The newest coaster at Universal Orlando Resort’s Islands of Adventure is a whole new breed of animal, or should we say reptile. Putting its emphasis more on airtime and speed as opposed to loops and corkscrews, the VelociCoaster is still an intense experience but slightly more accessible than some other coasters on property or Orlando. It’s no stretch to say that this coaster is absolutely dino-mite.

What Can I Expect?

VelociCoaster features plenty of speed and smooth coaster action without giving you a headache or an upset stomach. What the ride lacks in hyper-coaster craziness it makes up for in good old-fashioned fun.

Most roller coasters, especially at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, can be summed up by a few key pieces of the track or what you’ll feel on them. “Oh, Hulk has that really cool beginning” or “Rip Ride Rocket has the tightest turns at the end”. And while there are some bits and pieces of VelociCoaster that stand out (we’ll get to those in a minute) the coaster has a fun factor that isn’t found in other Universal coasters.

The Queue

The queue is split into a few different sections, both outdoors and inside. The good news is more of the queue is indoors than out, the bad news is the outdoor portion has little to no opportunities for shade.

You’ll first walk into the ride area flanked by two statutes of velociraptors. These intimidating theropods immediately put you in the right mood and get you excited to ride. The outdoor queue isn’t themed but does feature one really cool part.  At one point in the line, you’ll be practically within arms reach of the track. This part is a ways into the outdoor portion and really does a lot to put a charge into a tired and weary traveler.

As you begin to get under cover you’re greeted with yet another statue of our raptor friends, only this time they’re surrounding a mockup of the ride’s tallest drop. The theming isn’t in full bore as of yet, but this sculpture is beautiful and makes for an amazing picture.

Once past the sculpture, the theming really begins to take hold. You’ll walk past various videos featuring Jurassic Park/World staples such as Dr. Wu and Mr. DNA.  Eventually, you’ll reach a section with animatronic raptors in captivity. Pay special attention to how they blink and breathe, the technology is amazing!

Lastly, you’ll get a video featuring the two main players of the ride Owen and Claire. They will explain to you the story of the coaster with their trademark banter.

The Ride

VelociCoaster does a fantastic job of being a great coaster for thrillseekers without using any gimmicks to make it so. Sure, the ride features faster-than-average speeds, high hills, and corkscrews, but the overall experience of the ride is much more than that. 

The most common feeling you get on the ride is a left-to-right tilting motion. If you’ve ever ridden Mako at SeaWorld, there are two portions of the ride that feel a lot like this. The first is at the top of the first hill, and the second is toward the end when you fly over the pathway. These types of tilts are common, but not violent enough to upset a stomach.

The thing on the ride that sticks out the most is, of course, the height of the tallest drop. There are certainly drops in the city higher than VelociCoaster, and while the peak looks high and intimidating, it really isn’t. In fact, the drop is one of the least memorable parts of the ride. What’s the most memorable you ask? There is one corkscrew where you are suspended upside down over the water. The moment doesn’t last long, but it’s long enough to notice what you’re doing and is unlike anything else in the city.

The Verdict on VelociCoaster

When coming off the ride for the first time, Jessica asked Tyler what he thought. He talked about how much fun he had on the ride, but couldn’t name a specific thing about the ride that made it so fun. It just…was. This may seem like we’re being negative toward the coaster, but it’s just the opposite.  The coaster is so good that there isn’t one thing that sticks out. How is the drop? Fun! What about the speed? Fun! The corkscrews? The hills? The airtime? Fun! Fun! Fun!

This is a ride truly worth riding again and again because it’s guaranteed to be a fun experience every time. As a hypercoaster, VelociCoaster is intense, but because it doesn’t have a crazy amount of loops or 1000 mph speeds it won’t chase away a younger audience or someone who likes thrills, but not going upside down.

If you’re the coaster type and you’re walking through Jurassic Park, do yourself a favor and make sure to embrace your wild side with a trip on VelociCoaster.