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Universal Studios Beijing | 2021

I thought it looked pretty swish, faster than Arthur with more spinning. Unless I was more wasted than I thought last night?
 
Agree with the comments above. A real shame that the clear intentions of the aviary are wasted with blocky catwalks - even if they were fine mesh treads it would at least save some of the effect.

What looks better?
These:
arthur.jpg


41503401334_1e9a624d8c_b.jpg


Or this:
oJQuYQBs6Y-VlZ9JsOnsJYHoTok_PkbpbltbbLGcHlw.jpg


I think the intention here was clear. A similar effect achieved with Arthur and Dragon Gliders, where the track (relatively) discretely hugs the structural frame of the building and riders 'fly' above spectators below. Such a shame that the rides sense of perspective and the building itself is made to feel cramped due to ott safety regulations.
 
I just had a watch of the POV, and I’ll admit it’s not what I was expecting; I had it in my head that this would be a dark ride coaster akin to Arthur/Dragon Gliders. So in that regard, I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed watching the POV; I would have loved to have seen what Universal could have done with that ride system in a dark ride context.

However, is it a possibility that this was never the intention? It’s worth noting that IOA and Universal Studios Singapore’s Jurassic Park areas both have panoramic family suspended coasters (Pteranodon Flyers at IOA and Canopy Flyers at Universal Studios Singapore) as sideline attractions, so maybe Jurassic Flyers was intended merely to be a slightly higher-tech alternative to Pteranodon/Canopy Flyers as opposed to a blockbuster dark ride coaster? It would certainly make sense given the “Flyers” in the name, as well as the fact that the area already has a blockbuster dark ride, and if you view it in that context, I think it makes the attraction seem far better! Even though I think the idea might have worked better if they hadn’t had to have those catwalks there due to H&S, I think this ride should work nicely as a sideline family coaster for the Jurassic World area, filling the void that Pteranodon/Canopy Flyers fills in the other areas!
 
He has a point that it was probably designed to fill that void and not designed to be an Arthur type ride with show scenes. And arguably it could have been OK in that guise.

However even if it was designed to be more of a family gliding ride like the ones at other parks its still ruined by the platforms. You have to assume they weren't in the original plan and were required by health and safety too far along in the process to rework the project.
 
Half the fun of Arthur is the elaborate dark ride sections they manage to cram along the tight corridors and swerves it makes. Jurassic Flyers on the other hand looks like a big piece of nothing even if you take away the platforms.

I was really excited to see what Universal with their budget and effects could do with the tech, and they've decided to do jack all with it. Lame.
 
One thing I can’t get my head around is why does this ride need platforms right along the layout, yet non powered suspended coasters don’t? How does that make any sense?

It crazy that Universal didn’t challenge this crazy over the top regulation or scrap this ride, because it’s essentially ruined the whole experience of the aviary.
 
owentaylor121 said:
One thing I can’t get my head around is why does this ride need platforms right along the layout, yet non powered suspended coasters don’t? How does that make any sense?

It crazy that Universal didn’t challenge this crazy over the top regulation or scrap this ride, because it’s essentially ruined the whole experience of the aviary.
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I can understand the platforms for an assisted exit but it looks so w*nk the entire way round, imagine how much nemesis would be ruined with a catwalk the entire layout.
Its supposed to be Jurassic Flyer right? Doesn't look to give much sesnsation of such
 
I’m not able to watch that vid with music at the mo, but I presume the soundtrack to the ride is Ocean Drive by the Lighthouse Family.
 
A little late at the table, but I just watched it now. Oh wow. That, Jurassic Flyers, is horrible.
Can't even believe this is Universal. I guess there is water missing at the outside part. But inside you just look at the skeleton of a commercial building.
At least the doors could've been painted. Emergency lights turned off when not needed. And the platforms not white. More green and rocky stuff I was at least expecting if those platforms are mandatory.

The only thing I can imagine now is that it is just not finished. The type of ride is amazing, so sad the theming is so bad.
 
I think the reason for the catwalks is because it can theoretically stop in those sections i guess the need was to be able to evac from any point.

Except for the final bit which is downhill so presumably in a power outage cars coast to the bottom of that part.
 
Gazza said:
I think the reason for the catwalks is because it can theoretically stop in those sections i guess the need was to be able to evac from any point.

Except for the final bit which is downhill so presumably in a power outage cars coast to the bottom of that part.
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I think you're right (and I think has been broadly summised elsewhere in this thread), but I think the bigger question is - how did it get to this point?

Someone like Universal, with the money/creativity/experience/intelligence that they hold as one of the world leading attraction designers and operators, somehow didn't factor this in? I find it really surprising that they chose this model of ride knowing that they'd need to neuter it in this way, OR I find it stunning that they'd have gotten so far through this project to miss this critical detail, AND I find it slightly odd that they didn't just pay off the contract severance clause with Mack once they did find out.

Just all in all a very strange situation they've ended up in.
 
Hixee said:
I think you're right (and I think has been broadly summised elsewhere in this thread), but I think the bigger question is - how did it get to this point?

Someone like Universal, with the money/creativity/experience/intelligence that they hold as one of the world leading attraction designers and operators, somehow didn't factor this in? I find it really surprising that they chose this model of ride knowing that they'd need to neuter it in this way, OR I find it stunning that they'd have gotten so far through this project to miss this critical detail, AND I find it slightly odd that they didn't just pay off the contract severance clause with Mack once they did find out.

Just all in all a very strange situation they've ended up in.
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Yeah, it's very strange. It could be that the catwalks were mandated after an inspection by government officials after the attraction was mostly assembled, or something like that. In an "oh-and-by-the-way-you-must-have-catwalks, wait-why-didnt-you-tell-us-that-when-we-submitted-the-plans, I-dont-know-I-was-not-involved-with-that" kind of way. At that point, the park would just have to bite the bullet and put up the damn catwalks, since every other option would have been more expensive. I could see the ride being the first one to close for retrofits in the future, though.
 
So I have a weird theory universal made a deal with Mac waaaaaaayyy long ago for the ride system but to be used on the actual JW ride. ... but things weren't clicking with the mix of both the ride idea and the ride system, so they just moved it over as a suspended "kiddie" coaster for the area!
 
I would say it would definitely be a government requirement that was imposed late in the project, since installations of this ride elsewhere do not have this.
 
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