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Skull Island: Reign of Kong - Reviews, Photos, and Videos

Feb 15, 2012
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Open the gates.

Post all reviews, photos, and videos here. Main thread is now for general discussion.

Note: UOR has requested no filming on the attraction. As such any on ride videos will be removed. This is a warning.
 
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Apparently the tech rehearsals are "forbidding" video on the ride (i.e. discouraging prominent blogs/media from posting), so expect the first POV vid to be something a random, non-blogger guest posts, and I'm guessing won't be allowed to be posted here. Correct?
 
A friend of mine was able to ride it. He said it's surprisingly boring and he was expecting way more from it. The "darkness" of the ride from media shots doesn't translate inside of it at all. Additionally, he was disappointed with Kong himself after you see him in full-size. He should be more menacing and he was just a friend.
 
Got to ride it twice and it lived up to all of my expectations and then some. The queue and the Kong AA impressed me the most, and turning around the outdoor corner to the temple gates opening up was amazing. I can only think how great that will be at night with the lighting and flames. The queue room with the witch is just awesome, and the whole thing from walking through the rock entry to the loading dock flow wonderfully. The period NBC radio broadcasts are great. The comparison to the Indy queue is a good one.
 
Couple things:

1. This thread is strictly reviews, photos, and videos - not discussion. Try to keep the dialogue to just posting reviews, no different than our HHN Review threads. Discussion goes into the original Kong thread.

2. Universal was very adamant about not having photos or videos of the ride itself, so we'll be removing any pics/vids that show off the ride portion.
 
I think the complete opposite of your friend, criticalanalysis.

Videos, as Jwhee said, do not give this ride any sort of justice. This thing feels gargantuan. From the second you walk through the queue and observe the gates from the right and that expedition vehicle passes next to you, it all feels large and menacing. All around you are expedition equipment from the crew, and the NBC announcements with the iconic Transatlantic accent are perfect. The temple queue is practically its own attraction and increasingly builds the anticipation for the ride.

Once you enter the room with the witch lady, things start to get darker. The buffer rooms beforehand set the mood nicely and don't just plant you within the temple. The levels of destruction and the ominous sounds really add to the experience, namely in the witch's room when she says her bit and then the chanting escalates. The liveliness of the animatronic is, yes, better than that of the goblins in Gringotts. I found her eyes to be the creepiest part of all because it looks like she's looking straight at you. I thought the transition from this area to the scareactor zone was only alright, but when they start jumping out, they know how to get you!

You then enter the expedition prep area. The worm is as impressive as you see it on camera - the mandibles look fleshy and moist, and the posing of the moving parts connect seamlessly to the rest of the body. In the same area, there are supposed to be animal noises but I only heard one go off far from me. The speakers are placed at various heights to get to different peoples' ear heights. The overhead announcements are akin to those in Expedition: Everest - they give you that distinct anxious feeling in your stomach. You then pick up your glasses and continue towards the vehicles.

The loading system was a bit odd, yes. The rising side doors are really cool and nifty, but the fact that they need to be "checked" with those canes was curious and took time away from loading. Anyway, when these mammoths take off, they take off! You can hear in the POV posted earlier the same tour guide I had - the native woman. I actually liked her narration, unlike that of the guy posted in the 46 second "POV". Outside, there is a sound effect of the door opening and it's plentifully bass-y.

Once inside, I'm sure you all have seen the POV and know what happens. I think the 3D is impressive, but the squenching was a bit awkward from where I was sitting (9th row, all the way to the left). However, once the vehicle is stationed in front of the screen, the effect is impressive. Inside the caves, there is a slight smell and it reminded me of the banana smell in DM:MM, but don't quote me on that one. The really distinct smell comes when you're in the 360 room, where it has an odd tangy jungle scent. Paired with the expertly-timed water AND wind effects, the room comes alive. It's objectively comparable to USH's scene, but it has some extras that really help the continuity and transition from room to room.

Then, there's Kong himself... This scene is impressive. The darkness of the room adds to the drama. When he huffs, you feel it underneath you. When he roars, it shakes the vehicle a bit. This scene is the best thing to come from Universal Creative since the chamber of secrets scene in FJ.

I'm so glad I got a perfect ride. The only thing I noted that wasn't working was the left flame effect as you enter the caves. I really want to give this ride a perfect score, but because of the viewing angles, I have to cut it off a bit.

9.5/10
 
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Ride was better than I expected, the scenic work is really spectacular, and I thought the 3D was sharper & had more depth than Gringotts. 360 scene is a notable improvement over the USH version, having a shorter truck instead of the giant tram makes the perspective work better. Best seats are definitely right side in the back half.
 
Apparently the tech rehearsals are "forbidding" video on the ride (i.e. discouraging prominent blogs/media from posting), so expect the first POV vid to be something a random, non-blogger guest posts, and I'm guessing won't be allowed to be posted here. Correct?
Well uh, no

Video Removed
 
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