Meanwhile at USH this weekend...

[Californian Elitist]

Thursday. I assume it will be pretty light-moderate crowds. Shouldn't really have much issue fitting everything in.

Oh. I thought you were planning to go in August, or something.

I would do the lower lot first, only because I prefer the tour in the afternoon or the evening. That's just a personal preference. Crowds shouldn't be bad, since summer vacation hasn't really officially hit for the foreigners yet.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Thursday. I assume it will be pretty light-moderate crowds. Shouldn't really have much issue fitting everything in.

Have you been to UOR? If so, Simpsons Ride and Despicable Me are safe skips if you run out of time - they're duplicates of the Florida attractions with no variation.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I know this has nothing to do with USH, but how awesome is it that UO casually and swiftly added Skull Island to Islands of Adventure with a Kong ride once again featuring a giant animatronic? I know I kind of trash Universal for all their screens and weird properties that I don't care for, but you have to give them credit, especially when DLR isn't doing anything worthwhile save for the Star Wars Land. Like, imagine if they built a new E ticket in DCA without much fanfare until a few months prior to opening. Would never happen, right?

 

[Rich T]

I know this has nothing to do with USH, but how awesome is it that UO casually and swiftly added Skull Island to Islands of Adventure with a Kong ride once again featuring a giant animatronic? I know I kind of trash Universal for all their screens and weird properties that I don't care for, but you have to give them credit, especially when DLR isn't doing anything worthwhile save for the Star Wars Land. Like, imagine if they built a new E ticket in DCA without much fanfare until a few months prior to opening. Would never happen, right?

Absolutely. I'm usually not a fan of Universal, but this project's quickness and lack of publicity up to now has amazed me -- and it's an E-ticket ride tied to an upcoming film that could flop, yet self-contained enough as an experience to stand on its own. They've done this with the speed and publicity level Disney would have done with... I guess the Tangled Toilets?

 

[dweezil78]

Absolutely. I'm usually not a fan of Universal, but this project's quickness and lack of publicity up to now has amazed me -- and it's an E-ticket ride tied to an upcoming film that could flop, yet self-contained enough as an experience to stand on its own. They've done this with the speed and publicity level Disney would have done with... I guess the Tangled Toilets?

I'll agree that their low-profile approach was refreshing in this day and age of drawn-out construction timelines and overhyping every last boring detail (cough cough Mine Train cough cough). I've been following the project pretty closely throughout since at one point I was a huge IOA fanboy and still think it's a pretty cool park.

That said, the way the diehard Universal fans are drooling over this thing is kinda weird! It looks like it will be a fun ride, but as far as I can tell it is just going to be the 360 tunnel thing from our tram tour with a giant AA Kong head reminiscent of Kongfrontation and the original tram tour sequence. Other than that, it's just a cool looking show building and a decent queue with a few AAs, eh? It's not like this is the second coming of theme park attractions based on everything I'm seeing out there.

I feel like people are giving it a pass simply because it wasn't overhyped and went up quickly, but maybe there's more to it than I'm seeing?

 

[JT3000]

I'll agree that their low-profile approach was refreshing in this day and age of drawn-out construction timelines and overhyping every last boring detail (cough cough Mine Train cough cough). I've been following the project pretty closely throughout since at one point I was a huge IOA fanboy and still think it's a pretty cool park.

That said, the way the diehard Universal fans are drooling over this thing is kinda weird! It looks like it will be a fun ride, but as far as I can tell it is just going to be the 360 tunnel thing from our tram tour with a giant AA Kong head reminiscent of Kongfrontation and the original tram tour sequence. Other than that, it's just a cool looking show building and a decent queue with a few AAs, eh? It's not like this is the second coming of theme park attractions based on everything I'm seeing out there.

I feel like people are giving it a pass simply because it wasn't overhyped and went up quickly, but maybe there's more to it than I'm seeing?

