Jurassic Park at Universal

The Discovery Center, where you can see a baby raptor hatch from an egg, looks just like the one in the film, and in the Triceratops Encounter, you'll be able to feel the warm skin of an animatronic dinosaur who seems to breathe, blink, sneeze, cough and flinch when a camera flashes.

Outside, climb aboard the Pteranodon Fliers, gentle beasts who glide above the play area called Camp Jurassic with riders under their wings.

But lest you be lulled into thinking all dinosaurs are cute, the centerpiece of the island is the Jurassic Park River Adventure (height requirement: 42 inches), a water ride in which five-story-high dinosaurs stalk you. Just as the T. rex is about to move in, you escape via an 85-foot downhill plunge. It's the longest, fastest and steepest descent ever built on a theme park water ride--and my vote for the most fun ride in the park.

Since water rides never seem quite as terrifying as coaster plunges, this is a good thrill for park visitors in the seven-to-ten age range.



Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.