I got to experience Triceratops Encounter when I was a kid, and even though I was old enough to know it was an animatronic, it was so realistic that I jumped at the chance to pet it. I still vividly remember how real the skin around its nose looked and felt.
I was old enough to know it wasn't real too but it was so unexpectedly realistic that I didn't fully realize it was an animatronic until they said we could pet it. It felt real but I knew they wouldn't let kids pet an actual dinosaur
Several of my cousins fell for it as well. Having been myself, it was eerily realistic when I went. If I had been any younger, I would have believed that too.
@@rowansidhe3239 Yeah but did you hear the way he said "That's right, I *am* the dinosaur man" lmao. He was enjoying it and realised he was on TV and cut back into talking about the ride
God bless the character actor playing Hammond in the footage you used. He’s really giving it his all and he’s FABULOUS, but nobody can sound like Mr. Attenborough. I’ve always loved that about the character actors at Universal though- there’s always one thing that is just /off/ about them, but when you’re up close and personal with them it feels so genuine and amazing. When I went and bumped into Doc Brown he really didn’t look anything like him but once he started talking he just lit up and came alive. The face actors there work for me in a way that Disney face characters never have. Maybe because they’re being live action characters so you really do just FEEL it more.
I think there's something about this video that's sadder than a lot of the other videos like this and I'm not sure what it is. I just feel like something was genuinely lost when this attraction closed. Maybe that's just because I never got to go through it, but there's something I think you can, for lack of a less trite way of putting it, "magical" about something that doesn't necessarily seek to "thrill" you but grounds you in another reality for a little bit. Its part of what I like about things like Halloween horror nights or VR video games, but this could be accessible for more general audiences. There seems like there was a lot of heart put into this as a concept. This isn't saying there isn't any in velicocoaster. Or even that there's less or more. They can't be compared, they're too different. But anything that can make a kid believe the dinosaur is sick and getting better and there's a staff of people taking care of it, with that being almost the only goal is something nice about theme parks that I'm not sure we'll get much more of.
Agreed, the idea that this attraction helped make the Jurassic Park area feel more 'real' is such a great concept and adds to that suspension of 'real' that theme parks should offer. It was and still is a great concept for an encounter that just failed to meet guests expectations. Maybe a lack of repeatability hurt it also.
I agree--there is something sad about this. I can't put my finger on it but I guess it's because times have changed. Kids and Millennials no longer crave learning but crave thrills. Kids and many adults find their attention and brains are now inside their iPhones. Many walk, talk and drive while focussing their attention on their iPhones. I actually witnessed a woman, at the Lloyd Center shopping mall in Portland Oregon, walking while texting on her iPhone and she walked and tumbled into a shallow water feature fountain in the mall. I love visiting Universal Studios and Disneyland. I'll always be a kid at heart.
I got to experience it as a 15yr old kid back in 1999 when it opened! It was mesmerizing I had never seen such thing (it just didn't exist) and for a moment I was like WHAT these things are really alive??? But how??? I had only arrived from Cuba 6 years ago so this was all very WOW to me. They explained how the eggs hatched, the dinosaur was sick and the vet was curing it, it made very real noises and movements. I truly left thinking WOW they did it... until my dad was like... No --- that's a machine, dinosaurs are really extinct and they are not coming back. I was heartbroken for a few minutes.... but quickly got on to the next rollercoaster and forgot all about it! It was mesmerizing to see once but once you saw it once you didn't need to see it again. I'm glad they have made something modern with it bc kids today would not buy it since tech has evolved so much!
Hard agree. I had the chance to see this once in my life and it was amazing to feel like I was actually in the world. I went through it multiple times on my one visit.
@@ExpeditionThemePark i think they can do something completely astonishing with the technology we have today, not even talking about screens. Having an herbivore dinosaur implies that we can actually touch it and feel it. The raptor costume is something you watch from distance
I have such a fond memory of this attraction! At age 13 and a fan of knowing how things work, I knew it was an animatronic but was amazed by the technology and realism. My parent was enthralled and kept talking about how amazing it was to see a live dinosaur; I thought it was a matter of playing along at first (preserve a bit of the magic, you know?) until realizing that no, it really was well done enough that a fully grown adult truly believed it was real to the point of being starry eyed over it. There aren't a lot of good memories with that parent, but that's one of them.
Awww, I would have loved to see the Triceratops Encounter! So many people just don't appreciate theme park attractions unless they are thrill rides. Not everyone is built for roller coasters and this kind of fun encounter really is needed to balance out the experience.
im 2 years late, but this is so true. even though i love the thrill stuff, i also love immersion and i would have loved to see the triceratops as a kid.. it would make the whole experience feel so real, like ur actually in a real jurassic park
@@artx000 Oh yeah! Just like that scene from the first Jurassic Park with the Triceratops that was sick. I think the concept would have been magical to experience in real life, and I wish I had been able to see it myself as a kid.
The robots were so strong they could actually be incredibly dangerous to the human actors. There were hidden pressure plates on the ground that the actors had to coordinate their movements with to ensure the program would continue. One false move (while having to recall 1000s of facts about the animal on a whim) and the show would e-stop.
No wonder it was down all the time. Could see that being a huge issue getting distracted by guests. Honestly, it would have been even more believable if the actor got nocked down as it turned its head. Ha.
I have the vaguest memories of this attraction from a family vacation in 2000. I wish I could have gone back before it was closed. It was a very underrated part of the park.
Damn, I wish it hadn't taken me over 3 decades to finally get to Universal. I was about 6 years too late for the trike encounter the first time I went, but the raptor encounter is responsible for one of my most cherished memories, so I can't complain. The training they give the puppeteers for the raptor costume must be top flight because their work is outstanding.
This is a prime example of what the Universal theme parks are loosing, soul. When I was in the JP island in 2019, the place was pretty small, yes, but it set my JP fan inside me into overdrive. There were parts where I really felt like I was in the real Jurassic Park. This attraction is a prime example of that, with a trail that shows you some of the supplies the "staff" used to care for the animals, and the employees doing everything they can to make you feel like this is all real, THAT is the experience I love.
