At long last, theJurassic World VelociCoasteris open to the public. Construction walls went up around the Jurassic Park area of Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park in January of 2019, and Universal Orlando stayed mum on what, exactly, it was doing behind those walls for a long time. Even as it was clear that a new roller coaster was being erected, Universal declined to officially unveil the new attraction until September 2020, when it looked like the thing was nearly done.
I got a chance to ride the VelociCoaster myself three times the day before the attraction’s grand opening in June, and came away pretty gobsmacked. It’s one of the best rides Universal Orlando has ever created, and really epitomizes what this theme park does best. But if you want to read a bit more about what you can expect from the VelociCoaster, I’ve put together a bit of a spoiler-free guide to get you primed and ready. Just be prepared to scream.
RELATED:The Jurassic World VelociCoaster Is Absolutely Terrifying… and I Loved Every Minute of It
It’s Genuinely Scary
The main question many people are asking is, “Is the VelociCoaster scary?” I’m someone who isn’t very fearful of roller coasters – there aren’t many that I’d refuse to go on. But folks, the VelociCoaster is absolutely terrifying. This is due in large part to how surprising the entire ride is. If you’ve ridden a lot of coasters you pretty much know what to expect – a left turn here, a drop there, a slow-down before another drop. But the VelociCoaster flips these expectations on their head, so you really don’t know what’s just around the corner. And you are not prepared for the big drop, or what precedes it.
So yes, the VelociCoaster is scary. But it’s also an absolute blast. It’s a fun-scream, not a get-me-off-this-thing scream.
It Takes Place Before the Events of ‘Jurassic World’
The attraction is nestled in the Jurassic Park area of Islands of Adventure, but of course this particular ride is part of the expansion of the franchise into theJurassic Worldfilms. To that end,Chris Pratt,Bryce Dallas Howard, andBD Wongall appear in videos throughout the queue, but the events of this attraction precede the full-on meltdown that happens in the firstJurassic Worldmovie. The story of the ride is that you’re entering the raptor enclosure, but again at this point Jurassic World is fully operational and “safe,” so the experience of riding the ride is kind of like stepping into a functioning park.
It’s the Tallest, Fastest Launch Coaster in Florida
Here are some stats to keep in mind as you anticipating riding the VelociCoaster:
This is without doubt the most intense coaster at all of Universal Orlando, as it’s full of 360 degree inversions, sharp turns, and a dynamic inverted stall that spans more than 100 feet of track. Remember when I said this ride is surprising? That’s part and parcel with these extreme specs, the most intense of which is a moment during which you don’t slow down but speed up to 70mph in less than 3 seconds, which immediately launches you up to the 155-foot pinnacle of the ride before you plummet downwards right next to the entrance of the queue. And at that point the ride’s only half over.
And yet for all the extreme specs of this attraction, the ride experience is shockingly smooth. Some coasters are intense, but you pay the price in a headache or being flung to the side of the ride vehicle over and over again. But by science and/or magic, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster is a pleasantly smooth experience, so you can just focus on how insanely high up you are or how fast you’re going instead of how many bruises you’re going to have on your shoulder once you get off.
You Will Fly — Literally
Samuel L. Jacksonmade the “hold onto your butts” line famous in the firstJurassic Park, but you’l want to literally heed his advice while on the VelociCoaster. As the attraction speeds through, up, and over you feel weightless more times than you may count. You will literally fly up and out of your seat, restrained securely by the ride vehicle’s bar but feeling no less terrified as you’re flung towards the lagoon that’s central to Islands of Adventure’s geography. You know how you feel weightless, like, once on an intense roller coaster? That happens multiple times on the VelociCoaster, and it will nearly stop your heart every dang time.
It’s Basically Rip-Ride Rocket Meets Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
And yet for all this talk of thrills, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster is also highly themed. In that way it’s a combination of two of Universal Orlando’s standout rides: the extreme coaster Rip-Ride Rocket and the coaster/dark-ride comboHagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures. The latter is one of the best attractions I’ve ever been on, as it combines a coaster with the smoothness and animatronics of a great dark ride. And while the VelociCoaster doesn’t have any animatronics (nor does it slow down enough for you to see any), it does prominently feature raptor figures throughout, as well as sounds that immerse you right into the action, making it feel as though you are actually inside the raptor habitat.
The Jurassic World VelociCoaster feels like a further evolution of Universal Orlando’s attractions. The park began all those years ago as a place where you could “ride the movies,” then solidified itself as a thrill-ride alternative to the more kid-centric Walt Disney World. Now, with the massive success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, full-on world-immersion is the name of the game, and the VelociCoaster succeeds as both an extreme thrill ride and an immersive dip into the Jurassic World franchise.
