Here's some very detailed information on Pternadon Flyers that I wrote...
Pteranodon Flyers
Coaster type: Family suspended
Builders: Setpoint, Spectra FX, Caripro
Location in park: Jurassic Park
Inversions: 0
Time: About 30 seconds
Height requirement: Between 36 to 56 inches (see below for more details)
Best Feature: It swings
Bottom Line: Some say that its the scariest roller coaster in the park!
Located inside Jurassic Parks Camp Jurassic, you can soar above the play area on the wings of a Pteranodon actually, youre seated under the Pteranodon on your journey. As you pass under the Camp Jurassic sign written on the bones of a Stegosaurus, turn left to the entrance of Pteranodon Flyers, a ride designed for children.
As you walk through the queue, you will notice that this ride is intended for children. The bamboo pathway is narrow. Its enough space for two kids to walk side-by-side, but only enough room for one adult to pass. The path winds past a cave opening and into the loading bay. You can see your ride train. Your seats resemble something from your lawn furniture collection. Each train has two seats suspended from the Pteranodon on the track above.
You travel up the lifthill and are let loose on the track. The ride is very gentile with some light swoops and swinging motion. A few seconds later, you hit the first break run and things start speeding up. Hold on tight because youre flying faster. Your swings are further out and quicker. You think youre going to hit the trees, but you swing away in time. Then you hit the last set of breaks and youre back at the station.
Pteranodon Flyers was initially designed for kids. Soon after the park opened, however, many adults rode it. The waits became very long. Waits of 45 to 75 minutes were not unexpected for a ride that lasts about 30 seconds. Thus, Islands of Adventure imposed a height restriction. To ride, you must be between 36 to 56 inches tall. Any guest over 56 inches tall must be accompanied by a ride who meets the height requirements.
If you lack a party member who is tall enough for the ride, you may think that you cannot ride. There is, however, a secret way around this restriction. When Islands of Adventure first opens in the morning, many people head straight to Marvel Super Hero Island or Seuss Landing. The back of the park tends to be deserted. Walk past the mobs of people heading to the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and dont stop for the water rides in Toon Lagoon. Head straight to Jurassic Park and make Pteranodon Flyers your first ride of the day. Most of the time, no one will be riding and the ride attendants will usually let you on without a child. The attendant may tell you that next time you will need a kid to ride, though. If no one is in the queue, you may be able to ride as many times as you want until you want to depart or when others are waiting. Please do not ask complete strangers if you can borrow their child. You will most likely arouse suspicion and you will be in trouble with Security.
Note: Camp Jurassic may not open with the rest of the park at opening time. The area can open 30 minutes to one hour after the official park opening. Consult the park guide map for Camp Jurassics opening time.
Even if you have party members tall enough for Pteranodon Flyers, you might want to ride it early in the morning during its first hour of operation. Even with the height restriction, wait times can be about 45 minutes or more. Universal Express is not available for this ride either. Waits during the first hour of the rides operation tends to be 20 minutes or less.
Pteranodon Flyers has scared many adults, including the author. The second park is the scariest. The fast swinging makes most adults say, Whoa, whoa! and hanging on tight to the suspension bars. Some people say that Pteranodon Flyers is scarier than the Incredible Hulk Coaster or Dueling Dragons!
The construction history of Pteranodon Flyers is a tale of mystery and intrigue. Two manufacturers were initially in charge of the ride, Spectra FX and Caripio. Caripio has built such rides as Scoobys Ghoster Coaster at Paramounts Kings Island (Kings Island, OH) and Spellbreaker in
Legoland California (Carlsbad, CA). Spectra FXs only project has been Pteranodon Flyers. Caripio quoted prices and forwarded designs to Spectra FX. Spectra FX never revealed the client. Caripio then assumed the project had died. Mysteriously, Spectra FX started construction on the ride using Caripios designs, but they never completed the ride. Setpoint was hired to finish the ride. Setpoint designed Roller Soaker at Hershey Park (Hershey, PA) and the Flying Super Saturator at Paramonts Carowinds (Charlotte, NC). The track resembles a Caripio roller coaster, but Setpoint finished Pteranodon Flyers construction. (Thanks to
www.rcdb.com for this information)
The ride has no on-ride photo.