Universal Studios Islands of Adventure for Dinosaur Lovers
You may already know that Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure is the home of Jurassic Park. We visited the park many, many times before we discovered all that there actually is to do there. Since Cash is a lover of dinosaurs, and some of it is pretty hidden, or even "secret,"...it felt fitting to share with the other dino-lovers out there.
The Rides
Jurassic Park River Adventure
This is the one ride Cash won't touch due to the 85-foot drop at the end. Apparently, Spielberg felt the same way when he rode it at the opening and requested to be let off before the grand finale. I love it. It is definitely a water ride, so be aware of that. First, you get in the raft, and it winds you through a calm lagoon that feels like you're touring Jurassic Park. It's pretty peaceful, and I wish Cash could experience this part. Then, of course, all hell breaks loose. It winds you through a building where dinosaurs are loose, and at the end, there's a giant drop just as a T-Rex is about to eat you. It's awesome.
Details: You will get wet, there is an 85-foot drop, and the height restriction is 42 inches.
Pteranodon Flyers
This ride is definitely for kids, as there is one primary requirement: Adults can't ride it alone. That's right, you can go in pairs of two, but one of you must be between 36 and 56 inches. The Universal Passholder Facebook page is full of people (jokingly) offering to rent out their kids so that you can get on this ride. This is a roller coaster, but slow moving. You ride as though you are being carried by a Pteranodon above the Jurassic Park part of the theme park, and the view is really fantastic. It's super fun.
Details: One of you must be between 36-56 inches. Cash is afraid of heights but did just fine on this one.
Velocicoaster
Hands down my favorite ride at either park; this coaster is incredible. It's super smooth, fast, and doesn't rattle you around like many coasters. The queue is really neat and features very realistic-looking raptors. The ride features a 140 ft drop, several flips and turns, and a maximum speed of 70 mph.
Details: Must be 51 inches to ride. Not for the faint of heart.
Now, on to the activities and exhibits...
Activities and Exhibits
Jurassic Park Discovery Center
This building is Cash's favorite place to explore. It has a restaurant that serves quick-service food (burgers, chicken) and a fun gift shop upstairs. When you venture downstairs, the real fun begins.
There is an interactive play area where your little dino-lover can play trivia games, learn about DNA and check out different types of bones. There are life-size replicas of dinosaurs that you can control from the bottom, look into a viewer, and see things from the dino's point of view. Cash always heads straight for the egg detector. It will scan different dinosaur eggs, and after adding all the data, you categorize which type of egg it is. He will do this for hours if I let him.
If you stick around long enough, you might see a raptor hatch. One lucky kid gets to name the dinosaur, and it becomes their adopted dino for life. Cash got picked one day and named his dino "Rex." They gave him a certificate that he got to take home with him.
Here is the cool part that not many people know about:
When Cash named Rex, the scientist on duty told him, he was welcome to come and check up on Rex at any time. For at least two months, Cash mentioned many times how we should go and check in on Rex. Honestly, I was wondering how they would pull that off. I put him off a few times, then one day decided, well, let's try it.
We went to the Discovery Center and found some scientists on the floor. We didn't bring our original certificate, but we remembered the date and name, etc., of Cash's dino. The scientists explained that they couldn't visit the dino when they were young, but he could pull a full report on how he was doing. He took down all the information and went to the back room for a while. When he came out, he had a full report on paper on Rex's temperament, his doctor, what kinds of things he was learning, everything. It was so amazing. They explained that as he trains and grows a little older, they might send him to the raptor exhibit at Universal or maybe even get to go to Japan. We got to take the report home with us, and they encouraged us to come back at any time to check in again. Cash took a picture with the scientists, and they let him try on their lab coats. It was such an incredible experience, and Cash was floating.
After I shared our story with other pass members, some recommended that we also ask for a nursery tour. The next time we went, we went to the scientist on the floor and asked if we could have a nursery tour. He said absolutely. We waited a few minutes on a bench, then he came and got us. It didn't have to be a big group; it was just Cash and me. He got a full tour of the nursery, which you can typically only see from behind glass. He gave him a lot of information about dinosaurs, and Cash even got to hold one of the eggs. It was heavy, and you could feel something moving a little inside it. The scientist recommended he rock it gently; they turn them so the baby doesn't get stuck to one side. He cradled it the whole tour like it was a newborn baby, and it was the sweetest thing.
Did I mention that none of these experiences cost us an extra dime? It's all included with park admission if you know to ask!
Raptor Exhibit
The Raptor Exhibit is one exhibit that you want to take advantage of. You'll see it as you walk down the Jurassic area's central pathway. After a short line, you will meet the 6-month-old baby raptor Sierra or Blue, the full-grown one. Raptor trainers are standing by and will take a video and pictures of your group interacting with the raptor. It is not animatronic, and it feels very lifelike. You can't predict the adult raptor's movements at all, and I have done a jump/scream combo at least once every single time I've visited. :) Sierra is a lot tamer if you've got little ones that might be too nervous to meet Blue.
One of my favorite stories about this ride was from Chris Pratt, who played the raptor trainer in the Jurassic World movies. His son got to go to this exhibit, and he came home and told his dad that he got to meet the "real" raptor trainers! Haha, so stinking cute. It's so magical.
Other fun stuff
Be sure and wander around the pathways and explore. You'll see different Jurassic Park vehicles and many friends peeking out of the trees. There are lots of great opportunities for photo ops. Camp Jurassic is another thing to check out, particularly if you have children. It's a playground full of caves, waterfalls, and rope bridges located in the same area as the Pteranodon Flyers, and it is a lot of fun.
Well, that's all we've got for now. As always, if you know of anything we missed, we'd love for you to leave your tips and secrets in the comments!
If you’re also venturing over to Disney World, don’t forget to check out Dino Land at Animal Kingdom.