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Future of Jurassic Park River Adventure

Do you want River Adventure to get the Hollywood treatment or stay JP?

  • Keep it JP

    Votes: 104 36.5%
  • Bring on the iRex

    Votes: 181 63.5%

  • Total voters
    285
It looks thoroughly unimpressive to me in the ride videos, especially as the first scene of a ride that is supposed to set the tone. I get why Hollywood thought they needed to enclose the lagoon for sightline reasons, but IOA doesn't have to worry about that. The transition out of the "tank" also seems quite awkwardly handled.

If I have the choice of seeing animatronic dinosaurs (plural) or a single CGI creature, give me the AAs. Always.
 
It looks thoroughly unimpressive to me in the ride videos, especially as the first scene of a ride that is supposed to set the tone. I get why Hollywood thought they needed to enclose the lagoon for sightline reasons, but IOA doesn't have to worry about that. The transition out of the "tank" also seems quite awkwardly handled.

If I have the choice of seeing animatronic dinosaurs (plural) or a single CGI creature, give me the AAs. Always.

In person it works really well though.
 
In person it works really well though.
Yep, def something I think you can't get a feel for unless you see in person. Maybe some real AAs would be better, but the mix of both works well here and I think the water effects sell the screen part. I definitely much prefer it over the crooked neck dinosaurs
 
If you look back do you see the wall holding the screen (not literally I hope, just lightly themed but obvious), or does that wall continue all the way to the shore, or at least looks a lot like when you first entered it?

I would only really mind the conversion here because that space is one of the few open areas. Putting a tunnel over it when you're in tunnels later on would feel like a waste. Put some more rock work in and freshen up what's there, toss in a few other dino AAs. If the water was darker and deeper I would say throw in another Parasaurolophus that just passes the boat.

Storywise it could also hint at a couple of things: the bump off course, but for people paying close attention it would be a detail if you realize that dino isn't supposed to all the way there (things are escaping as usual, wouldn't be a complete day at JP without at least one escape during your visit or your money back).
 
If you look back do you see the wall holding the screen (not literally I hope, just lightly themed but obvious), or does that wall continue all the way to the shore, or at least looks a lot like when you first entered it?
As far as I remember from when it first opened, if you look back on the left side between the end of the "tank" and the waterfall there's just... nothing. I think some plants maybe left over from the old lagoon, but it kind of ruins the suspension of disbelief when there's no wall where the "tank" should be.

I would so, so, so much rather have had the tank scene come after the cave, not before it. I always loved that big reveal as the gates opened, it really made me feel like I was somewhere else entirely (back when Despicable Me was still T2 at least. Kind of hard to ignore the giant minion now). I feel like the sightlines could have been managed with either some foliage or new rockwork, perhaps. I think the pacing of the ride would have been improved greatly if they had kept the lagoon scene, and then after the cave, you enter into the Mosasaurus tank. I always felt that that section of the ride was the slowest.

The scene really does work better in person, but its placement in the course of the ride is my biggest problem with the JW reskin in Hollywood. Initially, I was also disappointed by the ending, when the Indominous Rex was more static. The new finale is a HUGE improvement, and I actually prefer it over the original now.

I think if they're going to retheme to JW in Orlando, the biggest thing to rethink is the Mosasaurus scene. I also hope they keep the dropping crate, since Hollywood's version has felt pretty empty in that section since the falling Jeep stopped working years ago.
 
Bringing this conversation in here:

(This can probably be moved to the River Adventure thread, but) We going to forget the changes and updates made during the pandemic, before USH reopened? During the months that followed the closure, they changed up Predator Cove to include more practical effects (like bringing back the compies and moving the I-Rex head used as the placeholder before people got to the second lift hill), and finished the I-Rex animatronic in T-Rex Kingdom.

Universal is aware of changes that would need to be made for Jurassic, if they weren't, why was Hollywood's version given additional updates?

__

Honestly, I think combining a River Adventure revamp alongside a new parade for USF is the logical call. Superstar Parade is well over a decade and during that time, Universal did their first non-seasonal parade internally with Universal Spectacle.

By improve, what I really mean is ditch the mosasaur screen tunnel and instead plus the existing lagoon with new animatronics of the current dinosaurs, as well as some brand-new dinosaur additions in AA form.

Then from the Predator Cove scene (that's what they call it in Hollywood, right?) onward, bring over what was done at USH.

(Again, if we must have a JW conversion; I'd be perfectly happy with it remaining JP along with new animatronics.)
 
I just think that converting it to the Jurassic WORLD River Adventure would:
-update an extremely outdated attraction
-connect VelociCoaster to it ("Owen, there's been a small incident at the River Adventure")
-make the theming in the land consistent (Jurassic World VC but then you look to the right and it's the Jurassic Park Discovery Center)
-And a whole JW rebrand would very likely mean the whole area could get a nice new coat of blue and silver paint!

I don't see any world where this isn't the better choice apart from blind nostalgia, which we know Universal doesn't really care for (RIP JAWS, BTTF, Kong, etc...)
 
I was against JW taking over JP prior to Velocicoaster and USH's updated JW ride since most of us would agree that JP is the bigger fan favorite and better aesthetic.