It includes the 360 scene, yes, but that's like saying Kongfrontation or Jaws were just their Hollywood tram counterparts with a new coat of paint. Not so. And from what I've seen, the queue being "decent" is a massive understatement. It's an integral part of the overall experience, not just where you wait for the experience.

 

[dweezil78]

It includes the 360 scene, yes, but that's like saying Kongfrontation or Jaws were just their Hollywood tram counterparts with a new coat of paint. Not so. And from what I've seen, the queue being "decent" is a massive understatement. It's an integral part of the overall experience, not just where you wait for the experience.

Really? Not trying to stir stuff up, but early reports coming from the test runs indicate that the queue is so dark you don't even see much other than the two AAs and the Forbidden Journey-like video character.

And unlike Kongfrontation and Jaws, which heavily expanded upon its brief tram counterparts (unlike Earthquake), it seems like the 360 section comprises the bulk of the ride here.

 

[JT3000]

Really? Not trying to stir stuff up, but early reports coming from the test runs indicate that the queue is so dark you don't even see much other than the two AAs and the Forbidden Journey-like video character.

If people couldn't see, it's because their eyes couldn't adjust to the darkness, the same problem people have when going through HHN mazes while it's still daylight. Of course, it's dark like a haunted house because it basically is one, live actors included. And there are plenty of sights to see.

And unlike Kongfrontation and Jaws, which heavily expanded upon its brief tram counterparts (unlike Earthquake), it seems like the 360 section comprises the bulk of the ride here.

There are six scenes, not including load and unload. The 360 screens make up one of them.

 

[dweezil78]

There are six scenes, not including load and unload. The 360 screens make up one of them.

There may be six scenes, but only two seem like they have any significance based on this POV ride-thru (beware: spoilers)



End of the day, it's still USH's 360 tunnel as the main event w/ a giant Kong head as a cherry topper. Not sure why everyone is heralding this thing as the second-coming.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

There may be six scenes, but only two seem like they have any significance based on this POV ride-thru (beware: spoilers)



End of the day, it's still USH's 360 tunnel as the main event w/ a giant Kong head as a cherry topper. Not sure why everyone is heralding this thing as the second-coming.

It's not the second coming but it's a damn fine outing for Universal Creative. It's already better than Gringott's in my book by virtue of having AAs, and the Kong AA does look spectacular. It's a stronger addition than anything at Disney since Everest, and that ride doesn't even work anymore.

I think it's a great addition to IOA's already strong lineup, but it's not a life changing event.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I'll agree that their low-profile approach was refreshing in this day and age of drawn-out construction timelines and overhyping every last boring detail (cough cough Mine Train cough cough). I've been following the project pretty closely throughout since at one point I was a huge IOA fanboy and still think it's a pretty cool park.

That said, the way the diehard Universal fans are drooling over this thing is kinda weird! It looks like it will be a fun ride, but as far as I can tell it is just going to be the 360 tunnel thing from our tram tour with a giant AA Kong head reminiscent of Kongfrontation and the original tram tour sequence. Other than that, it's just a cool looking show building and a decent queue with a few AAs, eh? It's not like this is the second coming of theme park attractions based on everything I'm seeing out there.

I feel like people are giving it a pass simply because it wasn't overhyped and went up quickly, but maybe there's more to it than I'm seeing?

It took 2.5 years to build. And there is a lot more to it than the 360+Big Monkey. There are 11 different AAs in this attraction. One of the is 30 feet tall and 18 feet wide.

Sidebar: the defunct Yeti is 18 feet tall.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It took 2.5 years to build. And there is a lot more to it than the 360+Big Monkey. There are 11 different AAs in this attraction. One of the is 30 feet tall and 18 feet wide.

Sidebar: the defunct Yeti is 18 feet tall.

I don't think the King Kong AA is actually 30 feet tall.. if it was you wouldn't see his face from your tram seat.. That spec chart we saw was just the size of the actual King Kong creature, not the AA... Watch the video.. the AA is probably like.. what? 12 feet?

