REVIEW – Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment at Universal Epic Universe
Guests embark on their adventure inside the foreboding Frankenstein Manor, a towering structure that dominates the skyline of Dark Universe from the moment you enter the portal. There is no missing it. The queue for the attraction leads you through corridors steeped in gothic architecture and moody, atmospheric lighting, including tons of electric-themed wires and cables. As you progress deeper into the manor, guests encounter intricate set pieces and artifacts that suggest the manor's dark history of experimentation, including a standout exhibit showcasing Boris Karloff's original Frankenstein's monster corpse.
One thing I HIGHLY recommend is getting caught up on the classic Universal Monster movies if you have not yet done so. There are several Easter Eggs throughout the attraction queue that you might notice if you're a fan of the classic Universal Monster movies.
NOTE: The Universal Monsters in the attraction show up in order of their movie release, starting with The Hunchback of Notre Dame The preshow(s)
One of the coolest things about this attraction is that it features not one, but two preshows. The first preshow features Dr. Frankenstein's assistant, Ygor, who introduces guests to the ride's KUKA ride vehicles and provides a glimpse into the experiments' mechanics. Which, for those that don't know, is the same KUKA robotics technology that's used on Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey. Good news for those who get nauseous on Forbidden Journey due to the screen bubbles, like me! There are NO screen bubbles on Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, just massive sets, animatronics, and screens that are done incredibly well.
The second preshow introduces us to Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, the protagonist of the attraction. It outlines her plan to control the Universal Monsters we know, including Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and more. This preshow also gives us our first glimpse of the incredibly impressive animatronics on this attraction. Not only is Victoria herself a very impressive animatronic, but you're then introduced to her new version of Frankenstein's Monster. Towering at an impressive nine feet and weighing more than 800 pounds, this animatronic ranks among the largest and most sophisticated ever developed by Universal. And this is just the beginning of the impressive animatronics sprinkled throughout this attraction.
NOTE: After the second preshow are the lockers for you to store your personal belongings. There are no metal detectors on the attraction, but it is strongly suggested that you store your loose articles due to the intensity of the attraction. Lockers for small, loose items are available free of charge while you ride. The attraction
Unlike Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure, which features a straight loading platform, Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment features a semi-circle loading platform, similar to what you see on Kail River Rapids and Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges.
Once boarded, you are then whisked off into the depths of the Frankenstein Manor where Ygor takes control of your ride vehicle and you are once again greeted by Victora Frankenstein, but not before being introduced to two Universal Monsters right off the bat, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, who you might miss if you're not paying attention (look inside the giant bell overhead). And my favorite scene of the entire attraction, The Phantom of the Opera.
The Phantom of the Opera scene delivers theatrical flair with explosive fire effects. Guests come face-to-face with the Phantom's impressive pipe organ—a showstopping set piece that erupts with 14 towering jets of flame, each blast choreographed to the haunting notes of his haunting musical tunes.
And of course, just like a lot of other rides at Universal Orlando Resort, not everything goes according to plan. Victoria's plans of controlling the Monsters go wrong, and Dracula escapes, thus beginning an over three-minute adventure of Dracula unleashing Universal Monsters on you at every turn.
What sets 'Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment' apart from any ride Universal has ever done is the sheer amount of animatronics in the attraction. And impressive ones at that. Some of the most impressive animatronics Universal has ever built are featured in this ride, including Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon, Mummy, and more.
The ride itself is a lot more fluid than Forbidden Journey, with movements being less jerky and a lot smoother between scenes, yet keeping you on the edge of your seat as to what is coming next.
One of the greatest things technically about the ride is that Universal was able to use screen technology and integrate it into the ride to make it less obvious that you are just simply staring at a massive screen, such as building massive structures around the screens to hide them. Rise of the Resistance at Disney's Hollywood Studios is a great example of this. Theme parks, whether Disney and/or Universal, are getting a lot better at blurring the line between what is a screen and what isn't one. Conclusion
Blending classic Universal Monsters lore with cutting-edge technology, 'Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment' pushes the boundaries of the modern horror theme park attraction. As Epic Universe approaches its grand opening, the attraction is quickly positioning itself as the flagship attraction at Universal Epic Universe, as Team Member previews wrapped up, and now Passholder previews are happening.
It took me a while to decide which dark ride is the king of Universal Epic Universe. Between this attraction and the other groundbreaking attraction at Universal Epic Universe, Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic. I had to go with Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment due to its incredible animatronics, massive set design, special effects, fantastic screen usage, and incredible storytelling, which is sometimes not easy to pull off on an attraction of this scale.
Parents, if you're little ones are frightened easily, they may want to sit this one out. The ride is pretty much Halloween Horror Nights as a ride. The ride does feature a 48-inch height requirement to ride. Child Swap is available for Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment.
Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter/X, Instagram @iamcg83
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