As of May 9, 2023, Poseidon’s Fury at Universal’s Islands of Adventure is closed for good. Join us for a final tour of the classic walkthrough attraction.
Poseidon’s Fury History
Poseidon’s Fury opened with the rest of Universal’s Islands of Adventure in May 1999.
Poseidon’s Fury opening-day Team Member Bernie Wallace shared these photos with WDWNT of the team during the opening and during a recent reunion at the attraction.
The original version of the attraction had ties to Atlantis and saw Poseidon fighting Zeus. Guests were led by an old guide known as The Keeper. This version of Poseidon’s Fury didn’t last long, though, and most guests will better remember the characters of Taylor and Darkennon.
Poseidon’s Fury was the last remaining attraction in The Lost Continent, except for the interactive Mystic Fountain. The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad closed in 2018. Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons, in the Merlinwood section of The Lost Continent, became Flight of the Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter took over in 2010. Dragon Challenge eventually closed permanently and was replaced by Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in 2019.
It’s long been rumored that The Lost Continent could become an extended part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, or be rethemed to a different IP like Zelda.
Beginning in 2020, Poseidon’s Fury was closed for almost two years. It reopened in May 2022 with a refurbished exterior and effects.
During the closure, the various Taylors and Professor Baxter appeared in The Lost Continent to talk to guests.
Some Poseidon’s Fury Team Members work “Darkannon” nametags on the final day of operation.
We visited The Lost Continent attraction during its final days to capture the magic that was Poseidon’s Fury.
Poseidon’s Fury Final Tour POV Video
Watch our full POV video of the final tour of Poseidon’s Fury below, and keep scrolling for more photos of the attraction.
Poseidon’s Fury Exterior
The subtitle carved into the attraction’s stone sign is “Escape from the Lost City.”
The exterior resembles the ruins of an old temple, with the remains of a giant Poseidon statue.
All that remains is his arm holding a trident and two feet on raised stones.
At night, the exterior would be lit with flame-like golden lighting.
An octopus medallion at the top of the temple has partially collapsed.
Gryphon statues flank the entrance.
Columns are painted red, blue, and gold.
Guests pass by a rocky lagoon as they head into the temple.
The flooring of the exterior queue is blue with a wave-inspired border.
Poseidon’s Fury Queue
Inside, guests walk through dark hallways with walls covered in ancient paintings.
This plaque has symbols representing Zeus, Poseidon, a ship, and a labyrinth. Zeus was involved in the original version of Poseidon’s Fury but was removed from the story long ago.
Some of the painted stucco has peeled away to reveal stone walls.
There are signs from the Global Discovery Group, the fictional organization guests are going on a tour with. This sign begins the story with “What our research has uncovered so far…”
Welcome to the Temple of Poseidon, also known to the locals as “Poseidon’s Fury.” Due to the strange and mysterious events that have been documented in and around the structure since its construction some 2000 years ago, The Global Discovery Group has been investigating the Temple’s origins for well over a year now, but we have yet to discover it’s [sic] hidden secrets.
Some of the wall paintings depict flowers and insects.
Legend says that this Temple was originally built in tribute to the Great God Poseidon, and that only the Priests of the Inner Circle were allowed within. At some point, perhaps as recently as 400 B.C., a terrible clash took place within the Temple. The energy that was unleashed almost destroyed the Temple and everything around it. (You can see the results of this incredible power in smashed statues and columns that stand outside as mute symbols to that ancient battle.)
One peeled painting shows the image of a mermaid beneath, proving the temple does hide some secrets.
We welcome you intrepid explorers to this site, but ask that you refrain from taking flash photographs, or employing recording devices of any kind once inside this sacred temple of Poseidon, Lord of the Oceans.
Old pots and other artifacts sit between the queues.
There’s another plaque featuring a large trident symbol.
There are also modern water fountains, in case you get thirsty.
Guests walk through a room with a high ceiling painted with whales.
Lights on the walls look like sconces lit with fire, while the lights hanging from the ceiling are more industrial, like those the Global Discovery Group would hang.
There are other hints of giant sea creatures where sections of the wall have apparently fallen away.
Poseidon’s Fury Full Show
A Secret Message
As the attraction officially begins, guests enter a chamber with a giant mural of Poseidon on one wall.
Above him, figures stand in front of a vast city with tall towers and rounded rooves.
A stone altar is on a dais at the front of the room, and a ladder leads up to a small hole in the upper wall.
The chamber is lined with red columns.
The paintings continue onto the ceiling and across the other walls.
Opposite Poseidon is an ominously lit figure with a dark devil above him.
We will later learn that this is Lord Darkennon and the Dark One who he serves.
Our tour guide, Taylor, descends from the ladder. The gender-neutral name means Team Members of any gender can portray the character.
Taylor works for the Global Discovery Group, and Professor Baxter, who is supposed to be leading the tour today but is missing.
Taylor begins the tour, explaining that this was once the ceremonial chamber of Poseidon. One night, Poseidon’s high priest, Lord Darkennon, sealed the room and sacrificed everyone inside as a gift for the Dark One. Darkennon gained powers and battled Poseidon. Nobody survived…
Professor Baxter thinks there are hidden chambers in the temple, but the team hasn’t been able to find them yet. Baxter radioed earlier to say that he saw a secret message in this room. The lights in the room, including Taylor’s flashlight, start to fail.
