Patch Notes · The Park Changelog

Islands of Adventure

2 rides down now17 rides tracked31 changes loggedsince 1999
PatchJan 5, 2026v · 01.05🔴 Major
Closed1

Closed for an extended ~11-month refurbishment (reopening targeted for November 19, 2026), the longest closure in the ride's history; March 2026 aerial photos confirmed the original ride track was being replaced. — Jurassic Park River Adventure

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Dec 2024
PatchDec 19, 2024v · 12.19
Fixed1

Reopened from its annual winter refurbishment (closed November 7) with fresh paint and animatronic repairs, including Dudley's reins restored to his horse. — Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls

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Feb 2024
PatchFeb 25, 2024v · 02.25
Changed1

The ride's screen media was converted from 3D to 2D and the 3D glasses were retired, introduced as a projection test on Feb 25, 2024 and kept in place afterward. — Skull Island: Reign of Kong

3D media (glasses)2D media (no glasses)
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Nov 2023
PatchNov 2, 2023v · 11.02
Buff1

Re-recorded Hermione's onboard cabin audio to sound closer to Emma Watson, replacing the original voice double long criticized as unconvincing; the script and the shadow effects on the cabin door were left unchanged. — Hogwarts Express — Hogsmeade Station

original voice doublecloser-to-Watson voice
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May 2022
PatchMay 31, 2022v · 05.31🔴 Major
Back Online1

Reopened after roughly ten months of structural refurbishment with an almost entirely rebuilt and repainted roof, while the worn animal figures and marquee were left untouched. — Caro-Seuss-el

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Jun 2021
PatchJun 10, 2021v · 06.10🔴 Major
New1

Jurassic World VelociCoaster opened to the public at Universal's Islands of Adventure, an Intamin launched coaster with two LSM launches, a 155-foot top hat, four inversions, and a 70 mph top speed. — Jurassic World VelociCoaster

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Aug 2020
PatchAug 11, 2020v · 08.11
Closed1

A small backstage equipment-cabinet fire forced an evacuation and closed the coaster for several days before it reopened with no permanent ride changes. — Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

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Jun 2019
PatchJun 13, 2019v · 06.13🔴 Major
New1

Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure opened in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure, an Intamin multi-launch story coaster debuting with seven launches (most of any coaster at the time), a backward launch off a vertical spike, and a free-fall drop-track section. — Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

Dragon ChallengeHagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
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Jun 2018
PatchJun 4, 2018v · 06.04
Buff1

The ride's wrap-around projection-dome scenes were upgraded to 4K-HD at 120 frames per second (double the original 60 fps), sharpening the simulator sequences and adding new animation, including the dragon breathing fire directly at riders and a more visible Patronus. — Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

60 fps4K-HD 120 fps
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Aug 2016
PatchAug 4, 2016v · 08.04🔴 Major
Changed1

Reopened rebuilt with replaced track sections, new trains carrying in-seat on-board audio and lighting, a redesigned military research compound queue, a new General Thaddeus Ross gamma-experiment storyline, an entrance Hulk statue, and an original score by Patrick Stump. — The Incredible Hulk Coaster

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Jul 2016
PatchJul 13, 2016v · 07.13🔴 Major
New1

Skull Island: Reign of Kong opened to the public at Universal's Islands of Adventure, a trackless dark ride built around a giant Kong animatronic. — Skull Island: Reign of Kong

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Sep 2015
PatchSep 8, 2015v · 09.08🔴 Major
Closed1

Closed for a roughly 11-month ground-up refurbishment covering the track, trains, launch, queue and story. — The Incredible Hulk Coaster

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Jul 2014
PatchJul 8, 2014v · 07.08🔴 Major
New1

Opened with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley expansion as a working train linking Hogsmeade Station (Islands of Adventure) to King's Cross Station (Universal Studios Florida), with a separate ride film and effects in each direction; a park-to-park ticket is required to board. — Hogwarts Express — Hogsmeade Station

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Mar 2012
PatchMar 8, 2012v · 03.08🔴 Major
Buff1

Reopened after a major refurbishment that remastered the entire ride film to 4K high-definition digital animation, replaced the film projectors with Infitec digital projectors, and added new audio, lighting, and updated sets, with a new element in each scene. — The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

film projection4K HD digital (Infitec) projection
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Mar 2011
PatchMar 14, 2011v · 03.14
Back Online1

