Credit: Universal Hot on the heels of announcing the permanent closure of one ride at Universal Orlando Resort, another seems to be preparing for a reopening.
Like all theme parks, Universal Orlando Resort is always changing. Since debuting its first park, Universal Studios Florida, in 1990, the Florida resort has expanded to open Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and – as of May – Epic Universe.
During this time, we’ve also said farewell to our fair share of beloved attractions. To make way for new additions, the resort has shuttered the likes of Jaws, Back to the Future: The Ride, Kongfrontation, Twister…Ride It Out, and Earthquake: The Big One.
Soon enough, we’ll also be saying goodbye to yet another attraction. This week, it was confirmed that Universal plans to close its ever-divisive Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster at Universal Studios Florida in September 2025. This closure has been rumored for a while but is finally coming to fruition amid theories of a Ghostbusters or Back to the Future-inspired attraction taking its place.
But it’s not all doom and gloom at the Central Florida resort: it seems like the neighboring park is gearing up to reopen Pteranodon Flyers for the first time in months.
The ride first closed in April 2024, when rumors floated on the internet that a piece of the ride needed fixing, which was proving more challenging than expected. Despite no planned refurbishment, it failed to open one day and went on to remain closed for months on end.
However, guests have recently spotted activity around Pteranodon Flyers that suggests its reopening date is imminent.
X, formerly known as Twitter, user @OrlandoAmusmnt shared images of ride vehicles back on the track and Universal team members seemingly in training for the ride’s reopening.
BREAKING:
After almost a year long closure, Pteranodon Flyers inside Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando looks to be reopening very soon!
Ride vehicles are back on track and Team Members are currently training for reopening in the station!
🦖
@UniversalORL
BREAKING:
After almost a year long closure, Pteranodon Flyers inside Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando looks to be reopening very soon!
Ride vehicles are back on track and Team Members are currently training for reopening in the station!
🦖@UniversalORL pic.twitter.com/ngkjwpln47— Orlando Amusement (@OrlandoAmusmnt) December 28, 2024
It was recently theorized that the ride would never reopen, which fortunately seems to be far off the mark.
Before you get too excited about the ride’s return, it’s important to note that Pteranodon Flyers is famously restricted to younger guests and their parents. Despite the fact that similar versions of the ride at Universal Studios Singapore and Universal Studios Beijing allow guests of all ages, Florida’s attraction is marketed as “perfect for younger guests not ready for big-kid thrills.”
As per the Universal website, “This ride was designed for little ones. That’s why it’s recommended that anyone taller than 56″ does not try to ride it unless they’ll be accompanying a child between 36″ and 56″.”
According to team members, there’s a very real reason why adults aren’t allowed to ride sans kids – and it’s not because Universal hates fun.
Instead, one took to Reddit to claim that “it isn’t a weight issue, it’s a load issue. Each bird holds 2 guests, you can’t put more than 3 birds on the track without causing delays, ride stops or other technical issues. So at any given time, you can only carry 6 total guests on that ride in full operation. You let 20 people in the queue and you’re already at a decent wait. Few more people and it shoots up substantially.”
They added that the park previously trialed letting guests of all ages ride Pteranodon Flyers in the first or last hour of operations. However, this “only lasted a few weeks before it became an issue— the line would get backed up and end up winding all around the Camp Jurassic area, blocking pathways and exits” with wait times stretching over four hours. Yikes.
Have you ever had a chance to ride Pteranodon Flyers?