The gyrosphere was executive producer Steven Spielberg's idea. According to director Colin Trevorrow, Spielberg "wanted to create a way for people to get up close and personal with the animals, to make it a self-driving, free-roaming experience. It loads on a track, but once you're out there, you actually get to navigate around the valley", in contrast to the confined Ford Explorer tour SUVs from Jurassic Park (1993).
There is a statue of the character John Hammond, the founder of the InGen Corporation and Jurassic Park. Director Colin Trevorrow explained this is to specifically honor Sir Richard Attenborough, who played the role in Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997). Attenborough had spoken in the past of the possibly making another appearance in the franchise, but his failing health made it highly uncertain. Unfortunately, Attenborough passed away August 24, 2014. Hammond is implied to have died prior to the events of the movie, evidently writing Attenborough's death into the franchise as well.
New Orleans has an abandoned Six Flags theme park which has been used for other movie productions. The filmmakers created a three hundred-foot by two hundred-foot main street and boardwalk in the amusement park's abandoned parking lot. They shot on the set for two and a half weeks.
Director Colin Trevorrow came up with the idea of featuring Mosasaurus, this movie's main marine reptile, which you see in the trailer. He pitched the idea to Steven Spielberg of having the Mosasaurus feed on a shark in front of bleachers filled with park guests. Spielberg loved the idea of the Mosasaurus eating the shark, but suggested that when the animal grabs the shark that the whole bleacher section submerge underwater using a hydraulic system so that the audience will be able to see the Mosasaurus feeding underwater. The moment where the Mosasaurus soaked two hundred extras in the bleacher section was Trevorrow's favorite moment of shooting.
Claire never drops the high heel shoes during the entire Isla Nublar incident, not even when the T. Rex is right behind her. Given the scenes revolve around much running, Bryce Dallas Howard had to endure specific training learning how to move fast in the uncomfortable shoes while adding "It's way better than running barefoot in a jungle." In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Bryce Dallas Howard confirmed that her character will not be wearing high heel shoes in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018). She discovered this fact when director Colin Trevorrow texted her "#NoHeels2018".
Jimmy Buffett: (at around 1h 19 mins) A running tourist, appropriately carrying two margaritas. A branch of his "Margaritaville" restaurant chain can be seen on the Jurassic World "City Walk".
Jimmy Fallon: (at around 52 mins) Himself. It's an homage to the cameo he makes in the Universal Studios tram tours. He discusses similar safety instructions and uses the same type of humor, the revolver he uses to demonstrate how bulletproof the gyrosphere is, a Smith & Wesson Model 29, he is heard mentioning in the video that the glass can stop a "fifty caliber bullet", despite the fact that the revolver he is using is actually a .44-caliber.
Brad Bird: (at around 5 mins) The director of The Incredibles (2004) provided the voice of the monorail announcer.