Los Angeles Dodgers to Celebrate King Kong Opening with Universal Studios "My Town" Night

DODGERTOWN, UNIVERSAL

Monday, July 19
vs. San Francisco Giants

Tickets include:

• Dodgertown, Universal t-shirt
• All you can eat Dodger Dogs, nachos, popcorn and soft drinks.
• Kids voucher for Universal Studios Hollywood

You can find out more info at the Official Dodgers Website.

King Kong Takes on Three Other 3D Universal Rides

Via Popular Science:

Voracious raptors encircle your studio tram car. The carnivorous Vastatosaurus rex spots you as potential prey. Suddenly, a massive, 6000-pound gorilla enters the scene and you're in the middle of an all-out fight. Welcome to Universal Hollywood's King Kong 360 3D, an experience that, aided by the world's largest wraparound screen, will change the face of theme park attractions when it opens this July as part of the larger Studio Tour. King Kong 360 will replace the animatronic King Kong Encounter—destroyed by fire in 2008—with the help of director Peter Jackson and with 3D and technology that will more than double the digital resolution per second of a typical feature film and blast 108 decibels of surround sound.

But it's not just Kong who's taking theme parks by storm: rapid advancements in 3D technology are ushering in an entirely new era of ride realism. Universal Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter, slated to open this June, combines 3D visuals with robotic technology and live performance in its signature Forbidden Journey dark ride, and park reps are being so secretive, it may be impossible to tell where the tactile ends and the 3D begins. Here is a look at what makes four impressive 3D Universal rides tick.

Read the rest of the article HERE.

King Kong Rampages Through Dodger Stadium

Universal staged an publicity stunt this morning at Dodger Stadium to promote the new King Kong attraction that opens in early July.

More info was provided by LA Land:

The giant ape footprints that begin near home plate and disappear behind center field are part of a series of attention-grabbing events to promote the idea that Kong escaped the fire that destroyed parts of the backlot at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2008.

After stomping through various parts of the city in the next few weeks -- Santa Monica Pier and Hollywood Boulevard, for example -- the knuckle-dragging ape will, according to Universal Studios' publicity folks, settle into his new home at the theme park.

The ape will star in King Kong 360 3D, an attraction designed by director Peter Jackson. It is scheduled to open by the Fourth of July holiday.

Peter Jackson Discusses New King Kong 3D Attraction

Via.

King Kong 360 3D Teaser Trailer!

From Universal: He's never been this real. The Eighth Wonder of the World rises from ashes to astound studio tour guests this summer as the KING KONG 360 3-D Attraction is coming to Universal Studios Hollywood this summer!

In the new attraction, guests will don special glasses as they enter a darkened soundstage aboard the Studio Tour trams and will be transported— via the magic of Surround Digital 3D projection —deep into the dark heart of the world of Skull Island. They'll survive a close encounter with a swarm of monstrous bats, only to be confronted by the terrifying presence of Kong himself. Suddenly, an enormous, ravenous 35' tall dinosaur will challenge Kong and guests will feel their trams jolt, roll and shudder as they find themselves caught in the middle of a ferocious showdown between the great ape and the giant lizard. The action will immerse guests in the battle between the two colossal predators!

LA Times provides more details about the upcoming King Kong tram attraction!

From the LA Times:

After nearly 19 months away from the spotlight, a new King Kong -- more grizzled and, definitely, ferocious -- is preparing to return to Universal Studios Hollywood.

Since the old animatronic Kong was destroyed in a fire on the theme park's back lot, Hollywood's top visual effects wizards have been tinkering away in a giant hangar in Playa Vista to create a new, more realistic ape to terrify visitors who take the park's signature back lot studio tour.

Inside the humongous drab-green building, Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson has led a team of film and theme park ride experts in creating a 3-D version of the hairy ape to replace the Kong that died in the June 2008 fire.

The new Kong attraction, described by Universal Studios as the largest 3-D exhibit in the world, will debut this summer at the height of tourist season.

You can read the rest of the article HERE.

New King Kong themed attraction coming in 2010!

It has been almost a year since I posted about the fire that destroyed large portions of Universal Studios Hollywood including the classic King Kong tram attraction. I expressed my hope that they would rebuild bigger and better based on the new King Kong film and now hey have officially announced their plans to do so! With this coming next year and the new Transformers ride the following year it is shaping up to be a good few years for the Theme Park/Movie Studio. You can read some of the specifics from the press release below.

King Kong, among the screen’s most powerful and enduring icons, will re-emerge on the famed and newly upgraded Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour in summer, 2010 as a thrilling and ground-breaking 4-D multi-sensory marvel, a new signature attraction for Universal Studios Hollywood.

The new King Kong attraction, based on the Oscar-winning 2005 Universal Pictures film, will combine thrilling visceral effects with the world’s largest Surround Digital projection system to create a next-generation theme park experience.

Larry Kurzweil, President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios Hollywood, said: “King Kong has been an integral part of Universal Studios Hollywood for decades and, after last year’s fire, we knew he had to be resurrected for our Studio Tour guests. We’re very excited to announce that not only are we re-introducing King Kong, but we’ve completely re-imagined the experience and will incorporate this legendary icon into a truly innovative Studio Tour attraction.”

In the new attraction, guests will don special glasses as they enter a darkened soundstage aboard the Studio Tour trams and will be transported— via the magic of Surround Digital 3D projection —deep into the dark heart of the world of Skull Island. They’ll survive a close encounter with a swarm of monstrous bats, only to be confronted by the terrifying presence of Kong himself. Suddenly, an enormous, ravenous 35' tall dinosaur will challenge Kong and guests will feel their trams jolt, roll and shudder as they find themselves caught in the middle of a ferocious showdown between the great ape and the giant lizard. The action will immerse guests in the battle between the two colossal predators.

A previous King Kong attraction was introduced at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1986 and remained a much-admired part of the Studio Tour until it was destroyed last year.

Now they just need to make a deal with DWA and start creating family attractions based on their body of colorful characters!