Velocicoaster is what got me to finally visit Orlando. No joke, I was researching flights within 10 minutes of first watching the POV. I predicted way back when that Velocicoaster had a genuine shot at being a Top Ten, or even Top Five Coaster.
I am beyond happy to report that Velocicoaster lived up to my overhype! It IS Top Five!
This is a world class roller coaster! I'm crying here, people!
It's the sort of ride you do not expect to find in a theme park. This is a Cedar Point tier thrill machine. You could strip all of Velocicoaster's theming, all of its amazing interaction with the setting, plop it into a parking lot, and it would remain a trip-worthy beast.
But include that theming? Speaking both as a roller coaster enthusiast and as a fan of theme park theming, this is a lovely marriage made in John Hammond's wildest dreams. It's rare to see a coaster this intense include such beautiful scenery. I can only thing of a few select rides in Europe (which I haven't done yet) which do something like this. Rides like Taron, Black Mamba, Nemesis, or F.L.Y.
It's impressive how they weaved such a fantastic ride layout into the existing Jurassic Park space. Very little, if anything, got removed. (Simply a triceratops encounter?) Velocicoaster uses a tiny footprint for its initial paddock sequence, and afterwards it simply blazes across the land entry pathways for its jaw-dropping finale. That climactic turnaround near the Hogsmeade transition makes for a satisfyingly dramatic footpath approach, roaring in perfect arcs over the land gateways.
I am aware of some criticisms which Velocicoaster has received from the theming jihadist corner of the park community. It's true that this is a bare naked steel coaster which potentially ruins immersion. Universal's explanation - that Velocicoaster is an in-universe roller coaster, that it's a ride themed to being itself basically - that's not wholly satisfactory. I take solace simply in the ride's inherent design beauty, how it gracefully dips below the Discovery Center sightlines, how it interacts with some elaborate photo-worthy rockwork, without once sacrificing the on-ride experience. This is one pretty looking ride!
I hesitated briefly upon first reaching Velocicoaster. I'd let her down! She was supposed to be #200, and I wasn't sure if she would accept being #211 instead. But I made peace with the beautiful apex monstrosity while basking in her plaza, watching the trains swan dive down her instantly iconic 140' tall top hat arch. Then I entered the Single Rider queue - avoiding the 20 minute standby wait, for what little difference it made - for the first of 7 rides I'd eventually get on this masterpiece. Which was was too few rides!
The queue is a good one, though for once it doesn't in any way overshadow the ride to come. It hits those
Jurassic World beats, and the pre-show involving Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard (which the queue simple pulses past) doesn't overstay its welcome on even the 7th time through.
Best of all, though, queue-wise, are the lockers. They've already received copious praise in the coaster community. Unlike Hulk or Rip Ride Rockit, which force you to abandon you phone & wallet & whatnot before even joining the queue, on Velocicoaster you can go through over half of the wait before reaching the lockers. They are double-sided, accessible post-ride from a second room, so there's no hassle or confusion at all. Makes for a great guest experience. I've heard of a few European parks which do this, so I'm glad to see the approach reach the States. This should become the industry standard!
Now, onto the ride...
Or onto more time in the queue, chatting up a different fellow coaster junkie each time through. Velocicoaster is clearly attracting the enthusiast community to Orlando; there was a palpable energy here which I found no place else in Florida. We chatted in fandom jargon - "stapling," "OTSRs," "MCBRs," ejector vs. floater. It was glorious! One time, I rode alongside a guy with a staggering coaster count of 837. He claimed to have friends with a count in the 1,200 - 1,300 range. Makes my 239 count meager in contrast!
Now, onto the ride!
What a ride! This is an Intamin Blitz model, the latest in a long line which began with Cedar Point's legendary Maverick - the very ride which Velocicoaster unseated in my ranking, in fact. These LSM launch coasters aren't the tallest or the fastest or the most record-breaking, but they offer some of the best, most frenzied pacing ever. Only RMCs top them!
Velocicoaster's nearly 2 minute ride time includes two launches, four inversions, several airtime moments and twisty turns, with never a dull moment or a repetitive element. This is dramatically structured like a symphony! It builds, evolves, with distinctive story beats, all using the abstract medium of the roller coaster to perfection.
Ignore the static velociraptor figures seen briefly on-ride. Fan criticisms that they should be animatronics miss the point. Rather, imagine you, the rider, imagine
you are a velociraptor! That first launch, that is 0 rushing out from your holding cell, only to run headlong into the claustrophobic confines of the raptor paddock. Panicked, trapped, you desperately dart through a spaghetti bowl of quick transitions, with some astounding headchopper elements.
Finally you make a straight charge for the electrified fences...and jump! You clear the walls. The world is yours. The second half over the walkways is a glorious celebration of freedom. It is graceful, lovely, and powerful. There is a final heartline roll - deemed by Universal the "mosasaurus roll" - taken a mere 5 feet over the lagoon, with some thrilling hangtime and the ecstatic sensation that your hands just might touch the water. Orgasmic! Best part of the entire trip! It's rare for a roller coaster to conclude with its standout moment, but Velocicoaster totally does.
As said, I rode this 7 times in total. I got to experience most sections of the train - the front, the back, the middle. Normal theme park guests prefer front row rides, for the views, so a separate line often formed for the lead car. I liked the front OK, though it tends to stall on the big thrill moments. The back was by far my favorite seat. Glossy butter smooth, with much more forceful, whippy airtime. The middle cars were noticeably more rough; the ride is only 50% as good there.
Each time, I rode with my hands up. Surrender to the monster! Do not fight it, do not ride defensively, feel the forces at their fullest. I adore the simple lap bar restraints, which allow full body freedom. Some forum friends here on WDWMagic have said they
hated the lap bars - too psychologically terrifying - but I will absolutely take those over the dreadful headaches of over-the-shoulder restraints any day.
And there you have it. The best ride in Florida!
(At least until Iron Gwazi opens.)
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No matter where I fly, how long the flight, or what 'class' of seat I'm in - I can never sleep on the overnight flights! You are so lucky!
