- May 26, 2010
- 5,817
- 16,198
Agreed. I know we've said we're moving on, but try to keep posts in this thread specific to your review (including any criticisms) plus any photos or media drops.
Jurassic World VelociCoaster - Reviews, Photos, & Media
- Thread starter Parkscope Joe
- Start date
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Agreed. I know we've said we're moving on, but try to keep posts in this thread specific to your review (including any criticisms) plus any photos or media drops.
- Feb 15, 2012
- 17,123
- 47,012
- Aug 12, 2018
- 433
- 507
Ah...yeah no. I have been on plenty of coasters all over the US, and Velocicoaster is still top 10...period . So Floridians should celebrate. It's a great coaster.
- Aug 7, 2018
- 7,099
- 9,095
My cousin ghosted me since they got to Orlando so I haven’t heard about their thoughts on this yet, maybe the Raptors got them?
So I’ve been on coasters such as Steel Vengeance, Fury 325 etc...and this doesn’t top them.
However...
it’s in my top 5 right now.
wow. What an experience start to finish!
However...
it’s in my top 5 right now.
wow. What an experience start to finish!
- Aug 18, 2017
- 5,117
- 6,182
Yeah, the hype is real. I got on it twice today. The highlight of the ride is unquestionably the mososaur roll, holy smokes that thing is intense--I have never encountered inversions that felt like I was actually going to fall out until now. The dive loop, second launch, high five turn (at least that's what it would be called if on a racing coaster, you know what I'm talking about) are all noteworthy as well. I would definitely put it among Montu and Mako, not sure how exactly I would order those three though--this is most definitely more intense than Mako! If the talk of them having the choice of building this or converting River Adventure (at least sooner than later) was true, I am so happy that the possible risk paid off for them.
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Adding another review from my second ride because it was different (better) than my first.
I rode again on Thursday (13th), and I was in row 3 this time, versus row 6.
On this ride, I was able to enjoy myself more, see the upcoming track, and spot more of the raptors. I didn't even feel a bit sick (no Bonine this time, but I was wearing a Relief Band). Also I got my first ride photo! I noticed the photo flash on my first ride, but the photo kiosk was not open on the day I rode.
I rode again on Thursday (13th), and I was in row 3 this time, versus row 6.
On this ride, I was able to enjoy myself more, see the upcoming track, and spot more of the raptors. I didn't even feel a bit sick (no Bonine this time, but I was wearing a Relief Band). Also I got my first ride photo! I noticed the photo flash on my first ride, but the photo kiosk was not open on the day I rode.
My husband pointed out seeing a bag of dino feed on the ground, and I will have to look for that next time.
- Sep 15, 2012
- 312
- 328
Was able to ride this twice today (first time). Went single rider, inexplicably got row 5 both times, once on the right and another on the left. Waited maybe 30-35 minutes both times with a 75 minute posted wait. I almost don't know what the heck actually happened on this ride, but I loved it. I say that because the pacing of this ride is so fast and furious (tee hee) that it's like as soon as I was starting to process an element, I'd already be halfway through the next one. Also, I'm GP af and have ridden very few noteworthy coasters (Hulk and back row on Fire are basically it in terms of things that could be considered intense).
VelociCoaster blows those out of the water. Holy hell does this thing haul ass. It never lets up, and the way it's paced means there's never a dull moment. I guess I'll jot down some thoughts on each element?
Launch - The audio here is superb...and by "audio", I mean "POWER UP THE BASS CANNON". The bass from nuHulk's queue and launch (offride) seemed to find its way into the ride experience here, and it's hype as hell. The launch itself is fine, not insanely forceful I suppose, but gets you up to speed relatively quickly (and it is the first part of the ride after all). Really strange thing is that on my second ride, the audio in this scene was replaced with some kind of announcement. I was too amped up to pay attention to what it was actually saying before it ended, but it killed the mood a bit. The scene was silent when we actually launched, though the lack of audio made it slightly surprising I guess?
Immelmann - This thing is really deceptive. Looking at it from offride it's like "wow look at that hangtime," but from onride it's like "why yes, sir, please pull me down through this rockwork as hard as you possibly can". This is an element that really feels like a setup and payoff, with the actual inversion and hangtime leading into the much more exciting pulldown feeling, complete with a good headchopper.
