Universal released more details on their upcoming park in Texas, now set to officially open in 2026!
Initially announced just over a year ago, the Texas park will be Universal’s first ever entirely children and family centered theme park. The other Universal destinations around the globe feature a mixture of attractions, shows, and events for all ages, but the all new Universal Kids Resort will have offerings specifically geared towards a younger audience.
VP and executive producer of Universal Creative Sarah Gibbon stated “At each point, we considered how we could design a place especially for kids where they could explore, imagine and adventure with their families and friends They’ll be able to do all this while being fully immersed in some of their favorite stories – ones full of curiosity, laughter and joy.”
With that in mind, many have wondered what types of attractions, and IP properties we would see In 2024 Universal released two official pieces of conceptual art of an ariel views of all the lands that would make up UKR, and both included portions that appeared to be hinting at potential Jurassic themed sections.
Well, with the announcement of UKR opening in 2026, Universal also released what lands and characters we can expect to see- with Jurassic World being among them!
‘[At Jurassic World] Discoveries abound as kids learn about and come face to face with beloved dinosaurs of Jurassic World in uniquely exciting and interactive ways. The new adventure exclusively created for young explorers will be both exhilarating and awe-inspiring.’
Along with the land synopsis is a picture of everyone’s favorite juvenile ankylosaur Bumpy, from Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.
Along with Bumpy (and whatever other dinosaurs and characters from Jurassic World we may encounter,) guests can experience many other iconic lands and characters in this 97-acre theme park including Shrek, Puss in Boots, Trolls, SpongeBob SquarePants, Minions, and Gabby’s Dollhouse .
While there are no official details on what guests can specifically expect as far as rides and shows go for UKR, many fans will no doubt be scouring the previously released concept art for clues. And people can also sign up for news and updates on the official UKR site as well!
Tell us what you think. Are you excited for the all-new Universal Kids Resort? Will you be visiting? What kind of rides and experiences do you hope to see? Let us know in the comments!
Coming off reopening Jurassic Park The Ride after an extended refurbishment, Universal Studios Japan has announced that they will be hosting a six-month long Jurassic interactive event!
From March 14, 2025, through August 31, 2025 (*dates subject to change) Universal Studios Japan will be hosting Jurassic World Journey, a special limited time event during daytime park hours with unique show offerings, special food, interactive missions, and more!
Take your family on a thrilling, new adventure to experience the dinosaurs from Jurassic World like never before! See the terrifying T. rex on a boat tour through the jungle. Meet and interact with adorable baby dinosaurs! And try not to scream during a tense encounter with a Raptor! You can also go on an all-new “”Mission Walk”” where you can explore the area while solving fun and exciting new puzzles along the way!’
So, lets break down exactly what guests can expect and experience during JW Journey!
ENTERTAINMENT OFFERINGS
There will be three “new” shows offered during the Jurassic World Journey event that will bring guests closer than ever to the park’s dinosaurs! Universal Japan has proven time and again that they love experimenting with live performance to showcase dinosaurs in their Jurassic Park area. Universal Japan has been the stage for a variety of Jurassic shows through the years since the 00’s, showcasing many different dinosaurs with each iteration (one of which even had a Spinosaurus!)
In “Dino Encounter” guests will be able to see some of the park’s herbivorous dinosaurs, like Triceratops and Stegosaurus, and will also have opportunities to pet and even feed the animals!
Complimenting the experience with the herbivores will be the “Baby Dino Adventure,” guests will experience the awe and wonder of interacting with a baby dinosaur and learn some fun new facts about the incredible species from its handler! You can even take a commemorative photo to have as a keepsake of this truly unforgettable and heartwarming moment!
Be careful though, because while the island is home to many magnificent and wonderful animals, danger also lurks around every corner! In “Raptor Alert” you find out that several raptors have escaped from their enclosures and have been spotted in the area! Be sure to take caution as you move throughout the area! Get ready to experience the thrill of a lifetime as you try to avoid being trapped by the Raptor pack!
