Very, very much a case of wishful thinking, but when I first heard more about these plans for a lightly-themed thrill coaster in Jurassic Park in IoA, I immediately hoped it would be a T-Rex single-rail RMC coaster (the big brother to the Raptor single-rail that's used in Railblazer at California Great America and Golden Lasso at Fiesta Texas). This type of single-rail/monorail coaster track is so serpentine and gorgeous (very befitting for this coaster's eventual land), with very thin, ribbon-like track that requires far fewer support structures than a traditional steel coaster (thus ruining less of the Jurassic island's skyline while still being eye-catching), allows for incredible maneuvers (these are very much thrill coasters, even with how smooth they are), and, as they have such thin rails, allows for cars with smaller profiles that feel very open and offer incredible views while on the ride (Railblazer's cars are themed to atvs and they look
great). While the Raptor models are great (and are the only two currently running right now, though a third is expected to go to the SF Mexico park), their tracks and cars are single-rider, 8-person models, which wouldn't work well in a park as large and busy as Universal, and their overall coaster footprints are small (the coasters are shorter rides, but damn do they haul and thrill). The T-Rex model features two-passenger-across cars, doubling each train's capacity, and the track is both (slightly) wider and built to allow longer tracks, more trains (important for capacity) and more thrilling elements, as well as taller drops, while still being very thin and cost effective (which might be important to Universal, especially if they would like to work around the buildings/rides that are remaining in JP without burying the entire land in supports, but also want to retheme large portions of the island in addition to the coaster). When I see the single-rail coasters in action and how the cars twist, dive and float along their tracks, I immediately thought of the Pteranodon and Dimorphodon escape/attack scene in the Jurassic World movie--a coaster themed to dinosaurs swooping around the land, the Discovery Center and out over the lagoon would be
amazing. Also, given there are no T-Rex models built anywhere in the world, Universal would have yet another unique, can't-ride-this-anywhere-else thrill ride in its profile, which seems to be right up Universal's alley
Wonder Woman's theme isn't really anything to write home about, but Railblazer's is quite nice, and fits what I think UC might mean by "lightly themed", should anyone want to Google it. Also, the RB cars are more unique with their ATV look, which could also work in JP if Pteranodon cars would seem too cheesy. I mean, it's still a rollercoaster, and some fans of IoA will always be unhappy with its inevitable changing of the land and skyline, but it feels and looks like the least-intrusive model that will still provide thrills and fill out the park's coaster lineup. Given how tightly these can bend, twist, and wrap around structures (I'm thinking of the DC, in particular), this style of coaster would be ideal. Not that it will ever happen (even though RMC is currently down that way building RMC Gwazi....), but a coaster fan can dream. :drool:
/end wishful thinking
Edited to include a promotional picture of Railblazer. You can google images for the actual coaster, which is (slightly, I think) less themed than this image, but still lovely. An off-ride video of the coaster's first test runs can be found
here. The official on-ride POV is
here. I lovelove
love the roar this coaster makes.