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