I think if any themepark is losing soul, it's Disney. Universal opened a new attraction over the pandemic, Disney delayed theirs. Universal has kept all benefits, while Disney has gotten rid of things like transportation, free magic bands, and extra magic hours
I really do love that the Triceratops Encounter evolved to Velociraptor Encounter. I really loved both dinosaur encounters. They did such an amazing job.
This holds a special place in my heart because I 100 percent that it was real when I was a kid and I went every time its made me fall in love with dinosaurs
I remember seeing this when I was there as a kid. It was absolutely amazing, I was awestruck and it just blew my mind being able to interact with a dinosaur. So sad it didn't get the love it deserved
There's something especially sad about this for me bing a Kid from the Midwest, our family couldn't afford to fly out to the coasts and go to these parks. So being a giant JP nerd I was always looking for footage of these rides online on youtube and the old sites like JPToys and Jurassic Legacy and seeing all the attractions and feeling gutted every passing year when one after another kept shutting down or getting neglected and left to fall apart like Trike Encounter here. The new JW stuff looks just like the new movies: too busy, too many tricks and not enough attraction or substance. It's a shame these are the replacements for such incredible looking rides and walk-throughs.
I think as the times change and theme park tie ins evolve, I'm just glad we got something new. The VelociCoaster is amazing and while completely different to the walk through, it adds something new and exciting to the land. I do also miss the classic walk-throughs and Jurassic Park being a real, living place vibe too.
Saw this head in the tribute store and i was so excited to see it was still around! I got to be lucky enough to see this in 1999 opening summer in its full glory. It was a rather tame experience but if you liked JP it was still pretty cool.
The timing on this was perfect. I just spent the weekend checking out the new coaster and I told my wife I swore there was something else in that area when I was a kid but I could not remember what it was.
Man, I was wondering where this attraction went. I was amazed with the animatronic when I was a kid and my mom was as well. I asked a worker to where the attraction was and just pointed us to River Adventure. We got duped for the ride , laughing back at it now
Fun fact I used to work at mythos at IOA, one time on a smoke break I walked backstage at Jurassic park. I knew that triceratops encounter was there so I snuck in and guess what? It was wide open, I walked in and saw everything abandoned it was absolutely nuts. The triceratops were still there just chilling all deteriorating, it looked like lost world. Man I wish I had the balls to record it but I was nervous I was gonna get caught lol
This experience is always something I'll remember (I was about 8-10 at the time). I went to Florida a few times in the early to mid 2000's and this was something I was really in awe of, such a great experience, I always seemed to get sneezed on.
I remember visiting this as a small child, like I still have a few photos of me in the JP jeep stroller. I was absolutely convinced this was real and tried to communicate with the animatronic in ‘dino speak’. I was like 4.
During a December 2010 trip I got to experience it without knowing what it was. I went down the queue and BOOM… there’s a Triceratops. Had no clue at the time that it was quickly fading away. I’m glad I got to see it!
I can't stop laughing at the actor playing John Hammond. Every clip, his accent changes. Make up your mind what nationality you want to be, dude! LOL!!
Great job on this one! I was a huge fan of the original encounter but I always remember the people complaining that it was boring or it didn't do anything. People don't appreciate a unique experience. It WAS always broken, but it was such a well done experience like you said,if you knew what you were in for. Great memories tho. I even recognized the employees in the videos. 👍
I got to see it in person back in 2001, I always loved it because the JP movies are some of my favorites of all time. It really felt to me like a real visit to Jurassic Park. Haven’t seen the Raptor Encounter or been to the Velocicoaster but maybe someday.
Pretty sure I got to do this experience when it was running seasonally around 2010. Since I lived in the Orlando area, I recall seeing the sign and always seeing the attraction was closed, so I was personally pretty excited about this part of the park. IoA was a bit scary for me since I didn't enjoy thrill rides as a kid, so having this experience available was fun, even if I only got to do it once. Got the chance to pet its beak, too.
Used to work River. Got to work at Trike for the short time in 2010 it was open. Guests are finicky, they come wanting to see a dino, but when you show them one they act all disappointed that it wasn't a ride.
I’m so happy you posted this! I was a cynical child at the age of nine and I BELIEVED that it was real for awhile. I ran to my parents and yelled “I found a real dinosaur! It made me think it was real but it’s not real.. right?!” Haha! Fooled me. It sneezed on me!
I had the pleasure of being part of the development team for these Triceratops. We worked on these in close proximity to space arm production and a module for the ISS. It was one of my favourite projects. I hope it was not my part that caused problems.
Great stuff mate. Just got back from IoA and really nice to see Velocicoaster breathe a bit of new life into the JP visitor centre area, though I sure do wish Jurassic would’ve got as much love as Harry Potter has had over the years.
Kong was a missed oppertunity..that entier area could have been expanded part of JP and add a new JP themed ride there instead. Or JW ride. Kong just seems out of place its not a part of a themed island and it just serves as a transition..kinda like the lost continent now that merlenwood is gone.
Wow- what a blast from the past. Actually used to be the attraction lead at Triceratops Encounter- Loved it. Was so amazed by the whole thing, and was so sad when I heard it was closing (years after I left) I always told my son I used to take care of a real dinosaur, and never got a chance to take him there before it closed. I would have sh** myself as a kid if I had seen this! Its so sad that they didn't maintain it well.... Even towards the end, they were having way too many "allergic reactions" ( what we were instructed to say when they weren't cooperating. People did actually believe the validity of them- We even received a customer complaint through the mail from a member of PETA about these dinosaurs! NO KIDDING! Universal Graciously responded and assured them that they are well taken care of! Man, I miss this attraction! The Raptor encounter and new coaster are awesome- but i will always have a soft spot for this lost gem!
This was the best thrill of my life. I love coasters, but I love dinosaurs more. Triceratops are my favorite and when i finally was able to make it to Orlando from California, this was on my must do list. I loved it and I was even in high school. Every time I tell folks about my first trip to Islands of Adventure they have to hear about how I rode out a thunderstorm with a Triceratops. For you see they allowed guests to hang out inside while the storm passed and then i was able to ride Dueling Dragons like 8 times back to back, because most guests had left.
