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In Jurassic Park (1993), there is a rather iconic scene wherein the blood-sucking lawyer gets eaten by the T-Rex while sitting on a toilet.

working toilet near the t-rex

Earlier in the movie when Grant, Sattler, and others exit the vehicles to get a closer look at the triceratops, Muldoon, Hammond, and Arnold get annoyed that they left the vehicles and say that they are going to get locks to keep people in the SUVs. With this in mind, it seems strange that there would be a toilet near the T-Rex paddock since guests should not be able to use it (because they should be locked in). If it were only intended for employees, then I would have expected only a porta-potty, not a full-flush toilet that requires working plumbing running to and from that location.

Is there an in-universe explanation for this toilet's location? I realize the out-of-universe explanation is that it adds a bit of humor to an otherwise tense scene.

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    Although, if it is just for employees then Hammond really did spare no expense.
    – SethMMorton
    Mar 25, 2018 at 19:11
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    It was a movie addition, and was likely just a visitor's toilet. The script simply called it a "cement block outhouse"
    – Edlothiad
    Mar 25, 2018 at 19:15
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    Because when one of those things is coming towards you, you'll need it
    – Valorum
    Mar 25, 2018 at 19:22
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    “it seems strange that there would be a toilet near the T-Rex paddock since guests should not be able to use it (because they should be locked in)” — stranger than, in case of an emergency, forcing guests to poop themselves in a locked car? Unusually for a question on this site, you may not have over-thought this enough.
    – Paul D. Waite
    Mar 25, 2018 at 22:56
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    @PaulD.Waite Indeed - my over-thinking skills pale in comparison to many on this site :) I suppose I was approaching it from Hammond's point-of-view, where no emergencies were anticipated in the first place.
    – SethMMorton
    Mar 25, 2018 at 23:12

3 Answers 3

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This appears to be a guest toilet. Next to it is a large and prominent sign that shows what's in the paddock and offering the "camera" symbol to show that it's a good place to stop and take photos. It also offers some warnings about appropriate conduct.

Presumably guests, after taking flash photos, yelling at the T-Rex and throwing food into the enclosure will need somewhere to poop before getting back in the car.

enter image description here

enter image description here

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  • What a stupid place for a guest toilet! IIRC (and as evidenced by this image), there was a cement tunnel to the left that the tour vehicles went through. Why not put the guest toilets within the safety of that tunnel?
    – istrasci
    Mar 26, 2018 at 16:10
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    @istrasci - The track side of the fence was supposed to be entirely safe for staff and guests.
    – Valorum
    Mar 26, 2018 at 16:13
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    @istrasci I believe the safety of the toilet would be greatly improved by keeping the Tyrannosaurs in the Tyrannosaur paddock.
    – kingledion
    Mar 26, 2018 at 20:26
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    Hm. I dunno. After agitating the T-Rex, they probably won't need to use the toilet. Maybe it's to go before they do so? ;)
    – jpmc26
    Mar 26, 2018 at 21:37
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    @Blaze - What flavour ice cream and did you get one?
    – Valorum
    May 25, 2020 at 7:40
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Because John Hammond "spared no expense." It would make sense to him to have quality plumbing installed throughout the park, especially for the rich clientele he wanted visiting.

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    Except he didn't want just rich people, he envisioned the park as being for the masses. He makes it clear to the lawyer who suggests something like "coupon" day.
    – n_b
    Mar 25, 2018 at 23:54
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    "Spared no expense" except he overworked, underpaid and understaffed the IT department, resulting in the downfall of Jurassic Park. I smell a carefully timed and plotted conspiracy between Hammond and Mrs. T-Rex, a very complex Rube Goldberg machine of events were meticulously planned out in order to get the lawyer killed. I mean, it's no coincidence Hammond walks out without a scratch at the end of the film.
    – Ghoti and Chips
    Mar 26, 2018 at 2:25
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    @GhotiandChips - IIRC he dies in the book.
    – Bob Jarvis - Слава Україні
    Mar 26, 2018 at 11:16
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    @Valorum I am totally unappreciated in my time. You can run this park from this room with minimal staff for up to three days. You think that level of automation is easy? (sips soda) Or cheap? You know anyone who can network eight machines and debug two million lines of code on my salary? If so, I'd love to see them try. Overworked, underpaid and understaffed ring true, from what I can tell. I'm happy to assume his salary isn't appropriate, just as I assume you are happy to assume the opposite.
    – Ghoti and Chips
    Mar 26, 2018 at 12:31
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    @GhotiandChips Plenty of businesses have spared no expense on the customer experience while lacking the infrastructure to support it...
    – corsiKa
    Mar 26, 2018 at 13:51
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Presumably the cars would be unlocked at appropriate places (like those designed for photography and potty stops). They exited the vehicle at a point when it wasn't intended that they do so.

Problems often arise once something is rolled out that weren't anticipated during design, and Hammond's comment was a reasonable thought on how to tweak the system to handle the unforeseen.

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