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Jurassic Park River Adventure (Orlando)

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Location: Universal Islands of Adventure

Our thoughts: This is the only really fun attraction in the Jurassic Park area of the Islands of Adventure -- we were too big for the flying pterodactyl ride (adults can ride only with kids), and avoided the Jurassic Park educational center (screaming kids and education don't really mix in our book).

The ride is billed as a 'river adventure,' which means a bunch of people get into a boat to take a leisurely cruise and witness the wonders of all the dinosaurs around you inside 'Jurassic Park.' It's kind of like the Disney World Jungle Cruise at first, where you get to float around on a track and watch the animatronic dinosaurs.

But just like the movie, something goes awry, and suddenly the boat is thrown into the dangerous Raptor Containment Area, where some of the velociraptors have escaped. Suddenly the ride becomes a little bit more 'dangerous' than the Jungle Cruise, and you enter a darkened building with lots of screams from technicians and raptors that may or may not jump out at you. Also one of those spitting dinosaurs attacks the boat, so you may get wet, depending on where you are sitting.

The climax of the ride is at the end, when the T-Rex is about to attack you. Luckily your boat escapes by turning into a giant flume ride and you plummet down at a pretty steep angle back into the river below. The drop is pretty intense, and depending on where you are sitting, you will either get wet or very very wet.

This ride is great if it's a hot summer day, not so great if it's cool outside (nothing like damp underwear on a cold day). If you don't want to wait in line, you can always take the kids to the "splash zone" and have them get wet from the splashes from the boats as they go down the flume.

Tip: Try for the single-rider line to shorten your wait.

More from Islands of Adventure

Theme Parks
• Islands of Adventure

Rides
• Dr. Doom's Fear Fall
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
• Dueling Dragons
• Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Popeye & Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges
• The Amazing Spiderman Ride

Restaurants
• Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville
• Mythos

Miscellaneous
• Islands of Adventure First Aid Station

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