Dive Loop - Low key one of my absolute favorite moments on the ride. The inversion here comes so suddenly and just like that, you're upside down and in airtime heaven. Sudden transition aside, I can't articulate exactly why I like this so much...maybe dive loops are just that cool? It just feels badass to go through.
Spaghetti Bowl - The train twists and turns so much here that I can't really recall it verbatim from memory, but everyone touting the airtime on the swooping turn down to the left after the dive loop is absolutely right. Lots of good forceful turns in this section, though I found it hard to see the raptors from where I was sitting. Still, the theming and rockwork really make this whole first half feel alive and grounded in a believable environment.
Second Launch/Top Hat - Being a coaster noob who's pretty scared of heights, I was apprehensive of this going in because it looked like the winning combination of tall and steep. In practice, you get an amazing launch and then you're cresting the top hat before you even really know what's going on. The drop has some great airtime and didn't rattle me at all, even at 80 degrees and 150(?) feet. I will say that from row 5, the little stall at the top felt like it took an eternity, which I kinda appreciated a bit. Obviously the front and back rows should feel pretty different here.
Inverted Stall - After the top hat, this was the element that had me the most nervous. I mean, from offride it looks like you're dangling completely upside down for a relatively extended period of time with only a lap bar. Some review I watched actually called this one of the least exciting elements, and...I have to agree? It's fun, but not nearly as heart stopping as it looks from offride. I guess this is as good of a time as any to say that despite some real concern about inversions with only a lap bar, I felt totally safe and secure. Not that I don't trust the ride engineers, but it's just something I had to experience to understand. As soon as we hit that first Immelmann, I paid basically zero attention to the restraints only being a lap bar. It's really that secure and comfortable (note: TMs will staple you).
Helix/Wave Turn Shenanigans - Some really amazing airtime on these turns, though I have to agree with some other reviews I've seen that the element that twists the train to the left before swooping down to the right underdelivers a bit. Didn't really feel anything too crazy when twisting left, though (shocker) the airtime on the following turn is fantastic. Overall, a fast paced section with good airtime that lets you catch your breath a bit since it's not inverting or ridiculously high or anything crazy. And you'll need to catch your breath.
OH GOD I'M FALLING OUT - *ahem*, I mean the Mosasaurus Roll. Everyone was saying the same thing but I found it hard to believe for whatever reason. From offride it just looks like a nonchalant barrel roll, but in practice...hoo boy. You start going through this element and everything's dandy, and then suddenly it's like the ride flips a switch and you speed up, or slow down, or...something, at just the right angle, to make it feel like the ride is doing its best to dump you into the lagoon. This roll feels like it takes forever, and making it through honestly made me feel like I survived something. Then there's a a nice little pop of airtime and you're headed back into the station.
Nearly element is a winner to some degree imo, but what I like most is how they're spaced out. With something like Hulk you get the best moment upfront and the rest of the ride can't possibly follow it. VelociCoaster not only spreads its iconic moments out, but also had wild swings in its style to keep you guessing. The first half's tight spaghetti bowl is nothing like the huge turns of the second half. The top hat is amazing, but it's only the halfway point. The Mosasaurus Roll is arguably the ride's best moment, and good god they actually save it for last! Ride's also an airtime machine. I don't know if the official word was 12 second of airtime, or 12 airtime moments, or what have you, but you're nearly always out of your seat at least a bit.
VelociCoaster is a giant win for Universal and is now my favorite ride at the resort (previously Hagrid's, and Spidey before that). I can totally see this being a gateway drug to other intense coasters. Also, IoA has an absolute murderer's row of attractions.
VelociCoaster blows those out of the water. Holy hell does this thing haul ass. It never lets up, and the way it's paced means there's never a dull moment. I guess I'll jot down some thoughts on each element?
Launch - The audio here is superb...and by "audio", I mean "POWER UP THE BASS CANNON". The bass from nuHulk's queue and launch (offride) seemed to find its way into the ride experience here, and it's hype as hell. The launch itself is fine, not insanely forceful I suppose, but gets you up to speed relatively quickly (and it is the first part of the ride after all). Really strange thing is that on my second ride, the audio in this scene was replaced with some kind of announcement. I was too amped up to pay attention to what it was actually saying before it ended, but it killed the mood a bit. The scene was silent when we actually launched, though the lack of audio made it slightly surprising I guess?