 

[mickEblu]

I'm underwhelmed. For some reason most of these next gen rides just don't flow well for me. These new age imagineers are worrying too much about technology and not enough about the overall ride experience. With that said, I don't think the envelope has been pushed far enough and there is still an over reliance on screens and too many times, an ineffective use of screens. Too much stop and go. Just getting parked in front of one screen after another. So basically if movie theatres started moving our chairs around the theatre this is what we would have ( minus the animatronic... I'm exaggerating a little but still). It didn't even look like there was very much thrill factor. I think an experience like this works much better as a part of something bigger like the Tram Tour at USH and not as a stand alone attraction. The exterior kind of over sells and the experience looks like it under delivers.

For me if an attraction isn't going to have a thrill then it should be incredibly immersive and if it can't be that, then it should be charming. Of course the holy grail would be to have all 3. But these newer rides kind of half @$$ it in every category instead of excelling in one. It's like the whole Jack of all trades and master of none deal.

I hope the Star Wars battle attraction is more like Pirates in Shangai and less like Kong in regards to integrating screens and physical sets as well as just the overall flow of the ride. From the videos it looks like POTC in Shangai is one of the first next gen attractions where the imagineers hit it out of the park.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

There may be six scenes, but only two seem like they have any significance based on this POV ride-thru (beware: spoilers)



End of the day, it's still USH's 360 tunnel as the main event w/ a giant Kong head as a cherry topper. Not sure why everyone is heralding this thing as the second-coming.

I agree, it's got some serious flaws, BUT I will say that it looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Phroobar]

Does the Kong head have a disco mode B when it breaks down?

Not too impressed with this. The Indiana Jones Adventure is much better and it is 20 years old.

 

[dweezil78]

It's not the second coming but it's a damn fine outing for Universal Creative. It's already better than Gringott's in my book by virtue of having AAs, and the Kong AA does look spectacular. It's a stronger addition than anything at Disney since Everest, and that ride doesn't even work anymore.

I think it's a great addition to IOA's already strong lineup, but it's not a life changing event.

Yeah, I mean, look... as a full package it was nicely done, theming is right on, and it didn't take them forever to do. But when you really boil down the elements the two standout pieces (other than that cool witch AA in the queue) amount to a replica of USH's Kong tunnel from 2010 and an upgraded show piece from an attraction that opened in 1990 (or even 1986 if we're talkin USH). Take away the 360 tunnel and you're really not left with much.

Now, of course, it's very much a whole being greater than the sum of its parts type deal, I get that... Like I said, it's a cool full package. I just don't understand why so many people are going ape over this one (pun intended ha ha) other than the fact that it had a relatively condensed timeline and not much fanfare until recently which isn't really all that great of a reason to get amped about a theme park attraction in my book.

Also, the whole thing is kind of a knock off of some of the European 360 tunnel attractions which were the first to build out full experiences based on USH's Kong tech -- take The Lost Temple in Germany for example:

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

That Kong AA is awesome. Sure, too many screens (big surprise), but the big guy is back.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I don't think the King Kong AA is actually 30 feet tall.. if it was you wouldn't see his face from your tram seat.. That spec chart we saw was just the size of the actual King Kong creature, not the AA... Watch the video.. the AA is probably like.. what? 12 feet?

The Kong AA is 30' tall. You only see the top portion of it thought. The part you don't see is the heavy duty superstructure that makes it work.

 

[Rich T]

I might never see this in person, but from the video it looks like a solid, mostly-fun attraction. I was expecting too much from the grumpy, exhausted, Kong AA that growls, snarls and pouts, but that's my problem; it's a big honkin' AA and that's always a good thing... at least for the people sitting on the right. Favorite parts were the bat AAs and the bit where it gives the illusion the vehicle is racing at high speed while the dinos run alongside. All in all, a great addition to IoA, though I do hope this is the last major attraction (in any park) that requires 3D glasses.

 

[Phroobar]

I have a feeling they will hand out 3D glasses at the park gates.