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The Jurassic Park River Adventure is a water-based amusement ride that is based on Steven Spielberg's hit film Jurassic Park and Michael Crichton's novel. The Hollywood incarnation, called Jurassic Park: The Ride, was actually researched and built while the Jurassic Park film was still in its production phase. It opened first at Universal Studios Hollywood as Jurassic Park: The Ride on June 21, 1996. A copy of the ride, called the Jurassic Park River Adventure, was later built at Islands of Adventure at the Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida in 1999. A third copy of the ride is also featured at Universal Studios Japan. There is little difference between the three rides, although the Hollywood version is slightly longer and considered to have the most show elements, and the Japan version was built as a mirror image of both the Hollywood and Orlando versions. A river rapids version of the attraction, which will be entitled the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, is planned for both Universal Studios Singapore in 2010, and Universal Studios Dubailand in 2012.
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Ride-Through
The ride is meant to evoke the tropical island environment featured in the Michael Crichton novel and Spielberg film. The concept is that Jurassic Park opened as planned, and that the river adventure is an actual attraction within the park itself.
The ride begins as a tranquil jungle river cruise through various herbivorous dinosaur paddocks. After encountering an Ultrasaurus (a dinosaur since discovered to be a Chimera) and a Psittacosaurus, the raft continues through a small cave. Outside of the cave, a juvenile Stegosaurus whines at guests, followed by a much larger adult Stegosaurus to the right of the raft. Continuing past the Stegosauruses, the raft encounters a Parasaurolophus that sprays water out of it's nostrils at guests, hinting to the fact that all may not be as controlled as it is said to be.
The raft then begins heading toward a part of the park known as Hadrosaur Cove, when suddenly, a second Parasaurolophus pops out of the water and accidentally knocks the raft off course. This causes the raft to head into the Raptor Containment Area instead of Hadrosaur Cove. Alarms begin blaring as the escaped Velociraptors begin to appear. The trees and shrubs violently move and shake as packs of escaped Velociraptors race through the surrounding vegetation. The raft then passes the destroyed Velociraptor paddock where the damaged electric fences shoot sparks out at guests as they pass.
In the Hollywood version, riders next encounter what appears to be an abandoned tour raft as a Dilophosaurus is seen on the raft eating the remains of a poncho. A CP25 motor boat is seen next to the raft, also abandoned. Apparently, the boat had been sent by Jurassic Park Animal Control to guide the raft towards a safe area, but the Dilophosaurus already appears to have killed the tourists and boat crew.
The raft then heads towards the park's water pumping station where riders begin to encounter the escaped Velociraptors. A crushed Jurassic Park tour jeep falls from the top of a wall overhead and nearly crushes the riders below (similar to the scene in the film) as Dilophosauruses jump out and spit their toxic venom (water) at guests. When nightfall begins the Hollywood version adds sparks and flood lights to the jeep which are not seen in the daytime.
In the other versions of the ride, the abandoned tour raft and falling tour jeep are removed. Only the CP25 motor boat is present in the Florida version, and the two Dilophosauruses are instead tugging on a Jurassic Park game warden's shirt. Replacing the falling tour jeep in these other versions is a Velociraptor crate, which nearly falls on top of the boat. The two Dilophosauruses near the tour jeep in Hollywood's version have been moved inside the Environmental Systems building in later versions starting with the version in Islands of Adventure.
The raft then enters the massive Environmental Systems Building and begins to slowly ascend a long lift hill. A voice on a loudspeaker in the building alerts guest that an emergency evacuation is going to be attempted as life support fails and a countdown timer begins. As the raft makes it way up the lift hill, numerous alarms sound as two escaped Velociraptors lunge out at guests as they pass by. Once the raft reaches the top of the lift hill and drops down a small hill, a large claw mark rips through the wall in front of them. The raft then follows around a 180 degree bend in the flume as several Dilophosauruses attempt to attack the raft. The snout of a Tyrannosaurus can also be seen poking through a hole in the ceiling in this area.
Once around the bend, guests encounter a large smoke screen directly in front of them through which a giant snarling Tyrannosaurus appears. As the T-Rex continues to growl and bite at the raft, the raft climbs a small lift hill bringing it even closer to the T-Rex. Just as the Tyrannosaurus lunges for the raft, guests are plunged down an eighty five foot (twenty five meter) high near-vertical drop and into a tropical lagoon back outside of the Environmental Systems Building. The raft finally makes its way to the unload dock where guests disembark the ride through the Jurassic Outfitters gift shop, where they may purchase Jurassic Park themed souvenirs, including photographs of themselves on the ride during the drop.
