Since a devastating fire destroyed much of the Universal Studios in June of 2008, the damage has slowly-but-surely been restored. Over this time period, many exciting announcements have also been made — namely, that the legendary King Kong ride would not be rebuilt, but re-imagined as a brand new and amazing attraction for visitors to check out.
A few details for this new ride — which was to be based not on the classic 1933 film, but Peter Jackson‘s latest epic film — were shared in June of 2009, but they only described what the ride would be. Now, almost two years later, we’re starting to get a really strong idea of what to expect if we find ourselves visiting Kong this Summer when the ride opens.
Jackson got together with a team of both theme park ride experts and film making talents inside of a giant hangar cloaked in green screen to put it all together and create one of the wildest cinematic adventure rides ever conceived.
Continue on down below to read more about how insane this ride will be, and also to check out the ride’s short teaser trailer.
Here is the information offered in 2009 about the ride:
In the new attraction, guests will don special glasses as they enter a darkened soundstage aboard the Studio Tour trams and will be transported”” via the magic of Surround Digital 3D projection “”deep into the dark heart of the world of Skull Island . They’ll survive a close encounter with a swarm of monstrous bats, only to be confronted by the terrifying presence of Kong himself. Suddenly, an enormous, ravenous 35′ tall dinosaur will challenge Kong and guests will feel their trams jolt, roll and shudder as they find themselves caught in the middle of a ferocious showdown between the great ape and the giant lizard. The action will immerse guests in the battle between the two colossal predators.
This description is all part of what the ride has become, but now with the details below and the image of what the ride will look like (seen above), we have a much better idea of what this new King Kong experience will be like.
Though the ride is classified as 3D, it sounds a lot to me like the 4D that is currently becoming so popular with full movies in Korea and likely not too far from showing up here in the states. The only big difference here is that you’ll be on a trolley car that’s moving through the 2+ minute ride, and the images and effects will happen along the way.
Here are the new details from the LA Times, who were able to sample the ride a little early.
If the new technology works as designed, park visitors will not only see Kong in three dimensions but also smell his banana breath, feel the gust of wind as he jumps over the guests and sense the ground quake when the ape engages a Tyrannosaurus rex in a life-or-death battle. The Kong attraction will be one stop on the park’s back lot studio tour ride.
During a recent preview of the technology, a dirty, battle-scarred Kong stared menacingly out from two 180-foot-long by 40-foot-tall screens that wrap around the trams that will carry visitors. In another scene, a 35-foot-tall T. rex stepped over the trams, turned to the audience and bared its massive teeth.
Considering all that you’ve heard about this new ride, are you interested in going to stare into the eyes of the one and only king of Skull Island, or are you still not convinced of this Kong?
Trailer
yah! 3d king kong this summer yaaaaaaaaaah! king kong vs dino wait!!!!!!! evan better no school! get the trailer
Comment by carico — April 24, 2010 @ 5:09 pm