Complete Guide to Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando

Complete Guide to Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando

Complete Guide to Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando

This article is your complete guide to everything Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando! If you’re planning a trip to Universal’s Islands of Adventure, the Jurassic Park land is one of the most iconic corners of the entire resort. From the Jurassic World VelociCoaster to a face-to-face standoff with Blue the Velociraptor, this area delivers some of the best theme park moments you can have in Orlando. But before you head out in 2026, there are some important things you need to know.

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Universal Orlando Jurassic Park Land

The Jurassic Park land at Universal Orlando is located at Universal’s Islands of Adventure Park and is full of prehistoric details for fans to love. This land opened with the park in 1999 and most recently opened an intense roller coaster – Jurassic World VelociCoaster. This is one of the most popular rides in all of Universal Orlando! This ride is also included with early park admission when Universal has Islands of Adventure open which makes it another reason why many families will want to be as familiar with it as possible. On top of that, it’s also home to two other rides in the Jurassic Park River Adventure and Pteranodon Flyers. The kids play area, Camp Jurassic is home to some of the best theming across the parks. Plus, you can even meet Blue at the Raptor Encounter. Jurassic Park is one of the most fun-filled lands at Universal Orlando Resort.

Whether you’re visiting with young kids or looking for pure adrenaline, Jurassic Park has something for you. Here’s what you need to know about each experience.

Which theme park is Jurassic Park in?

The main Jurassic World theme park land we are talking about is located within Universal Orlando Resort, at the Islands of Adventure park. It is filled with immersive experiences, blood-pumping attractions, dining options and so much more!

Related Page: Shop The Cheapest Universal Orlando Tickets 

Universal Jurassic Park Rides

Universal Orlando Jurassic Park Rides

• Jurassic World VelociCoaster
• Pteranodon Flyers
• Jurassic Park River Adventure

Jurassic World VelociCoaster

The VelociCoaster is Universal Orlando’s newest addition and is one of the most thrilling rides in all of Orlando. The VelociCoaster is inspired by the Jurassic World films, with Owen Grady and Claire Dearing as your guides through your tour into the velociraptor enclosure. This Jurassic Park ride at Islands of Adventure is all an adrenaline lover needs with two high speed launches, barrel rolls, 155 feet top hat drop and Velociraptors looking to make you their lunch. This new Jurassic Park ride is offered during Early Park Admission too, which is great seeing as that it is one of the most popular rides in all of Universal Orlando Resort.

• Height requirement: 51 inches
• Top speed: 70 mph
• Inversions: 12
• Duration: approximately 1 minute 12 seconds
• Express Pass: accepted

Jurassic Park River Adventure

Jurassic Park River Adventure is closed for refurbishment from January 5, 2026, through approximately November 20, 2026. 

The Jurassic Park River Adventure gives us all the nostalgic feels, as you board a bright yellow river raft to give you a tour of the dinosaurs up close. This is going to be the ride John Hammond would have created for the park, with plenty of dinos and nostalgia for lovers of the film. Of course, you can expect a Jurassic Park boat ride to have some dangerous mishaps along the way when you’re within an arm’s distance of prehistoric creatures. It’s important to note that this is also considered to be one of the Universal Orlando water rides located in the main two theme parks.

Pteranodon Flyers

This Universal Studios Jurassic Park ride is more for the kiddos, so if you’re traveling with little ones, make sure to check it out. Pteranodon Flyers is a slow and gentle swing ride suspended in the air while flying beneath the 10 foot wings of a Pteranodon. Just note that this attraction is only for kids, and adults can only ride if they have riders with them between 36 and 56 inches. You can get amazing view of the Islands of Adventure lagoon while aboard your dino. so if you can, we definitely recommend giving it a shot.

Related Post: Complete Guide to Universal Roller Coasters

Jurassic Park Experiences

Camp Jurassic

While Camp Jurassic isn’t technically a Universal Jurassic Park Ride, it is still an attraction that we highly recommend. If you’re looking to cool down or let the kids run off some energy, Camp Jurassic is a giant playground with all the bells and whistles you could ask for. Camp Jurassic has rope bridges, hidden pathways, lost caves, water cannons and more! Just know the area is BIG, so keep an eye on little ones!

Raptor Encounter

The Raptor Encounter is one of the most immersive experiences guests can get when visiting the Jurassic World Universal Orlando section of the park. Those wanting to can meet Blue the Velociraptor, in a very life-like interaction at this character meet and greet.

