Jurassic World VelociCoaster - Reviews, Photos, & Media
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- Feb 17, 2016
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Got two more rides in today, one at night! I can’t add anything that hasn’t already been said, but the nighttime view from the top of the top hat is absolutely breathtaking.
This may be interesting to people who don’t like dangling their feet: as we know there are 6 cars of 2 rows each in every train. The front row in each car requires dangling feet. You can easily brace your feet against the front row if you are in the 2nd row. So, if you like loose shoes, or like to brace your feet on Hulk, be sure to get an even number row on this.
This may be interesting to people who don’t like dangling their feet: as we know there are 6 cars of 2 rows each in every train. The front row in each car requires dangling feet. You can easily brace your feet against the front row if you are in the 2nd row. So, if you like loose shoes, or like to brace your feet on Hulk, be sure to get an even number row on this.
Ridden it 5 times, and somehow have always gotten a second seat no matter which car I am in. One day I'll have to dangle my feet freely, but not yet!
- Feb 15, 2012
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- Aug 17, 2009
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- Jun 7, 2016
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Well, here's all my thoughts
Video Version (if you don't want to read lol)
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Alright, so, overall thoughts on the ride...first impressions. Holy crap, this is an amazing addition to Universal Orlando and Florida in general. I don’t care what anyone says, IOA is the best park in Orlando. I mean, we have Spiderman, Harry Potter, Hagrid, Velocicoaster and some of the greatest water rides on the planet. This park is not joking around and Velocicoaster really adds to the park's overall lineup, while at the same time serving as a much needed replacement for Dueling Dragons. I get that Hagrid’s was technically a ‘replacement’ for Dragons, but Dragons were technically two coasters. Therefore Veloci and Hagrid's, in my eyes, serve as those replacements, and they couldn’t be more worthy successors.
Ok so let’s break down Velocicoaster and talk about my favorite elements. Like I said, we’ll get to the queue and overall area later.
The coaster begins with a winding path into the first launch and show scene. Now, I’ll be honest, I know there are raptors on screens next to the vehicle. I didn’t really see them. I get that some people have ridden the coaster 26 times and can see them. On my two rides I wasn’t able to make them out. So as far as “show scenes” go, this probably isn’t one of Universal’s best, but I’m not sure that matters. Honestly, your eyes are locked on to the launch in front of you.
Funny enough, my friend said to me after the ride “I need to ride again so I can see the raptor animatronics better”. I was like those aren’t animatronics, those are screens. He was like, oh really. So that’s neither here nor there, I just found it interesting. I think you’d really be able to see these things better at night, which I have yet to get.
Ok, so the first launch begins at a conservative pace and then really picks up towards the end of it. It’s almost like at the beginning it’s like “ok everyone hang on here we gooo” and then towards the end of the launch its like “oh crap, I’m running out of space, go fasterrr”. It really picks up and you’re wooshed into the first inversion.
Funny enough, this first launch is as fast as Hagrids last launch, for some perspective on intensity.
You are thrust up into the first inversion and get a little bit of hang time. It reminded me a lot of Copperhead strike’s loop...a little bit. You really have some fun hang time there and then the coaster dives right into some rockwork.
By the way, the rock work on this coaster is amazing. The near miss elements and just overall look and feel to the ride is just perfect. The rockwork would definitely be missed if it wasn’t there. Really adds to the experience.
Ok, so you quickly fly up into the next inversion, a tilted immelman thing….yeah let’s go with that for a name. And this is the first of many surprise airtime moments. You really pop out of your seat. I’ll be very honest, when watching this test from the ground it looks like the first half is going to be slow and just kind of meandering around waiting for the second launch. I was dead wrong on that assessment. The first half was a huge surprise, and this first element really gives you a preview of what’s coming.
The rest of the first half involves quick, snappy maneuvers through the rockwork and raptor paddock. Speaking of which, you fly by several raptors on your ride. They don’t move at all, they’re just realistic looking statues. Now, I do wish their mouth moved of something, but that’s just a minor complaint. Really neither here nor there.
If the first half has a motif, it’s snappy and tight pops around the rock work. It really was a huge surprise and you get a bunch of ejector moments. That’s the big thing with this coaster, there’s tons of ejector moments that just throw you out of your seat and it really feels like you’re a raptor on the hunt. I know that’s not the theme of the ride, but it certainly feels like a raptor darting around the paddock.
