(continued)

Kongfrontation (Universal Studios Florida): 1990–2002
Universal was looking to open some kind of facility in the Sunshine State as early as 1982. Fear of competing with Disney for that state's tourism dollars, however, kept the company from moving too far ahead. That all changed after King Kong's L.A. debut in 1986; after the ape's unprecedented popularity, Universal got things into gear for an all-new Orlando park. Opening in 1990, Universal Studios Florida boasted an impressive array of rides and attractions, including Kongfrontation, a bigger, better version of the original robot monkey.

Florida Kong not only had a bigger fake New York to terrorize, but he also had a distinct odor about him (the famous "banana breath" that he exhaled on riders). Kongfrontation was Universal Studio Florida's main attraction, anchoring years of excitement and thrills within the theme park's walls. Its popularity was constant, which is why the ride's closure sans explanation in September 2002 confused legions of Kong fans.

Some have speculated that maintenance and repair costs ended Kong's Florida run, but rumors persist that the building that housed Kongfrontation was on the verge of collapsing. (Much like Disney, Universal is technically its own town, exempt from the architecture codes of Orange County, Florida).