Up-front Info
- Thrill Scale (0=Wimpy!, 10=Yikes!): 2.5
Loud noises, moving seats, "gotcha" devices - Attraction type: 3-D theatrical presentation with moving seats and other "4-D" sensory enhancements
- Height restriction: None
The same folks that created the enormously popular Shrek movies, DreamWorks and the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow, lent their talents to Universal Studios' winning attraction. The eye-popping computer animation and laugh-a-minute style translates well to the "4-D" theater experience.
For the uninitiated, "4-D" refers to a 3-D film (yes, you still have to wear those goofy glasses, called "OgreVision goggles" here) shown in a theater specially equipped to immerse viewers with an added dimension of sensory ticklers. Perfectly synchronized water spritzes, bursts of air, and other enhancements draw guests into the remarkable 3-D landscapes. Shrek 4-D takes it a step beyond with seats that move both horizontally and vertically. It’s not a motion simulator attraction per se, like Back to the Future or Disney’s Star Tours, but the seats do incorporate a surprising amount of motion, and Shrek 4-D straddles the line between a theatrical presentation and a ride.
A hillarious pre-show establishes the story. The imprisoned Three Little Pigs and Pinocchio along with The Magic Mirror explain how the ghost of Lord Farquaad, supposedly vanquished in the first Shrek film, is causing havoc from the great beyond. The loathsome lord himself appears onscreen and announces his intentions to steal Princess Fiona away during her honeymoon with Shrek, kill her, and make her his ghostly queen in the underworld. He informs us intruders that we are now his prisoners. Farquaad instructs his henchmen to prepare the auditorium, and explains that he will use torture devices (the moving seats) to get us to reveal the Princess’ whereabouts.
It’s never quite made clear how or why the audience would know Fiona’s location. And there is a disconnect between the pre-show and the main feature. Once the show begins, Farquaad never interrogates us for any info; in fact, we are mere third-party observers of the action (albeit, with an incredible vantage point) as it unfolds. The story itself is a tad lame, but the telling of the story is so engaging and funny, it’s easy to forgive all of the lapses.
Tweaker Bell
The Shrek sensibility fits the Universal attraction mold: loud, wild, and in-your-face. Where Disney excels at establishing or rekindling warm, fuzzy childhood memories, Universal is the rebellious adolescent that wants to blow everything up. For all of the theme park conventions it blows up, however, Shrek 4-D doesn't stray too far from the tried and true. I don't think I'm giving too much away to reveal that the green ogre gets his princess in the end, and everyone lives happily ever after. Except for Tinker Bell. Apparently pixie dust and wishing upon a star are no match for a frog.
