Jurassic Park marks 30 years since its release on June 9, and Universal Orlando is celebrating in a prehistoric way.
The biggest addition to the parks for #JurassicJune is the Jurassic Park Tribute Store, “a store 65 million years in the making” that opened last week. The Tribute Store is more than a souvenir shop; it’s an immersive walkthrough that’s become just as popular as many of the other attractions in the Universal Studios park.
At the Tribute Store’s entrance, there are filmmaking props and tropical foliage reminiscent of the movie’s Isla Nublar. Perhaps the largest and most special prop is the sick triceratops that Laura Dern’s Ellie Sattler and Sam Neill’s Alan Grant treat in the movie. Orlando Park Stop’s Alicia Stella shared that the dino, named “Trixie,” is the same one donated to Give Kids the World Village by Universal.
Inside, themed rooms and alcoves recreate the most iconic scenes from the film — including the signature stone gates, the velociraptor in the kitchen, the goo-shooting dilophosaurus scaring you from the bushes, and the tyrannosaurus rex chomping on the guy sitting on the toilet.
The best part: All of these scenes and more are photo ops to put yourself in the movie. You, too, can sit on a toilet while a toothy, hungry T-rex looms overheard. And you can get scared by a raptor emerging from a nest of cables while trying to turn the park’s power back on in a maintenance shed.
The shop is also full of props and Easter eggs from the film, behind-the-scenes photos and blueprints, and exclusive 30th-anniversary merchandise. The last room in the Tribute Store is, fittingly, a mini-museum of original Jurassic Park merchandise and marketing material from 1993.
Across the street, Universal’s Islands of Adventure is home to Jurassic Park the land, which boasts the Jurassic Park River Adventure (an opening day attraction), the kid-friendly Pteradon Flyers, and the intense Jurassic World VelociCoaster — which opened two years ago.
And starting June 1, the land’s Thunder Falls restaurant will have two new items on the menu. The coconut cajeta churro is infused with caramel and topped with coconut flakes and more caramel. Then there are “prehistoric raptor wings,” which are char-grilled marinated wings tossed in sweet chili sauce and served with cilantro-lime rice, black beans and plantain chips. There’s also a special Jurassic Park 30th anniversary Fanta flavor called Wild Refresherrrr.
Orlando Informer also noted a limited-edition cocktail added to the Watering Hole at Islands of Adventure. The Nublar Libre combines spiced rum with citrus juices and more, and comes in a tiki-style themed cup for Jurassic Park’s 30th.
Finally, a Jurassic Park anniversary celebration wouldn’t be complete with seeing the film on the big screen, so Universal Cinemark will host screenings June 9-11 at the theater in CityWalk. Tickets are available now through Fandango.
For tickets and more information about the Jurassic Park tribute at Universal, visit UniversalOrlando.com.
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This article appears in May 24-30, 2023.