Right after the first half you are thrust into the second launch, and this launch really feels like a classic Intamin launch. You go from like 30 to 70 reaaal quick and it’s fantastic. I personally have this irrational fear that a bug or something is going to fly into my face or something, so I cover my face during a launch. I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, but just know this launch is pretty enclosed and you should be fine if you’re like me.
Anyway, you are straight up into the top hat element, and this element was interesting to me. First of all, I’ve gotten comments and heard about people that are nervous to ride this ride because of the top hat and drop. I can tell you that this drop really is not bad at all. You are shot up to the top of the top hat and fly over, before you even realize what’s happening you’re already down the drop. You really don’t get that stomach in your throat sensation that you get on like a Mako or any B&M hyper. It’s really not about that. You feel like you’re flying not falling. Not that I’m giving it any credit for being a good coaster, but Rip Ride Rockit’s drop is worse than Velocicoaster. Hell, even the vertical fall on Hagrids is worse than this. So if you’re concerned about the top hat and drop, don’t be, it’s not that kind of coaster.
However, the top hat is still thrilling, and if you have your hands up the whole time like me, your but is off the seat the whooole time. Like I said, flying not falling sensation.
From the drop you dive into a ravine and are straight up into the stall. This stall is pretty fun, I mean, if you’ve ridden an RMC stall you can kind of guess how you’ll feel on this one. I honestly think Pantheon’s stall will be more intense, but this one is just a fun little element. It’s great. You enter in counter-clockwise and then complete the roll at the end, which is pretty fun. I feel like on other stalls you enter in counter-clockwise and then roll back out clockwise, so it never completes the full rollover...could be wrong though. Fun element.
Next is one of my favorite parts, you swoop down and back up into an overbanked airtime hill. It’s like a sideways airtime moment that feels like it’s trying to shake you out from the side. I loved this moment a lot. Next is the left, right, left moment. I was under the impression that I was going to be floating through this moment, but not exactly. You don’t really get a ton of airtime from this moment. It’s still fun, just not what I was expecting. It honestly reminded me of trick track on some old wooden coasters back in the day. Nice goofy little element that makes you giggle..or scream..It’s fun.
Next you swoop down again and into an overbanked turn and over a small little bunny hop into the craziest element of this coaster. This next element really surprised the heck out of me. Like, it’s one of the craziest inversions in Florida right now. It’s called the Mososaurus Roll. I will try to do my best explaining what this feels like. I argue that it’s not a heartline roll. I’ve been on a few of those and this does NOT feel like any of those. It’s like a heartline roll for sure, but it’s got a slight bend to it and you take it with so much force that you are literally flung out of your seat. Like it feels like you’re going to be tossed right into the lagoon. You absolutely fly through this inversion. I’m honestly surprised there’s no trims before this thing. It’s a very intense moment, so brace yourself...and absolutely hold on to your glasses if you wear them. I don’t but I could imagine you’d lose them.
Lastly, you bounce up back into the station, there’s two small hills that are really fun.
And that’s Velocicoaster.
All I can say is wow. This is a crazy ride and an amazing addition to Orlando and Islands of Adventure in general. It’s got crazy ejector moments, great theming, and just some really interesting inversions.
I think that’s probably my favorite part of this ride. The inversions feel very modern and interesting.
It’s funny because I rode the Hulk right after this and even though I love the Hulk and an old school B&M, you can definitely tell that Veloci is the next generation of coasters that we can expect.
What’s really cool to me is that the Universal team designed this whole layout themselves. Like top to bottom, it’s a fully Universal concoction and it just feels great to ride. So great job to the team.
I do want to take a moment and talk about the queue and surrounding area. The queue is great. There are some fun moments of AAs and a fun video effect with raptors that I won’t spoil. Also the giant window looking out to the first half of the ride looks incredible. It really is a beautiful queue line.
I’m not so sure the story is that great, I mean, it’s a coaster themed to a coaster, I guess that’s a clever way to explain the coaster track...I don’t know, it’s really neither here nor there.
I could brag on this ride all day, it really is phenomenal and a must ride.
Is it the best in Florida, yes, absolutely. Mako is a close second of course and it will be interesting to see if Iron Gwazi tops this, but yes, Veloci is the best in Florida. Is it the best in the United States, I’m not sure it tops Steve for me, but it is easily, easily in the Top 5 coasters in the United States, like no question. As for the world, I can’t speak to that since I’ve been out of the country but never to a theme park outside of the country. I need too.
But yeah, Universal went ahead and built a Top 5 coaster right here in Orlando.
Ohio better watch out, because the Florida coaster game is getting strong and it doesn’t seem like Universal, SeaWorld, or Busch Gardens have any intention to stop building amazing coasters for years to come.
