Run with the Raptors on Universal’s Newest Jurassic World Rollercoaster
There’s a brand new rollercoaster at Universal Orlando Resort, and it’s one that fans of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchises will love.
The new ride, which officially opened to the public on June 10, is called VelociCoaster. You’ll find it at Universal’s Island Adventure, on the site of the former Triceratops Encounter attraction.
The new ride is already immensely popular, drawing in throngs of thrill-seekers and dinosaur lovers, but here’s what you need to know if you haven’t checked it out yet.
The queue for VelociCoaster begins outside the lower floor of the Discovery Center. If you see a pair of raptor statues, you’re in the right place. After following the queue through a number of Jurassic Park-inspired displays, guests will enter an “examination room” with two animatronic raptors inside. Thankfully, they’re caged and muzzled. Once you’ve made it through the examination room, you’ll have the opportunity to store any loose personal items in a bank of lockers, before entering a final pre-show room. There, you’ll watch a video of Jurassic World protagonist Owen Grady—played by Chris Pratt—who will vehemently encourage you not to board the ride. If you’re brave enough to ignore that advice, it’s then time to board the ride and get up close and personal with some of the dinosaur world’s most lethal hunters.
Once on the ride, you’ll enter a pre-launch sequence, at which point it will become evident that velociraptors are escaping their enclosures all around you. That’s when the adventure really begins. Guests will be hurtled down a winding, high-flying track. Expect to reach speeds of 70 miles per hour, endure 80 degree drops of up to 140 feet, and lots more—all with four raptors gnashing at your heels throughout. If you’re lucky enough to survive your brush with these ravenous dinos, you’ll then return to the safety of the station, where Grady will be waiting for you—only to have to rush off to another prehistoric emergency.
If you’d like to take a test flight before riding for real, try the POV video below, courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort:
Here are a few other things you should know about VelociCoaster before getting in line for the ride (h/t TouringPlans.com):
- Guests must be at least 51 inches (137 cm) tall to ride.
- Guests in wheelchairs and ECVs must transfer to the ride vehicle.
- Prosthetic limbs must be removed or secured during the ride. All guests must be able to brace themselves during the ride.
- Due to restraints, guests with waistlines larger than 40 inches might not be able to ride. Use the test seat outside the VelociCoaster entrance to ensure you can be accommodated.
- VelociCoaster requires guests to place all loose articles in a free locker prior to riding. Guests are required to go through a metal detector before boarding the ride.
- Rider Swap is offered for parties with members under the height requirement; see a Team Member at the entrance for assistance.
- This attraction is intense enough that some adults find it frightening. Ride at your own risk.
