Jurassic World VelociCoaster: Your guide to Universal Orlando's latest thrill ride
ORLANDO, Fla. - Attention thrill-seekers: the hunt is on.
Universal Orlando's latest thrill ride, Jurassic World: VelociCoaster, officially opens on Thursday. The theme park has been allowing riders to preview the ride since last month, but on Thursday, the teeth were officially unleashed!
Crowds lined up bright and early to check out the new coaster. Universal Parks News Today reported that the line to get on was backed up all way to the King Kong ride.
According to Universal's app, the wait time at opening was 3 hours.
Photos from Universal Park News Today
Photos from Universal Park News Today
Universal Orlando Resort previously described the thrill ride as "a series of intense maneuvers that will send guests catapulting up to 70 mph and more than 150 feet in the air with the swiftest of prehistoric predators."
From the moment you enter, riders will be confronted by Velociraptors the blockbuster "Jurassic World" films – including fan-favorite Blue, along with Charlie, Delta and Echo – as they prepare to join the hunt alongside the ferocious pack in an epic, high-speed coaster chase.
- Guests will be able to peer into the Raptor paddock while venturing through the queue – and watch the hunt they are about to embark on unfold before their very eyes. Red flashing lights and a loud rumble will draw guests to a collection of adjacent windows, where they’ll witness the physical coaster roaring by at exhilarating speeds of 70 mph with the Raptor pack in hot pursuit.
- Next up in the queue are the stables, where the scent of wet dirt and vegetation from the paddock permeates the air, meaning one thing – Velociraptors are near. Here, they’ll come across Delta and Echo, who will scan the room, studying riders as they pass by – occasionally testing the limits of the grooming stations currently restraining them. This awe-inspiring moment will be the first face-to-face encounter guests will have with the Raptors – and they’ll be so close, guests will even feel their breath.
- Then, the hunt officially begins as guests board ride vehicles and take off on an intense coaster adventure where they’ll narrowly escape Blue, Charlie, Delta and Echo as they twist, turn and soar through the paddock.
RELATED: FOX 35 gets inside Jurassic World's VelociCoaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure
Rider tip: a VelociCoaster team member told FOX 35 News that riding in the front row offers the best view, but you'll feel the twists and turns of the ride more in the very back row. He also said to make sure you put your hands in the air during the barrel roll!
Lines are expected to be very long. FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Kristin Giannas says to be sure to have some water on you while you are waiting because Orlando will hit the mid-90s today with lots of sunshine.
Watch FOX 35 News for the latest theme park updates.