Jurassic Park Discovery Center

As the true centerpiece of everything in the Universal Studios Jurassic Park area, The Discovery Center is a must-do attraction. This is the exact replica from the iconic Jurassic Park film filled with dinosaur skeletons, models, and even hatching raptor eggs. We enjoy visiting because it has some great interactive activities for the little ones, shopping and is home to Burger Digs.

Jurassic Park Games

Alongside the Discovery Center, you’ll find carnival-style midway games. These are optional paid add-ons, but the prizes are great — Jurassic Park and Jurassic World themed plush, merch, and keepsakes.

Related Post: Universal for Kids

Jurassic Park Food

Jurassic Park in Universal Islands of Adventure is home to three quick service locations, a bar, and multiple snack stands. It is actually home to our ultimate favorite quick-service spot in Universal Orlando Resort and that is Thunder Falls Terrace. Across the three quick service locations, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Thunder Falls Terrace – Closing Summer 2026

We have to be upfront: Thunder Falls Terrace has been our favorite quick-service restaurant at Universal Orlando for years. Rotisserie chicken, ribs, rice bowls with Pernil, nachos — real food in a theme park setting, with a stunning view overlooking the River Adventure flume. It was genuinely special.

That makes this next part hard to write: Thunder Falls Terrace is scheduled to close summer 2026. Universal has officially confirmed it will be replaced by a new full-service restaurant, expected to open in 2027. The new restaurant is part of a broader dining transformation connected to changes happening across Islands of Adventure (including Mythos Restaurant closing in 2027).

We’ll update this guide as more details emerge on the replacement concept. In the meantime, if you can catch Thunder Falls Terrace before it closes, do it.

The Burger Digs

The most popular quick service in Islands of Adventure is Burger Digs. It always has a long line…for good reason! The burgers here are delicious. PRO TIP – mobile order through the Universal Orlando Resort app so you don’t have to wait in line!

Pizza Predattoria

Craving some pizza? Stop by Pizza Predattoria! Enjoy fresh-baked pizzas, delicious meatball subs, and chicken Caesar salad. As New Yorkers, we can say that this pizza was good! It’s important to note that the only tables here are outside so if it’s one of those hot Florida days, you may want to eat somewhere indoors.

The Watering Hole

If you want to grab a drink before facing your fears on the VelociCoaster, this is the place to do it! The Watering Hole has beer, wine, and frozen cocktails to fountain sodas and lemonade

Related Post: Universal Dining Reservations Guide

Tips and Tricks for Visiting Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando

Okay, so now that you know which rides are waiting for you at Islands of Adventure let’s break down some of our favorite Universal Orlando tips and tricks to get the most out of your time in this area of the park.

• Use Early Park Admission
• Use Single Rider
• You can dry off if you need to!
• Know the locker situation before you arrive.

Use Early Park Admission

This is probably our most important tip for visiting the Jurassic Park land in Universal Orlando is to use Early Park Admission, which is included with all Park Prodigy multi-day Universal Orlando tickets or vacation packages. One of the main reasons why this tip is so important is the Jurassic World VelociCoaster is so popular that guests can wait upwards of 60 minutes to take a ride. There are only a few attractions offered during this time, and Jurassic World VelociCoaster is one of them!

Use Single Rider Lines

If you don’t like getting up in the morning or can’t get Early Park Admission, your second way to cut down the wait time is to do Single Rider for VelociCoaster. This could potentially get you on the Jurassic World attraction much faster than regular stand-by. Just note, Single Rider does not guarantee a shorter wait and you could potentially be waiting longer than stand-by if it isn’t too busy.

Dry off if you need to

You can get pretty wet when riding on the Jurassic Park River Adventure attraction, and we know it can be a miserable day if you’re stuck in wet clothes all day. Around Jurassic Outfitters, you will find drying stations where you can purchase a session to stand in one of the giant dryers and air yourself out.

Know the locker situation before you arrive

Know the locker situation before you arrive. VelociCoaster doesn’t allow loose articles. Lockers are free for the duration of your ride, but they fill up. Arrive with your belongings already consolidated — backpack in the locker, essentials in your pockets, lanyards tucked in. This speeds up the process significantly.

Related post: Complete Guide to Water Rides at Universal

Planning Jurassic Park with Kids: Ages and Strategy

Jurassic Park works well for mixed-age groups, but the strategy depends heavily on who’s in your party.

