Camp Jurassic

Camp Jurassic is the play area inside Universal's Islands of Adventure that parents quietly love almost as much as kids do. Tucked into the Jurassic World section of the park, it's a sprawling multi-level outdoor playground with climbing nets, rope bridges, hidden amber caves, dinosaur fossil structures, and water cannon features that will absolutely soak any child who walks too close.

For families with kids in the 2-12 range, this is genuinely one of the best stops in the park — not because it has elaborate animatronics or coaster-caliber thrills, but because it's an open exploration space where kids can move freely. The layout has enough hidden passages and split-level areas that kids can spend 45-60 minutes discovering things without looping the same path twice. Meanwhile, parents can sit on benches, breathe, and actually have a conversation.

Important context: Camp Jurassic requires Islands of Adventure park admission — it's not a separate ticket item. Once you're in the park, there's no extra charge to use the play area. The full cost for a family of four visiting Islands of Adventure for a day runs $600-700 when you account for admission, food, and incidentals.

Timing in the park matters. Mid-morning (after 10:30am) and late afternoon are the best windows for Camp Jurassic — by that point, families chasing the major rides have dispersed across the park and the play area gets slightly less hectic. The water features are popular on hot days, so expect it to be busier in summer.

Practical note: strollers get parked at the entrance since the internal paths are narrow and multi-level. The water spitters are real — bring a change of clothes unless you're fine with soggy kids for the rest of your park day.