I don’t care what you have to do, get your vaccine and come ride this thing.
Video Version (if you don't want to read lol)
___
Alright, so, overall thoughts on the ride...first impressions. Holy crap, this is an amazing addition to Universal Orlando and Florida in general. I don’t care what anyone says, IOA is the best park in Orlando. I mean, we have Spiderman, Harry Potter, Hagrid, Velocicoaster and some of the greatest water rides on the planet. This park is not joking around and Velocicoaster really adds to the park's overall lineup, while at the same time serving as a much needed replacement for Dueling Dragons. I get that Hagrid’s was technically a ‘replacement’ for Dragons, but Dragons were technically two coasters. Therefore Veloci and Hagrid's, in my eyes, serve as those replacements, and they couldn’t be more worthy successors.
Ok so let’s break down Velocicoaster and talk about my favorite elements. Like I said, we’ll get to the queue and overall area later.
The coaster begins with a winding path into the first launch and show scene. Now, I’ll be honest, I know there are raptors on screens next to the vehicle. I didn’t really see them. I get that some people have ridden the coaster 26 times and can see them. On my two rides I wasn’t able to make them out. So as far as “show scenes” go, this probably isn’t one of Universal’s best, but I’m not sure that matters. Honestly, your eyes are locked on to the launch in front of you.
Funny enough, my friend said to me after the ride “I need to ride again so I can see the raptor animatronics better”. I was like those aren’t animatronics, those are screens. He was like, oh really. So that’s neither here nor there, I just found it interesting. I think you’d really be able to see these things better at night, which I have yet to get.
Ok, so the first launch begins at a conservative pace and then really picks up towards the end of it. It’s almost like at the beginning it’s like “ok everyone hang on here we gooo” and then towards the end of the launch its like “oh crap, I’m running out of space, go fasterrr”. It really picks up and you’re wooshed into the first inversion.
Funny enough, this first launch is as fast as Hagrids last launch, for some perspective on intensity.
You are thrust up into the first inversion and get a little bit of hang time. It reminded me a lot of Copperhead strike’s loop...a little bit. You really have some fun hang time there and then the coaster dives right into some rockwork.
By the way, the rock work on this coaster is amazing. The near miss elements and just overall look and feel to the ride is just perfect. The rockwork would definitely be missed if it wasn’t there. Really adds to the experience.
Ok, so you quickly fly up into the next inversion, a tilted immelman thing….yeah let’s go with that for a name. And this is the first of many surprise airtime moments. You really pop out of your seat. I’ll be very honest, when watching this test from the ground it looks like the first half is going to be slow and just kind of meandering around waiting for the second launch. I was dead wrong on that assessment. The first half was a huge surprise, and this first element really gives you a preview of what’s coming.
The rest of the first half involves quick, snappy maneuvers through the rockwork and raptor paddock. Speaking of which, you fly by several raptors on your ride. They don’t move at all, they’re just realistic looking statues. Now, I do wish their mouth moved of something, but that’s just a minor complaint. Really neither here nor there.
If the first half has a motif, it’s snappy and tight pops around the rock work. It really was a huge surprise and you get a bunch of ejector moments. That’s the big thing with this coaster, there’s tons of ejector moments that just throw you out of your seat and it really feels like you’re a raptor on the hunt. I know that’s not the theme of the ride, but it certainly feels like a raptor darting around the paddock.
Right after the first half you are thrust into the second launch, and this launch really feels like a classic Intamin launch. You go from like 30 to 70 reaaal quick and it’s fantastic. I personally have this irrational fear that a bug or something is going to fly into my face or something, so I cover my face during a launch. I’m not sure why I’m telling you this, but just know this launch is pretty enclosed and you should be fine if you’re like me.
Anyway, you are straight up into the top hat element, and this element was interesting to me. First of all, I’ve gotten comments and heard about people that are nervous to ride this ride because of the top hat and drop. I can tell you that this drop really is not bad at all. You are shot up to the top of the top hat and fly over, before you even realize what’s happening you’re already down the drop. You really don’t get that stomach in your throat sensation that you get on like a Mako or any B&M hyper. It’s really not about that. You feel like you’re flying not falling. Not that I’m giving it any credit for being a good coaster, but Rip Ride Rockit’s drop is worse than Velocicoaster. Hell, even the vertical fall on Hagrids is worse than this. So if you’re concerned about the top hat and drop, don’t be, it’s not that kind of coaster.