With that said, they've done such a great job at the JW stuff that's its better for them to convert the land entirely to JW and not let JP rot.

I think most of us would agree that the opening scene of JPRA would be a better choice (if updated with animatronics that actually work) than the tank. The tank is a GREAT feature for right after the waterfall since that section of JPRA is currently in a sad state.
 
I just think that converting it to the Jurassic WORLD River Adventure would:
-update an extremely outdated attraction
-connect VelociCoaster to it ("Owen, there's been a small incident at the River Adventure")
-make the theming in the land consistent (Jurassic World VC but then you look to the right and it's the Jurassic Park Discovery Center)
-And a whole JW rebrand would very likely mean the whole area could get a nice new coat of blue and silver paint!

I don't see any world where this isn't the better choice apart from blind nostalgia, which we know Universal doesn't really care for (RIP JAWS, BTTF, Kong, etc...)
Beyond a very heavy update for JPRA...it's basically just swapping out signage
 
I much prefer the JP color palette of oranges, reds, yellows, and browns to the more sterile and industrial blue and silver of JW.

But that's me!

Your absolutely right, JP is the better aesthetic... but JW is the only way we can see the ride/land properly improved since Comcast/Marketing wants JW promoted, not JP.
 
I get the thinking that everything must be blue and grey, but the film itself really utilizes earth tones for the buildings. I believe the color combo in Hollywood may be done because the land is smaller, and they wanted it to feel like a complete rebrand to tie in with the ride. Orlando has the luxury of space, so I’m hoping it’s a mix of VC and the existing structures - maybe with more complimentary warm colors, less orange - more brown.

[
jurassic-world-07.jpg
 
I get the thinking that everything must be blue and grey, but the film itself really utilizes earth tones for the buildings. I believe the color combo in Hollywood may be done because the land is smaller, and they wanted it to feel like a complete rebrand to tie in with the ride. Orlando has the luxury of space, so I’m hoping it’s a mix of VC and the existing structures - maybe with more complimentary warm colors, less orange - more brown.

[
jurassic-world-07.jpg


The City Walk of Jurassic World was very cool to see in the movie.

An immersive JW hotel would work way better at a park than an outer space cruise ship, ha.
 
As far as I remember from when it first opened, if you look back on the left side between the end of the "tank" and the waterfall there's just... nothing. I think some plants maybe left over from the old lagoon, but it kind of ruins the suspension of disbelief when there's no wall where the "tank" should be.

I would so, so, so much rather have had the tank scene come after the cave, not before it. I always loved that big reveal as the gates opened, it really made me feel like I was somewhere else entirely (back when Despicable Me was still T2 at least. Kind of hard to ignore the giant minion now). I feel like the sightlines could have been managed with either some foliage or new rockwork, perhaps. I think the pacing of the ride would have been improved greatly if they had kept the lagoon scene, and then after the cave, you enter into the Mosasaurus tank. I always felt that that section of the ride was the slowest.

The scene really does work better in person, but its placement in the course of the ride is my biggest problem with the JW reskin in Hollywood. Initially, I was also disappointed by the ending, when the Indominous Rex was more static. The new finale is a HUGE improvement, and I actually prefer it over the original now.

I think if they're going to retheme to JW in Orlando, the biggest thing to rethink is the Mosasaurus scene. I also hope they keep the dropping crate, since Hollywood's version has felt pretty empty in that section since the falling Jeep stopped working years ago.
Ideally I'd rather wait another ten years for a copy of the Beijing Jurassic ride. I do not even care if its the same ride system as Spiderman, that scene of the Indominus chasing the vehicle is legendary. Nobody has confirmed whether the Owen portrayed on the attraction was actually played by Chris Pratt or a deepfake, but if it is the case that he took part in this, surely a recording exists of him saying his lines in English, right?
 
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We were there last week for Spring Break and the Rex’s jaw was back to working properly at the end. I was glad to see that. Still sad what has happened to the other AA’s. The Parasaurolophus is back to being sluggish. The poor raptors just need to be taken out of their misery. They look like they tried to fix the 2nd one a bit but it still looks bad. Why can’t they go back to the strobe light for the 2nd one like they used to have? It at least disguised it a bit. At least the Rex is back to being good and the Dilo’s were pretty good.
 
We were there last week for Spring Break and the Rex’s jaw was back to working properly at the end. I was glad to see that. Still sad what has happened to the other AA’s. The Parasaurolophus is back to being sluggish. The poor raptors just need to be taken out of their misery. They look like they tried to fix the 2nd one a bit but it still looks bad. Why can’t they go back to the strobe light for the 2nd one like they used to have? It at least disguised it a bit. At least the Rex is back to being good and the Dilo’s were pretty good.
If they’re not switching it to JW, then please at least fix the AAs. This and ET could use some serious love.
 
If they’re not switching it to JW, then please at least fix the AAs. This and ET could use some serious love.

Totally agree. Even if they have to close it for like 6 months like with Mummy, it would be worth it to replace/repair the AA’s. ET does need some love too especially since it seems like it’s gonna be around for a while. Universal seems to really be embracing its history, legacy, and nostalgia over the past few years and you’d think with that they’d want to keep up their only true retro attraction.
 
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