In another blow-out first-round vote, Theme Park Insider reader overwhelming selected Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure the theme park industry's Best New Attraction of 2021.
We called VelociCoaster "the New Queen of Thrill Rides" in our review when the attraction opened officially last June.
Jurassic World VelociCoaster received well over a majority of the votes among more than three dozen other candidates in the first round, eliminating the need for a run-off vote. Last year's winner, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway from Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios, also won in the first round.
In the fall, Theme Park Insider invites subscribers to its email newsletter to nominate candidates in each category for the annual Theme Park Insider Awards. If no candidate receives a majority of the nominations in its category, candidates with the most nominations are named finalists. Theme Park Insider readers then are invited to vote for the winner from among those finalists in a poll posted on the front page of the website.
Here are the other winners of the 21st annual Theme Park Insider Awards:
To participate in the selection of the 22nd annual Theme Park Insider Awards, please subscribe to our email newsletter, through which will we send the exclusive nomination forms later this year.
Tweet
How can you pic a ride winner from a video? What thrill does that screen give you?
I didn't vote. But if you watch the ride video, the Beijing ride is spectacular, with awesome animatronics. Velocicoaster is just another coaster, however fun it may be. Where's the theming in that ride?
When Shanghai Pirates opened, one look at the videos was enough to tell you that this was the best new ride of the year. Same with Mystic Manor. Disney and Universal need to clone all these rides stateside.
"Just another coaster" dismisses both the ride and coasters. The combination of theming and thrill elements of Velocicoaster shouldn't be overlooked. There are tradeoffs. Jurassic World Adventure has far better theming and story, but Velocicoaster has thrill elements that are far more complex in design and execution. I'm not sure which would be the better experience.
I like coasters, but every amusement park in the world has loads of them. They're pretty common compared to a unique ride like Jurassic World in Beijing. Sadly, by building their (by far) greatest Jurassic ride in China, Universal has short changed its stateside fans.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
The best new attraction of 2021, by a landslide, is the Jurassic World ride at Universal Beijing. That's obvious with one viewing of the ride videos. The velocicoaster is far behind.