Universal is also planning the “ultimate adventure” for the whole family to enjoy with the Jurassic World “Mission Walk!” After picking up your mission booklet at Jurassic Outfitters (each guest can obtain one mission booklet per day), guests will explore the jungles of Jurassic World and complete their exciting missions throughout the Park! As you complete the various missions you’ll also encounter various dinosaurs hidden in the jungle. Every participant who completes all of the missions will receive an exclusive sticker as a gift!
The Jurassic section highlighted on the USJ map. ①Jurassic World Raptor Alert ②Jurassic World Dino Encounter ③Jurassic World Baby Dino Adventure ④Jurassic World Mission Walk
PHOTO OP
On top of the new entertainment offerings, there will also be a special photo op location where guests can get a commemorative photo with a Jurassic World gyrosphere!
FOOD OFFERINGS
The new T, Rex Burger, volcanic Strawberry and Chocolate Cupcake, and Ancient Sea drink.
Universal never misses an opportunity to come up with unique and special foods for their parks as well, and during Jurassic World Journey the park will be offering multiple new edible dishes.
There will be five new meals offered- the massive T. rex Burger Meal, the Raptor Burger Meal, the Pteranodon Burger meal (which looks to be a crispy chicken sandwich,) the Mosasaurus Burger Meal (a breaded fish sandwich,) and the bite sized Triceratops Burger Meal for kids. To pair with the meal there will also be a unique drink, a salty lemon and lychee soda mix named the Ancient Sea.
And don’t forget desert! Offerings like a pteranodon topped chocolate and strawberry cupcake (made to look like Mt. Sibo erupting,) and the Jurassic Chocolate Lemon Churritos are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Images on Universal Japan’s website suggest that there may be even more food and treat options available as well during the event, like a delectable multi-layered dessert dish of some kind and Jurassic themed macarons.
While there has been no news of new or special merchandise (other than the sticker awarded at the end of the Mission Walk,) the Blue and Gyrosphere popcorn bucket will finally be making its way to Universal Japan!
And don’t forget to ride that ever flowing river with the newly refurbished Jurassic Park The Ride, and fly alongside pterosaurs on the rollercoaster The Flying Dinosaur.
Walt Disney World News Today reported in their article reporting on the special event that Universal Japan has said that there will be “enhancements” added to the rides for the event, but we could not find any information on Universal Japan’s website (or elsewhere) corroborating this. It is not without precedent though, as other parks like Universal Hollywood and Orlando have made minor tweaks to their respective Jurassic rides in the past for special events like Halloween Horror Nights. So perhaps we will see a few added details, props, or dinosaurs in the coming months!
Universal Destinations and Resorts around the world have had many different special Jurassic offerings over the years. For instance, for Jurassic Park‘s 30th Anniversary Universal Orlando had a special tribute store, and in 2018 Universal Singapore had the short show Jurassic World ROAR! in honor of the release of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom. While none of the other Universal’s other resorts have announced any special events or offerings accompanying the release Jurassic World Rebirth as of yet, we can hope that perhaps Universal Japan is just leading the way and maybe some of the other destinations will soon follow suit with some dino-sized surprises for guests this year!
What would you like to see come to Universal Parks around the globe? More special Jurassic events? More unique shows with dinosaurs? New rides? Let us know in the comments below.
After a lengthy closure, Jurassic Park: The Ride at Universal Studios Japan is set to reopen in 2025, and a lot sooner than you think!
Back in July of 2023, it was reported that Universal Studios in Japan would be closing Jurassic Park: The Ride for a lengthy refurbishment. While outlets said that the ride would reopen at some point in 2025, no official date was ever given. Since the closure, the official Universal Studios Japan website has had the ride listed as being closed ‘indefinitely.’ Since the official closure in September of 2023, very little news or information has been given on the status of the refurbishment, with any updates solely coming from theme park vlogging videos. For months there have been no real or official updates of any kind.
Previously, the only other Jurassic ride to undergo such a lengthy closure was the original Jurassic Park: The Ride in Universal Hollywood. which closed in 2018 and was to be replaced with Jurassic World: The Ride in 2019. The replacement was met with a mixed to favorable response, with many happy that new animatronics and effects were added to a ride that needed a good amount of updates and fixes, but that certain elements felt incomplete or cut and a bit of the original magic and storytelling was absent.
