Since opening in 1999, Universal’s Islands of Adventure has been renowned for its thrill rides and high-octane entertainment.  The park’s latest addition, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster, not only expands upon this legacy, but has become the crown jewel of Orlando roller coasters.

Like many recent additions to the Universal Orlando Resort, I found myself enjoying the line for the attraction as much as the ride itself!  The queue is filled with Easter eggs for Jurassic fans such as Dr. Ian Malcom’s book, a cup with water ripples, and there’s even multiple pre-shows starring Jurassic World stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and BD Wong.  That said, the coolest thing about this queue, and quite possibly the most amazing thing in all of Universal right now, are the animatronic velociraptors that you encounter while passing through a raptor-paddock!

On my last trip to IOA in October 2021, I experienced the VelociCoaster during both the daytime and at night, and each is a completely different experience; During the day you can see clearly across the park as the coaster weaves through the Jurassic Park area, barrel-rolling over the lagoon, and speeding upside-down over guests!  At night, my husband and I rode the front row and we could hardly see anything besides the city-lights, making the experience feel more unpredictable than any ride we’ve ever been on! The VelociCoaster is currently the fastest and tallest launch coaster in all of Florida and includes 360-degree inversions, sharp turns, twists, and speeds up to 70 mph.  I’ve never felt air-time on a ride before like I did on this one, and I’ve never laughed and screamed in excitement so much either!

The VelociCoaster has a height restriction of 51 inches, and I definitely think it’s the sort of ride this is not for everybody—but if you enjoy rollercoasters I would say that this is a must-do, and quite possibly the single greatest attraction in the United States!