Jurassic World Cretaceous Coaster Testing Underway at Universal Kids Resort

The Universal Kids Resort ride testing I’ve been looking forward to most finally happened today. I was doing something far less exciting – photographing a new back-of-house structure – when I glanced over a wall and caught something I absolutely wasn’t expecting: a Jurassic World Cretaceous Coaster train cresting the lift hill.

I had just scoped out the coaster from the other side of the park. Nothing was moving. Once I got closer, I didn’t hear the lift hill chain, thanks to the two generators running nearby. But the movement caught my eye.

I immediately dialed Aahs n Oohs. He had to be part of this moment, even from hundreds of miles away. His first question: “Do you have a tripod?” He was right to be worried. A 200mm lens and a North Texas breeze aren’t exactly a steady combination. I did the best I could.

I saw five runs. I grabbed photos on the first and last and filmed everything in between. After the fifth, I hustled to a different angle to mix things up. And of course, that’s when testing wrapped for the day.

From what I could tell, only one train was running, and there were no water dummies onboard. Those will come soon. The weighted dummies simulate real riders, helping engineers dial in speed and braking behavior before actual humans ever step foot on the ride.

I’ve been documenting Universal Kids Resort construction since late 2023, back when it was nothing but dirt and survey flags. Out of everything that’s gone vertical, catching a working Cretaceous Coaster was the moment I was looking forward to the most.

I almost skipped today. Glad I didn’t.

Want to learn more about Universal Kids Resort and its seven themed lands? We’ve got you covered. Visit our Universal Kids Resort hub for attraction details, construction updates, and everything coming to the new Frisco theme park.