The Jurassic World Escape Room in Universal's Great Movie-Escape is one of two new escape room experiences to the Universal Orlando Resort that opened in December 2022. Located in CityWalk, it is a multi-sensory puzzle-based quest that gives guests the role as geneticists at the Jurassic World theme park, timed around the events of the 2015 film. This review will consist of a non-spoiler portion where I give my general overview on the experience and recommendations for the escape room as well as a spoiler-review that consists of the overview around each puzzle and story elements that tie into the larger Jurassic lore at hand.
Non-Spoiler Review
Making the Reservation/Check-In
Signing up for the escape room was relatively straight-forward as you navigate to the elaborate Universal Great Movie Escape entrance located right next to the Antojito's restaurant in CityWalk. As soon as you enter, there is a check-in right at the end of the hall where you can make your reservations to either the Jurassic World or Back to the Future Escape Room. The Back to the Future escape room is on the first floor, whereas the Jurassic World escape room is just upstairs.
Prices can range anywhere from an average of $40 to $60 per person for a single escape room experience and Annual Passholders can get a discount when you purchase in person (at the time of writing this article). What was recommended as least expensive to us was the matinee which is any time before 6 PM on weekdays. Also, to note, if you are planning to attend both escape room experiences, they last about an hour each, so it is at your discretion if you want to do them back-to-back or spread it out. After you decide, each member of your party will be handed a ticket that details the experience and time on the back.
On the day of the experience, my family and I went to the check-in desk and they recommend you be there within 15 minutes of the escape room which would be safe to assume that it is to ensure they run on schedule. At check-in, we are guided to a space with TV monitors showing the safety video. After that is completed, we go upstairs to another attendant at the entrance of the Jurassic World Escape. They will scan your tickets and confirm your names on the reservation and let you know about standard safety and security measures as with many theme park attractions.
The Experience
The Escape Room experience involves a series of rooms with various puzzles themed to technical aspects you may find throughout the Jurassic World theme park. Some involve matching, sequencing, and using context clues from previous stages. You also get a score at the end of the escape based on four tiers where you can get a score of up to 20 as lead geneticist. Ultimately, the objects that are key to solving the puzzles are spaced out in the room well enough that you will need at least 3 people in your party to somewhat beat the clock (although if you have less than 6 people, there may be additional guests in your experience time).
The difficulty of each puzzle, in my opinion, gets progressively challenging not so much that they are hard to solve, but the context clues around the room can leave you scrambling for what seems like a good amount of time gone by. But often times, a lead geneticist from Dr. Wu's lab will give you some hints along the way. Also, not to worry, you will not be trapped on Isla Nublar. Because the rooms are timed, there will be a sort of override where the lead geneticist announces that you can essentially proceed to the next room.
Some additional highlights to this experience were that the attention to detail with the aesthetic of the Jurassic World film was top notch. It shows promise that if a full Jurassic World land were to ever be built, this is a step in the right direction, similar to the details in the VelociCoaster attraction in Universal's Islands of Adventure. Tying into the multi-sensory aspect, the sights, sounds, and even smells are authentic to what you would experience in each room, whether that be a lab or in the jungles of Isla Nublar.
Although there were some increasingly challenging puzzles towards the end, we made it out and survived off the island. After we left the experience, another attendant is present at the exit to tell us our score and we got a 15, which is pretty average and apparently, the highest any party has gotten is 18 out of 20!
The attendant also gets feedback because it's clear that this a brand new experience to Universal Orlando Resort and anybody who regularly receives surveys from them know that they are constantly working on ways to improve their experiences for guests. After that, the attendant offers to take a picture and the journey is over.
Overall, a must-do experience for Jurassic and Escape Room enthusiasts of all ages and it takes a team and effective communication to escape Jurassic World!
Onto the spoilers next…
SPOILER Review
If you're still here, congrats on surviving the Non-Spoiler Review! In this portion, I break down each puzzle based on the story elements, so I will leave at least some surprises to be desired when you finish reading this.
NOW ON WITH THE TOUR!
Introductory Room:
After your party is checked in at the entrance of the Jurassic World Escape, you enter an enclosed corridor that smells very similar to a dinosaur paddock. Don't ask me how I know that, it just does.
