Jurassic Park Rollercoaster Coming To Universals Islands Of Adventure?

[JoeCamel]

Does anyone think they will announce this before it opens?

Only if it is a wet Tuesday in February and lots of other breaking events in the world happen.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Does anyone think they will announce this before it opens?

Universal's worst kept secret.

Let's put up construction walls, build a rollercoaster in the Jurassic Park section of the park, and bring in some dinosaur statues (but we'll wrap them so nobody can guess what they are). Wait until we surprise them with the announcement!

 

[JT3000]

I estimate it'll be a while before they announce an opening date, mainly because they don't know when they're opening it. At this rate, this thing might be finished before it's ever announced.

 

[Jon81uk]

Pull through has been started

 

[Jon81uk]

Universal's worst kept secret.

Let's put up construction walls, build a rollercoaster in the Jurassic Park section of the park, and bring in some dinosaur statues (but we'll wrap them so nobody can guess what they are). Wait until we surprise them with the announcement!

It was the same with Hagrids coaster though, we all knew what it was. It was obvious it was a coaster if you visited the park. But nothing official until around six months to opening.

Universal just does the opposite to Disney, they build then announce. It means guests don't wait for the next new thing as much, putting off trips as there is something new coming. Also means they don't have to change the concept art on the walls when the budget gets cut.

 

[Jrb1979]

Universal's worst kept secret.

Let's put up construction walls, build a rollercoaster in the Jurassic Park section of the park, and bring in some dinosaur statues (but we'll wrap them so nobody can guess what they are). Wait until we surprise them with the announcement!

I disagree. Us here and coaster enthusiasts know about it but many GP don't pay much attention. Case in point when they were building Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point, majority of GP had no idea what was going on. This was before they announced it.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

It was the same with Hagrids coaster though, we all knew what it was. It was obvious it was a coaster if you visited the park. But nothing official until around six months to opening.

Universal just does the opposite to Disney, they build then announce. It means guests don't wait for the next new thing as much, putting off trips as there is something new coming. Also means they don't have to change the concept art on the walls when the budget gets cut.

Umm...I was just joking around. Given the circumstances, I don't blame them for not coming out and announcing a brand new coaster when they don't want people holding off until the new attraction opens.

I love that they don't announce until after ground breaks...and in this case, WELL AFTER ground breaks.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Just like any responsible corporation they have crunched the numbers and what works best for them is for them to announce new attractions at the beginning of the vacation planning period in which they plan on opening that attraction. Universal has found that their vacation planning lead time is about 6 months. Where as Disney's is roughly 12 months. Meaning, people start planning their Summer Vacation to Universal around the beginning of Jan. So that is when they usually ramp up the marketing machine for new stuff they plan on opening around Memorial Day. If they do it earlier than that it squelches their Holiday numbers.

 

[Jon81uk]

Umm...I was just joking around. Given the circumstances, I don't blame them for not coming out and announcing a brand new coaster when they don't want people holding off until the new attraction opens.

I love that they don't announce until after ground breaks...and in this case, WELL AFTER ground breaks.

It’s got nothing to do with current circumstances, Universal don’t announce new attractions until they are basically ready to go.

 

[JoeCamel]

It’s got nothing to do with current circumstances, Universal don’t announce new attractions until they are basically ready to go.

Yeah, they got burned with Potter so they won't make that mistake again

 

[Tom Morrow]

Can't you agree that it might just be their opinion? Why do you think Steel Vengeance is the best coaster? This new coaster and that
one are different, but the vloggers may feel this coaster has a better overall experience appeal. I understand the frustration with the
vloggers, but I don't think either of you can say which is the better coaster, until this coaster is done and it has been ridden.

I was just using Steel Vengeance as an example. There are dozens of examples of coasters of similar size, scope, layout, and pacing to Velocicoaster in the US alone. Yes, it could be the vloggers' opinion, but I'm growing a bit suspicious because every single social media outlet that covers the Orlando parks, in addition to said vloggers, are strongly emphasizing the same talking points:

"This thing is massive." (it's not, it's slightly longer than an average Intamin Blitz coaster)
"This is likely to be the best coaster in the US" (there is so much similar competition that this is a very bold claim for SO many people to make)

This plus the lack of any sort of announcement from Universal (while they're throwing bones like intentionally placing a raptor statue in the walkway and putting InGen on the vehicle wraps tells me that this is all part of their marketing method of having everyone else do the marketing for them.

Does theming come into play? Obviously this won't pack the physical thrills of the big ones but maybe they are taking the whole picture into account rather than the strictly the coaster elements. (But I agree, even with that considered, it doesn't seem like it'll be the best coaster in America).

Maybe, but we don't know the full scope of the theming yet.

Why do folks that actually know about all the other coasters out there keep saying this is a contender? Hmmmm. Could be because they understand what they are looking at. This thing has all the cool elements that Steel Vengeance has except for the 200' drop. But SV doesn't have a 70+MPH launch into a top hat, so it's a trade off. The spaghetti bowl with it's tight twists and headchoppers through the rock work and raptors should be unique and the second half is a coaster fanboi's wet dream of relentless coaster elements (Launch>Top Hat>Anticipation Stall>Drop>Stall Corkscrew>Wave Turn>Ejector Airtime Hill>Overbanked Turn> Bunny Hop>Heartline Roll> Final Show Scene). The pacing of this thing looks insane. Hulk has a great beginning, but has a weak second half. This coaster won't have that problem.

