Exciting days at Universal Orlando Resort, where a brand new King Kong ride and new hotel are now open. AND, as if that wasn’t enough, the Incredible Hulk coaster is just about to reopen to guests with some great enhancements. We’ve got a ton of photos to share with you today from the press event.
We started our day at Portofino Bay.Beautiful resort.Our first stop in the park was Skull Island: Reign of Kong.
The level of detail on Skull Island: Reign Of Kong is fantastic.
As you might expect from the name, there are a lot of skulls here.
We’re traveling with the Eighth Wonder Expedition Co, before the infamous trip of Carl Denham that brings Kong to New York.
Executive Producer of Universal Creative, Mike West, was on hand to speak with the media about the new attraction!We then went into the creepy interior part of the queue.Natives lurk in these parts, so be careful.
The queue is amazing.
The centerpiece of this room is the animatronic in the center which was moving while I shot this off of a tripod.
These bodies are positioned right across from the scare actors.
This guy is an animatronic as well and moves around in its box.As for the ride, it was stellar. All the effects are fully working now, and it is a lot of fun and a great addition to the resort.And of course, more skulls.
Not too far away is the return of a big green coaster machine . . . The Hulk! This coaster has been rebuilt from the ground up with some fantastic new effects.
The Incredible Hulk Coaster will be officially reopening ‘very soon’ according to Universal.
It is currently in technical rehearsals, so if you head over, there is a chance you will be able to ride it.The buzz is fantastic. New backstory, effects and a smooth as glass ride highlight the return of this popular attraction.
The lockers are new and just require the barcode on your park ticket to use.
Test seats outside the entrance.
The new marquee is fantastic.The torn up track is comprised of the old coaster track that is no longer in use.
Senior Vice President of Universal Creative, Thierry Coup, joined us to talk about the remodel of The Hulk.The coaster was fully built from the ground up, all new vehicles and all.
The story is that General Thunderbolt Ross is doing gamma testing to create super soldiers. . . of course, things go horribly wrong, and we all end up Hulking out.
The new queue feels sleek and modern.
Cool new lighting in the loading area as well.The ride has on board audio with a score composed by Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, which was recorded with a 75 piece orchestra. The music is timed to all of the different inversions and twists and turns of the attraction.Overall, the ride was much smoother than before thanks to the new track and was a lot of fun. The launch experience is even better now with new effects that really sell it.Next, we went over for a tour of Sapphire Falls, the newest on site hotel at Universal Orlando.Big and beautiful lobby.Check in area.
There is glass everywhere here, with some sweet views of the resort.
This giant spiral staircase is awesome.
Strong Water Tavern is the place to be if you’re into rum.
Local brews as well!
Water taxis can take you right to CityWalk.
Stunning pool area. Huge, beautiful and inviting.
The pool is the largest on Universal property.
The falls lead downward to the water taxi area, giving the hotel a sense of elevation.
Reverse view of the spiral staircase.
This is the sit down restaurant, Amatista, that is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.New Dutch Trading Co is the place for quick grab and go style food.We got to see a sample room, and they’re very classy feeling, with some excellent views.
Snapper from Strong Water.Shredded beef.Jerk chicken.We end with . . . dessert.
What a day! There is so much happening at Universal. It’s an unbelievable pace of change. Horror Nights is here in a month and a half, and before we know it, Jimmy Fallon and Volcano Bay will both be opening as well. Thanks to the Universal team for inviting us out to see all the new offerings. Do you like what you see? Have you gotten the chance to experience any of these attractions? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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