Long time lurker, first time poster. The success of Velocicoaster has really made me think about the eventual updates to the River Adventure. Personally, I feel the mosasaurus scene, as spectacular as it is, really ruins the intro. It lacks the grandeur of the original lagoon entrance. Also, geographically it doesn’t make sense, given we are suppose to be entering beneath the water of the dinosaur’s tank, to exit by a waterfall. Spatially it is very confusing and disjointed. Now if/when changes come to IOA, I hope they just don’t copy and paste what they did in Hollywood. I was looking at Google Earth (bored out my mind going through chemo lol) and noticed the IOA ride has track that continues past the Hadrosaur scene, to the backstage maintenance area. Here are my thoughts (keeping the intro lagoon scene intact- with improved animatronics)
1) What if instead of being derailed into the backstage area, as happens in the Orlando version, we continue on the maintenance track? We pass the hadrosaur and maybe further up stream, before turning, pass a triceratops drinking at the river’s edge?
2) As the boat turns left to the maintenance exit, we see a grand entrance to the Jurassic Aviary. Our boat enters and, like the Mosasaur scene in Hollywood, screens are used to project the inside of a giant Aviary filled with flying dinosaurs.
3) Midway through, the power suddenly goes off and the ride stops. One of the pterosaurs takes notice of the boat and approaches the “electric fence“. It pecks at it, and then grasps it with its talons. The power is out!
4) Backup power suddenly turns back on and you are told over intercom that the fences are down throughout the park and guests are being evacuated through a maintenance gait.
5) As the boat heads toward the maintenance exit, the pterosaur is still frantically trying to bite/peck through the fence. One last jump scare before exiting could be a giant animatronic/practical effect beak suddenly breaking through the cage, snapping at the boat as it enters Predator cove.
After that, I have no problem with Universal pretty much cloning what they did in Hollywood. Maybe take out the raptors since they are now well established. Sorry for the long rambling rant, and thanks for reading! Like I said, I have plenty of time to think..and imagine. Here are some satellite photos to demonstrate what I’m trying to describe.