Jurassic Park Discovery Center Review

Welcome to… Jurassic Park (Discovery Center)

Now it's your chance to see what it's like to be a scientist in Jurassic Park. Ever dreamed about getting close to dinosaur eggs, messing with their DNAs and perhaps even being involved in the release of a T-Rex into a busy metropolis? Then you and your children are going to have a lot of fun in the Jurassic Park Discovery Center.

It’s hard to describe what this place actually is. I guess I’d call it an interactive center, and not exactly a playground like Camp Jurassic. The Discovery Center also resembles the area just outside Spaceship Earth in Epcot, where you can find several minigames and fun stuff to see and do. Everything here is related to dinosaurs, though, from the games you can play to the restaurant on the second floor and a store selling dino-plushies and t-shirts.

The Good

I think one of the best things about this place is that it’s pretty cozy. It resembles the visitor center we see in the first movie, with the huge T-rex skeleton in the middle, where the final fight between a real T-rex and the group of velociraptors takes place. You won’t find any dangerous dinos here, which means that you can just sit back and enjoy your time. The air conditioning works well, and parents can stay on the second floor, enjoying their meals while their kids play downstairs. Most games are situated on the first floor, while the second floor hosts the quick service restaurant “The Burger Digs” and a Jurassic Park themed store.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: this interactive center doesn’t offer as many opportunities for exploration as Camp Jurassic. There are also way more interactive experiences through computers than what you find in an interactive playground. This Hub is mostly there for you to chill down and eat while kids have fun walking around. Don’t expect a huge indoor environment with lots of possibilities to keep your children occupied for hours. There are, however, lots of animatronics and dinos, which are great for some fun pictures.

So, what can you find in this interactive center? The games are good time-wasters for thirty minutes or so. You can scan walls filled with fossils to find out which dinosaur they belong to, manipulate dinosaur eggs to see which dinosaur is inside through a screen, and even mix human DNA with that of a dinosaur to create a new specimen. Sounds like the plot of a horror movie, but we assure you, it’s peeeerfectly fine.

The Bad

The main issue with the Discovery Center is that none of its offerings are truly a must-see. While the activities can be enjoyable, they don't involve much exploration or things that can be considered truly engaging. They might provide entertainment for a short while, but I suspect that most kids will grow bored after about thirty minutes. However, this timeframe might be just right for you to take a break and grab a bite to eat.

Will Kids enjoy it?

There are some cool things to see and do here, but don’t expect a huge open area with a lot to explore like Camp Jurassic. This is a focused interactive experience for kids to enjoy their time, learn more about dinos and play for about thirty minutes before it’s time to move on. It is a fun place to take pictures, so adults can also come here before or after having lunch.