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Jurassic Park: The Ride is a water-based amusement ride based on the Steven Spielberg 1993 film Jurassic Park and Michael Crichton's 1990 novel of the same name which the film is based on located at Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida, and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. It was formerly located at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California, where it was turned into Jurassic World: The Ride.
The ride was researched and built as the film was still in production and opened at Universal Studios Hollywood on June 21, 1996. Duplicates of the ride have since been built at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Japan as Jurassic Park River Adventure. A river rapids ride version, Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, opened at Universal Studios Singapore in 2010.
Jurassic Park: The Ride opened to the public at Universal Studios Hollywood on June 21, 1996. Among the guests in attendance at the ride's grand opening celebration were film cast members Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Richards and Joseph Mazzello. Steven Spielberg also attended the opening, but requested that he be let off of the attraction before the 85-foot (26 m) drop. On August 12, 1996, Universal launched an online game, Jurassic Park – The Ride Online Adventure, to promote the ride. The ride was also the primary sponsor of the infamous "T-Rex" car that was driven by Jeff Gordon in the 1997 The Winston that was banned by NASCAR immediately following the race.
Meanwhile, Universal Studios Florida was looking to build their own version of Jurassic Park: The Ride. It would be placed in their brand new second theme park Universal Islands of Adventure. The park would feature islands themed to Marvel superheroes, Dr. Seuss books, fairy tales, cartoons and dinosaurs. Jurassic Park: The Ride would be slightly different from the Hollywood location. The ride would be named Jurassic Park: River Adventure and feature some significant changes. On March 27, 1999, Islands of Adventure opened for technical rehearsals, with Jurassic Park: River Adventure being one of its debut attractions. On May 28, 1999, the attraction officially opened to the public.
During the development, Universal Studios Japan was planning to add Jurassic Park: River Adventure. It would be a mirror version of the Islands of Adventure location. Jurassic Park: River Adventure opened on March 31, 2001, along with the park.
On May 10, 2018, it was announced that the Hollywood location would be receiving a Jurassic World remodel. The attraction was becoming outdated due to the film's huge success in 2015. Jurassic Park: The Ride would have its last operating day on September 3, 2018; the ride then closed September 4. After being closed for 10 months, it reopened on July 12, 2019, as Jurassic World: The Ride. The ride includes all new animatronics and special effects.