Trivia
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (November 2009) |
- Most of the designers, architects and engineers who worked on the attraction have been immortalized throughout the ride in the form of their three initials followed by their birth date stenciled in various places (i.e. DVP101257). Most can be found on pipe runs.
- "Dino" Don Lessem[1], fresh from the Jurassic Park film as its authenticator worked closely with Universal Creative staff to ensure accuracy of the attractions dinosaurs.
- Exterior scenes shot for the attraction pre-show video were filmed on location at the Los Angeles Arboretum and the Franklin Canyon Reservoir, which is the same location where the opening of The Andy Griffith Show was shot.[citation needed]
- During the pre-show video when John Hammond is addressing guests, Steven Spielberg makes a quick cameo appearance as he walks through the set behind Hammond, looking upwards.
- The Jurassic Park Visitors Center that guests see in the pre-show video is the actual set from the motion picture. The exterior set was built on location in Hawaii, while an interior set was constructed on Soundstage 12 at Universal Studios, Hollywood. Filming for the attraction's pre-show video was completed the day after Spielberg wrapped production on the film.
- Dr. Margaret Engel (who is featured in the ride's pre-show video) is an homage to Neil Engel, the attraction's producer.
- There are 1.5 million gallons of water used for the ride.
- The ride culminates in an eighty five foot (twenty five meter) drop at a fifty one degree angle, sending the rafts to speeds in excess of fifty miles per hour (eighty kilometers per hour).
- A total of sixteen animatronic dinosaurs populate the attraction.
- The main show building in which the drop is housed, which is known as the Environmental Systems Building, is thirteen stories tall.
- The Ultrasaur’s height is thirty five feet.
- The ride's narration is provided by the late Richard Kiley; the very person who provided narration for the Jeep Tour in the Jurassic Park film.
- A maximum of thirteen 25-passenger rafts, dispatched every thirty five seconds, carry guests through the attraction, making for a total theoretical hourly ride capacity of 2,000 people per hour.
- The total ride time is six minutes and twenty four seconds.
- The total flume length is approximately 1,900 feet (580 meters).
- There are twelve separate show scenes featured on the ride.
- The attraction covers six acres (2.4 hectares) of land and contains 353 palm trees of eleven species, 300 bamboo plants of six varieties, and 7,441 shrubs, plants, and flowers of seventy six species.
The Project Team credited with bringing this classic attraction to life is as follows:
- Project Director - David Pushkin
- Project Manager - David Wilson
- Project Coordinator - Michael McGuire
- Show Producer - Neil Engel
- Project Engineer - Gene Leisure
- Ride Manager - David Mispagel
- Technical Manager - John Canavan
- Construction Manager - Blaine Rhea
- Project Architect - Craig Doyle
Universal Studios Hollywood version
| Jurassic Park: The Ride | ||
|---|---|---|
| Universal Studios Hollywood | ||
| Area | Lower Lot | |
| Attraction type | Water Ride | |
| Theme | Jurassic Park | |
| Opening date | 1996 | |
| Vehicle type | Boat | |
| Height requirements | 46" (117 cm) | |
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Among the the guests in attendance at the ride's grand opening celebration in 1996 were film cast members Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Richards, and Joseph Mazzello. Steven Spielberg also attended the opening, but requested that he be let off of the attraction before the 84-foot drop (he apparently makes this request every time he rides the attraction).
The main differences in the Hollywood version of the ride from the Florida and Japan versions include two Compsognathuses fighting over a popcorn box, a falling Ford Explorer tour jeep (from the first film) instead of the Velociraptor crate (which is featured in both the Orlando and Japan versions), as well as two encounters with the menacing Tyrannosaurus (both the Orlando and Japan versions feature only one).
A bloody set of Mickey Mouse ears can be seen floating in the water next to the abandoned tour raft, which is an obvious dig at the nearby Disneyland Resort. The hat formally had the name "Michael" sewn on it, which was a reference to Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Company at the time of attraction's opening. The hat now has the name "Kerr" sewn on it in honor of Kerr Lordygan, the attraction's manager.
The Dilophosaurus attacks occur outside at the water pumping station, unlike the Florida and Japan versions where they occur inside of the Environmental Systems Building. After the second lift hill, the Hollywood version has a slightly bigger drop as well before it makes the 180 degree turn to the main drop. After the main drop, the shaving cream canister containing the zygotes from the film can be spotted to the riders' left just before arriving at the unload platform. Additionally, after the final drop, one more Dilophosaurus sprays guests with water just before the raft returns to the station.
