What happened to Kong?

[MKCustodial]

Yeah, I know what you mean. And not even Jaws and BTTF are REALLY originals. The Jaws we have now is a redressing of the original, sucky attraction. And BTTF opened about a year after the park opened, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[marni1971]

BTTF opened in 91` - the large building was such a teaser in the opening year, with so much not working / open (Kong, Earthquake, Jaws on and off) and having this hugh building with BTTF logos on it - and not being able to ride!

I always thought Kong was a missed opportunity. Don`t get me wrong, I did really enjoy it, and I know it was a HUGE setup, but I thought the track layout was rather plain (basically one large square, correct me if I`m wrong) and I thought the drop mechanism on the overhead track could have been used more. It just seemed like they had the technology and know how, but couldn`t go the distance with it. I wonder if budget came into it?

Can someone list the opening dates of Earthquake and Kong? And also when the original Jaws closed for good and the new one opened (I was lucky enough to ride the original in July 1990. The poor skipper was visibly embarrassed by the ammount of effects not working!)

 

[MKCustodial]

I rode the original Jaws in 1990 as well, and maybe 92, I'm not really sure. I do know that, when I went back in 1996, it was already the new one.

As for Kong, maybe if Peter Jackson had announced the new film sooner, Universal could have allowed a complete rehab, and then the effects could have been updated. Kong was very high-tech for its time, and I'm sure it could be the chief attraction in the park nowadays if it had been rejuvenated instead of destroyed.

 

[Legacy]

BTTF opened in 91` - the large building was such a teaser in the opening year, with so much not working / open (Kong, Earthquake, Jaws on and off) and having this hugh building with BTTF logos on it - and not being able to ride!

I always thought Kong was a missed opportunity. Don`t get me wrong, I did really enjoy it, and I know it was a HUGE setup, but I thought the track layout was rather plain (basically one large square, correct me if I`m wrong) and I thought the drop mechanism on the overhead track could have been used more. It just seemed like they had the technology and know how, but couldn`t go the distance with it. I wonder if budget came into it?

Can someone list the opening dates of Earthquake and Kong? And also when the original Jaws closed for good and the new one opened (I was lucky enough to ride the original in July 1990. The poor skipper was visibly embarrassed by the ammount of effects not working!)

Agreed on what Kong could have been. But with two giant animatronics and massive pyro effects, budget absolutely came into play. But for what Kong was, it was still one of the most visually impressive rides ever made. It also had one of the strongest concepts, and I think that is why the simple ride that it entailed didn't come off like a rip-off.

I miss Kong. I rode him midnight the day before his last (Rock the Universe), and I was actually crying as I walked away.

 

[MKCustodial]

Yeah, I liked it too. And unfortunately, the last two times I've been to the US, in 96 it was down and in 2000 I had to choose between IoA and Universal, and I picked the first one because I didn't know it. So the last time I saw the monkey was 94.

 

[OliveMcFly]

Lexxweb - I got a video of the entire Kongfrontation on my other camcorder including queue and the full ride. Filmed in March 2002.

If you still miss kong go to USH (if you can) and go on the tram tour, there is a small scene with kong on the tour. Kong yelling, bashing a helicopter into the ground, trying to grab/eat your tram vehicle, panicked tram driver, it's not very long but it's better then NO kong at all.

I love mummy, but I wish they threw it into the Earthquake building and made the ride shorter, they took out ET adventure in USH and replaced it with a mummy ride.

I don't like Earthquake but latley Ive been warming up to the ride because it's one of the classic rides at usf left!

Some others being ET Adventure, Jaws, and Back to the future. Everything else is pretty much new!

Lexxweb

We rode Earthquake right when it opened. I remember being told that the ride was not completed yet and that they would be adding another earthquake scene. All there was at the time was the subway station scene...and that's all there is now. I wonder why we were told that. It is a short ride. A cool ride but, short.

 

[marni1971]

We rode Earthquake right when it opened. I remember being told that the ride was not completed yet and that they would be adding another earthquake scene. All there was at the time was the subway station scene...and that's all there is now. I wonder why we were told that. It is a short ride. A cool ride but, short.

At least you rode it - we went 6 weeks after the park opened. We saw the preshows, walked into the station, looked at the train, then WALKED OUT! The ride itself wasn`t ready...

 

[maelstrom]

Aside from E.T., Kong was the only ride at Universal that I liked. The one in Hollywood isn't the same, but I guess it will have to suffice. What I'm really mad about is them taking E.T. out of Hollywood! The first time I went to USH, the first thing I did was go down to E.T. and buy tons of stuff in the gift shop. I love E.T. How could they replace him? Universal obviously isn't thinking straight. They should have replaced Earthquake or Jaws in Florida. I was there opening day, and they didn't work right then, and every time I've been back since, Jaws has still had problems.

 

[OliveMcFly]

You're right. For so many years we've experienced problems with Jaws. I myself don't think it's all that great. I enjoy, ET, Kong, Back to the Future, and MIB. I can't beleive they took ET out of USH! I'm sure Mummy is a cool ride and I know many enjoy it but, since when is the Mummy really big? I know it did good but, enough to replace some classic rides? Oh well, I guess that's what you call progress.

 

[NemoRocks78]

Spielberg himself said that he was alright with them closing the USH version of E.T. Adventure but the one at USF had to stay....