Part One of the Indiana Jones Expedition has been found!
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Indiana Jones Expedition
Our adventure begins in the dense undergrowth of Freedom Island, a desert locale lost to time and space… Primitive, ancient, and laden with exotic wildlife, we unearth a forgotten realm caught in the midst of a dark jungle. Amidst the skulls on spears and vibrant masks of Polynesian culture, we find a pulp recreation of Africa and the South Pacific as seen thru the eyes of Hollywood in the 1950s. Ancient ruins and decrepit statues mark an uphill trail toward the fabled Temple of the Shadow King. Spectacular views of the Jungle River Cruise below mark our winding, labyrinthine path into the ruined Garden of Reflection.
A prelude to our journey, the Garden was designed by the ancients as a clever compass. Hieroglyphics in the earth indicate the direction of North, South, East, and West. In its heart, a statue of the Shadow King stands proudly, half-crumbled and entangled in moss. The mythical deity resembles that of a man with a tiger’s head. In his hands: doubloons, jewels, and treasure. As the legend goes, those with a pure heart will receive an endless fortune from the Shadow King. Those who seek fortune with a heart enveloped in shadow will find a grisly end: grim carvings show the demise of ill-hearted travelers in the statue’s foundation. The forest path leads from the Garden and before the threshold of the temple itself. Before us: Indiana Jones Expedition.
Although Mayan in inspiration, the towering Temple of the Shadow King is of Freedom Island, the last trace of a vanished tribe in the remote South Pacific. A beaten path leads through a muddy swamp, across the Rivers of Adventure, and to the site of an ongoing excavation. An antique gramophone blares crackling jazz of the ‘30s and ‘40s, a fitting backdrop to the assorted artifacts and relics unearthed from the mud. A dark mine shaft peers into an endless abyss, the sound of archaeologists’ digging coming from within. A ramshackle generator powers the entire site, a connected strand of lights flickering and fading in dim unison. The Kingdom Railway makes its third and final stop before returning to Hollywood Boulevard here at the Adventureland Depot. The Depot itself sits between the old temple and the crumbling spires of an ancient city… But we’ll explore that ruin later…
An unfortunate archaeologist has fled from his tent; a group of playful tiger cubs have made themselves at home. The poor chap was so frightened that his pith helmet and tea kettle were dropped to the floor. Where their mother is is anyone’s guess… At the base of the temple, we view a mosaic that illustrates the origin of the Shadow King. In it, ancient natives engage in combat with the violent deity. The display ends with the Shadow King sealed within the temple for eternity. Hieroglyphics - when translated to English - read: “One who enters the Temple of the Shadow King will unleash an evil power that mustn’t be freed. All will perish in eternal torment.” With this grim warning, we boldly enter a narrow passage in the temple’s side, the handiwork of a mechanical drill submerged in the adjacent mud…
A subterranean network of dark corridors and hollowed altars bring us through the true mystique of the ancient temple. Almost immediately we glimpse the skeletal remnants of a former explorer, still garbed in his khaki gear. The poor soul hangs from the ceiling, tied to his trusted grappling hook. It appears as if his partner had abandoned him upon viewing whatever made the massive spider web in the chamber. A note left by Sallah warns us to avoid “at all costs” touching the prominent ruby on display… Of course, we touch it, momentarily causing the ceiling to rumble and “cave-in.” Fortunately, strategic bamboo poles keep us from meeting a grisly fate…
A narrow hall lined with metal spikes shows the fate of further would-be adventurers; skulls and skeletons are seen thrust thru many of the spikes on the floor and ceiling. More bamboo poles attempt to hold the ceiling from collapsing, although one harsh tug from a certain pole will cause the ceiling to momentarily lower with an ear-splitting rumble. We evade danger once more, shuffling into a three-story chamber in the heart of the temple.
Scaffolding serves as our upward spiral toward the ceiling, looking down to an excavation pit below. Faded mosaics and hieroglyphics adorn the cracked and decrepit walls, a suitable backdrop to a massive statue of the Shadow King looking over the entire chamber. An old radio left in an alcove simultaneously plays jazz and a series of radio broadcasts that set our story. “Dateline: Freedom Island. Fiction becomes fact as this mysterious, uncharted island of the South Pacific reveals a legendary treasure - the Temple of the Shadow King. After 2,000 years, the lost temple has been unearthed by famed archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones. A secret map and a healthy helping of bravery led Dr. Jones to the site of this fabled, lost oedipus. Teaming with noted Egyptian archaeologist Sallah, Dr. Jones summoned the courage to go where no man had set foot for two millennium. His tenacity paid off! The Temple of the Shadow King was opened for all those who dared enter. Native legend claims that those with a pure heart will receive priceless wealth and beauty from the Shadow King himself. Thus, the jungles of Paradise Springs became the must-see destination for would-be adventurers worldwide. But, a darker tale has surfaced… Many visitors are claiming that loved ones are disappearing inside! Even Dr. Jones has been unable to confirm or deny it. Until he does, the Temple will remain off-limits. It doesn’t take a college degree to know that some riches - no matter how grand - aren’t worth their deadly price. Until next week… This is Freedom Island News!”