"Dreamfinder" 🤣🤣🤣 That made me chuckle. I was trying to figure that out while listening to him. I always thought he had a British accent in the movie, so I was like "Why are you doing this quasi Scottish/European accent there bud?" while watching the Dr. Hammond.
@@cannibalisticrequiem lol, thanks! (Hammond is supposed to be Scottish btw, he says in the film he came down from Scotland to London, when he had the flea circus)
I was absolutely convinced this was real when I visited as a very small child, I'm sad I never saw it again before it shut down. Treasured memory though
Can’t wait to see part 2 I recently got back from my first trip to Universal that wasn’t HHN related and got to go on The Velocicoaster twice before the official launch and it was a really cool experience
You can find videos on UA-cam of people riding. It seems to be a ride mainly without animatronics and more of those big screen things. I think it has mixed reviews.
I remember visiting that attraction when I was no more than 5 years old. I didn't know English and my grandparents, who took me and my big brother on that trip, were too busy to translate what we would find down that trail. 23 years later I can assure you that I saw and petted a triceratops that glorious day. I remember I looked back at my grandpa and I told him "He's blinking his little eye for me". What a lovely memory.
The first time I went to Universal as a kid at age 4 was the only time I got to see this attraction before it closed. I was too young to remember a ton of the details, but I do remember my mom was one of the lucky ones to get sneezed on, and it's still just such a fond memory to me.
I don't ride roller-coasters, but your videos are so interesting. Your presentation is so professional and smooth. Definitely earned the subscription and bell.
I got to pet one of those triceratops back in 1999, they would only let us pet the beak/mouth part I remember and it was very brief. I also took a picture with John Hammond and Ian Malcolm back when they used to walk around the park, it was on the top floor of the Discovery Center where the restaurant and gift shop were. I no longer have that picture sadly because it got lost many years ago, but the memories are still with me. I miss this version of Jurassic Park from back in the day sometimes.
I will always find the animatronics of the 1st Jurassic Park movie more realistic and pleasing to watch over the newer CGI ones. Such great memories watching that movie as a kid!
It’s a shame that the general public today doesn’t care about an attraction if it’s not a ride. I live for the attractions and shows like this, the ones that really breath life into the themed areas. This, Ollivander’s, the old Sword in the Stone show at MK, the Citizens of Hollywood at DHS, Enchanted Tales with Belle. Hell, they had a meet and greet with Frank from Men in Black at a UO AP event and meeting a pug in a little suit was the highlight of my week. 😂
Loved this!! I live and grew up in GA so my family would go to Universal all the time, we would have gone before and after the Harry Potter world opened, and I never even knew about this attraction. Wish I could have seen it in person. Cant wait for the next video!
I still remember being able to see it when i was younger, when the attraction was still open and how amazing it was to see the triceratops up close. It was amazing
Boy this looks like fun! I for one LOVE the realism and feeling of immersion! Even with technical problems, I still love the imagination injected into my favorite attractions as well as thrills. (sometimes even prefer it) Maybe someday they can bring over something akin to the Tokyo version with the puppets. =)
Fun fact; there were large action figures of the Triceratops featured in this attraction (which could make sounds) sold at Islands of Adventure around the time this was open. I have one of them; managed to score it off of EBay a few years ago. Mine doesn't make noise, but it's the spitting image of this attraction's central dinosaur itself.
Speaking of which I am thinking of asking universal to do some Land before Time real life dinosaurs puppeteers at Jurassic world only as live action versions while they're younger. At least put some details on it.
@@hayleywaalen2612 Ah, the land before time film series. That film series needs more love. It needs more respect too. So does Balto and its first sequel. But, in terms of the land before time franchise, its TV series should have a second, a third, and a fourth, and maybe a fifth, and yeah one or two of those seasons should focus on the kids as adults now. And most, if not all of the producers, directors, and writers should be the ones from avatar: the last airbender. And the land before time deserved either a ride or another attraction at epic universe.
I remember my mom and I were able to walk through the abandoned attraction back in like 2009 or 2011. Nobody was there at all and it seemed pretty easy to wander in, I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not. I can't recall, but I think most of the props except for the actual triceratops were still there.
Thanks for the Informative Video on this park, its sad we don't have parks like this in the UK, can you do a video of the viloceraptor Roller Coaster please a part 2 to this one please.
It was fun sneakin into see her there after the ride closed. I remember at one point being able to sneak back there and see it with its skin off. There was away to get to it from the coaster ride but the exit was always open. So id go in through there
I’m so glad you covered the short lived opening in 2010. People have completely forgotten it came back, and I was one of the people lucky enough to visit.... The Trike moved a lot slower and had an “Allergy Attack” shortly after getting in, of course.
When I was a kid, my dad took me to universal. It was our first time, we were looking for the Jurassic park ride but we kinda got lost and ended up finding the abandoned triceratops encounter, we saw the old animatronics dismantled, but it took me like 3 years to finally understand what it was. It was a scary experience but fascinating
I moved to Orlando in 2009 and was around during all these ups and downs but never knew of them. Wish I had done the encounter. I remember seeing the sign. There may still be some props in the props shop as of June 2021. The Dino Chow bag was still around with a couple other things in another channel's videos a year or two ago. This was a cool history. Thanks!
My Girlfriend and I was there and walked through this area during the time it was closed. We got to meet the raptor puppet, which was really cool. We discovered the entrance to this experience by accident. Afterwards we double checked and site map and found very little information about what's was available in this area. It left us feeling underwhelmed, as if IoA was embarrassed by it - now we know why! Hopefully you can still get up close and personal with the raptor, as well as saw through their enclosure on the coaster - that'll be awesome!