Immelmann - This thing is really deceptive. Looking at it from offride it's like "wow look at that hangtime," but from onride it's like "why yes, sir, please pull me down through this rockwork as hard as you possibly can". This is an element that really feels like a setup and payoff, with the actual inversion and hangtime leading into the much more exciting pulldown feeling, complete with a good headchopper.
Dive Loop - Low key one of my absolute favorite moments on the ride. The inversion here comes so suddenly and just like that, you're upside down and in airtime heaven. Sudden transition aside, I can't articulate exactly why I like this so much...maybe dive loops are just that cool? It just feels badass to go through.
Spaghetti Bowl - The train twists and turns so much here that I can't really recall it verbatim from memory, but everyone touting the airtime on the swooping turn down to the left after the dive loop is absolutely right. Lots of good forceful turns in this section, though I found it hard to see the raptors from where I was sitting. Still, the theming and rockwork really make this whole first half feel alive and grounded in a believable environment.
Second Launch/Top Hat - Being a coaster noob who's pretty scared of heights, I was apprehensive of this going in because it looked like the winning combination of tall and steep. In practice, you get an amazing launch and then you're cresting the top hat before you even really know what's going on. The drop has some great airtime and didn't rattle me at all, even at 80 degrees and 150(?) feet. I will say that from row 5, the little stall at the top felt like it took an eternity, which I kinda appreciated a bit. Obviously the front and back rows should feel pretty different here.
Inverted Stall - After the top hat, this was the element that had me the most nervous. I mean, from offride it looks like you're dangling completely upside down for a relatively extended period of time with only a lap bar. Some review I watched actually called this one of the least exciting elements, and...I have to agree? It's fun, but not nearly as heart stopping as it looks from offride. I guess this is as good of a time as any to say that despite some real concern about inversions with only a lap bar, I felt totally safe and secure. Not that I don't trust the ride engineers, but it's just something I had to experience to understand. As soon as we hit that first Immelmann, I paid basically zero attention to the restraints only being a lap bar. It's really that secure and comfortable (note: TMs will staple you).
Helix/Wave Turn Shenanigans - Some really amazing airtime on these turns, though I have to agree with some other reviews I've seen that the element that twists the train to the left before swooping down to the right underdelivers a bit. Didn't really feel anything too crazy when twisting left, though (shocker) the airtime on the following turn is fantastic. Overall, a fast paced section with good airtime that lets you catch your breath a bit since it's not inverting or ridiculously high or anything crazy. And you'll need to catch your breath.
OH GOD I'M FALLING OUT - *ahem*, I mean the Mosasaurus Roll. Everyone was saying the same thing but I found it hard to believe for whatever reason. From offride it just looks like a nonchalant barrel roll, but in practice...hoo boy. You start going through this element and everything's dandy, and then suddenly it's like the ride flips a switch and you speed up, or slow down, or...something, at just the right angle, to make it feel like the ride is doing its best to dump you into the lagoon. This roll feels like it takes forever, and making it through honestly made me feel like I survived something. Then there's a a nice little pop of airtime and you're headed back into the station.
Nearly element is a winner to some degree imo, but what I like most is how they're spaced out. With something like Hulk you get the best moment upfront and the rest of the ride can't possibly follow it. VelociCoaster not only spreads its iconic moments out, but also had wild swings in its style to keep you guessing. The first half's tight spaghetti bowl is nothing like the huge turns of the second half. The top hat is amazing, but it's only the halfway point. The Mosasaurus Roll is arguably the ride's best moment, and good god they actually save it for last! Ride's also an airtime machine. I don't know if the official word was 12 second of airtime, or 12 airtime moments, or what have you, but you're nearly always out of your seat at least a bit.
VelociCoaster is a giant win for Universal and is now my favorite ride at the resort (previously Hagrid's, and Spidey before that). I can totally see this being a gateway drug to other intense coasters. Also, IoA has an absolute murderer's row of attractions.
- Dec 22, 2019
- 25
- 44
I was down at the resort from May 12-16 and got to ride this a total of 5 times. I got a nighttime ride being seated in the last row and a daytime ride in the front row. Both were great, and I'd say the front row would be my preferred if I got that spot at night. But the back row for the drop was excellent -- felt the slowdown big time from back there.
My favorite aspect would be the Mosasuarus roll.
