Pteranodon Flyers - Any Chance of Riding?

[Cuchman]

Hi Folks!
Is there any chance of getting on Pteranodon Flyers without a child? My DD is 17 and is a HUGE Jurassic Park fan. She really wants to ride but we have no small children in our party :-(
I had read somewhere that if you go first thing when they open and it isn't busy that the cast members *might* let you ride without a child. Does anyone have experience with this?
She also thought she might be able to go early and beg families to let her ride with their kids I know this sounds crazy, but does anyone think that would work?
Anyone here going to be there between 8/24 and 8/28 with a small child to borrow for one ride on the Flyers? She's great with young kids

 

[Squirlz]

I read somewhere that they were loosening the restrictions lately. Last January we started up the entrance and a CM told us we couldn't ride.

 

[olszie]

We were there last week and my daughter is 1 1/2 inches too tall. They would not let her ride.

 

[bumbershoot]

As far as I know you have to be with a right-size kid. I hope you can find one lol. I thought it was the most terrifying ride at Uni and that includes Doom, which I hate. I was so glad when DS grew!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I would be interested to see if they loosen the restriction. We have a big trip planned for September 2017 and my daughter will be ten and a half. I am worried she won't be able to ride it. (Actually, I am worried that DH and I will not be able to ride it because she can probably ride with her little sister, which leaves DH and me out).

When we were there in May of 2015, my daughters were two and eight and the four of us (DH, DD, DD, and me) rode PF over and over. We went first thing in the morning and last thing at night when there was no wait. We rode it so many times we were given Universal buttons for being "Frequent Fliers." For all four of us, it was the favorite ride at all of Universal.

Of all the rides at Universal, PF is the one I look forward to the most.

I imagine the big reason for the height requirement is so that the line does not get out of hand. As a mom with a small child, it becomes very annoying to me when lines for the few kids rides that exist back up for 30 minutes to an hour. PF can get lines that long even with the height restriction. I can't imagine how bad it would be without the height restriction. It is a very low capacity and slow loading ride. While I hate that my children will outgrow it, I appreciate that Universal has something for the smaller children to ride and that they try to prevent the line from getting unmanageable.

I can understand your daughter's disappointment if she does not get to ride. That being said, she can still enjoy Camp Jurassic. It is absolutely gorgeous. There is a lot to see and do in the Jurassic Park area- and some great photo opportunities. Your daughter will have a wonderful time.

 

[macraven]

I say wear those frequent flyer buttons you got 11 years ago

Show them to the TM at the ride and tell them you are back to reclaim that title



If they have a sense of humor with that, maybe it will get you on that ride again

 

[Fuzzylogik]

Nope. My wife and I are childless and were surprised when they refused us. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[cschaaf]

A few months ago, they were doing late night rides where people didn't need a child with them. Not sure if this is still going on. I hope it is when we go in October.

 

[wilkeliza]

Is there any reason a child is needed? This is one ride I always want to do but I've never been to Universal with a kid nor do I have kids so I can never do it.

 

[kip0992]

They require a child to keep the lines down...the ride has really low capacity.

 

[CoachZ]

I'd ask the family either in front or behind me if I could join their family.

 

[kelleybean]

We have AP's and go often at opening. I have never seen them allow anyone on without a child, in fact they are extremely strict about measuring any big kids that look close to the maximum height. I hang out near the entrance while my son is on the playground and it is not uncommon for them to turn away far more groups than they let on. Don't know about closing though.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I say wear those frequent flyer buttons you got 11 years ago

Show them to the TM at the ride and tell them you are back to reclaim that title




If they have a sense of humor with that, maybe it will get you on that ride again

I was thinking the same thing. I will put those buttons aside for our next trip.

 

[Gillbob316]

EDIT: Accidental double-post

 

[Gillbob316]

I heard a rumor years ago that if you got there first thing after rope drop, before the line filled in, they'd let you on without a child. Tested it. They did not.

I've also heard that they'll randomly let you on if crowds/lines are low, but again, I've never personally seen any truth to that statement. Nor have they ever let me on.

I also heard recently (as others have mentioned) that they'll let you on without a kid the last hour of the day before park close. Have not personally tested this theory. I'm skeptical, because I feel like any time I hear a rumor about this ride and get my hopes up, it turns out to be false and they don't let me on, hahaha.

Even if true, my next trip is for HHN, so I'll be at Universal, not IoA, every evening for park close, and would never be able to test this unless I skipped out on HHN (which seems foolish). >_<

 

[cmarsh31]

Guess it's a good thing DD is short! She may have to ride it 3 times so we can all go on it (poor DS is 5'1")

 

[macraven]

Earlier this year there was a trial run of adults without kids could do the ride in the last park hour
But it stopped and they don't have that now

I was able to ride it as an adult with no littles with me about ten years back in the first hour park was opened but that stopped years ago

Haven't read anything recently of adults without littles riding it

 

[Gillbob316]

Guess it's a good thing DD is short! She may have to ride it 3 times so we can all go on it (poor DS is 5'1")

Words of Advice:

My frequent Florida going family had an opportunity at this ride 10 or 15 years ago when my little sister's best friend (at the time) came. My sister was too tall at the time, but her friend was a year younger and slightly shorter, and could have gotten us on.

We saw the wait time was 2 hours however and said, "Forget that!" and moved on...

By the next trip, she was too tall to even give us the option. Now, over a decade later, both girls are in their mid to late 20's , and the dream of a chance at riding this seems a distant memory.

Not a single trip has gone by in the decade + since that I haven't regretted that.

Don't make that mistake. Kids grow, and you may not find replacement ones. Get on it while you can.

 

[Cuchman]

Don't make that mistake. Kids grow, and you may not find replacement ones. Get on it while you can.

Unfortunately, by the time we made our first UO trip, all my kids were too big :-(
She might still try the "can I borrow your kid" route (and kids love her, so I suppose it is at least remotely possible) but we'll probably just scrap the idea.

Thanks, all, for your input and ideas!

 

[georgina]

I too have always been a little bit sad I never got to ride this ride. My kids rode it together.