Entertainment Earth

Agila The EKsperience Soaring Past Expectations

Here’s something to digest, you don’t have to go to Davao anymore to see the Philippine Eagle fly high. For a few hundred pesos and some patience on the road, you not only get to fly like an eagle for a few minutes, you also get to learn new things (or in some cases “relearn”). That’s what Enchanted Kingdom’s latest attraction, Agila the EKsperience, promises both young and old alike.

I was recently invited to test out the recently opened ride in my home turf of Laguna. While there was no “Jurassic Park” feels going into the ride, I had my apprehensions. Local rides had a tendency to fall flat these days. Promising thrills and chills then ending up a dud. And surely enough, it was a good experience.

I first heard of this new and innovative ride late last year when I tried out Enchanted Kingdom’s Ghostbusters Live. They were showing us a lot of stuff from the architecture of the building to the technology and even a majestic looking wood sculpture they had specially commissioned just for the building. A few months and one bouncing baby later, me and the wife have finally found the opportunity to test it out.

A view of Enchanted Kingdom’s Agila the EKsperience from Rio Grande Rapids

 

Taken with the Oppo F3 Plus

 

They made a separate entry for Agila mostly because there are tourists who just go to Sta. Rosa for that ride only.

 

tickets to the attraction requires bar codes, how high tech is that.

 

lockers for AGILA the EKsperience (Shot with Oppo F3 Plus)

 

Sorry buds, you HAVE to deposit your stuff before getting in the attraction

Fly Like an Eagle

One of the best things about Agila is, well, the use of the imagery of the still-endangered Philippine Eagle. It’s through its eyes that we go on this adventure. Rather than just let people fall in line, take a seat, do this next-gen rialto ride then thank them, Enchanted Kingdom gives more bang for buck.It helps to promote the eagle and remind park visitors  that these majestic creatures are, for lack of a better word, majestic. It teaches conservation in a fun and interesting way. I’m on the fence on the use of the wizard or maybe the experience was a bit sad because the group we came along with were on the jeje side of things.

Yeah, I think I would have thoroughly enjoyed the experience had we been with a more respectful crowd.

We begin the EKsperience behind the door. Sadly no photos and videos

 

Another shot of the ticket now processed, they actually follow a shape system so they know where you seat

Tourism Ala Bird

A shot of the Agila sculpture they were teasing since 2016 (Shot with the OPPO F3 Plus)

 

We start walking towards the “flying theater”

 

Tickets with circles are in the middle, triangles at the bottom and the triangles are on the top. Pretty smart way of segregating visitors

One of the highlights of the Agila EKsperience for me was seeing the sites in a fully-immersive environment and in a truly eagle-like way. Swooping down, gliding and generally frolicking in the skies above beautiful places in the Philippines. Good of Enchanted Kingdom to properly categorize these in their initial version of the visuals for the attraction. Otherwise it’d be confusing and the context could be lost.

Agila EKsperience has a story to tell and they convey it in such a way that both adults and kids get it. Without spoiling, it involves a magical quest, a missing wizard, some smokes and mirrors (in the form of holograms) and spectacular views.

One thing that ran in my brain while the actual ride was happening was that Agila the EKsperience is your best way to see the beauty of the Philippines without spending A LOT of money on airfare and hotel accommodations. Definitely a gateway into actually travelling to the different tourist spots all over the country. Oh and the merchandise shop called Pugad is worth checking out too.

Agila the EKsperience’s gift shop dubbed PUGAD

Additional Notes

I have to admit that they did plan Agila the EKsperience well. They made it so that guests who buy tickets only for Agila won’t be able to get into Enchanted Kingdom. They did have the basic creature features there.

Loved how the park actually invested money on the product. The shop looks great, the waiting area looks great too.

Prices for the product in the ‘Agila’ giftshop tbh are expensive but this is definitely a great way to fund local stores who manufacture and create these souvenirs.

Pugad and the local products they sell

 

Another shot of ‘Pugad’

 

VERDICT

If I were given another chance, I would definitely visit Agila the EKsperience again. Maybe the next time I should bring a notebook to list down the places that they showcase. Then if I still have the budget, book tickets and hotel accommodation to those aforementioned places. But generally, I loved the attraction. It’s looks safe, the place is well-kept, the actual ride was a blast and I leave the attraction with some sort of cathartic effect afterwards. I actually did go “maraming magandang lugar sa Pinas noh. Kelangan talagang mapuntahan lahat yun.”

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