Pteranodon Flyers opened with Universal’s Islands of Adventure on May 28, 1999, offering a slow, suspended glide above the Jurassic Park area’s Camp Jurassic. Riders dangle in single-car gondolas styled after the flying reptile the ride is named for, drifting along a steel track roughly 65 feet above the ground for about 800 feet.
The ride’s construction history is unusually tangled for a theme park attraction: designer Caripro drew up plans that were passed to builder SpectraF/X Inc., which began construction but ran into trouble before finishing. Universal ultimately brought in Setpoint to complete the ride, giving Pteranodon Flyers the look of a Caripro design despite Caripro never receiving official credit.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Universal’s Islands of Adventure
- Manufacturer: Setpoint
- Opened: May 28, 1999
- Height: About 65 feet
- Top speed: Not officially published
- Length: About 800 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Unlike the park’s thrill coasters, Pteranodon Flyers is built for younger guests and their families. Ten single-file, two-seat cars hang beneath an overhead steel track, carrying riders on a slow loop above the rockwork, foliage, and dinosaur props of Camp Jurassic. The circuit lasts roughly 80 seconds and stays smooth throughout, with no drops, inversions, or sudden speed changes.
Universal enforces an unusual height rule on this ride: guests must be at least 36 inches tall to board, but anyone taller than 56 inches must be accompanied by a rider between 36 and 56 inches. That policy keeps the low-capacity ride’s limited seating available for the children it was designed to serve.
A Complicated Build
Pteranodon Flyers stands out among Islands of Adventure attractions for how it came together. Concept designer Caripro developed the ride’s layout, which was then handed to SpectraF/X Inc. for construction. When SpectraF/X couldn’t complete the project, Universal turned to Setpoint to finish the job, reportedly without full knowledge of Caripro’s earlier design work. The result is a ride that bears the hallmarks of a Caripro design while carrying Setpoint’s name as builder of record.
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Pteranodon Flyers FAQs
When did Pteranodon Flyers open?
It opened on May 28, 1999, as part of the original lineup at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Who built Pteranodon Flyers?
Setpoint is credited as the builder, though the ride’s design originated with Caripro and construction was initially started by SpectraF/X Inc. before Setpoint finished the project.
Is Pteranodon Flyers a thrill ride?
No. It’s a gentle, family-oriented suspended coaster with no inversions, designed to be accessible for young children accompanied by an older rider.
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Photo: Robert Linsdell / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.