Guests visiting Universal Studios Hollywood for today’s Taste of Universal event were in for a surprise as several rides opened, including the brand-new Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash.

For those unfamiliar, a “Soft Opening” is essentially a technical rehearsal of a new attraction or a final release candidate test for the ride. All the major components are installed and operational but some tweaks, changes, and updates will occur prior to the grand opening.

The ride is scheduled to officially open when Universal Studios Hollywood reopens next week on April 16th.

“Soft Openings” are never promised. There is no guarantee the ride will be opening. The ride might only open for a period of time, all day, or not at all depending on any issues or changes. There is no set schedule or guarantee it will be open until it’s officially Grand Opened.

This all-new tech-savvy adventure inspired by Illumination’s blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets films, answers the question, “What are your pets really doing when you’re not at home?”

This impressive new ride combines 64 technologically advanced animated figures with hyper-realistic media and projection mapping designed to take guests on a journey to meet some of their favorite Illumination characters from the movies, including Max, Snowball, Gidget, Chloe, and Duke, along with a host of other animal friends, who have all been transformed and transported into the live-action world. From blinking eyes to eyebrow movements, from head tilts to head nods, from moving mouths to smiles, from ear curls to lip curls, from full torso twists to physically walking, the depth of mobility and function programmed within each of these loveable characters creates an experience unlike any other theme park ride.