My cousin and I had our senior trip to Disney and Universal in August 2020. At that time both parks had been reopened for not very long. Anyways as we made our way through the Jurassic area we were kinda disappointed at the lack of stuff to do. The Riverboat ride was closed (I think they were adding stuff to it still) and we got to watch them build on the new Velociraptor ride and we were excited for when it would finally release. They did also have a Raptor meet up, I guess similar to the triceratops, but it had a super long line and right as we were passing it paramedics were helping a poor guy that had collapsed from likely a heat stroke. Those little nicks aside we had fun at universal, I just wish the islands of adventure had more at least in the Jurassic area
@@ExpeditionThemePark LMAO new to this channel and had zero idea. You had the perfect edit then, that’s amazing! And the theme park YT community gets smaller… 🤣
2:06-2:12 No he’s the CHAOS man. Alan Grant is the dinosaur man. They officially confirmed it by JP3 17:10 ok not gonna lie, that just looks depressing. Like if it was poached
I'm sorry to hear that this attraction was shut down. I remember seeing this as a kid and I was convinced that it was real lol. But I will say I am looking forward to riding Velicoaster at some point. Thx for the trip down memory lane.
funny enough we had a family friend who worked at spar at the time(mostly for the arm interface software) and we did a tour of the facility with him,, two of the animatronics for this project were in a bay being worked on,,,,extremely impressive complex and expensive considering they were fully remote and all visible all the time from all angles(just the sheer density and weight from the internals i cant recall the quoted weights any more) i think they said there were far in advance of things that were in the film, this for my 13 year old self to behold was very cool!!!
I'm obsessed with the amount of world-building going on in the queue, those nutrition charts look straight out of a real zoo. The newer raptor encounter is fantastic in its own way, and it has proven itself as a crowd-pleaser, but I feel like the area has sacrificed most of its subtle immersive magic in favor of thrills. Bring back the herbivores! Fun fact about the "Evilution" maze: Mutant dinosaur scare-actors would "attack" the triceratops animatronic under the strobe lighting, and you would later encounter the gory decapitated head of the triceratops. Pictures of it can be found pretty easily. I've seen some speculation that this is the same head currently used in the Jurassic World pop-up shop, but I'm not sure about that.
I never got to see Triceratops encounter but I did get to go on Velosicoaster and I loved it so much I went on it three or four times it's a crazy idea to put a rollercoaster in a pen of hungry raptors but it's really cool.
My one and only visit to IOA was in the wake of 9-11-01. Crowds were sparse to say the least. So much so, that we felt we had done and seen all there was to see and do in a single late afternoon visit. We must of fallen into the 14:30 camp and just did the boat ride. Thanks a lot for once again showing me how I missed out on my past, lol great video none the less and I'd be willing to bet you couldn't, not make the Velocicoaster video, if you tried!
Do you want a part 2 looking at VelociCoaster? Let me know!
Yes
Yes
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS
Yes please
Yes Please!
I got to experience Triceratops Encounter when I was a kid, and even though I was old enough to know it was an animatronic, it was so realistic that I jumped at the chance to pet it. I still vividly remember how real the skin around its nose looked and felt.
They did an amazing job with the animatronic and your reaction is exactly what they were striving for
No kidding! That heart beat was erily similar to pressing your hand to a horse.
I was old enough to know it wasn't real too but it was so unexpectedly realistic that I didn't fully realize it was an animatronic until they said we could pet it. It felt real but I knew they wouldn't let kids pet an actual dinosaur
When I was a kid, I actually thought they had finally brought Triceratops back to life 😅
This is why it was great!
Yeah me too. I feel like they even had something on the news saying it was real. I was like 9 so idk.
I still think that every once in a while. Especially in the movies
Several of my cousins fell for it as well. Having been myself, it was eerily realistic when I went. If I had been any younger, I would have believed that too.
Sounds like they did their job. That’s pretty cool if you ask me
That reporter interviewing Goldblum is standing uncomfortably close.
He’s a tad creepy
she was absolutely hitting on him lol
Wubba, Wubba, Wubba. Goodbye, God Bless.
@@rowansidhe3239 Yeah but did you hear the way he said "That's right, I *am* the dinosaur man" lmao. He was enjoying it and realised he was on TV and cut back into talking about the ride
I thought that too! Lol 🤣
God bless the character actor playing Hammond in the footage you used. He’s really giving it his all and he’s FABULOUS, but nobody can sound like Mr. Attenborough. I’ve always loved that about the character actors at Universal though- there’s always one thing that is just /off/ about them, but when you’re up close and personal with them it feels so genuine and amazing. When I went and bumped into Doc Brown he really didn’t look anything like him but once he started talking he just lit up and came alive.
The face actors there work for me in a way that Disney face characters never have. Maybe because they’re being live action characters so you really do just FEEL it more.
Having them walk around and allow them the freedom to 'be' also helps to sell it
You're totally right on that!
In all fairness, it sounds like the actor misidentified Attenborough's accent.
@@SirBlackReeds Richard Attenborough's accent fluctuates throughout the film. He has a strong Scottish accent towards the start, but it drops off.
I think there's something about this video that's sadder than a lot of the other videos like this and I'm not sure what it is. I just feel like something was genuinely lost when this attraction closed. Maybe that's just because I never got to go through it, but there's something I think you can, for lack of a less trite way of putting it, "magical" about something that doesn't necessarily seek to "thrill" you but grounds you in another reality for a little bit. Its part of what I like about things like Halloween horror nights or VR video games, but this could be accessible for more general audiences. There seems like there was a lot of heart put into this as a concept. This isn't saying there isn't any in velicocoaster. Or even that there's less or more. They can't be compared, they're too different. But anything that can make a kid believe the dinosaur is sick and getting better and there's a staff of people taking care of it, with that being almost the only goal is something nice about theme parks that I'm not sure we'll get much more of.
Agreed, the idea that this attraction helped make the Jurassic Park area feel more 'real' is such a great concept and adds to that suspension of 'real' that theme parks should offer. It was and still is a great concept for an encounter that just failed to meet guests expectations. Maybe a lack of repeatability hurt it also.
I agree--there is something sad about this. I can't put my finger on it but I guess it's because times have changed. Kids and Millennials no longer crave learning but crave thrills. Kids and many adults find their attention and brains are now inside their iPhones. Many walk, talk and drive while focussing their attention on their iPhones. I actually witnessed a woman, at the Lloyd Center shopping mall in Portland Oregon, walking while texting on her iPhone and she walked and tumbled into a shallow water feature fountain in the mall. I love visiting Universal Studios and Disneyland. I'll always be a kid at heart.
