PHOTOS: Full ride breakdown of the new “Skull Island: Reign of Kong” at Universal Orlando

in Entertainment, Park Secrets, Theme Parks, Universal Orlando

The closer we get to the release of Skull Island: Reign of Kong at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park, the more amazing information is being released on what guests can expect from the return of the iconic, three-story tall beast.

Fortunately for big-ape fans all over the world, USA Today has released a detailed preview of the ride, with all new exclusive images! Like this one:

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Courtesy of USA Today

Seriously, who the hell is that guy? And how did his teeth get so sparkly white? Or how about this one:

Courtesy of USA Today

Nightmare fuel. Plain and simple. All I know is that this dude shops at the same outlet mall as the other guy — similar wardrobe.

As far as highlights from the attraction go, I’m not about to copy entire articles over to Inside the Magic, so I’ve grabbed the juiciest information from USA Today’s lovely write-up and compiled them here. Check it out:

  • For starters, you are surrounded by 150,000 square feet of rock work. In the distance, huge temple doors are set among a rugged landscape full of craggy peaks and dense jungle.
  • The nearly 6-minute-long experience is a feast for the eyes. It features a trackless ride system (a first for Universal Orlando), an interactive queue (yes, hostile natives are lurking around the corners) and an almost three-story-tall mechanical figure of the furry one himself.
  • Among the piles of skulls a very lifelike native is peeking out. Better yet, actors dressed as not-so-friendly natives pop out from dark corners to scare the beejeebees out of you, Halloween-Horror-Nights style.
  • Each vehicle seats 72 people and comes with an expedition guide. With five guides altogether, each guide narrates the story in a different way.
  • The first thing you see are the remnants of a Kong species skeleton on the left. You pass the terapusmordax bats as they try to attack the vehicle. Now you’re in a deep cavernous space with lots of creepy things. The truck starts rocking as more creatures attack.
  • Kong comes crashing through to battle the dinosaurs. The ride vehicle lowers, but Kong catches it. He pounds on his chest.
  • As you come around the corner, the piece de resistance: About eight feet away from the truck is Kong in all his glory. With a head the size of a car, he’s so close you can feel his breath. He even expresses human emotion like scrunching down his eyebrows in anger or contorting his face in surprise.

Here are some more pictures from the clearly unforgettable experience:

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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today
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Courtesy of USA Today

I don’t know about you guys, but we at Inside the Magic absolutely can’t wait to try this out for ourselves. The immersion sounds unrivaled, the world sounds fleshed out and creepy, and it looks like guests are in for an adventure of a lifetime!

To read the full article, head on over to USA Today.

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