While some speculated that perhaps Japan would be going through the IP change, it had never been stated that the ride would be changing so dramatically. Moreover, in the last year, there has been no change at all to any of the signage or theming in the area of the park. So it seems like Japan has kept with the more iconic and recognizable JurassicPark branding. So perhaps the ride will stay mostly the same, with all the major animatronics being replaced with more updated technology and effects?
Well, guests to Universal Japan will finally be able to ride the ever-flowing river once again as Jurassic Park: The Ride prepares to open its gates again, on January 8th of 2025!! The reopening marks the end of a sixteen-month-long refurbishment (six months longer than the Park to World flip in Universal Hollywood.)
The official Universal Japan X account announced the reopening in a post, stating:
‘Jurassic Park – The Ride, which has been closed for renovations since September 2023, will reopen on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation. Please look forward to the reopening.’
Accompanying the announcement was a short teaser video:
To many the teaser may be a tad… underwhelming. After such a long time of being closed, all we are essentially seeing is stock footage of the ride pre-refurbishment. When Jurassic World: The Ride was preparing to open after only ten months there was a special teaser released to build excitement for the opening, and something along those lines would have been a tad more exciting to see.
But all this just begs the question… what will the ride look like once it opens in two weeks; what exactly are we in store for? Universal Japan has played the entire refurbishment very close to their chest, and it seems like if they have made any major updates to the dinosaurs, ride system, or other effects they plan on keeping it a secret until the ride is reopened to the public on the 8th.
We very much are looking forward to the reopening of this legendary attraction. It marks the start of what is sure to be a massive dino-sized year to come for Jurassic fans! Moreover, the fact that Japan has chosen to retain the iconic Jurassic Park branding instead of changing it to Jurassic World is noteworthy, and hopefully, if the ride is a success in popularity and excitement to Universal guests upon its reopening it means that all Jurassic rides and attractions aren’t necessarily resorted to the fate of being changed to the Jurassic World model.
Are you excited about the reopening of Jurassic Park: The Ride in Japan? Would you like to see more Universal parks refurbishing their Jurassic rides and areas, and if so- what kind of attractions would you like to see? Let us know in the comments below!
‘The major refurbishment of Jurassic Park the Ride, which begins on Monday, September 4, 2023, is expected to take until early 2025. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.’
This follows the ride being closed from June 6th to June 21st also of this year, most likely for normal yearly refurbishment and maintenance.
There is also no word as to if this is a refurbishment of the existing ride or if it means the ride will be getting the Universal Hollywood treatment and transforming into Jurassic World The Ride.
Currently, Universal Studios Orlando and Japan are the only Universal parks to still have the classic Jurassic Park The Ride/River Adventure ride. Universal Singapore has its own unique Jurassic ride called Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure that has a circular raft vehicle rather than the long multi-rowed raft (making it close to Islands of Adventure’s Popey and Bluto’s Bilge-rat Barges or Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Kali River Rapids.) Universal Beijing has the award-winningJurassic World Adventure Ride (a dark ride in the vein of Amazing Adventures of Spider-man at Islands of Adventure,) as well as Jurassic Flyers. As previously stated, Universal Hollywood revamped Jurassic Park The Ride to Jurassic World The Ride, which opened in 2019. Sporting some new visuals, animatronics, and story, the updated ride has been well received, with many applauding the spectacular new animatronics and moments. Universal Orlando still has its original Jurassic Park River Adventure ride and opted for a brand new Jurassic World ride (instead of changing River Adventure) with VelociCoaster, which has been awarded Best Rollercoaster two years in a row. If Universal Japan is changing their Jurassic Park ride to Jurassic World though, we can theorize (“theorize, mind you”) that it’s most likely only a matter of time before Orlando sees its classic Jurassic ride go through a similar refurbishment.
While closed, guests to Universal Japan can still visit the Jurassic Park area to experience The Flying Dinosaur, a steel flying coaster where guests soar through the air like pterosaurs (which, should be stated, are not dinosaurs,) and experience various dinosaur “meet and greets” throughout the land.
Universal Parks News Video of Jurassic Park The Ride at Universal Studios Japan