I got to experience it as a 15yr old kid back in 1999 when it opened! It was mesmerizing I had never seen such thing (it just didn't exist) and for a moment I was like WHAT these things are really alive??? But how??? I had only arrived from Cuba 6 years ago so this was all very WOW to me. They explained how the eggs hatched, the dinosaur was sick and the vet was curing it, it made very real noises and movements. I truly left thinking WOW they did it... until my dad was like... No --- that's a machine, dinosaurs are really extinct and they are not coming back. I was heartbroken for a few minutes.... but quickly got on to the next rollercoaster and forgot all about it! It was mesmerizing to see once but once you saw it once you didn't need to see it again. I'm glad they have made something modern with it bc kids today would not buy it since tech has evolved so much!
Hard agree. I had the chance to see this once in my life and it was amazing to feel like I was actually in the world. I went through it multiple times on my one visit.
would it be fair to say that raptor encounter still kinda fills this role
The kind of attractions you no longer see… it had its problem but imagine having an actual interactive animatronic like this today.
It would certainly go down well with the families I think
@@ExpeditionThemePark i think they can do something completely astonishing with the technology we have today, not even talking about screens. Having an herbivore dinosaur implies that we can actually touch it and feel it. The raptor costume is something you watch from distance
But it had no screens! What about the screeeeeens!?
@@Hessed3712 I know it did not had screens, that's the point.
@@Hessed3712 screens work if implemented correctly otherwise it ruins the ride/attraction
I have such a fond memory of this attraction! At age 13 and a fan of knowing how things work, I knew it was an animatronic but was amazed by the technology and realism. My parent was enthralled and kept talking about how amazing it was to see a live dinosaur; I thought it was a matter of playing along at first (preserve a bit of the magic, you know?) until realizing that no, it really was well done enough that a fully grown adult truly believed it was real to the point of being starry eyed over it. There aren't a lot of good memories with that parent, but that's one of them.
I'm glad you have those memories. That's why I love these types of attractions.
I will always treasure my memories of being able to pet the Triceretops and it sneezing on me.
Sad that's gone now 😯
I'm glad you got to experience it
Awww, I would have loved to see the Triceratops Encounter! So many people just don't appreciate theme park attractions unless they are thrill rides. Not everyone is built for roller coasters and this kind of fun encounter really is needed to balance out the experience.
im 2 years late, but this is so true. even though i love the thrill stuff, i also love immersion and i would have loved to see the triceratops as a kid.. it would make the whole experience feel so real, like ur actually in a real jurassic park
@@artx000
Oh yeah! Just like that scene from the first Jurassic Park with the Triceratops that was sick. I think the concept would have been magical to experience in real life, and I wish I had been able to see it myself as a kid.
A discussion of the raptor encounter would be welcome too. Those puppets were fantastic and the cast and theming were top notch.
Agreed
Wish they still had this. My daughter would love it. She wants a baby triceratops. Lol
Wish there was still a place for it too, something a little less dangerous than meeting a velociraptor...
Well I heard they were going to bring a baby velociraptor and a baby triceratops to the park at orlando for meet and greet.
@@ExpeditionThemePark where did you get the video from 0:48
Pull a gamer move … *and bring the dinos back!*
Yeah, my daughter thought it was great... then again, so did I
The robots were so strong they could actually be incredibly dangerous to the human actors. There were hidden pressure plates on the ground that the actors had to coordinate their movements with to ensure the program would continue. One false move (while having to recall 1000s of facts about the animal on a whim) and the show would e-stop.
No wonder it was down all the time. Could see that being a huge issue getting distracted by guests. Honestly, it would have been even more believable if the actor got nocked down as it turned its head. Ha.
That's amazing!
I have the vaguest memories of this attraction from a family vacation in 2000. I wish I could have gone back before it was closed. It was a very underrated part of the park.
agreed it was very unique and added something extra to the park that made it feel more 'real'
I remembered doing this but had no idea it was here, this channel seems to be resolving a lot of my late 90s memories
I wish they did the iconic Jeep ride instead of the boat from the book
Maybe one day...
Maybe the boat is easier to maintain?
Damn, I wish it hadn't taken me over 3 decades to finally get to Universal. I was about 6 years too late for the trike encounter the first time I went, but the raptor encounter is responsible for one of my most cherished memories, so I can't complain. The training they give the puppeteers for the raptor costume must be top flight because their work is outstanding.
This is a prime example of what the Universal theme parks are loosing, soul.
When I was in the JP island in 2019, the place was pretty small, yes, but it set my JP fan inside me into overdrive. There were parts where I really felt like I was in the real Jurassic Park.
This attraction is a prime example of that, with a trail that shows you some of the supplies the "staff" used to care for the animals, and the employees doing everything they can to make you feel like this is all real, THAT is the experience I love.
I think if any themepark is losing soul, it's Disney. Universal opened a new attraction over the pandemic, Disney delayed theirs. Universal has kept all benefits, while Disney has gotten rid of things like transportation, free magic bands, and extra magic hours
I really do love that the Triceratops Encounter evolved to Velociraptor Encounter. I really loved both dinosaur encounters. They did such an amazing job.
agreed!
This holds a special place in my heart because I 100 percent that it was real when I was a kid and I went every time its made me fall in love with dinosaurs
exactly as it was supposed to!
I remember seeing this when I was there as a kid. It was absolutely amazing, I was awestruck and it just blew my mind being able to interact with a dinosaur. So sad it didn't get the love it deserved
There's something especially sad about this for me bing a Kid from the Midwest, our family couldn't afford to fly out to the coasts and go to these parks. So being a giant JP nerd I was always looking for footage of these rides online on youtube and the old sites like JPToys and Jurassic Legacy and seeing all the attractions and feeling gutted every passing year when one after another kept shutting down or getting neglected and left to fall apart like Trike Encounter here.
The new JW stuff looks just like the new movies: too busy, too many tricks and not enough attraction or substance. It's a shame these are the replacements for such incredible looking rides and walk-throughs.