For families with toddlers and young children (under 42 inches): Neither VelociCoaster nor River Adventure is accessible for very young kids. The sweet spot here is Camp Jurassic (excellent for all ages), the Raptor Encounter (no height requirement, very memorable for young dinosaur fans), and the Discovery Center. Budget about 2 hours for this combo.

For kids 42–51 inches: When River Adventure reopens, this group can ride it — but VelociCoaster remains off the table. The Raptor Encounter is a highlight for this age range, and the Discovery Center’s interactive stations are a big hit. Pteranodon Flyers, when it reopens, is designed for exactly this group.

For thrill-seekers 51 inches and up: VelociCoaster is your main event. Pair it with a plan to rope-drop it via Early Park Admission, and consider Express Pass if you want a second ride without a long wait. The rest of the land rounds out a great 2–3 hour visit.

Rider swap: Universal offers a rider swap (child swap) service. One parent rides while the other stays with the child, then they switch without re-queuing. Ask a team member at VelociCoaster’s entrance for details.

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Universal Orlando Jurassic Park FAQ

Q: Is there a real dinosaur at Universal Studios?

A: So, while the character meet and greet with Blue the Velociraptor is VERY life like, and even pretty scary for little ones … she is not real. We truly wish there was a way that we could meet a real-life dinosaur while inside of Jurassic Park. Unfortunately, we will have to settle with the dinos inside of the attractions and the very immersive meet and greets Universal comes up with.

Q: What park is Jurassic World in?

A: Jurassic World and Jurassic Park are part of the same movie series but feature different theme parks in their stories. Fans can enjoy the excitement of these movies at Universal Studios with thrilling rides. Universal Studios Hollywood has Jurassic World – The Ride, where you get to experience the world filled with dinosaurs. Over at Universal Orlando Resort, the VelociCoaster brings you a heart-stopping ride inspired by the newer Jurassic World movies. Even though there isn’t a full Jurassic World section in the parks, these rides give fans a taste of the action and adventure from the films, making them a must-see for anyone who loves the series

Q: Is Jurassic Park Disney?

A: It’s so popular one of the most common questions that we receive is, is Jurassic park Disney or Universal? And guests will be happy to know that the rights to the franchise characters and the Jurassic Park rides are located in Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood. In fact the Jurassic park rides at Universal tend to be some of the most popular, including the newest attraction the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando Islands of Adventure.

Q: Is there a Jurassic World theme park?

A: Unfortunately, there is not a stand alone Jurassic World theme park. There are Jurassic World attractions within Universal Orlando and Universal Hollywood, but there isn’t a designated Jurassic World land yet!

Q: What park is Jurassic World in Orlando?

A: The Jurassic World VelociCoaster is located within Universal Orland Resort at the Islands of Adventure park in Orlando. That is the only Jurassic World attraction within Orlando.

Q: What theme park has Jurassic Park?

A: Universal Orlando Resort is the theme park within the United States that has a Jurassic Park land. Universal Studios Hollywood does have the Jurassic World ride in it, which is relatively new.

Q: Which Universal Studios has a Jurassic Park?

A: The park in Universal Orlando Resort theme park that has Jurassic Park is Islands of Adventure park.

Q: Is Jurassic Park Disney or Universal?

A: Universal owns the rights to Jurassic Park, so you will not see any Jurassic Park Disney merchandise, rides or theming within the parks or stores.

Q: Is Jurassic Park ride still at Universal Studios Orlando?

A: Yes, Jurassic Park River Adventure is still at Universal Orlando in Islands of Adventure park. From time to time, the ride does close due to refurbishments, but it is still an active attraction at Universal Studios Jurassic Park!

Q: Can you meet a dinosaur at Universal Orlando?

A: Yes — the Raptor Encounter gives guests a face-to-face interaction with Blue, a life-size, extraordinarily realistic velociraptor animatronic from the Jurassic World films. It’s included with park admission and no height requirement applies. It’s legitimately one of the most impressive character experiences in any theme park.

Q: Is VelociCoaster covered by Universal Express Pass?

Yes. VelociCoaster is now part of the Universal Express Pass attraction lineup at Islands of Adventure, allowing Express Pass holders to skip the standby queue.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Universal Orlando?

Our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We breakdown the park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices by day, and average temperature.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Universal Orlando Trip?

If you are planning a trip to Universal Orlando be sure to check out our discounted multi-day Universal Orlando tickets and Universal Orlando vacation package deals which include EARLY PARK ADMISSION to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!