I want to say I've done a coaster without shoulder restraints at Hershey Park but I may not be remembering correctly, so I'll say this was my first and I definitely enjoyed the lap bar to shoulder restraints -- easily. The amount of airtime on the ride is thrilling.
I was way too nervous to ride with my glasses on. If they were to fall off, I'd barely be able to see my hand in front of my face. Has anyone with glasses rode this and kept them on?
My favorite aspect would be the Mosasuarus roll.
I want to say I've done a coaster without shoulder restraints at Hershey Park but I may not be remembering correctly, so I'll say this was my first and I definitely enjoyed the lap bar to shoulder restraints -- easily. The amount of airtime on the ride is thrilling.
I was way too nervous to ride with my glasses on. If they were to fall off, I'd barely be able to see my hand in front of my face. Has anyone with glasses rode this and kept them on?
- Feb 15, 2012
- 17,123
- 47,012
Sooper Dooper Looper
I usually take my glasses off for thrill coasters, but for this one I wanted to see every thing so I bought a Croakies glasses strap at Quiet Flight for $7.99 on my way through CityWalk. I had no issues with my glasses on the ride, and the strap kept me from being distracted worrying about losing my glasses. Well worth the investment. Walmart has a cheap 5 pack.
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- May 22, 2015
- 194
- 295
That's great to hear, I should get some Croakies. Usually I'm blind for most coaster queues and the ride itself :exclap:
Did it again on the front row yesterday, wow ...
I use a strap for my glasses when I go to Uni, for coasters I have it strapped firmly against me, never had a problem.
I use a strap for my glasses when I go to Uni, for coasters I have it strapped firmly against me, never had a problem.
I fortunately used my mask to hold my glasses down, but I could have easily lost it during the heartline roll.
- Oct 14, 2011
- 634
- 1,100
Wowwwwwwww. Holy crap. Wow. Relentless is a perfect way to describe it. I was pretty certain I was snug enough in my seat for whatever was about to happen. I’m a bigger dude, and even got green without too much effort. The ride said “psych, u thought!” I have never had that much “butt out of my seat” before. I have to ride it again to come up with more coherent thoughts. That first time had me like
- Feb 17, 2016
- 851
- 1,648
That second launch is something else. You think you’re going to get a bit of a break, then holy crap top hat! :grin:
- Oct 14, 2011
- 634
- 1,100
Having ridden it a couple more times, I still prefer hagrids as an overall experience, but this really isn’t far behind as best ride on property. I’ll definitely say that ops for this when more trains are running is incredibly efficient. Posted wait was 85 so I went single rider which took about 30 minutes. When I got to my seat the person next to me said they had only waited 25 minutes. The entire upper floor stand by queue was empty when I got there. Just unreal super heroic operations from the TMs. The TM checking my seat also pushed the bar down more on me so I was a bit more secure and I actually enjoyed the ride a lot more as I wasn’t getting as much airtime as I had the 2 times I rode before. It was just more enjoyable. Also the isla Nublar ipa is amazing. Great grapefruit taste and not too bitter. Dufftoberfest still my #1 boo tho.
Now that I've had time to decompress from my vacay and think about my nine rides...
Back in 2018, anticipation was justifiably high for Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure. By all accounts of construction and what we've heard, it had the chance of turning out amazing. So when word started going out that some activity was happening in JP, it was understandable that those rumblings got a tad glanced over.
2019 arrived, and Hagrid proceeded to surprise everyone on how incredibly fun it is. It was no doubt a home run for the park, delivering one of the better family coasters we've seen in a long while. But at the same time, a whole lotta' trees and foliage were going down, and construction walls popped up everywhere to remind us that we don't have to wait long to think "What's Next?". Everything was pointing to another coaster, huh...could be fun, right?
Construction continued on at a brisk pace, and every major update showed they weren't messing around with this one. This was gonna' be BIG, and with a lot more rockwork and theming that anyone expected for a coaster of this type and size, every new addition was a surprise, to the point one couldn't help but wonder...What on earth was in store for us?!
Well...they're clever girls, after all.