According to a Universal Studios employee, every year, all of the employees take part in what they call a "Duck Hunt". All employees write their name on a rubber duck toy, and place it into the rides river. They then turn the ride on, and the person whos duck completes the whole circuit of the ride (including the drop) wins a prize.
Islands of Adventure version
| Jurassic Park River Adventure | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Islands of Adventure | |||
| Area | Jurassic Park | ||
| Attraction type | Water Ride | ||
| Theme | Jurassic Park | ||
| Soft opening date | March, 1999 | ||
| Opening date | May 28, 1999 | ||
| Vehicle type | Boats | ||
| Vehicle capacity | 25 | ||
| Ride duration | 7 minutes | ||
| Track height | 85 ft (25.9 m) | ||
| Maximum speed | 55 mph (88.5 km/h) | ||
| Height requirements | 42" (107 cm) | ||
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The Florida version of the ride is located within the Islands of Adventure theme park at the Universal Orlando Resort. It is located within an entire Jurassic Park themed section of the park. Other attractions include the Discovery Center located inside a re-creation of the Jurassic Park Visitors Center from the film, Pteranodon Flyers (a suspended kiddie coaster), and a kid-themed play area known as Camp Jurassic. Previously, a walk-through attraction known as Triceratops Encounter was also featured, but was later closed indefinitely due to its low capacity and high staffing requirements.
On the River Adventure, unlike the Hollywood version of the ride, the entire front section of the Tyrannosaurus comes into view before the final drop and is scaled somewhat more realistically in accordance with both the movie and real-life animal. There are also two Parasaurolophus featured on the ride. Also, the abandoned tour raft scene is missing and the two Compsognathuses are seen fighting over the shreded uniform shirt of a Jurassic Park game warden (interestingly, the Universal Orlando nametag that is pinned to the shirt features the name of the attraction’s current supervisor), and the falling Velociraptor crate scene replaces the falling jeep scene from the Hollywood version of the ride. Additionally, the Dilophosauruses attacks occur inside of the Environmental Systems Building, unlike the Hollywood version where they happen outside of the building.
Merchandise depicting Jurassic Park: The Ride can be found in Florida, even though the Jurassic Park River Adventure title is used there. The attraction is known to be one of the most popular rides at the Universal Orlando Resort.
Universal Studios Japan version
At Universal Studios Japan (located in Osaka), the entire attraction was built as an exact mirror image of the Florida version. The Japan version features a Tyrannosaurus that is more animated than the other two versions of the ride. Like the Florida version, the entire front of the Tyrannosaurus comes into view before the final drop, the falling Velociraptor crate scene is used instead of the falling jeep, the abandoned tour raft scene is missing, and two Compsognathuses are seen fighting over the shreded uniform shirt of a Jurassic Park game warden. Like Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Japan features an entire Jurassic Park themed section of the park, with themed food venues, buildings, and vehicles. The final drop of the ride is a death defying 81 feet (24 meters).
Refurbishments & Special Events on the Universal Studios Hollywood version
Jurassic Park: The Ride was closed for refurbishment from January 9, 2009 to January 23, 2009. Exact details of the refurbishment are not known, but some post-refurb photos by riders seem to indicate minimal cosmetic changes.[2]
During Universal Studios Hollywood's annual "Halloween Horror Nights" in 2008, the ride was temporarily re-named "Jurassic Park: Nightmare" in keeping with the theme ("Live Your Worst Nightmare") or "Jurassic Park in the Dark". Alterations included shutting off most of the lights inside the Environmental Systems Building near the end of the ride, while the occasional strobe light illuminated violent scenes of dinosaurs tearing apart scientists and game wardens. Also, the tense Jurassic Park score during this portion of the ride was replaced with "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N' Roses.
Previously during the summer peak season, two "paleontologists" would roam the ride's queue and immediate vicinity, interacting with guests, answering questions, and squirting kids with water. [3]
Singapore & Dubai
Universal Studios Singapore, opening early 2010, and Universal Studios Dubailand, opening in 2012, will each feature an all outdoors Jurasic Park water ride in the Lost World section of the parks. Entitled the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, the attractions will use the same ride system that is currently in use for Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges ride at Islands of Adventure at the Universal Orlando Resort.
See also
External links
- Universal Studios Singapore Fan site
- Attraction home page - Universal Orlando Resort
- Attraction home page - Universal Studios Hollywood
- Attraction home page - Universal Studios Japan
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