‘Earthquake’--the Attraction--Is Closed for 24 Hours by the Real Thing

For 24 hours Sunday, “Earthquake”--Universal Studios’ version of an 8.3-magnitude earthquake--registered zero on everybody’s Richter scale.

Out of deference to those who suffered from Sunday’s two major quakes, including the region’s worst in 40 years, tour officials shut down the ride for a day, reopening the attraction Monday.

“We were concerned about the loss of life that had occurred--and we have a responsibility to take that into account,” said Joan Bullard, Universal Studios’ vice president of public relations. She said the only previous quake-related shutdown of the ride occurred after the 1989 Loma Prieta temblor in Northern California, seven months after “Earthquake” made its debut.

She speculated that amusement facilities elsewhere probably would close attractions named “Tornado” or “Hurricane” if those types of disasters were to occur nearby.

Would Universal Studios close “Backdraft,” a much-ballyhooed re-creation of a major building fire, which opens today, after a fatal fire? “We’d certainly look at closing it,” she said.

Billed as “10,000 degrees of live entertainment,” “Backdraft” is described by Universal officials as a “firestorm” that surrounds guests “in a pulsating holocaust of heat and thunder.” Officials assure that the flames are “completely controlled.”

“Backdraft,” which recreates special effects from a warehouse fire in the 1991 motion picture of the same name, offered a preview Tuesday, attracting long lines of spectators to technical rehearsals.

Indeed, disasters are big box office.

“Earthquake” on Tuesday attracted hordes of visitors--even many who went through the real thing Sunday. “We were warned about ‘Earthquake,’ ” Maisie Marquardt, 59, of Toronto said after disembarking from the ride with her husband. “This is pretty real! It’s terrifying! It grabs you! After the real earthquake, my son telephoned and said, ‘Mother! Get on the next plane home!’ I’m glad we stayed. Yes, this is a little close to what we all went through.”

She and her husband, Ben, 61, didn’t seem to mind paying $26 apiece for the chance to experience what Mother Nature provides for free. “Who’d ever want to come to Southern California,” he said, “and not come here?”

Others seemed unfazed by the rocking, twisting tram ride, by flickering lights that simulate spewing sparks, by concrete columns crumbling and other special effects, such as flames and gushers of water.

Judy Brodsky, 45, of San Francisco said her husband nearly canceled their trip to Los Angeles, “but we decided to make the trip when we learned how far away we would be from the epicenter.”

She said earthquakes are “old hat where I come from.” Then she paused, adding with a grin, “I’m sorry to be so blase!”

DESERT AFTERSHOCKS: A1, A3