VelociCoaster is one of the latest rides to be added to the Islands of Adventure theme park at the Universal Studios Resort in Orlando, Florida.
The VelociCoaster is a launched rollercoaster and is scary – albeit in a good way. This ride is the tallest and fastest ride at any Universal Studios theme park worldwide and not only features multiple drops but also goes upside down for an extended period of time.
If you’re into rollercoasters then this ride is definitely for you. However, for those less into the thrills and spills of an epic rollercoaster ride, this may be one to miss.
What Type of Ride Is VelociCoaster?
VelociCoaster is a launched rollercoaster which is situated on the edge of Jurassic Park at the Islands of Adventure theme park.
Does VelociCoaster Have Drops?
The VelociCoaster reaches heights of 155ft and has multiple drops throughout at speeds of up to 70mph.
Does VelociCoaster Go Upside Down?
You will go upside down on the VelociCoaster – multiple times in fact. Most notably over the walkway on the edge of Jurassic Park.
What Are The Seats Like On VelociCoaster?
The seating format on the VelociCoaster is 2 seats side by side on a carriage of 24 riders per train.
Guests looking to ride VelociCoaster need to be at least 51″ (130cm) tall.
However, while this ride has no maximum weight limit you will not be able to ride if the lap bar can not secure you in place.
Test seats are located at the entrance of the ride and again at the front of the queue just before you board the ride.
Each test seat has a red, yellow and green light to indicate whether a guest is able to fit securely in the seat.
You’ll want a green light to appear if you’re safe to ride.
However, it has been known that people have not received a green light from the test seat and still fit safely in the seats on the ride itself (with some assistance from a ride attendant).
What’s The Average Standby Wait Time For VelociCoaster – And Is It Worth the Wait?
Typically the standby wait time for VelociCoaster is between 80 and 120 minutes.
However, the exact wait time will vary dramatically depending on the time of year you’re visiting Universal Studios, the weather, and what time you’re wanting to go on the ride.
The time of year you visit both Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood has a significant impact on the standby wait times for most rides in the park, VelociCoaster included.
If you’re visiting over a bank holiday weekend (Labour Day, Thanksgiving etc.) or a holiday (Halloween, Christmas etc.) then expect to wait longer.
The weather you experience when visiting Universal Studios is also going to have an impact on how long you wait.
While this doesn’t have as much of an impact as the time of year you visit, you will generally find that if it’s raining (especially in the afternoon) more people leave the parks early.
However, if there’s a storm then VelociCoaster will be temporarily suspended.
The best time to join the standby line for VelociCoaster is as soon as the park opens.
If you’re able to get the additional hour inside selected areas of Islands of Adventure by staying on-site in a Universal Studios hotel then you’ll look to wait between 5 and 15 minutes in the standby line (since most other guests head straight for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure).
If you have general admission into Universal Studios and head straight to VelociCoaster as the park opens (which is the best time to arrive at the Universal parks) then expect to wait between 15 and 30 minutes in the standby line.
Personally, I’d choose to ride VelociCoaster if the standby wait time is less than 45 minutes.
Can You Use An Express Pass On VelociCoaster?
VelociCoaster accepts the Universal Express Passes which on average should cut the wait time down by around 70%.
Express Passes can be purchased separately in addition to a theme park ticket or be obtained complimentary by staying onsite in a Universal Studios premier hotel.
Can You Take Your Bag On VelociCoaster?
Bags and loose items are not permitted on the VelociCoaster and instead need to be stored in one of the lockers provided.
These lockers are free for a specified time which varies with the length of the standby line.
You can leave your bag in the locker for longer while you queue for other rides or continue to explore Islands of Adventure, however, you will need to pay a fee to obtain your bags again once you’ve finished.
