Universal Studios Japan Celebrates its 15th with New Jurassic Park Coaster
Universal Studios Japan kicked off its 15th anniversary celebration today with the debut of the world's longest flying coaster.
Jurassic Park: The Flying Dinosaur is the park's fifth roller coaster, and at 3,688 feet long is the world's longest Bolliger & Mabillard flying coaster, according to the park.
Think of this one as Islands of Adventure's Pteranodon Flyers, all grown up. Instead of riding underneath pteranodons that sway gently along a relatively level track, riders on USJ's far-more-extreme version of a pteranodon ride face multiple flips and inversions, following a 124-foot initial drop.
We are awaiting an official POV video from the park [*and here it is], but in the meantime, here is some off-ride video of the coaster in action.
The debut of the new coaster is just one of the festivities that Universal says it is planning to celebrate the park's anniversary. The park's actual 15th birthday comes on March 31 this month, but Universal kicked off the celebration today with a freshly decorated front gate and the celebration theme "RE-BORN!"
In Japanese, language on the park's anniversary logos exhort visitors to "Let's overdo it and rejuvenate yourselves."
Okay, maybe some subtlety is lost in the translation there, but a direct appeal such as this seems, well, pretty rejuvenating, doesn't it? Universal Studios Japan is already the world's most attended Universal Studios theme park, and another major expansion of the park, featuring Nintendo, is said to be in the works.
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Replies (15)
Looks like it would be a cool ride. But holy hell that name is awful. "The Flying Dinosaur"?
Probably sounds better in Japanese. Kyoyru sounds pretty cool.
Hopefully the cue will be elaborately themed and Universal can put a few AA Pteranadon or Pteradactyls in there somewhere. This looks more like a six flags coaster (surely the coaster is awesome) than the same creative team that built Forbidden Journey and Gringotts. I expect much more from Universal. If we are to laud them when they match or surpass Disney, then we have to also be honest when they come up far short.
110% agree with colandoj
The Flying Dinosaur? ECH! What next... The Jumping Italian?
I think it really ruins the site lines for Jurassic Park's Discovery Center & the rest of the land. I'm no fan of it's placement in that area of the park.
Guess Universal has the same thing as Disney, their Asian partners want their parks to have unique stuff as "bragging rights" over parks in the States.
Kills the whole look of the land... The coaster looks like it'd be fun however.
I'm with Rob and Court, seeing that go over the gates is rather unsightly. Let Japan keep this one.
I think it's a fit for USJ. Especially since Japan, as a country, lacks quality thrill coasters. However, I wouldn't like to see this attraction coming to an American Universal park because it really does ruin the sight lines of the area. Without the coaster, and a bit of imagination, you feel like you're actually in Jurassic Park. With the coaster, you realize that you're in a theme park version of Jurassic Park. Big difference to me.
I would love to see a coaster like this come to Universal Orlando. Only a small percentage of guests care about sightlines. No-one ever forgets they are in a theme park.
However, Because Seaworld has a flying coaster, I doubt Universal would add one. Maybe a wing coaster, like Gatekeeper at Cedar Point.
@88
If that were true, 6 flags should have an attendance anywhere near Disney, which they clearly do not.
As much as I love to see that this website's bias toward Universal only extends so far, I do think people are being just a little too harsh on this ride. Yes, the name sounds dumb; yes, an iron ride is a weird choice for a company that has built some of the most intricately themed rides ever. But I would like to remind everyone that IOA has had two iron rides since it's opening day, and to this day they are still both amongst the most popular rides in the park, despite the fact that they share the same park with two of the most revolutionary dark rides in the world. And I don't see why all rollercoasters should be considered below dark rides. I find ShieKra and Cheetah Hunt just as entertaining as Spider-Man or Forbidden Journey. Sometimes I want a ride to transport me into another world and take me on an exciting Journey with big flashy special effects, and sometimes I just want a ride to give me a huge adrenaline rush with loops and dips and turns. And even if you don't agree with me, here's something I think we can all agree on: if Universal had to steal something from Six Flags, at least it was roller coasters and not spinners. (I'm looking at you, Kodos & Kang!)
Daniel: Yes, I agree with your post.
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Looks like a really really fun intense ride. Here at Great Adventure we have Superman and that is an amazing ride. If I ever make it out there I will definitely ride.