Universal Orlando Announces “Skull Island: Reign of Kong”

Construction is Universal.

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Fresh off the success of attractions including Transformers: The Ride, a revamped Springfield, themed to the Simpsons, and Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter Universe (including a working Hogwarts Express), all opening in the last two years, Universal Orlando Resort has announced their newest groundbreaking attraction, Skull Island: Reign of Kong, to open in Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Summer 2016.

The attraction will be located in between the “Toon Lagoon” and Jurassic Park sections of the park. According to a post on the Universal Orlando Blog from Mike West of Universal Creative, “You’ll navigate perilous jungles, explore ancient temple structures and encounter hostile natives – and that’s only the beginning. Throughout the rest of your excursion, you’ll brave foreboding caves crawling with prehistoric creatures, fend off unspeakable terrors – and even come face-to-face with the colossal Kong himself.”

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This will be the second Kong-based attraction created at the Universal Orlando Resort. Kongfrontation was an opening day attraction at Universal Studios Florida in 1990, and operated for 12 years, before closing in 2002. It took riders on a journey through New York City, as King Kong destroyed the city. It was replaced by Revenge of the Mummy, which opened in 2004.

“The challenge is also to tell the next generation of the Kong legend, all while delivering an unparalleled, revolutionary theme park experience guests have come to expect from Universal.” West said. “We have done exactly that with Reign of Kong – you’ll be pulled into a powerful, intense fight for survival as you discover a side of the iconic beast that has never been revealed…until now.”

To hear more about “Skull Island: Reign of Kong,” check out the announcement video below.

In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel’s Dewayne Bevil, West gave more details about the ride.

“The new attraction will transport guests to King Kong’s homeland, Skull Island. That’s a departure.” He said. “It’s always been that model of monkey comes across the ocean, he’s in New York, look what happens, but now we’re taking you to where he is, and he’s the king. He controls everything here.”

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Although Universal worked with director Peter Jackson early on the in the development of the attraction, it’s not based on his 2005 film “King Kong” nor the next film, set to debut in 2017, West said.

“It’s really its own story and its own environment that we’re creating,” he said. “Skull Island will not be considered to be a part of either Jurassic Park or Toon Lagoon. It’s really an entity unto itself. It’s Skull Island, it’s the home of Kong, but it’s really just creating this massive, dramatically themed environment in that area of the park that’s just his home. It’s unique and something we haven’t done before.”

Though he wouldn’t go into detail about the ride’s technology, West told Bevil that park guests will ride in large expedition trucks that travel both indoors and outdoors, after walking through a queue themed to an “intense jungle area,” complete with temple ruins and “hostile natives.” The ride will get even darker in the interior.

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“That’s when you start really getting into some of the big, giant historic characters and just some really strange icky ones and even come face-to-face with the big guy himself, Kong,” West said.

West sounds excited about resurrecting the legacy of one of Universal Orlando’s original attractions.

“He’s been such a rich part of our history from film and theme-park attractions that we just look at this as a way to tell the next generation of his story and the legend of Kong and bring it to whole new audience.”

For more information about “Skull Island: Return of Kong,” be sure to follow Universal Orlando on Twitter and Facebook, and visit the Universal Orlando Blog, as well.

Information from the Universal Orlando Blog and the Orlando Sentinel was used in this posting. All photos via Universal Orlando Resort.

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