@Tom Morrow have you been to the park since the track was completed?

I have. To re-iterate, I'm not denying that this will be a great coaster. I just feel that it has too much competition for the top slots for so many to be making "best coaster hands down" claims before it opens.

But does Steel Vengeance have dinosaurs?

Steel Vengeance has a unique setting of being surrounded by water on a small peninsula on Lake Erie. Unlike your typical regional park, Cedar Point's unique setting makes the experience stand out without theming.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I was just using Steel Vengeance as an example. There are dozens of examples of coasters of similar size, scope, layout, and pacing to Velocicoaster in the US alone. Yes, it could be the vloggers' opinion, but I'm growing a bit suspicious because every single social media outlet that covers the Orlando parks, in addition to said vloggers, are strongly emphasizing the same talking points:

"This thing is massive." (it's not, it's slightly longer than an average Intamin Blitz coaster)
"This is likely to be the best coaster in the US" (there is so much similar competition that this is a very bold claim for SO many people to make)

This plus the lack of any sort of announcement from Universal (while they're throwing bones like intentionally placing a raptor statue in the walkway and putting InGen on the vehicle wraps tells me that this is all part of their marketing method of having everyone else do the marketing for them.

Maybe, but we don't know the full scope of the theming yet.

I have. To re-iterate, I'm not denying that this will be a great coaster. I just feel that it has too much competition for the top slots for so many to be making "best coaster hands down" claims before it opens.


Steel Vengeance has a unique setting of being surrounded by water on a small peninsula on Lake Erie. Unlike your typical regional park, Cedar Point's unique setting makes the experience stand out without theming.

Oh, they have definitely gotten better at triggering the "social media influencers". But I think it is mainly 2 things; 1. The lack of info from Universal. 2. This is in fact a big coaster. Much larger than what we expected when the leaked info said "Intamin Blitz Launched Coaster with a top hat". This is NOT Cheetah Hunt with a top hat. Pictures truly don't capture how beefy this thing is.

 

[JT3000]

Maybe, but we don't know the full scope of the theming yet.

That doesn't bode well for the point you're trying to make. This thing could open tomorrow and already be better themed than 90% of outdoor coasters. And yes, theming should definitely count for something, even if you're choosing to compare this to Six Flags or Cedar Fair rides. They don't get a pass just because they're thrilling. If Disney fans are constantly criticizing Universal's coasters for being "bare steel" or what have you, then we can do the same to other parks for building their coasters in a parking lot.

 

[BubbaisSleep]

Theme park fans over analyzing Universal’s marketing techniques while Universal is clearly just having fun with us. Sounds like another day on a theme park forum.

 

[MisterPenguin]

while Universal is clearly just having fun with us

What's your source that the non-announcement of a new coaster obviously being built is being done intentionally this way "just for fun"?

 

[Tom Morrow]

Oh, they have definitely gotten better at triggering the "social media influencers". But I think it is mainly 2 things; 1. The lack of info from Universal. 2. This is in fact a big coaster. Much larger than what we expected when the leaked info said "Intamin Blitz Launched Coaster with a top hat". This is NOT Cheetah Hunt with a top hat. Pictures truly don't capture how beefy this thing is.

Fair enough.

That doesn't bode well for the point you're trying to make. This thing could open tomorrow and already be better themed than 90% of outdoor coasters. And yes, theming should definitely count for something, even if you're choosing to compare this to Six Flags or Cedar Fair rides. They don't get a pass just because they're thrilling. If Disney fans are constantly criticizing Universal's coasters for being "bare steel" or what have you, then we can do the same to other parks for building their coasters in a parking lot.

I think these bloggers and vloggers are basing their assumptions that this will be the best coaster in the US are not really considering the theming, as they were saying this stuff long before any thematic elements went vertical.

 

[Tom Morrow]

ok..... we get it. You don’t believe this will be the best coaster in America.

Yep, just like Hagrid's isn't anywhere close to the most immersive roller coaster ever made, despite Universal's marketing and all of the fanboy gushing.

 

[some other guy]

I disagree. Us here and coaster enthusiasts know about it but many GP don't pay much attention. Case in point when they were building Steel Vengeance at Cedar Point, majority of GP had no idea what was going on. This was before they announced it.

I think I've seen some coverage of this on local media, at least.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I thought this was announced (unofficially) a while ago. It's still speculation? Just trying to be clear on the status.

Universal Orlando has not announced its new Jurassic Park roller coaster, but it's quickly taking shape

For more than two years, its been well known that Universal Orlando was working on a new roller coaster for its Jurassic Park section in...

www.orlandoweekly.com

I mean any Orlando trade that comes out with an article against what Disney or Uni want out there. Is basically ensuring they get cut-off in the future. If either wants to "float" something. This is how its done.

 

[JoeCamel]

I thought this was announced (unofficially) a while ago. It's still speculation? Just trying to be clear on the status.

Universal Orlando has not announced its new Jurassic Park roller coaster, but it's quickly taking shape

For more than two years, its been well known that Universal Orlando was working on a new roller coaster for its Jurassic Park section in...

www.orlandoweekly.com

I mean any Orlando trade that comes out with an article against what Disney or Uni want out there. Is basically ensuring they get cut-off in the future. If either wants to "float" something. This is how its done.

That article was published three months ago. Nothing official from Universal but the twitter acct does acknowledge something being there. A step forward