Universal Orlando to go ape with new King Kong attraction

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

King Kong will be back at Universal Orlando next year in a new attraction: Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

The giant ape has been missing from the park since the old King Kong attraction Kongfrontation was closed in 2002 to be replaced by Revenge of the Mummy.

The new attraction will open in the summer of 2016 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Sources at the park claim it will be an intense, all-new adventure brought to life in a themed environment.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong begins with riders transported deep into a mysterious world on a mission to discover creatures of unknown origin. Their journey will take them through an ancient temple inhabited by hostile natives, a jungle ruled by prehistoric creatures, and an underworld of caves, before coming face-to-face with Kong himself.

The ride is being created with Sir Peter Jackson, director of 2005’s blockbuster movie King Kong and the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies. 

“King Kong is a Hollywood movie legend and a huge part of both our history and our future,” said Mike West of Universal. “He gives us the opportunity to tap into everything that makes our film history so special and everything that makes our theme park attractions so spectacular.  We can’t wait to bring him to life in such an epic way.”

Known as “the eighth wonder of the world,” Kong has been called “the experience for which movies were invented.”  Since first appearing on screen in 1933, King Kong has been re-made twice – each time on a tremendous scale – earning seven Oscar and three Golden Globe nominations.

See www.universalorlando.com/ReignofKong for more

Skull Island: Reign of Kong