... and a few sultry looks!

The first ride we came across was the Kung Fu Panda Adventure, which involves the characters from the 2008 animated comedy. The Emperor's Quest, which opened in 2018, is a 4D motion simulator attraction. It follows Po (a giant panda who wants to be a kung fu expert), Mr. Ping (his goose father) and Master Shifu (his red panda sensei) as they attempt to deliver the Liquid of Ultimate Power to the Emperor but it gets stolen by the evil wolf, Kang.

Unlike rides of the past, where you just walked up and got on, this involved a several-minute opening presentation where one is given the story of what is happening before we enter the actual ride.... including why we (the audience) are being invited along on the adventure (in this case, as backup). It was an amazing blend of a physical room and multiple invisible screens, upon which these animated characters seemed to stroll in and out along a balcony above us. Some objects on the surrounding shelves were real while others were also just on screens (such as a giant hammer which we see get grabbed by Kang's paw).

The door opened and we sat in one of the 241 theater seats in front of a massive screen. 3D glasses are not used because they interfere with peripheral vision. And indeed, invisible side screens on the side walls turned it into a 180 degree experience. As we bounced down roaring rapids, fought off pirates and even got sucked into the spirit realm, the seats vibrated to give the effect of actual motion. There were also light breezes and sprays of mist at the appropriate times. All in all, the new technology was quite exciting!