----
If Uni and Intamin knocked it out of the park with Hagrid, they took this into a cannon and shot it clear outta' the state. VC is a no-holds-barred, kick-@$$ thrill ride that delivers hangtime and airtime rarely seen in a theme park of this magnitude. A coaster like this would be right at home at many great regional parks, so for it to be at a place like Universal, it feels game-changing due to that. I could go on and on about the ride experience itself, but honestly words and videos don't convey what this does to you. Essentially you can look at almost every hill and element and yup, you're either hanging by that restraint or flying up outta' your seat on it!
Something I love about the ride which I haven't really seen talked about is the psychology at play. Before you even get in the queue, you're most likely passing under the wildest elements of the ride, and the top hat drop looms right next to the entrance. The extended queue is smack dab in the second half of the ride and up close with the infamous Mosasaurus roll. The entryway builds anticipation with a wild light show and sinister music, where not even the cheerful Mr. DNA can hide the unease of the raptors yell and the video going a tad glitchy at the end. Then you're face to face with the fastest launch of the ride and the raptors several times, followed by a pre-show which really hammers in this might not be the best of plans. All of it conveys you're in for it, and the ride delivers it in spades.
For me, this is honestly one of the best coasters I've been on. The fact they followed up Hagrid with -THIS-, is downright the best kind of lunacy. Hat's off to the creative team and Intamin on this one, this is a hit on arrival. The reactions I've seen from the GP and locals have been incredibly memorable, as they're all getting blown away by this!
In closing, boy has it been a incredibly good several years for theme park and coaster fans! While what's next for IOA's is a big "?", I'd say it's in very good hands with what the creative teams have been putting in. Cuz' they clearly spared no expense on VelociCoaster, and I'm looking forward to riding this many more times in the future!
Back in 2018, anticipation was justifiably high for Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure. By all accounts of construction and what we've heard, it had the chance of turning out amazing. So when word started going out that some activity was happening in JP, it was understandable that those rumblings got a tad glanced over.
2019 arrived, and Hagrid proceeded to surprise everyone on how incredibly fun it is. It was no doubt a home run for the park, delivering one of the better family coasters we've seen in a long while. But at the same time, a whole lotta' trees and foliage were going down, and construction walls popped up everywhere to remind us that we don't have to wait long to think "What's Next?". Everything was pointing to another coaster, huh...could be fun, right?
Construction continued on at a brisk pace, and every major update showed they weren't messing around with this one. This was gonna' be BIG, and with a lot more rockwork and theming that anyone expected for a coaster of this type and size, every new addition was a surprise, to the point one couldn't help but wonder...What on earth was in store for us?!
Well...they're clever girls, after all.
----
If Uni and Intamin knocked it out of the park with Hagrid, they took this into a cannon and shot it clear outta' the state. VC is a no-holds-barred, kick-@$$ thrill ride that delivers hangtime and airtime rarely seen in a theme park of this magnitude. A coaster like this would be right at home at many great regional parks, so for it to be at a place like Universal, it feels game-changing due to that. I could go on and on about the ride experience itself, but honestly words and videos don't convey what this does to you. Essentially you can look at almost every hill and element and yup, you're either hanging by that restraint or flying up outta' your seat on it!
Something I love about the ride which I haven't really seen talked about is the psychology at play. Before you even get in the queue, you're most likely passing under the wildest elements of the ride, and the top hat drop looms right next to the entrance. The extended queue is smack dab in the second half of the ride and up close with the infamous Mosasaurus roll. The entryway builds anticipation with a wild light show and sinister music, where not even the cheerful Mr. DNA can hide the unease of the raptors yell and the video going a tad glitchy at the end. Then you're face to face with the fastest launch of the ride and the raptors several times, followed by a pre-show which really hammers in this might not be the best of plans. All of it conveys you're in for it, and the ride delivers it in spades.
For me, this is honestly one of the best coasters I've been on. The fact they followed up Hagrid with -THIS-, is downright the best kind of lunacy. Hat's off to the creative team and Intamin on this one, this is a hit on arrival. The reactions I've seen from the GP and locals have been incredibly memorable, as they're all getting blown away by this!
In closing, boy has it been a incredibly good several years for theme park and coaster fans! While what's next for IOA's is a big "?", I'd say it's in very good hands with what the creative teams have been putting in. Cuz' they clearly spared no expense on VelociCoaster, and I'm looking forward to riding this many more times in the future!
- Aug 18, 2017
- 5,117
- 6,182
Definitely tied with Mako, though Montu is still my favorite coaster in state.
