Skull Island: Reign Of Kong Review - 7 Ways It’s Awesome
2. The Ride
Universal tend to get a bit of negativity for the amount of screen based attractions they have at their parks across the world and many were slightly annoyed that Reign of Kong was another. But it really isn't.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong is a good attraction that mixes both physical effects and screens. It is a dark ride with motion simulator elements and isn't like anything else in the parks. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem is also a screen based motion simulator ride and it would be incredibly wrong to compare it with Skull Island.
You are on an experience with your fellow riders, an expedition together into the world of Skull Island. The 40-foot-long, 17-ton expedition vehicles are an impressive sight to look at. Similar to the trams at Universal Studios Hollywood you sit on long bench seats with your fellow riders, it can seem a bit cosy but it is all part of the charm.
Whichever Creative person at Universal came up with the idea for the vehicle drivers deserves a pat on the back. The trucks are each manned by a different driver, each with their own unique personalities. When we rode it was Jinks Costanza a native New Yorker, but you could end up with island native Kalana, cowgirl Becky Callahan, PHD student Charles “Doc” Jordan or Will Denham. This means each time you ride you get a new experience. Rumours are that if you stand up in the ride vehicle they ask you to sit back down. A really cool feature but please do not try this.
The screens themselves are of excellent quality (none of that grainy effect or weird colours) and are synced perfectly with the movements of the truck. If you are prone to motion sickness perhaps skip the hot dog before you ride. Although not as bad as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, the rocky movements might make you feel a little nauseous.
To recreate this attraction without the use of screens, the footprint of the ride would be a ginormous space that we know Universal just don't have. To be honest it wouldn't have worked half as well.
Ultimately this is an excellent ride and any videos you might have seen of it don't really do it justice.