I think as the times change and theme park tie ins evolve, I'm just glad we got something new. The VelociCoaster is amazing and while completely different to the walk through, it adds something new and exciting to the land. I do also miss the classic walk-throughs and Jurassic Park being a real, living place vibe too.
Saw this head in the tribute store and i was so excited to see it was still around! I got to be lucky enough to see this in 1999 opening summer in its full glory. It was a rather tame experience but if you liked JP it was still pretty cool.
Glad you got to experience it
The timing on this was perfect. I just spent the weekend checking out the new coaster and I told my wife I swore there was something else in that area when I was a kid but I could not remember what it was.
there was!
@@ExpeditionThemePark Keep up the awesome work. I subscribed after running into your channel yesterday.
Man, I was wondering where this attraction went. I was amazed with the animatronic when I was a kid and my mom was as well. I asked a worker to where the attraction was and just pointed us to River Adventure. We got duped for the ride , laughing back at it now
Even the workers didn't know this existed!
Fun fact I used to work at mythos at IOA, one time on a smoke break I walked backstage at Jurassic park. I knew that triceratops encounter was there so I snuck in and guess what? It was wide open, I walked in and saw everything abandoned it was absolutely nuts. The triceratops were still there just chilling all deteriorating, it looked like lost world. Man I wish I had the balls to record it but I was nervous I was gonna get caught lol
ha so cool you got to go see it
This experience is always something I'll remember (I was about 8-10 at the time). I went to Florida a few times in the early to mid 2000's and this was something I was really in awe of, such a great experience, I always seemed to get sneezed on.
I remember visiting this as a small child, like I still have a few photos of me in the JP jeep stroller. I was absolutely convinced this was real and tried to communicate with the animatronic in ‘dino speak’. I was like 4.
hahahah amazing
Hey!! I was a Scareactor in Jungle of Doom!!
…….and you’re absolutely right.
Haha you are part of history at least!
During a December 2010 trip I got to experience it without knowing what it was. I went down the queue and BOOM… there’s a Triceratops.
Had no clue at the time that it was quickly fading away. I’m glad I got to see it!
I am glad you did also!
I can't stop laughing at the actor playing John Hammond. Every clip, his accent changes. Make up your mind what nationality you want to be, dude! LOL!!
Did john mammond clone himself? But with diffrent accent
This is what you get when you only hire non-union actors in Florida. You get Billy-Bob from Jacksonville in a fake beard. Just saying. 🤣
I was actually wondering which part of Scotland he came from ?!? Worse than my accent and I live there 😁
Let’s all admit that it actually could have been worse... MUCH MUCH worse. Lol.
Such a great script was written for the actors. So impressive and happy to experience this. Thank you for the video.
Great job on this one! I was a huge fan of the original encounter but I always remember the people complaining that it was boring or it didn't do anything. People don't appreciate a unique experience. It WAS always broken, but it was such a well done experience like you said,if you knew what you were in for. Great memories tho. I even recognized the employees in the videos. 👍
thank you so much
I'm really sad that I never got to see this... Triceratops is my favorite dinosaur.
Maybe one day they will bring the triceratops puppet over to the Orlando parks
@@ExpeditionThemePark That would be amazing!
I got to see it in person back in 2001, I always loved it because the JP movies are some of my favorites of all time. It really felt to me like a real visit to Jurassic Park. Haven’t seen the Raptor Encounter or been to the Velocicoaster but maybe someday.
Hope you get to
Pretty sure I got to do this experience when it was running seasonally around 2010. Since I lived in the Orlando area, I recall seeing the sign and always seeing the attraction was closed, so I was personally pretty excited about this part of the park. IoA was a bit scary for me since I didn't enjoy thrill rides as a kid, so having this experience available was fun, even if I only got to do it once. Got the chance to pet its beak, too.
Glad you got to do it!
Used to work River. Got to work at Trike for the short time in 2010 it was open. Guests are finicky, they come wanting to see a dino, but when you show them one they act all disappointed that it wasn't a ride.
That's where it failed unfortunately with guest expectations
I’m so happy you posted this! I was a cynical child at the age of nine and I BELIEVED that it was real for awhile. I ran to my parents and yelled “I found a real dinosaur! It made me think it was real but it’s not real.. right?!” Haha! Fooled me. It sneezed on me!
Haha that's why I loved this attraction!
I remember seeing this thing around 2000ish. It was really cool and always sticks in my mind when I think of the place.
Thank you for covering this amazing attraction and it's fascinating history.
thanks for watching!
Jeff goldblum is just amazing lol. Got to love that guy.
That interview was hilarious 🤣
he's certainly a character!
Me too! 😂 He's the "coolest guy in Hollywood". 🤗❤
Never clicked so fast! Been waiting for this video!
Hope you like it
@@ExpeditionThemePark always!
Feels like the audio mixing on the latest videos has taken a step up. Great work and a fun watch!
thank you!
You make such beautiful videos man. I really do appreciate it. Universal Orlando and Jurassic Park have such a deep place in my heart. Thank you man
I had the pleasure of being part of the development team for these Triceratops. We worked on these in close proximity to space arm production and a module for the ISS. It was one of my favourite projects. I hope it was not my part that caused problems.
Great stuff mate. Just got back from IoA and really nice to see Velocicoaster breathe a bit of new life into the JP visitor centre area, though I sure do wish Jurassic would’ve got as much love as Harry Potter has had over the years.
I agree!
Kong was a missed oppertunity..that entier area could have been expanded part of JP and add a new JP themed ride there instead. Or JW ride. Kong just seems out of place its not a part of a themed island and it just serves as a transition..kinda like the lost continent now that merlenwood is gone.
Wow- what a blast from the past. Actually used to be the attraction lead at Triceratops Encounter- Loved it. Was so amazed by the whole thing, and was so sad when I heard it was closing (years after I left) I always told my son I used to take care of a real dinosaur, and never got a chance to take him there before it closed. I would have sh** myself as a kid if I had seen this! Its so sad that they didn't maintain it well.... Even towards the end, they were having way too many "allergic reactions" ( what we were instructed to say when they weren't cooperating. People did actually believe the validity of them- We even received a customer complaint through the mail from a member of PETA about these dinosaurs! NO KIDDING! Universal Graciously responded and assured them that they are well taken care of! Man, I miss this attraction! The Raptor encounter and new coaster are awesome- but i will always have a soft spot for this lost gem!
oh that is amazing!
