Yesterday, Universal Studios Hollywood held a big, official opening event for their newest attraction: DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest.” In a spectacular display or characters, dancers, and fireworks the surprisingly solid attraction was christened and press were offered their first official look at the new addition to the park.

This theme park and working movie studio thrill us with Halloween Horror Nights every fall. But throughout the rest of the year, they are delivering new things to check out and we love to let you all know about it.

We got there at about 9:30am and found our way to the front of the theater. House in the former Shrek 4D structure, this fully renovated building is entirely unrecognizable from its former appearance. Carrying over the Deco-Hollywood styling established by the recetly renovated entry corridor and Universal Plaza, a dominant marquee hangs from a mission-style tower.

After a spectacular Kung Fu Martial Arts display, dragon warrior parade and fireworks finale, we were invited to see for ourselves, this new movie-based experience.

I was really blown away by the amount of detail lavished on the refurbished show building. The tiled archway and the ticket booth out front are a solid indication of things to come. The exterior queue that was recently renovated with the arrival of The Wizarding Wolrd of Harry Potter remains largely untouched. This is a good thing as we actually liked it a lot.

We snaked around the back and into the indoor holding area.

Inside was a cool, low-lit lobby festooned with more accolades for Dreamworks. Soon enough the pre-show begins and the story is set up. Po, our beloved Panda friend, must deliver a special package to the emperor and, of course, we must “help” him.

Taking our seats in the theater, the show begins. Perched upon the same motion seats used in Shrek 4D we are treated to a vastly superior show. Eye-popping digital projections and rich animation literally surround the audience. Another very strange plus… No 3D glasses. As projection systems continue to improve the need for such cumbersome and repetitive gimmicks fall to the wayside and we can just sit back and enjoy.

Created and produced by DreamWorks Animation and Universal Creative, “Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest” recounts a plot-filled story whereby on the morning of The Emperor’s Great Feast of Heroes, dragon warrior Po embarks on a wild and perilous mission to deliver the rare and precious Liquid of Limitless Power to the Palace, while enlisting guests to join him on the exciting adventure replete with raging rapids, river pirates, awesome magic and Kung Fu.

Me personally, I found the 4DX style of watching a movie to be slightly distracting at best. I have never been a fan of that type of technology but I will concede that it is used relatively sparingly and in a way that compliments the action for the most part.

Overall this is a solid addition to the park that holds a remarkable amount of flexibility. Show designers could easily design a totally new pre-show and main attraction based on any new releases from Dreamworks animation and that, to us, is the most promising element.

We exited the experience to find a collection of Dreamworks animation characters waiting to say hi.

“As our portfolio expands, we are thrilled to bring exciting new entertainment options to our guests,” said Karen Irwin, President and COO, Universal Studios Hollywood. “Kung Fu Panda: The Emperor’s Quest’ is a fun, spirited story and the ideal attraction to kick start Universal Studios Hollywood’s collaboration with DreamWorks Animation.”

Special for this summer, guests are also invited to spend time with Po and Tigress as part of a special character meet and greet located within the park’s Universal Plaza. A replica of Mr. Ping’s Noodle Shop, as featured in Kung Fu Panda, will also be set up within the venue inviting guests to enjoy his authentic Asian fare and a selection of hot and cold Asian beverages.

So, the verdict? Not bad at all. The new projection technologies and sound are impressive while the show is entertaining and fun. The Dreamworks Theatre officially opened to the public today.