With the fall of Dueling Dragons at Islands of Adventure, the thrill seeking roller coaster category suddenly felt a bit more vacant. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure certainly will be thrilling but likely not in the thrill junky sort of manner. But if the rumors are to be believed and the construction makes it all but a certainty at this point, Islands of Adventure is about to get another launch coaster themed to Jurassic World. If you thought Blue was only going to make his way into Islands of Adventure for Raptor Encounter, well you might just need to guess again.
It’s a whole new world of construction. Jurassic Park’s Discovery Center look a bit different these days. River Adventure is wondering if it will turn Jurassic World Blue too. Heavy equipment and construction walls everywhere at Jurassic Park. Blue and Raptor Encounter have a new temporary location. The former location of Raptor Encounter is walled off. Even the T-Rex Photo-op is behind construction walls. The ever important IOA bypass bridge is getting revamped. A closer look at Discover Center’s waterfront construction.
Construction Takes A Bite Out of IOA
This is Universal Orlando so the construction comes in fast, before confirmations of what is being built are even official. But let’s just say most of Jurassic Park at Islands of Adventure is touched by this construction project in one way or another. The aforementioned Raptor Encounter, has been moved to a new temporary location next to Pizza Predattoria. The main walls for this project surround the Discovery Center on its waterfront side and in the area formerly occupied by Triceratops Encounter. It’s kind of crazy to walk through and see all the Jurassic World styled construction walls but of course there’s more to this story.
Jurassic World at Hollywood Then Orlando?
Over at Universal Studios Hollywood, Jurassic World – The Ride is set to debut this summer. It overlays the classic attraction and one has to believe it will likely arrive in the coming years to Islands of Adventure’s Jurassic Park River Adventure as long as its well received in Hollywood. Strategically it makes a ton of sense when you look at the coaster competition that is heating up with the already announced coasters coming to The Magic Kingdom and Epcot at Walt Disney World and the rumored thrill coaster coming to Sea World Orlando. Universal will be unleashing at least a few raptors in order to bite back as the Orlando theme park market continues to sizzle.