Moving on, we are introduced to a geneticist, named Riley Matthews, and AIS, an Artificial Intelligence System (pronounced ACE) and we are recruited to the Hammond Creation Lab's Secret Offsite Research and Development Center. They will be our guide through the screens and overheard speakers throughout each room and will be reporting to Dr. Henry Wu about our progress.
Riley briefly mentions that many of the assets are reaching 100% genetic accuracy and that they are moving into genetically modified hybrids, which we know where that ends up. And so, we are directed to the first puzzle room, which is the genetics lab.
Puzzle 1 - Genetics Lab
This room tests your general biology skills as you match the sequences in the genetic code that make up the Indominus Rex, the new attraction to Jurassic World. Your team is guided to a workstation and will be using a group of sliders to reveal small sequences on two monitors. On one side it is the Indominus, the other is a species that makes up the hybrid.
What really stood out to me is that despite it being known for a while that Carnotaurus, Giganotosaurus, and Therizinosaurus were among the species that made up the Indominus, they were not in the 2015 film. So, Jurassic fans will be reassured that the experience acknowledges some aspects of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).
After matching a bunch of sequences, one of the members in your party will need to scan their hand on the touch pad leading to the next puzzle room, Nutrient Distribution.
Puzzle 2 - Nutrient Distribution
Moving into this next room, we are shown a small enclosure similar to what we have seen in Jurassic World and even the first Jurassic Park in the prologue sequence. In here, we are introduced to a Velociraptor from the IBRIS Project, named Bravo.
We are tasked to provide the necessary nutrient mixtures that will be key to keep Bravo satiated. When you look around the room, you will find canisters detailing how to make each mixture and that will be loaded into the panel facing Bravo. Once all mixtures are created there is an additional catch- you have to provide Bravo with the mixtures in the right order. And there are multiple levels of mixtures you will create as you race against the clock to satisfy this restless raptor.
What really adds to the tension of the puzzle is that you see the cage rattling and the roaring gets progressively louder as we scour around the room looking for each of these canisters. Once the room is completed, it seems like all has ended well. But then, the power starts fluctuating and then you hear a familiar ominous theme from Michael Giacchino's score. The Indominus Rex has escaped and Riley is informed by Dr. Wu that we need to go to the Cold Storage Area for our next puzzle.
Puzzle 3 - Cold Storage Area
This puzzle room is very similar to what we have seen in the Jurassic World film and what we've seen with Dennis Nedry's attempted hijinks in Jurassic Park.
We are presented with a frosted-over storage compartment of dinosaur and prehistoric reptilian embryos. However, the challenge is that we can't see them until we recharge all the canisters facing a panel with a keypad. To add to the stakes, the Indominus rex crashed into an essential power grid that threatens the viability of these embryos. Thus, Riley and Dr. Wu have assigned us to recharge all the canisters and enter the embryo code corresponding with the animals they wish to save for future sequencing.
The first one they ask for, which blew my mind is Quetzalcoatlus! This means, Henry Wu has been keeping some BIG secrets since before the events of the Isla Nublar Incident. Other animals we were assigned and also saw in the storage of embryo vials, included Dilophosaurus, Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Dimetrodon, Suchomimus, Ankylosaurus, and basically every prehistoric creature we have ever seen in the films. If this doesn't scream, I want a prequel show/film with B.D. Wong, I don't know what else…
After completing this challenge, Riley and AIS let us know that the embryos have been saved. But, they warn us about more power failures, which gives Bravo, from the previous room, free rein to leave her enclosure.
That's when they speak too soon and the power temporarily goes out. You hear the snarling of a velociraptor from the Nutrient Distribution Room. Bravo's silhouette is shown at the door and she tries to open it, but is unsuccessful. Then, being the cunning velociraptor she is, Bravo escapes in the vents above us as we hear the sounds moving around and away…
AIS is still down, but Riley leads us into the power station that the Indominus bumped into.
Puzzle 4 - Power Station
This room has a bit of an outdoorsy atmosphere, with vibes similar to control rooms seen in Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom with Claire and Franklin. In this puzzle, Riley informs us that because the power is down, we will need to manually bring it back up.
This one requires all hands on deck, as one person needs to manually power the overhead lights or we are completely in the dark, another looking at the manual of where certain number switches are, and one more person changing the configuration of those switches based on a blueprint just above.
I thought this was a fun challenge as we each had to communicate with each other on following the blueprint in the time allotted. Once it was over, the power was restored just enough for us to escape into the Research and Development Lab's Control Room.
