It is officially time to race with some raptors. The all-new Jurassic World Velocicoaster opened this morning and let me tell you, it is JUST AMAZING! I have been anxiously waiting and watching as this one-of-a-kind thrill ride has been built and I was SO ready to try it! I can tell you that I am the first one to jump on just about any rollercoaster or thrill ride – I love them all – but I have not experienced anything like it! What a rush!
Check out our complete guide to this unbelievable new attraction.
The Back Story
Imagine that this ride takes place shortly before the events of the first Jurassic World movie. You may remember that Claire Dearing was challenged to give park guests “more teeth”, resulting in the creation of Indominus Rex. However, that attraction was delayed due to a few hiccups and Claire has designed a new ride! The velociraptors are showing clear intelligence and responding well to commands given by their trainer, Owen Grady. It seemed that having a roller coaster go through their paddock would be a great idea. What could possibly go wrong?
The Line
From the moment you enter the line for Velocicoaster, you are pulled into the story. You are greeted by a large sculpture of the fabulous four – Blue, Delta, Echo, and Charlie. There is also a video message from Mr. DNA. As you continue through, you will learn more about the work being done at Jurassic World, courtesy of your favorite genetic engineer. Be on the lookout for Easter Eggs from the Jurassic movie series, including a nod to my personal favorite, the expert on chaos theory!
As you go further, you are just feet away from the epic 70 mph launch. First, though, you have to make your way through the Raptor Stable. You come face-to-face with two of the raptors, Delta and Echo. They are preparing for the hunt, and you’re so close you can feel them breathing! Don’t worry, you will encounter all four of the raptors again. Don’t blink though – you are going fast!
Right before you board, you get another safety briefing from Claire Dearing and an entertaining warning from Owen Grady in the Raptor Dispatch – “When the gates open, I guess the hunt is on!”
The Ride Experience
Jurassic World Velocicoaster is the tallest and fastest launch coaster in Florida. It has FOUR inversions and only a lap bar restraint. In my opinion, that only adds to the thrill because it is such a unique sensation! At the very beginning, you will launch 70 mph in 2.4 seconds through the Raptor Paddock. You will get up close and personal with all four raptors in the paddock before another launch to 50 mph in 3 seconds. One of the most unique features of this attraction is the 155 foot tall “Top Hat”, resulting in a drop of 140 feet at 80 degrees!
I loved every moment of this ride but the most thrilling part for me was the barrel roll over the lagoon! This was toward the end of the ride. I love that the thrills do not stop from start to finish! It’s intense and amazing throughout!
Ride Facts & Stats
- There are no brakes on the VelociCoaster until it’s over
- VelociCoaster is the fastest roller coaster at any Universal park
- The VelociCoaster actually speeds up during the second half of the ride and keeps that speed all the way to the final brakes
- The VelociCoaster is all about the thrills – speed, airtime, and direction changes. This airtime is experienced upside down, sideways, and right-side-up!
- There are several unique inversions on this ride including:
- The Dive Loop rotating you upside down before diving to the ground
- An inverted stall, flipping upside down and leaving you feeling weightless for 100 ft of track
- The one-of-a-kind barrel roll where you roll upside down at approximately 50 mph over the lagoon
- The minimum height requirement to ride is 51″ and child swap is available upon request
- Lockers are required for this attraction and you will go through a metal detector before boarding
Don’t Forget…
When you are done racing with the velociraptors on the rollercoaster, stop by the Raptor Encounter to meet a few of the clever girls! You may encounter Blue, her little sisters Sierra and Tango, or the newest addition, Bravo. You can grab a photo and say hi before running for your life!
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