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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 |
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Do you remember the movies Shrek (2001), Shrek 2 (2004), Shrek the Third (2007), and Shrek Forever After (2010)? The first and second ones were quite entertaining. They poked fun at animated Disney films and Disney parks, using characters from classic stories, while carefully avoiding the Disney versions of those characters. |
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You can think of Shrek 4-D as Shrek 1½ because it takes place between the first two movies. It’s now at Yester Universal, having closed permanently at Universal Studios Florida on January 10, 2022. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2018 Soundstage 4-D |
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On the outside, it’s Soundstage 4-D at Production Central. On the inside, it’s Lord Farquaad’s dungeon and torture chamber. To tell the truth, the real torture is the queue outside on a hot day. Despite the electric fans and various clever signs and posters to read, it’s better once you get inside. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Real warnings |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2020 Fake warnings |
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One of the clever signs is a list of fake warnings. Here at Yester Universal Studios, you actually have time to read it. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2020 Video displays showing scenes from Shrek |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2020 Two movies, playing only in the Kingdom of Duloc |
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To keep you somewhat entertained while waiting, there are fake movie posters, proclamations, and “wanted” posters from the Shrek universe. The most fun might be the parodies of Disneyland attraction posters, such as Lord Farquaad’s Enchanted Tick Room, Great Moments with Mr. Farquaad, and Donkbo the Flyin’ Talking Donkey. Because the line eventually goes to a 12-minute movie, it’s either standing still or moving quickly. That makes it difficult to take in the signs and posters. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2019 Welcome to Duloc |
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You enter from the bright outdoors into the dungeon. A team member points you to the pre-show end of the dark space. You can easily miss the welcome sign that references Disney—especially Disney’s California Adventure. what |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2020 The Three Little Pigs, held captive in crates of straw, wood, and brick |
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A team member with a microphone encourages guests to exclaim “Oh no!” every time he says “flogging.” He then lists a series of rules about such Universal park no-nos as eating, photography, and cell phone use. He ends each rule with a threat for anyone who disobeys: “Or you will receive a flogging!“ After each rule, the audience emits a loud “Oh no!” Now the dungeon pre-show begins. This is not a happy place. Pinocchio is hanging upside down. The Three Little Pigs, speaking with German accents, are locked up. Gingy the Gingerbread Man exclaims, “I’m only going to say this once. Listen up, all of you. He’s back!” You have been warned. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2021 Magic Mirror on the Wall |
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At the request of Gingy, Magic Mirror summarizes the plot of the original feature movie Shrek by displaying and describing key scenes in a smooth voice. If you had not yet gotten around to watching Shrek, then this is all a big spoiler. But the 4-D movie you’re about to see will now make some sense. For one thing, you’ll know who Lord Farquaad is and why he’s now dead. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2021 Ghost of Lord Farquaad, former ruler of Kingdom of Duloc |
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In the scene where Gingy had been, the ghost of Lord Farquaad makes an appearance. He wants to know where Shrek and Fiona are. Someone must know. After threatening the pigs with a luau, he speaks to the audience, “Have any of you seen Shrek and Fiona? Have you?” It turns out the auditorium is Farquaad’s dank torture chamber. That’s where you’re going next—to be tortured. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2021 Entering the auditorium |
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Four doors open to the auditorium. Magic Mirror instructs you, “Do not wear your glasses until you are seated, unless you like falling over.” |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2020 Wide, comfortable seats, with some surprises built in |
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There’s a row of stationary seats in the front, with 11 rows of moving seats behind it. The moving seats move—bumping, vibrating, rising, dropping, galloping, or doing whatever else each sequence calls for. That’s what makes this 4-D, not just 3-D. Well, that and the water sprayers. And the spider effect. And… let’s not spoil all the surprises. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2021 Curtain rising |
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The curtain is rising. Put on your green Ogre Vision glasses and put away your camera and video-corder. Remember the rule about no photography or video? Take that rule seriously. You don’t want to be flogged, do you? |
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Media image © Universal Studios Shrek and Donkey emerging from the movie screen |
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Media image © Universal Studios More characters and flaming fireballs from Shrek 4-D |
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The movie starts with a green fairy reminiscent of Tinker Bell flying above the audience in 3-D. How charming! But it’s just for a second or two. A frog’s tongue plucks her from the air. That gives you an idea of this movie’s sense of humor. For about twelve minutes, you’re overwhelmed with stereoscopic movie magic and in-theater effects, taking you on wild chases and over a waterfall. The film ends at Shrek and Fiona’s honeymoon celebration. A popped champagne cork hits the green fairy, sending her into the wall of the theater. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2021 Ogre Vison return bin |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2019 Exiting into Shrek’s Ye Olde Souvenir Shoppe |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2019 You’ve been warned |
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As the cast of the nearby Monster Makeup Show likes to point out, this isn’t Disney. Here, they don’t have to be nice to children. |
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Shrek 4-D officially opened in the Production Central section of Universal Studios Florida on June 12, 2003, after a soft opening the previous month. It replaced another stereoscopic movie attraction, Alfred Hitchcock: The Art of Making Movies (1990-2003). Shrek 4-D was also an attraction at three other Universal-branded theme parks—Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Singapore—and two other parks—Warner Bros. Movie World (Australia) and Movie Park Germany. The final day for Shrek 4-D in Florida was January 10, 2022. As of this date, it was still showing at the Universal parks in Japan and Singapore. Initially, Universal did not announce a replacement, but quickly put up a construction wall decorated with Minions from the Despicable Me and Minions film franchises. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, a film-based motion simulator attraction, was across the street from the former Shrek 4-D. Were the Minions on the construction wall just decor appropriate to the location, or might they be foretelling another attraction based on the highly popular Minions? |
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Artwork from Universal Studios Florida, 2022 Artwork for Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast |
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On December 8, 2022, Universal finally announced the replacement attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast. The press release described what guests could expect: Villain-Con Minion Blast combines innovative screen technology, state-of-the-art gaming interactivity and elaborate physical sets to create a one-of-a-kind, game-based adventure where guests encounter immersive environments, nefarious villains and tons of mischievous Minions from Illumination’s films in a whole new way. The world-class attraction transports guests to Villain-Con—the biggest criminal convention on the planet—to take part in an epic competition to see if they have what it takes to become the newest member of The Vicious 6, a notorious group of supervillains from the hit film, Minions: The Rise of Gru. Guests who are up for the challenge will grab an interactive blaster and step onto a motion-based pathway to put their skills to the test. They’ll wind and glide through various scenes where they earn points by blasting a variety of items and causing as much mayhem and destruction as possible. It’s a unique, mischief-filled experience that’s so much fun, it’s a crime. The new attraction will join Despicable Me Minion Mayhem as part of a new land: Minion Land on Illumination Ave. There will also be a Minion Café and “other surprises inspired by popular characters from Illumination’s blockbuster franchises.” |
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© 2022 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated December 13, 2022 |
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