However, the top hat is still thrilling, and if you have your hands up the whole time like me, your but is off the seat the whooole time. Like I said, flying not falling sensation.
From the drop you dive into a ravine and are straight up into the stall. This stall is pretty fun, I mean, if you’ve ridden an RMC stall you can kind of guess how you’ll feel on this one. I honestly think Pantheon’s stall will be more intense, but this one is just a fun little element. It’s great. You enter in counter-clockwise and then complete the roll at the end, which is pretty fun. I feel like on other stalls you enter in counter-clockwise and then roll back out clockwise, so it never completes the full rollover...could be wrong though. Fun element.
Next is one of my favorite parts, you swoop down and back up into an overbanked airtime hill. It’s like a sideways airtime moment that feels like it’s trying to shake you out from the side. I loved this moment a lot. Next is the left, right, left moment. I was under the impression that I was going to be floating through this moment, but not exactly. You don’t really get a ton of airtime from this moment. It’s still fun, just not what I was expecting. It honestly reminded me of trick track on some old wooden coasters back in the day. Nice goofy little element that makes you giggle..or scream..It’s fun.
Next you swoop down again and into an overbanked turn and over a small little bunny hop into the craziest element of this coaster. This next element really surprised the heck out of me. Like, it’s one of the craziest inversions in Florida right now. It’s called the Mososaurus Roll. I will try to do my best explaining what this feels like. I argue that it’s not a heartline roll. I’ve been on a few of those and this does NOT feel like any of those. It’s like a heartline roll for sure, but it’s got a slight bend to it and you take it with so much force that you are literally flung out of your seat. Like it feels like you’re going to be tossed right into the lagoon. You absolutely fly through this inversion. I’m honestly surprised there’s no trims before this thing. It’s a very intense moment, so brace yourself...and absolutely hold on to your glasses if you wear them. I don’t but I could imagine you’d lose them.
Lastly, you bounce up back into the station, there’s two small hills that are really fun.
And that’s Velocicoaster.
All I can say is wow. This is a crazy ride and an amazing addition to Orlando and Islands of Adventure in general. It’s got crazy ejector moments, great theming, and just some really interesting inversions.
I think that’s probably my favorite part of this ride. The inversions feel very modern and interesting.
It’s funny because I rode the Hulk right after this and even though I love the Hulk and an old school B&M, you can definitely tell that Veloci is the next generation of coasters that we can expect.
What’s really cool to me is that the Universal team designed this whole layout themselves. Like top to bottom, it’s a fully Universal concoction and it just feels great to ride. So great job to the team.
I do want to take a moment and talk about the queue and surrounding area. The queue is great. There are some fun moments of AAs and a fun video effect with raptors that I won’t spoil. Also the giant window looking out to the first half of the ride looks incredible. It really is a beautiful queue line.
I’m not so sure the story is that great, I mean, it’s a coaster themed to a coaster, I guess that’s a clever way to explain the coaster track...I don’t know, it’s really neither here nor there.
I could brag on this ride all day, it really is phenomenal and a must ride.
Is it the best in Florida, yes, absolutely. Mako is a close second of course and it will be interesting to see if Iron Gwazi tops this, but yes, Veloci is the best in Florida. Is it the best in the United States, I’m not sure it tops Steve for me, but it is easily, easily in the Top 5 coasters in the United States, like no question. As for the world, I can’t speak to that since I’ve been out of the country but never to a theme park outside of the country. I need too.
But yeah, Universal went ahead and built a Top 5 coaster right here in Orlando.
Ohio better watch out, because the Florida coaster game is getting strong and it doesn’t seem like Universal, SeaWorld, or Busch Gardens have any intention to stop building amazing coasters for years to come.
I don’t care what you have to do, get your vaccine and come ride this thing.
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It actually ended up outpacing Amusement Insider’s pre-creation in NL2, which is what I sent people to when they were worried about pacing from off-ride test footage.
- Aug 18, 2017
- 5,121
- 6,186
There’s also fake bird sounds in the first turn which totally creates a false sense of ease right before the insane build up of sound at the first launch. And fake birds sound right before unloading too, along with, I think, a fake scent machine for what might be paddock scent, or fresh air maybe? I haven’t ridden without a mask yet so not sure. But I swear I can hear the sprayer when stuck behind a train ahead.
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- Feb 15, 2012
- 17,126
- 47,027
Miss you, boo :-*
miss the fish eye
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These are fantastic!
- Jul 13, 2018
- 3,111
- 5,379
Great pictures, though I'm sorry that raptor photobombed your second one.
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