Universal Studios Hollywood

King Kong comes back to LA in a big way July 4. His rebirth at Universal Studios Hollywood has been the talk of the Internet, touted by viral-news videos of strange monster footprints tracking through the beaches of Santa Monica and the turf and dirt of Dodger Stadium.

The grizzly primate-gone-gaga bit the dust two years ago in a mad conflagration that wiped out Universal Studio backlot. So it was only fitting that time off for the Kong would mean the reemergence of the gorilla star for an exponentially more ferocious close-up.

The new King Kong is bigger, badder, meaner and more menacing then his older self as the technology brings that much more efx to the table – or, in this case, the tram.

"King Kong 360 3-D" was created by Peter Jackson (“Lord of the Rings” maker), who set out to unveil the largest and most intense 3D attraction on the planet, with exhilarating visceral effects to mark the next-generation in thrill-focused  theme park experiences.

Aboard the Universal tram, riders get a wrap-around view of the action through a process involving eight 3-D images shot and projected at 60 frames per second. The film and tram is tied into a motion simulator that brings the physical effects of fear and horror in pulse-pounding percussions and pitching hydraulic motions meant to replicate, among other things, a fight between Kong and a group of voracious V-Rex, the larger cousins of the T-Rex.

Guests are given special 3-D glasses as they enter a darkened soundstage aboard Studio Tour trams and suddenly find themselves entwined in a tangled jungle location. First they are swarmed by a stampede of hungry raptors, only to be confronted by the terrifying presence of towering dinosaur behemoths intent on eating the tram and its occupants.

Suddenly, a giant primate appears out of the vines and guests, not sure of what’s next, are trampled and jolted as the tram seems caught in the middle of a titanic struggle between colossal prehistoric foes. As King Kong duels with the dinosaurs the people-packed tram slides ever closer to the edge of a bottomless chasm.

But all ends well in the tour as it does in the movies – most of the time. Universal Studios Hollywood offers more than a dozen rides and experiential attractions all based on iconic tales told in cinematic splendor, whether Revenge of the Mummy, Jurassic Park-The Ride, Terminator 2 3D and others. General admission, which includes all the rides and most of the attractions, start at $69 with options for upgrading to front-of-the-line passes for $129 and the exclusive VIP Experience for $239. Other pricing options and package values can be found online here.

- by Lark Ellen Gould, Los Angeles Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Lark Ellen Gould

Lark Ellen Gould has penned seven books on Las Vegas and Los Angeles as a veteran news and travel writer. Her work appears in the L.A. Times, Elite Traveler, Travel Agent Magazine and other national forums. She lived in Boston for many years, earning her masters degree and then traveling the globe for stories. Today she lives in LA and still travels the world on assignment while filling the pages of her travel site: www.wheredaily.com, along the way.