Skull Island: Reign of Kong - General Discussion

[Cole]

This is all so exciting, I'm just concerned everything won't go on scedule, here's hoping

 

[OrlandoGuy]

In theory and hope, yeah. I am still waiting for a vendor or two or even three to drop the ball. I am even waiting for UC to drop the ball.

I was mortified that the velociraptors were delivered three days before they were to go live, so the idea of Gringotts happening all over again remains true to me.

If that ride vehicle isn't on track and running near constantly by February... then I will be concerned. Keep your eyes peeled.

Luckily the part with the ride vehicle is what I'm probably looking forward to least

The first half of this ride is gonna be awesome guys...I got a very "old-school Universal" vibe when I was hearing about it, just in the way its set up and how ambitious it is. This will be more of a full experience than a simple ride. I will be very disappointed if the guys you're looking at don't follow through all the way.

 

[Teebin]

Wouldn't the velociraptors technically be entertainments issue since it was their project?

Weeell, they are working side by side with UC all the time... not necessarily the day to day ops persons, but A&D dept. yes. Perhaps there is a culture of quick return on investment or something?

 

[awhen]

Here are some pictures from today.











Am I too hopeful that these things sticking up are for torches?



There's two of these wacky logs to the left of the temple entrance.

 

[shiekra38]

Weeell, they are working side by side with UC all the time... not necessarily the day to day ops persons, but A&D dept. yes. Perhaps there is a culture of quick return on investment or something?

Gotcha, I thought they were separate entities and never talked..good to know they work beside one another from time to time

 

[Hulk912]

Q&A about Kong with Mike West of Universal Creative. Just got even more excited! Universal Studios' 'Skull Island: Reign of Kong' Attraction Is Going to Be Huge - The Moviefone Blog

 

[Cole]

Does it have a story ala spiderman? Like more complete? Sorry just after gringotts and supercharged I'm starting to doubt universal story wise

 

[DragonSlayer]

A few interesting bits amongst the recycled soundbites in that interview -

One of the key pieces of key art that you got sent shows the expedition truck approaching the great wall, which is going to be the face of the attraction. It's 72-feet wide and is really impressive; as you approach flames shoot up and huge wooden doors open up and you drive up in between these doors and things get darker and more mysterious at that point.

As close to 'confirmed' as you can get I guess?

Will there be other experiences in this new Skull Island section of the park?

It kind of defies categorization.

So that means no

 

[Mad Dog]

OrlandoParksNews.com just posted a large collection of new Kong photos.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

So that means no

I think what that means is that even though it's just one attraction, it's more than *just* a ride in the same way Transformers or Mummy are

 

[OrlandoGuy]

Does it have a story ala spiderman? Like more complete? Sorry just after gringotts and supercharged I'm starting to doubt universal story wise

Universal has never really been much into "story"...more just good at setting up scenarios. If you really think about it, most of their rides don't make sense and aren't really all that complex. The only good "story" rides at Universal IMO are Spiderman and Poseidon's Fury. Kong will be just like every other Universal ride where they just throw you into a setting without much "story".

 

[Cole]

True, guess I really meant to say was more complete. Will you get off this ride and feel like it was missing a scene or the ending/climax was lame? Guess I'm trying to say does anything feel off or in need of a rethinking?

 

[violarum]

Pretty disappointed in the mural thing they're starting to put up behind the temple facade... I was expecting at least relief-based rockwork that would catch at least some shadows for a dimensional effect, and some real plants of course. There'd better be a thick layer of fog between the temple and mural. :/

 

[ChrisFL]

Universal has never really been much into "story"...more just good at setting up scenarios. If you really think about it, most of their rides don't make sense and aren't really all that complex. The only good "story" rides at Universal IMO are Spiderman and Poseidon's Fury. Kong will be just like every other Universal ride where they just throw you into a setting without much "story".

There's been lengthy debates over the role of "story" in theme park attractions, mostly related to Disney. A lot of classic Disney dark rides also didn't really tell a story, but put you into a place.

I would say though that Universal has had good story rides before, E.T., Back to the Future, Hanna Barbera....then there's ones where the story is just told incoherently, like The Mummy and Shrek (pre-show vs the main show are totally different)

 

[Nick]

Pretty disappointed in the mural thing they're starting to put up behind the temple facade... I was expecting at least relief-based rockwork that would catch at least some shadows for a dimensional effect, and some real plants of course. There'd better be a thick layer of fog between the temple and mural. :/

That "mural" reminds me of the Transformers facade in USH :saywhat:

 

[DragonSlayer]

Looks to me like the mural up there right now might be the painting equivalent of the rock work 'tester piece' used to guide the rest of the work? As in, the finished article might look slightly better... Either way, I agree not great. It brings me back to what I said way back when the jagged edging was being put up there; UC have put themselves in a weird position because by putting something there they are acknowledging that the show building exists and is visible, but they then aren't doing enough to fully theme and integrate it so they're left in this bizarre halfway-house position. If they didn't want to fully theme it I almost think they should have left it completely.

I guess maybe a few bits of three-dimensional theming might appear up there as well... Maybe... I hope.

 

[Cole]

I really hope it gets themed more, looks kinda like water world lol

 

[Teebin]

Pretty disappointed in the mural thing they're starting to put up behind the temple facade... I was expecting at least relief-based rockwork that would catch at least some shadows for a dimensional effect, and some real plants of course. There'd better be a thick layer of fog between the temple and mural. :/

Right now, I only see a hint'o painting in the far left of the following picture. Otherwise, I haven't seen any distant mountain painting yet... are there some other pictures elsewhere that show gaudy "USH Transformers" style paintwork?

 

[awhen]

Right now, I only see a hint'o painting in the following picture. Otherwise, I haven't seen any distant mountain painting yet... are there some other pictures elsewhere that show gaudy "USH Transformers" style paintwork?

I think they're talking about this one, of the left side of the temple.

 

[Teebin]

I think they're talking about this one, of the left side of the temple

Aaaah, thanks. To my way of thinking, they haven't even started painting it yet! They aren't going to leave those panel seams!

They placed the panels at a 45° angles so that the human eye won't be able to find vertical/horizontal seam repetition easily once the joints are filled and painted.