Hold Onto Your Butts! A New Jurassic World Ride Opens At Universal
If you want a way to really immerse yourself into Jurassic World, look no further than Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. While the Jurassic Park section of the theme park has always been there, recent updates have bridged the original movies with the more recent franchise, creating an atmosphere that makes you feel as if you have actually stepped foot on to Isla Nublar. The newest addition to this world, VelociCoaster, officially opened to the public on June 10th after having been in a period of ‘soft opening’ since April. After years of waiting (literally), I finally got my chance to step into the raptor paddock and take the ride!
The Ride:
VelociCoaster exceeded all expectations that I had for this ride. The whole Jurassic Park area inside Universal is so immersive and authentic that by the time you enter the queue for the ride you truly feel like you are stepping on to one of the rides from the movie Jurassic World. Eagle eyed fans will spot little Easter eggs like the books of Alan Grant and Dr. Ian Malcom. The attention to detail is incredible and something I don’t think the creative team at Universal gets enough credit for, outside of Harry Potter World.
The moment the lap bar is secured you are locked into a gripping, heart pounding adventure that starts in the heart of a Raptor paddock that leaves you unsure if you are joining the raptors on the hunt or the one being hunted! Upon launching out of the gate, you are in for high speeds and soaring heights! The highlight of the ride is when you get to the top of the roughly 155 foot hill. There is a brief pause allowing you a stunning view of the park. Just as quickly as you get to the top, you are plunging back down the 80° drop and entering a series of high speed barrel rolls. The engineering of this ride is ingenious and brings you what feels like mere inches above the queue below.
A few words of caution for would be riders! VelociCoaster reaches top speeds of 70mph and is also Florida’s tallest launch coaster. So please take the “remove all glasses, hats, and empty pockets” warnings seriously! Barrel rolls at 70mph leave you a little disheveled. When I started this ride, my hair was up in a ponytail and I had my lanyard tucked under my shirt. When I left the ride, my hair tie was gone, and my lanyard had been pulled off my neck!
Other Jurassic Park Offerings:
After riding, I went to check out another new (albeit temporary) Jurassic Park offering, the Jurassic Park Tribute Store. Now, I get excited for theme park updates the way some people get excited for a new makeup line or album release. So I had been dying to see these new offerings. Part Jurassic Park store, part immersive exhibit, you can browse through three rooms of merchandise while looking at movie props. If that’s not enough, you can be up close to a variety of dinos. It was amazing to see the iconic props like the can of Barbasol and a life size statue of John Hammond! The store sells everything from jewelry and clothes to cups and signs. I think my favorite thing in the store was the Magic Candle Company candles they had there. They are one of my favorite brands and have some excellent movie/theme park scents!
On my way out of the store, I couldn’t possibly pass up the bakery window! Theme park calories don’t count, right? Some of the offerings are gorgeous but a little too much to handle at a park. For example, the giant chocolate dinosaur egg or the fossilized amber jello. My personal favorite were the Jurassic World Dig In Jar which is layer of chocolate cake and chocolate frosting! Through exhaustive research, I have found you can’t go wrong with any of the sweet treats Universal offers.
Universal succeeded in fulfilling John Hammond’s wishes: “There is no doubt our attractions will drive kids out of their minds!” Whether you are a roller coaster junkie or just a fan of the movies, there is something for everyone to enjoy when you step into Jurassic Park. VelociCoaster is a phenomenal addition to Universal Islands of Adventure. I’m already plotting when I can go back and do it again. So when it’s your turn to run with the raptors, just remember these immortal words: Hold Onto Your Butts!
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