Reopened after the fire closure with all special effects restored and the entire ride repainted, the fire repairs combined with an accelerated annual refurbishment. — Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls

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Jan 2011
PatchJan 1, 2011v · 01.01
Closed1

Closed after a fire broke out in a building behind the ride on New Year's Day, prompting evacuation of Toon Lagoon; no injuries were reported. — Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls

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Jun 2010
PatchJun 18, 2010v · 06.18🔴 Major
New1

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey opened inside Hogwarts Castle as the headliner of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade at Universal's Islands of Adventure, using a KUKA robotic-arm (RoboCoaster) ride system that combined physical sets with wrap-around projection-dome scenes. — Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

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Changed1

Rethemed and reopened as Flight of the Hippogriff at the grand opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade, with a new queue winding past Hagrid's Hut and an animatronic Hippogriff that riders bow to before boarding. — Flight of the Hippogriff

The Flying UnicornFlight of the Hippogriff
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Jul 2008
PatchJul 7, 2008v · 07.07🔴 Major
Closed1

Closed as The Flying Unicorn to make way for construction of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, beginning a roughly two-year closure. — Flight of the Hippogriff

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Jun 2006
PatchJun 22, 2006v · 06.22🔴 Major
New1

Opened in Seuss Landing at Universal's Islands of Adventure as an elevated powered train ride, using new Mack Rides track retrofitted onto the long-dormant elevated structure originally built for the never-opened Sylvester McMonkey McBean's Very Unusual Driving Machines; trains travel two parallel tracks past show scenes narrating Dr. Seuss's The Sneetches. — High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!

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Jun 2000
PatchJun 29, 2000v · 06.29🔴 Major
New1

Opened as The Flying Unicorn, a steel Vekoma junior roller coaster, in the park's Lost Continent area. — Flight of the Hippogriff

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May 2000
PatchMay 28, 2000v · 05.28🔴 Major
New1

Opened in Marvel Super Hero Island as a Mack Rides spinning flat ride (teacups-style) themed to the X-Men, with riders turning a center wheel to help Storm and Professor X power a device against Magneto. — Storm Force Accelatron

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May 1999
PatchMay 28, 1999v · 05.28🔴 Major
New9

Opened with Universal's Islands of Adventure as an original Toon Lagoon attraction and Universal's first river-rapids ride. — Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges

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Opened as an opening-day attraction with Universal's Islands of Adventure, anchoring Seuss Landing as a spinning-couch dark ride that retells the Dr. Seuss book through 18 animated scenes with life-sized figures. — The Cat in the Hat

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Opened with Islands of Adventure as the park's signature launch coaster on Marvel Super Hero Island — the first Bolliger & Mabillard coaster to use a launch system rather than a chain lift. — The Incredible Hulk Coaster

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Opened to the public as a debut attraction at Universal's Islands of Adventure grand opening, pioneering a ride system combining motion-base vehicles, 3D film projection, and physical sets and effects. — The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

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Opened as an opening-day attraction of Universal's Islands of Adventure, an interactive Dr. Seuss-themed carousel in Seuss Landing whose creatures' eyes and ears move on command. — Caro-Seuss-el

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Opened with Universal's Islands of Adventure as the aerial spinner anchoring Seuss Landing, a Dr. Seuss-themed carousel where riders raise and lower their fish to dodge water sprayed from surrounding 'squirt posts'. — One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

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Opened with Universal's Islands of Adventure as an original Toon Lagoon attraction, a log flume themed to the Dudley Do-Right cartoon climaxing in a roughly 75-foot drop into a dynamite shack. — Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls

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Opened as a debut attraction with Universal's Islands of Adventure — a Vekoma-built river-boat tour of Isla Nublar that veers off-course into the raptor paddock and climaxes with a T. rex encounter and an 85-foot drop finale. — Jurassic Park River Adventure

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Opened as a debut attraction of Universal's Islands of Adventure on Marvel Super Hero Island, an S&S Worldwide pneumatic Space Shot dual-tower thrill ride. — Doctor Doom's Fearfall

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