Head to the Seattle waterfront and you'll find people waiting to take selfies with a roaring Sasquatch that towers over passersby.

The big picture: The animatronic Bigfoot welcomes people to a new virtual reality ride, Sasquatch Mountain — one of a growing number of attractions on Seattle's revamped Elliott Bay promenade.

I took my 6-year-old last week after months of him asking to go. (The ride only debuted last month, but "coming soon" signs had been up much longer.)

What to expect: Head inside and you'll get a video explaining your mission to find Sasquatch, complete with gear that lets you see invisible animals. (I didn't fully track this — I was busy adjusting my kid's virtual reality goggles — but apparently Sasquatch has a cloaking feature.)

• Entering the ride wearing your headset, you'll see that you and your companions are now wearing sleek tactical gear. (This is cool, although it's a bit awkward to sit down and figure out where to put your stuff when you can't quite see your real legs.)
• Soon the ride shakes, blows mist in your face and transports you to rivers, a mine and snowy mountains — all without leaving the room. You'll experience bouncing, hanging over cliffs and even creatures crawling in your virtual reality rig — plus a close encounter with Sasquatch.

• The 4D action makes it feel like a real roller coaster, so you and your companions may end up screaming from time to time.

Yes, but: It's a pretty short mission, so for some people it may not be worth the cost.

• Tickets are $25 per adult and $20 per child. (Kids have to be 42 inches or taller to ride.)

If you go: The ride's exit spits you out next to the arcade and other attractions inside Pier 57 — so if you're not careful, you could end up spending another $20 to play multiple rounds of a Jurassic Park game, as I did.

• It's a good idea to set expectations with kids beforehand if you're firmly against playing additional games, riding the carousel or getting ice cream afterward.

Stop by: Miners Landing (Pier 57), 1301 Alaskan Way. 11am–9pm.

Tell a Bigfoot hunter

The Washington state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that the state's newly passed income tax cannot be overturned through a referendum campaign.

Why it matters: Opponents of the tax — which targets people who make more than $1 million a year — now face a tougher path to repeal it at the ballot box.

• They would need to pursue a citizen initiative, which requires double the signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Catch up quick: Senate Bill 6346, which Washington lawmakers approved in March, will impose a 9.9% tax on annual incomes over $1 million starting in 2028.

• The Legislature declared the tax "necessary for the support of the state government and its existing public institutions."
• That language led Secretary of State Steve Hobbs to reject a referendum petition earlier this year, saying the tax is exempt from the referendum process.

Yes, but: Brian Heywood, founder of Let's Go Washington, which filed the referendum, challenged Hobbs' decision in court.

• He and other plaintiffs argued that laws can be exempt from referenda only if they relate to the immediate preservation of public health, peace or safety.

What they're saying: The high court rejected that claim, writing that the state constitution also allows laws that support state government to be shielded from referendum campaigns.

What we're watching: Another court case challenging the constitutionality of the income tax is still active. The high court did not weigh in on that issue in yesterday's ruling.

• For a repeal initiative to go before voters this fall, opponents would need to gather the necessary signatures by July.

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