This was the best thrill of my life. I love coasters, but I love dinosaurs more. Triceratops are my favorite and when i finally was able to make it to Orlando from California, this was on my must do list. I loved it and I was even in high school. Every time I tell folks about my first trip to Islands of Adventure they have to hear about how I rode out a thunderstorm with a Triceratops. For you see they allowed guests to hang out inside while the storm passed and then i was able to ride Dueling Dragons like 8 times back to back, because most guests had left.
Is that John Hammond Scottish, Italian, Spanish or Dreamfinder? :D
Sorrry. Great video, mate. I'd wondered what become of this.
Part Indian I think
"Dreamfinder" 🤣🤣🤣 That made me chuckle. I was trying to figure that out while listening to him. I always thought he had a British accent in the movie, so I was like "Why are you doing this quasi Scottish/European accent there bud?" while watching the Dr. Hammond.
@@cannibalisticrequiem lol, thanks! (Hammond is supposed to be Scottish btw, he says in the film he came down from Scotland to London, when he had the flea circus)
Very much like Matt Lucas’s ‘Taaj’ character from ‘Come Fly With Me’. You get me?
I came here to post basically the same thing. You beat me to it. LOL!!
I loved this experience! It really brought home the feeling that Jurassic Park was real.
I was absolutely convinced this was real when I visited as a very small child, I'm sad I never saw it again before it shut down. Treasured memory though
Agreed!!
Can’t wait to see part 2 I recently got back from my first trip to Universal that wasn’t HHN related and got to go on The Velocicoaster twice before the official launch and it was a really cool experience
Please make a part 2! I wish I was able to go when this was a thing, but I really wanna ride the new coaster because it looks so much fun
Yessss
You can find videos on UA-cam of people riding. It seems to be a ride mainly without animatronics and more of those big screen things. I think it has mixed reviews.
So fun to see Jackie and Kyle footage!
I remember visiting that attraction when I was no more than 5 years old. I didn't know English and my grandparents, who took me and my big brother on that trip, were too busy to translate what we would find down that trail. 23 years later I can assure you that I saw and petted a triceratops that glorious day. I remember I looked back at my grandpa and I told him "He's blinking his little eye for me". What a lovely memory.
The first time I went to Universal as a kid at age 4 was the only time I got to see this attraction before it closed. I was too young to remember a ton of the details, but I do remember my mom was one of the lucky ones to get sneezed on, and it's still just such a fond memory to me.
I don't ride roller-coasters, but your videos are so interesting. Your presentation is so professional and smooth. Definitely earned the subscription and bell.
I got to pet one of those triceratops back in 1999, they would only let us pet the beak/mouth part I remember and it was very brief. I also took a picture with John Hammond and Ian Malcolm back when they used to walk around the park, it was on the top floor of the Discovery Center where the restaurant and gift shop were. I no longer have that picture sadly because it got lost many years ago, but the memories are still with me. I miss this version of Jurassic Park from back in the day sometimes.
That's a shame you lost that picture!
I adored this attraction growing up. I tried to go as often as possible. I loved those triceratopses
yessss
As always, AMAZING job. Yes on part 2.
I will always find the animatronics of the 1st Jurassic Park movie more realistic and pleasing to watch over the newer CGI ones. Such great memories watching that movie as a kid!
It’s a shame that the general public today doesn’t care about an attraction if it’s not a ride. I live for the attractions and shows like this, the ones that really breath life into the themed areas. This, Ollivander’s, the old Sword in the Stone show at MK, the Citizens of Hollywood at DHS, Enchanted Tales with Belle. Hell, they had a meet and greet with Frank from Men in Black at a UO AP event and meeting a pug in a little suit was the highlight of my week. 😂
I LOVE IT !! ❤ I thought their presentation was excellent but I've never been to Disney parks and assume the bar is set really high for attractions.
Loved this!! I live and grew up in GA so my family would go to Universal all the time, we would have gone before and after the Harry Potter world opened, and I never even knew about this attraction. Wish I could have seen it in person. Cant wait for the next video!
A lot of people seemed to walk right by the entrance without knowing what it was
They should bring it back. The new one where you meet Blu does super well so bring back the triceratops
I enjoyed this, never got to see it. Yes, do Velocicoaster!! Thanks Sam!
Wow 5:01 that's my grandpa guy with mustache getting talked to I got his helmet in my room I think he was a project manager or something
awesome!
I still remember being able to see it when i was younger, when the attraction was still open and how amazing it was to see the triceratops up close. It was amazing
Glad you got to see it
Boy this looks like fun! I for one LOVE the realism and feeling of immersion! Even with technical problems, I still love the imagination injected into my favorite attractions as well as thrills. (sometimes even prefer it) Maybe someday they can bring over something akin to the Tokyo version with the puppets. =)
That's what i'm hoping for too!
@@ExpeditionThemePark Thanks man. Stay cool!
Fun fact; there were large action figures of the Triceratops featured in this attraction (which could make sounds) sold at Islands of Adventure around the time this was open. I have one of them; managed to score it off of EBay a few years ago. Mine doesn't make noise, but it's the spitting image of this attraction's central dinosaur itself.
dang now I want one
@@ExpeditionThemePark Good luck (🍀)! It’s something definitely worth putting into one’s collection. 😊 Your best bet is EBAY, Etsy, and similar sites.
Cera from Land Before Time all grown up.
Exactly
@@ExpeditionThemePark Now we need a grown up version of LBT
Speaking of which I am thinking of asking universal to do some Land before Time real life dinosaurs puppeteers at Jurassic world only as live action versions while they're younger. At least put some details on it.
