Jurassic World Filming Locations: Welcome Back to Hawaii!

Introduction

Revisiting a dear childhood experience like Jurassic Park with a sequel – Jurassic World – 22 years later is a rather dreadful exercise full of apprehension. Only now I begin to appreciate how it must have been to grow up with Star Wars in the late 70s/early 80s and be confronted with Star Wars Episode I in 1999.

Jurassic World is the rebranding attempt of the Jurassic Park debacle two decades earlier. The good Dr. John Hammond has passed on the legacy of his dinosaur theme park to Simon Masrani (Irrfan Khan), another billionaire with god-like ambitions. Since then Jurassic World has flourished into a full-grown attraction run like a tight ship by Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard). But just like any other public company, Jurassic World is pressured by its shareholders for growth and profit. The solution is Indominus Rex, a genetically modified species engineered to be bigger and more terrifying than any other dinosaur that has ever lived to attract even more visitors. You can guess the rest: the Indominux Rex escapes, putting mankind on Isla Nubar to the test, this time against unprecedented intelligence and predator skills.

If scarlet isn’t Jurassic World‘s color, lush green undoubtedly is. Following the footsteps of Jurassic ParkJurassic World was filmed in the beautiful landscapes of Hawaii, on the islands of Kaua’i and O’ahu where the legendary Kualoa Ranch is located. Although Jurassic World may not leave you stranded in horror, shook to the core, it’s not for a lack of trying with many scenes filmed at the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans theme park and other thrilling locations in Louisiana like the swamps of Slidell.

Maps

1. Isla Nubar (Jurassic Park)

Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Highway, Ka’a’awa, O’ahu, Hawaii, United States

22 years after Jurassic Park in 1993, Jurassic World comes back to the legendary Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii, the real-life counterpart of Isla Nubar.

Located on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu, the Kualoa Ranch consists of 4000 acres (16.18 km²) spread across three valleys: Kaʻaʻawa Valley, Kualoa Valley, & Hakipu’u Valley. The Kualo Ranch offers many touristic activities like a zipline, ATV rides, a jungle expedition, a movie site tour, ocean voyage, horseback riding, and hiking.

Claire: We have learned more in the past year from genetics, than a century of digging up bones! A whole new frontier has opened up! We have our first genetically modified hybrid!

Owen: You just went and made a new dinosaur? Probably not a good idea…

More info:
Kualoa Ranch’s official site
Wikipedia

2. Scientist Village

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Louisiana co-stars with Hawaii in Jurassic World with many filming locations in New Orleans.

A scientist village was constructed in Six Flags New Orleans, especially for the movie. Six Flags is a fascinating location: it was severely damaged after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and had to close down. Since then it never re-opened and became a new type of attraction prised for the haunting atmosphere of its derelict rides. If you like abandoned places as much as we do, check out The 20 Most Beautiful Abandoned Places on Earth.

Other Jurassic World filming locations in New Orleans include Louis Armstrong International Airport, the Audubon Zoo, and the Big Easy Studios inside the NASA complex in East New Orleans.

Masrani: You created a monster!

Henry Wu: Monster is a relative term. To a canary, a cat is a monster. We’re just used to being the cat.

3. Swamp Scenes

Slidell, Louisiana, United States

The swamp scenes in Jurassic World were filmed in Slidell, Louisiana.

Claire: You can track them by smell or footprints?

Owen: I was with the Navy! Not the Navajo!

4. Valley on Isla Nubar

Olokele Valley, Kaua’i, Hawaii, United States

Remember the highly suspenseful scene in the original Jurassic Park when Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and the kids climb an electrified fence under the threat that the current may be turned back on at any moment?

It was filmed in the Olokele Valley (or Olokele Canyon) in Hawaii, another filming location that is also featured in Jurassic World.

The key to a happy life is to accept you are never actually in control.

Masrani

5. Waterfalls

Manawaiopuna Falls, Hanapepe Valley, Kaua’i, Hawaii, United States

The Manawaiopuna Falls – nicknamed the Jurassic Falls after Jurassic Park – make another apparition in Jurassic World.

The Manawaiopuna Falls is privately owned so, unfortunately, it’s only possible to visit them by helicopter tour.

Claire: Think this will scare the kids?

Masrani: The kids? This will give the parents nightmares.

6. Manoa Falls

Manoa Falls, Oahu, Hawaii, United States

The Mānoa Falls are new to the Jurassic universe but their reputation precedes them: they feature an impressive vertical drop of 150 feet (46 meters). The Mānoa Falls are also quite easily accessible with only a 1.5 mi / 2.6 km hike to reach them (about 2 hours with a beautiful landscape made of diverse ecosystems).

Watch your six! Raptors got a new alpha!

7. Lawai Bay

Lawai, Kaua’i, Hawaii, United States

Lawai Bay is where the military arrives under the supervision of Hoskins (Vincent D’Onofrio).

Barry: [regarding the raptors] What do you think? Want to take one home?

Hoskins: Hey, don’t joke. When I was your age I rescued a wolf pup. It was like two months old. Could barely walk. Used to sleep by my bed. Watch over me. My wife, she came at me with a steak knife. He took a chunk out of her arm.

Barry: You put him down?

Hoskins: Hell no.

8. Dinosaur Exhibits


Honolulu Zoo, 151 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

9. Miscellaneous

California, United States

Jurassic World filming also took place in California in CazaderoSan Rafael, and San Diego.

Claire: So now what do we do?

Owen: Probably stay together. For survival.

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