Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando reportedly took a direct lightning strike during intense afternoon storms on June 30, 2026, and the coaster did not open as scheduled the following morning, July 1. Guests at Islands of Adventure that day ran into delayed openings and attraction downtime while crews checked the ride and nearby systems. Details stayed limited, and Universal had not released a full engineering breakdown as early coverage got underway.
Reports And Ride Status
The first public word that VelociCoaster may have taken a direct hit and would miss its planned July 1 opening window came from WDW News Today, which tied the incident to storms on June 30. At the same time, live uptime trackers showed VelociCoaster listed as not operating on the morning of July 1, according to Park Queue Times. For anyone rope-dropping Universal's headline coaster, it was a rude awakening.
Ride Profile And Recognition
Per a Universal Orlando press release, VelociCoaster launches riders to roughly 70 mph in 2.4 seconds and climbs to about 155 feet. The Roller Coaster Database confirms that technical profile, which helps explain why the attraction has racked up industry recognition since its 2021 opening. Among those nods is a Golden Ticket Award cited by Amusement Today.
Lightning Risk And Theme Park Operations
Florida records more lightning than any other U.S. state, a summertime hazard the National Weather Service regularly highlights. Theme park operators routinely pause outdoor attractions during electrical storms to protect guests and equipment, and big coasters have tangled with lightning before. Kingda Ka, for instance, was struck and taken offline in past seasons, according to Guinness World Records.
What Guests Should Know
Universal had not issued a detailed engineering statement on the reported lightning strike or the inspection work that followed at the time early reports were circulating, per WDW News Today. Guests planning a day at Islands of Adventure can check real-time ride status using Universal’s official channels. The park's attraction page notes that VelociCoaster accepts Universal Express and that riders must be at least 51 inches tall, according to Universal Orlando.
