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Jurassic Park River Adventure's Dinosaurs Are Going Back In, and Aerial Video Shows a Boat Testing the Course
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Jurassic Park River Adventure's Dinosaurs Are Going Back In, and Aerial Video Shows a Boat Testing the Course

Michael Travels
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A ride boat is out on the course at Jurassic Park River Adventure. Aerial video posted Saturday by the photographer bioreconstruct captures ride testing at the Islands of Adventure ride, with the boat on camera described as "One of two boats spotted in a quick fly-by."

The same set of aerials shows the dinosaurs coming back. A Stegosaurus is being reinstalled with much of its outer covering still missing, and the Ultrasaurus has scaffolding around it that bioreconstruct says was recently added so Team Members can finalize its return. WDW News Today wrote the photos up on Saturday afternoon.

Overhead view of a dinosaur figure on a platform beside the river, its black mechanical legs, neck and tail exposed and only a partial green and pale covering over its body, with a worker in a hard hat and safety vest standing among cables nearby

The Stegosaurus back on its platform beside the river, its black mechanical frame exposed and only part of its body covering in place. Photo: bioreconstruct/X, via WDW News Today

What the flyover shows

bioreconstruct's post with the video reads: "Aerial video of ride testing in the Jurassic Park River Adventure refurbishment. One of two boats spotted in a quick fly-by. Also seen is scaffolding recently added for Team Members to finalize the return of Ultrasaurus."

Earlier this year the ride's track was replaced, and aerials in June showed its roofing being replaced and its animatronics being dismantled. WDWNT notes that earlier photos showed the Ultrasaurus itself stripped of its exterior.

Overhead view of a large brown dinosaur body at the edge of the river, its exposed mechanical neck reaching across a wooden deck ringed with metal railings and work platforms, with clear water and rockwork beyond

A long-necked figure surrounded by railings and work platforms at the water's edge. WDW News Today identifies the scaffolded dinosaur as the Ultrasaurus. Photo: bioreconstruct/X, via WDW News Today

A third aerial looks down on the ride's tall concrete paddock walls, which WDWNT says were rebuilt during the refurbishment. According to WDWNT, the walls divide the ride's waterways and habitats from neighboring backstage space.

Overhead view of tall pale concrete walls zigzagging around a stretch of river and dense trees, with yellow ride boats with red seats lined up in the water at upper left and a show building roof at lower left

The rebuilt concrete paddock walls, with yellow ride boats lined up in the water at upper left. Photo: bioreconstruct/X, via WDW News Today

So when can you ride?

WDWNT calls the testing "another encouraging sign of progress, although additional work remains before guests can return."

The ride has been closed since January 5 for what WDWNT describes as repairs and upgrades to its infrastructure, scenery and dinosaur figures. It was originally due back on November 20, until Universal extended the closure by nearly a month. When we covered that extension, Universal's Temporary Closures list showed the ride closed through December 16, and it wasn't clear whether that was the last day closed or the first day back.

WDW News Today says the ride "is currently scheduled to reopen on December 17, 2026, according to the official Universal Orlando website." That matches what WDWNT quoted from the ride's page on Universal's site when the extension surfaced in October: it "will now reopen on December 17, 2026." That would make December 16 the last day closed. We could not load universalorlando.com to check the page ourselves, so treat December 17 as WDWNT's reading of Universal's page and check the ride's status before you go.

Jurassic Park River Adventure debuted in 1999, when Islands of Adventure opened. Boats float past the ride's dinosaurs before a T. rex sends riders down an 85-foot drop.

Which dinosaur are you most hoping comes back looking brand new?

Sources

Image credits: bioreconstruct/X, via WDW News Today (all three aerials).

Mentioned in this story

Check out our guides for more on each place in this story:

Islands of Adventure Jurassic Park River Adventure

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