Taylor pulls out another light, which illuminates a message running along the walls of the room:
Behind this wall, a demon sleeps, an ancient evil held in keep. Poseidon’s power contained the beast but he too perished when battle ceased. Let none disturb this chamber wall or loose the dark and then lose all. But if this evil you do release, then seek the trident, restore the peace. For he who holds the trident gold, has Poseidon’s power for all times told.
After Taylor reads this aloud, Professor Baxter’s panicked voice comes through the radio ordering everyone to leave the temple, before he screams and is cut off.
The lights go out, and a menacing voice beckons the tour group deeper into the temple, following in the Professor’s steps. A secret door opens beneath the Darkennon mural.
Into the Hidden Chamber
In the next room, guests find themselves surrounded by ancient artifacts and a few skeletons.
Taylor is delighted to see so much treasure and history.
Suddenly, the doors everyone came through closed, leaving no clear way out.
The voice speaks again, telling the group that they should have fled while they could. Now, they won’t be able to leave unless they find Poseidon’s trident.
But Taylor doesn’t know how to find Poseidon’s trident.
The voice says it will finally be able to face Poseidon again, thanks to Taylor because Taylor spoke the spell in the previous room aloud. This freed the voice from Poseidon’s spell.
Taylor realizes that this room is a tomb. They grab something to pry the doors open…
Help From a Goddess
A goddess, the guardian of the temple, appears projected above this circle of metal on one end of the room.
The room is awash in blue lighting.
With neon lights sparkling around her, the goddess notes that Taylor holds Poseidon’s trident.
Taylor looks at the stick they’ve grabbed and realizes it is indeed the trident.
Because Taylor has the trident, the goddess will grant one wish.
Taylor asks to get out of the temple and back home, but the goddess isn’t able to open the chamber doors — the Dark One has sealed them with a locking spell impervious to magic.
But all is not lost. While the goddess cannot send the tour group back to the surface, she can provide safe passage deeper into the temple.
As the sounds of the ocean roar beyond the goddess’s image, she says time is running out and casts a spell.
Lazers shoot across the ceiling and over the metal discs carved with Poseidon’s visage.
The discs are supposed to be jumbled and then turn into their correct place during this sequence but have recently been stuck in their final place the entire time.
The door is also supposed to roll away but has just been sliding.
The opens to reveal the attraction’s most famous feature: the water tunnel.
The tunnel has a bridge with railings and real water spinning rapidly around it.
The effect is that guests feel like they’re walking through the ocean.
Taylor leads guests through the roaring tunnel into Poseidon’s chamber.
A Dead End
Unfortunately, Poseidon’s chamber appears to be a dead end.
There’s another door made of metal discs, but Taylor can’t figure out how to open it.
Taylor thinks they’re a failure, but another voice booms out from the walls.
It’s the voice of Poseidon.
The god of the oceans tells Taylor to bring him the trident. But Darkennon interrupts, casting the room into darkness. There’s a bright flash of light, blinding guests.
When proper light returns, guests find themselves transported into the real Temple of Poseidon under the sea, with giant tentacles waving across a screen that shows the city from the earlier mural. A statue of Poseidon is to the side, flanked by giant fish figures. Taylor heads towards the statue, leaping over rocks and water.
Poseidon vs. Darkennon
Fire bursts from the front of the chamber, and Darkennon appears on the center screen.
He orders Taylor to give him the trident.
Taylor refuses, saying, “Over my dead body.”
“With pleasure,” Darkennon responds and begins shooting fire at Taylor.
Taylor pleads for Poseidon’s help.
They start up towards Poseidon’s statue but forget the trident.
Darkennon continues to laugh and taunt Taylor as they try to retrieve the trident.
A cascade of water descends from the ceiling.
An even larger image of Darkennon is projected onto this water screen as he demands again that Taylor give him the trident.
Taylor continues to refuse, taking the trident up to Poseidon’s statue.
They place the trident as Darkennon screams.
Taylor retreats to safety as Poseidon’s statue descends into the dais.
To Darkennon’s horror, Poseidon returns.
The god of the sea appears on a screen to the side with a burst of water.
Poseidon says Darkennon will pay for his murderous ways, while Darkennon counters that he will destroy Poseidon and his “precious mortals.”
The two powerful figures shoot each other with blasts of light and fire across the screens.
Poseidon causes water to explode from the lagoon.
The fight culminates in a larger-than-life sword-to-trident clash on the central water screen.
As magic builds, Darkennon says, “No! It cannot end like this!”
Poseidon bids Darkennon and the Dark One farewell.
He strikes Darkennon with a final blow.
The villain vanishes in a burst of flame and water.
Poseidon reappears in golden light.
Behind him, the underwater city begins to collapse from the overwhelming power of the battle.
He grants the tour group safe passage back to their home world.
With Poseidon’s protection, guests are transported back to the previous chamber. Taylor speaks over the radio to declare that they’ve found Professor Baxter. Taylor is then in the hallway as guests exit to say goodbye and thank them for visiting.
Poseidon’s Fury Exit
Guests return to the front of the ruined temple.
Alongside the exit queue is the gift shop, Treasures of Poseidon.
Poseidon is depicted with two seahorses holding up a scroll featuring the store’s name.
There are multiple entrances to the shop around the building.
Thank you for joining us on the final tour of Poseidon’s Fury. Will you miss this iconic attraction? Share your memories in the comments below.
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