must read for Jaws fans!
This is the most comprehensive account of both Jaws rides from Universal Studios giving a detailed history from the people involved. A must read for Jaws fans!
October 17, 2020
A brilliant read about the history of the Jaws Ride from its history, its early setbacks and wonderful stories from those who built it, were skippers and just us big Jaws fans
July 27, 2021
Five word review: Impressive and comprehensive ride history
June 1, 2022
While it gets a bit repetitive in places, this is a fascinating behind the scenes account of the creation of one of the best rides ever, and the stories of the people who worked it. Worth a read.
December 4, 2025
Just wasn't really my thing. I rode the Jaws ride as a child and then again as an adult with kids. It was very enjoyable, if a little campy
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews