Time to grab your poncho and play the Jurassic Park theme song in your head
If you are a fan of Jurassic Park, water rides and huge t-rexes, then there is a really good chance that you are going to love this ride. River Adventure is a nice mix of a dark ride with a log flume water ride, featuring several animatronics of dinosaurs, some cool setpieces and a giant 85 ft, 51° drop near the end that might get you soaked. Funny enough, I think this drop is less intense than what you’d find in Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, since the vehicle in River Adventure is more bulky with a lot of guests inside.
Out of all the water rides in Islands of Adventure, I can safely say that this one won’t get you (completely) drenched. I mean, maybe you broke a mirror in the past week or a black cat decided to cross your path, then there is always the small chance that you will get soaked. Don’t blame me!
The Good
Much like we see in Ripsaw Falls or the old Splash Mountain, River Adventure has a storyline with several animatronics before the main drop. The atmosphere here is great and a treat for fans of the movie. Not only do you get to board a cool expedition boat, listen to John William’s iconic soundtrack and go past the Jurassic Park gates, but you see a lot of dinosaurs that were part of the movies. Those include an Ultrasaurus, a Stegosaurus and even those mini-dinosaurs the size of a Chihuahua that are just as aggressive.
The first part of the dark ride section is a relaxing trip through Jurassic Park as you enjoy the vistas and see a bunch of friendly dinosaurs. Some of those giant reptiles even want to play with you, spitting water right at your face. Adorable. Everything is all gucci, until some velociraptors decide to do velociraptor things and destroy some electric wires, escaping and making your boat move to a more… dangerous… area of Jurassic Park.
That's where the second half of the dark ride begins. As alarms blare from every direction, you enter a dimly lit water treatment plant, where the echoing screams of dinosaurs fill the air as they stealthily stalk you. Spooky! It’s all really well done and pretty fun. I do visit here occasionally and notice that some animatronics aren't working, but when everything functions smoothly, it's quite cool.
The main drop happens after you go up an escalator and a giant T-rex head screams at you. Again, that’s another great animatronic and a very fun set piece before it’s time to dive. There is a good chance that you won’t get drenched if you aren’t sitting in the front row, since you can use other guests as shields. Don’t tell them you saw this strategy on Famvia.
Will Kids enjoy it?
Most kids will enjoy this ride, especially teenagers. The main drop on this ride isn't too terrifying, to be honest, and you won't end up as soaked as you would on Ripsaw Falls or the Popeye ride. But it's definitely a good call to bring along an extra T-shirt for the kids and make sure they don't ride with their socks on.
Now, this ride can indeed get a little bit scary for the young ones, especially after the… “security breach”. Your boat travels through a dark area as you come face to face with some scary Dino-animatronics, including the old chap from the movies that spits poison… Thankfully, he only spits water here. As your vehicle approaches the main drop, you also catch sight of a colossal T-rex head roaring just overhead, which might give the little ones a bit of a fright.
Jurassic Park River Adventure FAQ
Where is Jurassic Park River Adventure located?
Jurassic Park River Adventure is located in Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando.
What is the height requirement to ride Jurassic Park River Adventure?
You must be at least 42″ to ride Jurassic Park River Adventure.
Is Jurassic Park River Adventure scary for children?
It can be, yes. There’s a dark section near the end with a large T-Rex head, and the main drop can be intimidating.
Do we recommend Jurassic Park River Adventure?
Yes! The atmosphere is great, and the main drop is a lot of fun.
