Is Jurassic Park Disney or Universal? Which theme park has Jurassic Park in it?
If you are a fan of the popular movie franchise or just like dinosaurs, you probably want to be sure to see Jurassic Park while in Orlando or Hollywood.
Here are all of the details you need to know about visiting Jurassic Park land and where to buy merchandise.
Is Jurassic Park Disney or Universal?
Jurassic Park is at Universal Studios, both Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood.
While Disney has its DINSOSAUR attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Jurassic Park land based on the Michael Crichton novels can be found at Islands of Adventure theme park at Universal Studios Orlando. In
P.S. DINOSAUR is one of the worst rides at Disney World for motions sickness. So don’t feel bad about not going to it!
Who Owns Jurassic Park Rights?
Jurassic Park is a series of novels written by Michael Crichton, with the film adaptation produced by Steven Spielberg.
The literary rights to the novel are owned by CrichtonSun LLC, which is managed by Michael Crichton’s estate.
However, the film and novel rights are separate.
Television and film rights to the Jurassic Park franchise are owned by Stephen Spielberg’s production company Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures, which produced and distributed the movie.
Fun Fact: Spielberg bought the rights just a few hours before James Cameron wanted to buy them. Cameron is known for directing Avatar and Titanic.
Universal and Amblin Entertainment have the rights for Jurassic Park attractions, merchandise, characters, etc. for the theme parks.
Jurassic Park merchandise is one of the best things to buy at Universal Studios.
While you can find Jurassic Park merchandise at Universal Studios, we suggest buying t-shirts, toys or souvenirs before visiting the theme parks to save lots of money.
Intellectual Property ownership is a BIG deal with theme parks. Universal owning the I.P. rights for Jurassic Park means that they can continue to develop new ideas when it works for their guests.
Fun Fact: Stephen Spielberg’s popular E.T. franchise can be found at Universal Studios at the E.T. Adventure Ride.
Spielberg and Universal knew the dinosaur-themed novels were going to be so popular that they actually bough the book rights before the first novel was published!
The first Jurassic Park book was published in 1990.
The first Jurassic Park film was released in 1993. (You can watch the first film on Amazon Prime since Disney Plus won’t have the films.)
Which Theme Park Has Jurassic Park?
Jurassic Park is in Islands of Adventure theme park at Universal Orlando Resort. Jurassic World is found at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Jurassic Park and Jurassic World are very similar. Both locations are a land within the bigger theme park, not a theme park by itself.
How Many Jurassic Park Theme Parks Are There?
There are 5 Jurassic Park themed lands around the world. Including the two theme parks in the United States located in Florida and California.
The Jurassic Park lands are all located inside Universal Studios theme parks, including:
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Universal Studios Singapore
- Universal Studios Japan
- Universal Beijing Resort
What to Do at Jurassic Park
There is a lot to do in Jurassic Park, from rides to kid-friendly attractions to dining. One of the most popular thrill rides at Universal Studios Orlando is found inside this land!
Here is what is located inside Jurassic Park:
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster
- Pteranodon Flyers
- Jurassic Park River Adventure
- Raptor Encounter
- Camp Jurassic
- Jurassic Park Discovery Center
- The Burger Digs
- Pizza Predatoria
- Thunder Falls Terrace
- The Watering Hole
- Gift shops (of course!)
Jurassic World VelociCoaster
One of the best thrill rides at Universal, the roller coaster is one of the newest rides at Universal Orlando Resort.
Zooming at speeds up to 50 miles per hour, you will speed through the jungle as you race alongside the predators.
It goes as high as 155 feet in the air, making it a majorly thrilling (and adrenaline-inducing!) ride.
There is a height requirement on this attraction, so smaller kids won’t be able to ride it.
Pteranodon Flyers
While Jurassic World VelociCoaster is for thrill seeker, the Pteranodon Flyers are for kids.
In fact, adults can only ride this attraction if you are with a kid under 56 inches.
Swing through the air over Islands of Adventure for great views of the theme park and gentle thrills.
Jurassic Park River Adventure
You will get wet on this river raft ride that sails you through dinosaur habitats before a somewhat-scary plunge down an 85-foot drop in a water treatment facility at the end!
Menacing-looking dinosaurs will be intrigued by you as you sail through their territory. They will tower over you and even shoot water at your raft.
This is one of the best water rides at Universal Studios!
Raptor Encounter
You’ve probably seen lots of photos of people posing with a Jurassic Park dinosaur. This is that experience!
Walk up to Blue, the animatronic Velociraptor dinosaur for your photos. The scary part is that you don’t know when the dinosaur will move or how much noise it will make!
Because this fake dinosaur looks so real, it is REALLY scary when it suddenly moves and snaps at your face! You never know which group of guests will get the terrifying experience!
If you are taking pictures at this Character Meet and Greet for your family or friends, we suggest taking both video and photos while filming. You never know when the Velociraptor will roar and it’s something you definitely want to capture as your friends and family scream!
Check out this video of the character encounter from our friends Jeff and Denise at MouseSteps:
Camp Jurassic
This kid-friendly attraction is perfect for when you are waiting for adults on the thrill rides, or when you are visiting Universal Orlando with toddlers.
This dinosaur-themed playground has all of the classics that young kids will love, including caves, water cannons and rope bridges.
Jurassic Park Discovery Center
Another experience that isn’t a ride is the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. If your kids are really into dinosaurs, they will love this area where you can check out T-rex fossils, ask dinosaur questions, and test your skills at dinosaur trivia.
Watching the dinosaur eggs hatch in the dinosaur nursery is really fun. However, the baby Velociraptors don’t hatch on a time schedule, so you never know when you might witness their birth.
This is an especially great area if you are doing homeschooling or road schooling with kids.
Where to Eat in Jurassic Park
If you are enjoying everything that Jurassic park land has to offer and don’t want to leave, you will be happy to know there are a lot of quick service restaurants to choose from in the jungle.
Be sure to use our smart tips to save money on food at Universal Studios when ordering!
The Burger Digs
Just like the name suggests, this quick-service restaurant has mainly hamburgers. They do have a salad and a chicken sandwich, along with a vegan burger. See the menu.
Pizza Predatoria
All pizzas and one salad, plus some beer and wine at this quick-service eatery. See the menu.
Thunder Falls Terrace
If you want lots of food to choose from, then you must visit Thunder Falls Terrace!
You will enjoy choices such as:
- Rotisserie chicken
- BBQ ribs
- Rice Bowls
- Smoked Turkey Legs
- Salads
Mobile ordering is available here.
The Watering Hole
When you want alcoholic drinks, such as cocktails, beer or wine, this is the place to come! See the menu.
Thankfully, this location is a lot less scary than the watering hole in the movies!
See more of the food options at Jurassic Park in the video below:
Is There a Real Jurassic Park?
In the novel, the park is located on a remote island off the coast of Costa Rica and is owned by the wealthy businessman John Hammond.
In real life, there is no actual theme park called Jurassic Park. Thankfully!