Now at the top of the chamber, we look stories down to see the treacherous fall below; many unfortunate visitors have already taken this plunge; their skeletons litter the distant earth. A small passage leads into what resembles that of a former church, perhaps built to worship the Shadow King. In this dark chamber, dim light pours in from a flickering string of lanterns, as well as the black-and-white projector screen plastered to the northernmost wall. An antique film projector loudly churns thru a series of old newsreel clips, once more setting the story of our adventure…
News Man: (Over the following, black-and-white clips portray the words of the brassy “News Man.”) The remote jungles of Freedom Island’s ramshackle colony of Paradise Springs… From all over the world they are flocking here, following the strange story of a mysterious temple and gifts from the gods. The story begins one year ago… World famous archaeologist Indiana Jones follows a tattered map to an ancient oedipus. Could this be the fabled Temple of the Shadow King? According to Jones, the temple contains timeless wealth and beauty, an eternal reward for those with a pure heart. But many who entered the temple with a black heart took a detour to doom! A chilling tale indeed… But not chilling enough to cool off the hot pursuit of thousands of greedy globetrotters! They’re reading for a supernatural shopping spree! (End)
Sallah: (Sallah stands outside the temple, waving joyfully) Welcome, my friends to the Temple of the Shadow King! (The slide changes to Sallah holding a sign that reads “Safety First!”) I, Sallah shall now offer a few helpful - er - safety reminders! (Sallah sits on the hood of the ride vehicle) You must remain seated at all times, keeping inside your hands, arms, feet, and legs! (Footage of a man in a gorilla suit buckling in from right to left, then giving the “thumbs up” to the camera) It is crucial to pull the safety strap from the right, inserting it into the left like so. (A slide of Sallah stealing a banana from the gorilla’s pouch is followed by a slide of the gorilla strangling Sallah) These ingenious pouches are for safekeeping of earthly treasures for when the journey becomes bumpy! (Footage of Sallah and the gorilla careening through the ride itself) Your off-road journey is high-speed and turbulent! You will turn sharply, drop suddenly, and perhaps fall to your imminent doom! You may not live to experience such an adventure ever again! Now, my friends… (A slide of Sallah and the gorilla looking up at something big) One final word of advice… Beware the dreaded Shadow King… (The gorilla has turned into a human skeleton, much to Sallah’s visible sadness) Well, my friends your journey is drawing near! (Sallah stands sadly outside the temple) Already I am envious of the wonders that await you!
News Woman: (Over the following, black-and-white newsreel clips portray the words of the News Woman.) The creme de la creme of the international smart set are wearing khaki this year, and the new vacation hot spot is the Temple of the Shadow King. Everyone’s agog over this intriguing discovery by famed archaeologist Indiana Jones. They’ve all heard the rumors; unlimited treasure and beauty from the ancient gods. There’s just one little hitch - the ancient temple idol. If you so much as have a twinge of shadow in your heart, the next stop on your itinerary will be the Gates of Doom. (End)
Beneath the screen and into the subsequent passage, we walk past a collection of artifacts and equipment readied for delivery to Marshall College, Indy’s workplace. In a dark corner of the room, Indy’s makeshift office resides, filled to overflowing with “inside jokes” and hidden details of the Indiana Jones saga. Such details include a model of a circus train (The Last Crusade), Sallah’s fez, an ore car (Temple of Doom), and numerous statues, one being of Mara (Temple of the Forbidden Eye), another of Quetzaloatl (Temple of the Crystal Skull).
A sharp corner leads into the overhead catwalk of the Motor Pool. Built from the remnants of a sacrificial altar (yes, you read that right), we look down into a rumbling caravan of well-worn troop transport jeeps, circa World War II. Strategic ramps and wooden stairs lead down into the double-sided station where passengers board and disembark a jeep of their own. Giant roots and vines hint that our downward trek has led us deep into the temple’s core, where “last-minute” mosaics warn of the Shadow King’s raw power. Once at ground-level, an archaeologist “groups” us into one of three rows for our perilous adventure. New to the Indiana Jones Expedition: a lack of track. Like Hong Kong Disneyland’s Mystic Manor, Indiana Jones Expedition combines trackless technology with Enhanced Motion Vehicle technology. In a sense, this attraction is just as groundbreaking as the original Indiana Jones Adventure was in 1995.
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Part Two to follow! Thoughts?