Puzzle 5 - Control Room
This is more of an abbreviated version of the control room we are familiar with in the 2015 film, but it contains all the key elements with multiple control panels for all users to manipulate as well as huge monitors on the walls showing various statistics around the island.
Essentially, AIS is rebooting and there are many areas of the park where the security systems are still offline. Our task is to use the control panels to find statistics to answer questions provided on these panels. This means that you will see multiple occurrences of a location that Riley wants you to solve.
This puzzle was a bit difficult because we could have benefited from additional members in our party and there are six consoles. So, this was one was definitely overridden for us. In terms of the story elements, the puzzle room ends with AIS booting back up and bringing the rest of the security systems online and Riley getting us ready to go to the Monorail Service Station.
But…
A security feed shows the Indominus has broken into the aviary and the pterosaurs have escaped. We hear screeches in the ceiling as the light bulbs break one by one until it seems they have flown away. Riley then lets us know the coast is clear and we are on our way to the Service Station.
Puzzle 6 - Monorail Service Station
I loved the atmosphere in this puzzle because the sights and smells made you feel you were on the ground in Isla Nublar and the Indominus is not far away. The foliage is rustling and you hear quite a bit of roaring and stomping.
Riley then informs you that the door to the monorail station was damaged and we need to follow the pipes to find the correct configurations of switches that will open the door. The stakes are continually added with the Indominus on the hunt, but this puzzle in my opinion is fun callback to Ellie Sattler following the pipes in Jurassic Park.
After opening the door, Riley tells us to proceed to the next puzzle in the Monorail Station Walkway.
Puzzle 7 - Monorail Station Walkway
This puzzle left us all confused, to be honest, because all the clues that Riley gave were to use the map of Isla Nublar on the Walkway wall to enter the numbers on a pin pad of the closest stations to us for the monorail to come get us. The Indominus also continued to get louder, which made it very clear of our impending doom.
Fortunately, AIS finally overrides the puzzle after we pass the time allotted and we are then directed to the loading platform, which looks like a maintenance shed.
Finale - Loading Platform/Monorail
AIS tells us to wait for the Service Monorail and the Indominus is still on our tails. The stomping becomes progressively louder and then the window in front of us blasts open to show the eye of the Indominus staring us down. Promptly after, the door to the monorail opens and we board for our journey off the island.
On the monorail, we see a monitor with Riley speaking to us from somewhere outdoors. She tells us that the authorities deem Jurassic World to be long gone, but thanks to us we saved a lot of people and research for Dr. Wu. She lets us know that he is building a team to continue his research, which implies his work in the future films.
Thus, the doors off the monorail open and we meet the attendant to debrief and take pics with the Indominus banner.
Concluding Thoughts
Overall, the Jurassic World Escape Room is a welcome addition to the Universal Orlando Resort and these adventures are really unique because they are story-driven as with many of the attractions in their theme parks. As a fan of the Jurassic Franchise, it was fun to be more involved in the high-stakes nature of the 2015 film. Many other experiences by Universal like the Jurassic World Exhibition and Jurassic World Live Tour give a nice stand-by experience, but this gave me and my family the closest experience to living the events of the movie.
Some areas that I think could be improved are relatively minor as I am sure Universal wants to cycle in other stories in the long run. For instance, I would like to have seen a brief video or audio of Dr. Wu as it has been known for Back to the Future that they had Christopher Lloyd return. I will not spoil that attraction, but the involvement could be done in the same way for BD Wong. Additionally, I thought some areas could use small animatronics such as the pterosaurs in the ceiling or even see the claws of the Indominus at the Service Station.
In terms of the larger Jurassic lore at hand, I thought this experience paid homage to the future and the history of the franchise in showing that embryos for animals we see in Fallen Kingdom and Dominion are saved. This also means that Dr. Wu has a deeper story to tell and makes me wish that Universal explores the prequel route even if it is on streaming services.
For value, I do recommend the weekdays due to the price ranges fluctuating. It is also best to note that those change based on peak days at the resort. But, I believe the attention to detail is on par with the latest attractions they have in the theme parks. The repeatability is also strong for those who want to acquire a top score of 20 as lead geneticist.
Finally, the Jurassic World Escape Room Experience, in my opinion, is a strong entry in the supplementary material to the franchise that is fun for the whole family and friends.
Written by:
Muzzammil Shaik