@@hayleywaalen2612 Ah, the land before time film series. That film series needs more love. It needs more respect too. So does Balto and its first sequel. But, in terms of the land before time franchise, its TV series should have a second, a third, and a fourth, and maybe a fifth, and yeah one or two of those seasons should focus on the kids as adults now. And most, if not all of the producers, directors, and writers should be the ones from avatar: the last airbender. And the land before time deserved either a ride or another attraction at epic universe.
I remember my mom and I were able to walk through the abandoned attraction back in like 2009 or 2011. Nobody was there at all and it seemed pretty easy to wander in, I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not. I can't recall, but I think most of the props except for the actual triceratops were still there.
Thanks for the Informative Video on this park, its sad we don't have parks like this in the UK, can you do a video of the viloceraptor Roller Coaster please a part 2 to this one please.
It was fun sneakin into see her there after the ride closed. I remember at one point being able to sneak back there and see it with its skin off. There was away to get to it from the coaster ride but the exit was always open. So id go in through there
I’m so glad you covered the short lived opening in 2010. People have completely forgotten it came back, and I was one of the people lucky enough to visit.... The Trike moved a lot slower and had an “Allergy Attack” shortly after getting in, of course.
Nothing had really changed then!
Your channel really is the best, thanks for all the hard work!!!
thank you so much!
When I was a kid, my dad took me to universal. It was our first time, we were looking for the Jurassic park ride but we kinda got lost and ended up finding the abandoned triceratops encounter, we saw the old animatronics dismantled, but it took me like 3 years to finally understand what it was. It was a scary experience but fascinating
I moved to Orlando in 2009 and was around during all these ups and downs but never knew of them. Wish I had done the encounter. I remember seeing the sign. There may still be some props in the props shop as of June 2021. The Dino Chow bag was still around with a couple other things in another channel's videos a year or two ago. This was a cool history. Thanks!
Thank you!
Wow! I watched the Canada Arm being transported. It was built in Brampton,Ontario.
I love this attraction I remember it on my first visited in 2001 and loved it, but so happy with all the new changes
agreed!
My Girlfriend and I was there and walked through this area during the time it was closed. We got to meet the raptor puppet, which was really cool.
We discovered the entrance to this experience by accident. Afterwards we double checked and site map and found very little information about what's was available in this area. It left us feeling underwhelmed, as if IoA was embarrassed by it - now we know why!
Hopefully you can still get up close and personal with the raptor, as well as saw through their enclosure on the coaster - that'll be awesome!
My cousin and I had our senior trip to Disney and Universal in August 2020. At that time both parks had been reopened for not very long. Anyways as we made our way through the Jurassic area we were kinda disappointed at the lack of stuff to do. The Riverboat ride was closed (I think they were adding stuff to it still) and we got to watch them build on the new Velociraptor ride and we were excited for when it would finally release. They did also have a Raptor meet up, I guess similar to the triceratops, but it had a super long line and right as we were passing it paramedics were helping a poor guy that had collapsed from likely a heat stroke.
Those little nicks aside we had fun at universal, I just wish the islands of adventure had more at least in the Jurassic area
Hey at 0:40 that’s Kyle Pallo, and Jackie of Super Enthused! How cool!
Jackie is my girlfriend 😍
@@ExpeditionThemePark LMAO new to this channel and had zero idea. You had the perfect edit then, that’s amazing! And the theme park YT community gets smaller… 🤣
2:06-2:12 No he’s the CHAOS man. Alan Grant is the dinosaur man. They officially confirmed it by JP3
17:10 ok not gonna lie, that just looks depressing. Like if it was poached
I'm sorry to hear that this attraction was shut down. I remember seeing this as a kid and I was convinced that it was real lol. But I will say I am looking forward to riding Velicoaster at some point. Thx for the trip down memory lane.
My favorite theme park channel, keep up the good work!
thank you for watching!
9:54 I’m pretty sure the performer on the left is from the High School Musical show on Disney+
funny enough we had a family friend who worked at spar at the time(mostly for the arm interface software) and we did a tour of the facility with him,, two of the animatronics for this project were in a bay being worked on,,,,extremely impressive complex and expensive considering they were fully remote and all visible all the time from all angles(just the sheer density and weight from the internals i cant recall the quoted weights any more) i think they said there were far in advance of things that were in the film, this for my 13 year old self to behold was very cool!!!
@ExpeditionThemePark where did you get the 0:48 video.
I'm obsessed with the amount of world-building going on in the queue, those nutrition charts look straight out of a real zoo. The newer raptor encounter is fantastic in its own way, and it has proven itself as a crowd-pleaser, but I feel like the area has sacrificed most of its subtle immersive magic in favor of thrills. Bring back the herbivores!
Fun fact about the "Evilution" maze: Mutant dinosaur scare-actors would "attack" the triceratops animatronic under the strobe lighting, and you would later encounter the gory decapitated head of the triceratops. Pictures of it can be found pretty easily. I've seen some speculation that this is the same head currently used in the Jurassic World pop-up shop, but I'm not sure about that.
This is so cool to learn about. I know kid me would have loved this. Awesome vid!
thanks!
I never got to see Triceratops encounter but I did get to go on Velosicoaster and I loved it so much I went on it three or four times it's a crazy idea to put a rollercoaster in a pen of hungry raptors but it's really cool.
This is SOOO beautiful
Good video u building from sad to greatness 🤯💯
Right on time brother! I cannot WAIT until I get to ride Velocicoaster next year! And that's on Mary Had a little Lamb!
You are going to love it!
You're going to love it!
I remember this so vividly! 🦖
My one and only visit to IOA was in the wake of 9-11-01. Crowds were sparse to say the least. So much so, that we felt we had done and seen all there was to see and do in a single late afternoon visit. We must of fallen into the 14:30 camp and just did the boat ride. Thanks a lot for once again showing me how I missed out on my past, lol great video none the less and I'd be willing to bet you couldn't, not make the Velocicoaster video, if you tried!
Many did!
Can someone please tell me what the source of the video is at 15:36? I have been looking for that Halloween Horror Nights documentary for a while.
That journalist flirting with Jeff goldblum 👌
She was a little close to the Grandmaster...
I enjoyed seeing the story of the Triceratops Encounter. 😄