At Universal Orlando Resort, adults often find themselves excluded from one attraction in particular – Pteranodon Flyers. Located in the Jurassic Park section of Islands of Adventure, this family-friendly ride provides a unique overhead view of Camp Jurassic, offering a brief yet memorable experience.
Despite its appeal to younger guests, the attraction has sparked confusion over its strict height restrictions, particularly when it comes to adult visitors.
Pteranodon Flyers is designed for children and their parents, with a height requirement that leaves adults unable to ride. The rules are clear: riders must be between 36 and 56 inches tall to board alone or with a taller companion.
Adults taller than 56 inches can only ride if they’re accompanying a child who meets the height requirement. For solo adults or those without children, the ride is off-limits, leaving many puzzled as to why such restrictions are in place.
Why Adults Can’t Ride Pteranodon Flyers
The truth behind why adults can’t ride Pteranodon Flyers might not be what you think. Contrary to popular belief, the restrictions are not due to weight concerns. According to a former Universal attractions operator, the limitation is actually a result of the ride’s operational design. The ride is able to accommodate only six riders at a time, as it can only operate three “birds” simultaneously on the track.
As the former Universal Orlando Resort operator explained on Reddit, “It isn’t a weight issue, it’s a load issue. You can’t put more than three birds on the track without causing delays, ride stops, or other technical issues.”
This low capacity means even a small number of extra riders can create significant delays. The operator also noted that the queue could quickly back up, winding through the Camp Jurassic area and causing congestion in pathways and exits. At one point, Universal experimented with relaxing the height restriction during limited hours, allowing adults to ride without a child. However, this led to massive crowding and wait times that could extend beyond four hours, which made the experiment unsustainable.
Is Pteranodon Flyers Even Worth the Ride?
Despite the frustration felt by adults who are unable to ride, the ride is perfectly suited for its intended audience – children who are not quite ready for Universal’s more thrilling rides.
Interestingly, the former ride operator mentioned that many adults who do manage to ride with their children are often unimpressed. “More often than not when adults do get off the ride, they express that they either found it terrifying or really, really stupid,” they explained.
While Pteranodon Flyers may seem like a missed opportunity for some Jurassic Park-obsessed adults, it remains a highlight for younger guests, offering them a sky-high adventure tailored to their sense of fun. Though adults might feel left out, it’s clear that the ride’s real magic is in the eyes of the children who are lucky enough to experience it.
What are your thoughts on Pteranodon Flyers?
Love Pteranodon flyers my son does to. He just turned 10 but was unable to ride at our last visit because he was too tall. They definitely need to figure out something different for this ride.
It wasn’t always just for children, though. A friend and I rode it before (many, many years ago) when we were in college. Also, I think it might be a weight issue in addition to load. Five or so years ago, I went to the Microsoft conference and they rented out Universal and islands of adventure for the customer appreciation event. They let us ride this ride, but everyone had to step on a scale (I’m not kidding) before getting on the ride. It was weird, embarrassing, but I actually think the ride is pretty fun for what it is.