Continuing our look at 10 anticipated new attractions in 2019, Universal will bring one of its classic attractions back to life as Universal Studios Hollywood's original Jurassic Park - The Ride returns next year as Jurassic World.
The basic layout of the Lower Lot flume ride remains, but the experience is getting a makeover, as Universal Creative installs new technology, show scenes, and some new dinosaurs to complete the transition from the original Jurassic Park theme to the rebooted Jurassic World films.
Universal hasn't provided much more than teaser art for the refurbished attraction, but this move does make Chris Pratt the king of rethemed Southern California theme park attractions, following the conversion of Disney California Adventure's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout last year. Pratt, of course, stars as Owen Grady in the Jurassic World films, as well as Star-Lord/Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Frankly, I doubt anyone will care whether Owen Grady appears anywhere within the Jurassic World ride, because the stars of this experience will be the dinos, as they were in Jurassic Park before. The attraction here is being dwarfed by massive animatronic plant eaters... before being terrorized by the nimble meat-eaters, lunging nearly into your raft. We might escape the Indominus Rex everyone expects to play in the final scene of the new ride, but there's no chance of escaping the drenching splashdown that follows.
With 20 years of new show tech to play with, we are anticipating dinosaurs that look more lifelife, awe-inspiring, and terrifying than ever before. Jurassic World will open at Universal Studios Hollywood sometime in 2019, but the park has not yet announced a more specific opening date.
Tomorrow: Let's switch things up with some smaller heroes — really, really smaller heroes.
TweetAllegedly that is Secret Life of Pets. But no official word because... it’s Universal.
Much as I enjoyed the old ride, agreed a revamp was overdue and like seeing new tech used for a better experience so this can work out.
Call me unenthusiastic for this makeover. I didn't mind the old Jurassic Park River Adventure (I actually like it better than the IOA version), and while it's nice to see the animatronics and affects get a 21st Century makeover, I think the biggest grossing movie in Universal's catalog deserves something better than a re-skinning of a 1980's splash boat ride. I recognize that there's limited space to work with at USH, but they would have been better served truncating the exterior portion of the River Adventure, and using that space and whatever space they could reclaim backstage there to create a new attraction for JW, while doing a refresh of the River Adventure (maybe adding screens or other more-dynamic scenes on the lift hill, but keeping it based on the original film. We know UC has a lot of stuff in the pipeline, but I don't think this should be the first Jurassic World ride.
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This park is quickly becoming one of my favorites (visited in August for the first time in years). Sure it's small but provides enough for a solid theme park day. This refurb will add to an already great lineup.
Side note: I was just there at the beginning of the month. What are they constructing on the upper lot across from minions? Didn't see any signage.