Today’s Islands of Adventure update will again focus on the park’s new headliner attraction: Jurassic World: VelociCoaster! This week we’ve got more theming, more nets, more details on the queue and ride experience, etc!
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***Please note that this is a multi-page update, make sure to click on page 2 at the bottom of this page for more pictures and project information!
We’ll start this update with some quick generic Universal’s Islands of Adventure news! Seuss Landing received holiday theming a few weeks ago, as has most of IOA and neighboring Universal Studios Florida! – This week the Grinchmas entrance sign reappeared. 
There is a good chance we’ll see less entertainment that usual, due to covid-19 limitations, however we’re excited to see what they have in store as the entertainment at the park has been pretty solid since reopening in June. 
Over by Jurassic Park and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Hogsmeade, the locker center for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is finally reaching final construction. – This project took quite long. – The scaffolding has been removed leaving a rockwork front matching the castle, and a Jurassic Park-themed back. 
Universal Orlando Resort also used this as an opportunity to further hide Hogwarts from within Jurassic Park, as this has been the most awkward bleeding of themes in the park for many years. Luckily with these new trees, bamboo, and thematically appropriate walls, sightlines will be less of an issue.
This update we’ll start on the Jurassic Park side of things. These nets were some of the first to be placed some week back, however I wasn’t quite able to capture a good picture of them ’til now. – I am going to need to borrow another family member’s kid to ride Pteranodon Flyers again so I can see VelociCoaster from up there. According to readers the views are spectacular from the family coaster. 
The second inversion on the coaster will stand close to the midway, and thus we’re finding netting has been added on those supports this week as well.
The scaffolding all around the “velociraptor enclosure” are slowly being removed, now leaving a view of the electrical fences (scenery) and yellow walls that will bridge the thematic/aesthetic gap between the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World themed rides in this area. Also notice this palm tree, more about that on page 2. 
The exit of the ride’s launch tunnel (second launch) has new fencing going up. Thematically appropriate of course!
Good news for coaster nerds, inside the ride’s queue guests will actually be able to see trains run by as they accelerate through the second launch.
This image from @bioreconstruct (seriously, follow them on Twitter) gives a better idea of what these windows inside the queue look like:
Last week we mentioned that the coaster’s catwalks and emergency evacuation staircases were being installed. Those seem to have been completed:
If you take a look at the entrance and exit of VelociCoaster compared to last week it becomes clear how much more greenery has been added. It’s almost hard to see the ride’s entrance/exit infrastructure now. 
More and more is being added every day! 
More palm trees have been added, water plants have been placed, its overall really helping with blending the stark black track with the ever-so naturalistic Jurassic Park area.
On the walls at the edge of the water we’re seeing details in the concrete. It is expected that people will be able to walk up to it and see trains rush through that barrel roll. 
It’s seriously looking so great already!
Continue reading this report on PAGE 2 for more details about the old palm trees returning to IOA and more!
It amazes me that Universal can get this ride built and almost ready to open in such a short time. Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t this ride start being worked on AFTER Tron? I know Disney is known for being slower with things and they have to build the enclosures for Tron and Guardians but man, this is quick.
It certainly helps that VelociCoaster doesn’t have a giant showbuilding that holds most of the coaster within. However, during the pandemic park closures, Universal really took the chance to construct most of the coaster as there were no guests using the midways surrounding the coaster. They definitely took the opportunity!