By Charly SHELTON

We all know “Shrek 4D” at Universal Studios Hollywood. Its a 3D theater show featuring Shrek, Donkey and other characters from the Shrek films in a short adventure with theater effects. But once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it. It opened in 2003 and ran until August of last year, when it was closed to make way for a new Shrek attraction.

Shrek was popular with kids of the day, but DreamWorks Animation has produced so many films since its release it doesn’t resonate with young kids today the way it used to. It was time for a change. Enter the Panda.

With a flourish of fireworks, a flurry of fists and a full-scale Chinese dragon parade, Universal Studios Hollywood welcomed its newest attraction last week. The DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest” officially opened to the public on Friday, and a press opening was held the day before to formally welcome Master Po, the Kung Fu Panda himself, to the ranks of the theme park denizens. The DreamWorks Theatre is a theater show with motion-sim chairs, atmospheric effects and a 180-degree projection screen that extends beyond the confines of the framed screen and out into the theater. The décor, posters and trophy case all pay homage to the many successful and beloved DreamWorks films, including “Shrek,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Madagascar,” “Trolls” and more. The show even includes all of these favorite characters in a lobby preshow, setting up the action of the main theater show with Master Po, Master Shifu, Po’s father Mr. Ping and the dreaded river pirate wolf, Kang.

The show itself is fun, fast-paced and feels shorter than it is. At roughly four and a half minutes, it flies by very quickly. It has the same runtime as the Transformers ride on the lower lot of the park, but you wouldn’t know it until you look it up. So much happens in that brief window of time – a river boat chase, an attack by pirates, fighting in the spirit realm and kung fu everywhere. It is a great option for a place to take a break from the heat of the day and soak up some of that cool river water (and air conditioning).

Cool as it is, I don’t know if this attraction opening warrants a trip just to see it. For other rides, like the upcoming “Jurassic World” ride next spring, I would say head out to see it asap. But this is just a short little theater show. It’s nice to see when you’re there but, unless you are a huge Kung Fu Panda fan, it may be wise to hold this for your next trip. If you haven’t been to Universal Studios-Hollywood in a while, it’s definitely time to go. There have been a lot of changes in the last few years and, for anyone who doesn’t know what I’m talking about, you haven’t been to the park recently so head on down. But for those who are familiar with the park, The DreamWorks Theatre will be just as good the next time you happen to be on the lot.

For more information, visit UniversalStudiosHollywood.com.

  Charly Shelton