Ranked: The 15 Best Theme Park Attractions in Universal Orlando
Things are about to change in the Orlando theme park wars, as Universal Orlando prepares to open Epic Universe. But before we re-draw the landscape of the best theme park attractions in Orlando, let’s rank the best attractions guests can currently enjoy at Universal.
For this list, we’re including Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. While Universal considers Volcano Bay to be a “water theme park," it is functionally in a different category deserving of its own discussion.
Without further ado, enjoy the best attractions in Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.
15) TRANSFORMERS: The Ride - 3D
“Autobots - roll out!" Optimus Prime is one of those cartoon heroes to whom I actually feel an emotional connection. Protective like a father, and strong like…well…a Mack truck. In this electrifying Universal Studios 3D dark ride, Prime and his pal Bumblebee fight to keep the AllSpark out of Megatron's hands, resulting in an explosive battle between the Autobots and Decepticons. Explosions all around rattle and shake the N.E.S.T. vehicle, as riders are completely engulfed in this metallic battle between good and evil. While the action in this attraction is non-stop, so are the screens. A bit more “real" content would be refreshing. Then again, trying to construct an animatronic Bumblebee would be an awfully “tall" order (pardon the pun). Bonus: You can meet Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron outside the attraction building.
14) E.T. Adventure
This may not be the top go-to attraction on most lists, but there is so much charm to this grandfather of Universal Studios Florida attractions, there is no way E.T. Adventure cannot make this list. Rooted in good old-fashioned audio-animatronic dark ride magic, guests “fly" through the air on their own bicycle, retracing Elliot’s steps to help E.T. go home. Riders dodge classic bad guy government agents (this is E.T. after all), but once they clear the forest, it’s smooth sailing to E.T.’s home planet. Cheese alert: The many varied beings on E.T.’s home planet just may be the most hokey-looking collection of Saturday morning cartoon-inspired creatures you’ve ever seen. Don’t judge, just enjoy! And don’t race by the post-ride gift shop - it’s got lots of retro Universal Studios attraction merch (Jaws, Back to the Future, and Woody Woodpecker, to name a few).
13) Skull Island: Reign of Kong
I’ll start with the best part - the giant King Kong animatronic at the end of this attraction is by far the best in all of Universal Orlando. But before getting there, riders of this Islands of Adventure attraction endure a back-and-forth struggle between Kong, several hungry dinosaurs, and other alien-like creatures. The action here is non-stop, and hugely entertaining. The intensity of the battle content may make little ones nervous, but experiencing it in a cargo bus-type vehicle with all the other riders somehow feels a little bit comforting. The queue for this attraction has that mystical danger feel too, which adds to the excitement of the attraction itself. In its bones, Kong is very similar to Fast And Furious - Supercharged over at Universal Studios, but the story and presentation of Kong far outweighs Fast and Furious in my opinion.
12) Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Take a break from the Florida heat by stopping into 30 Rock to visit The Tonight Show. Jimmy Fallon and his crew are waiting to race guests through New York and beyond. This “flying theater" setup tucks riders into place for the bumpy ride about to ensue. The race against Jimmy zips the audience through the streets of New York, the East River below, the sky above, and even into outer space. While the space part gets quite corny, it’s all in good fun (as long as you don’t mind being banged around in your seat quite a bit). If I’m being perfectly honest, my favorite part of the experience - by far - is waiting in the lobby at 30 Rock. Guests lounge in comfortable seats while enjoying some of Jimmy’s best clips from The Tonight Show (and a healthy dose of air conditioning). I enjoy the lobby experience so much that I’m a bit bummed when my group gets called to enter the theater!
11) Hogwarts Express
An actual transportation option which doubles as a very entertaining attraction, the Hogwarts Express between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade is the cherry on top of the Wizarding World experience. Riders boarding from King’s Cross station can actually experience passing through the wall at Platform 9 ¾. The train “windows" show guests a different view depending on which direction they travel, and both feature fun character and creature cameos (the chocolate frog escape is my favorite moment!). And the sounds of students in the corridor are priceless.
Pro Tip: Since the Hogwarts Express is a legitimate transportation between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, guests must have a park-to-park ticket to ride the train.
10) The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
The first of two attractions on this list at Marvel Superhero Island, Spider-Man is good clean fun. In this adventure, villains have stolen the Statue of Liberty and it's up to Spidey to save the day. Guests face a full cast of Spidey’s chief villains, including Doctor Octopus, Hobgoblin (watch out for his fireball!), and several others. Spider-Man is another 3D/4D indoor experience similar to TRANSFORMERS, but what sets it apart is the combination of screens and practical effects (animatronics, steam, and heat) that capture the best of both technology. Take some time to enjoy the queue line - it’s got tons of Marvel easter eggs.
9) Jurassic Park River Adventure
A gentle boat ride through Jurassic Park - what could possibly go wrong? The only water ride to make this list starts as a calm ten-minute tour, meeting several docile herbivore dinosaurs. But it quickly turns into a thrilling escape, sending the boat through a raptor containment area and face to face with a giant T-Rex. The frenzy ends with an 85-foot drop to evade the jaws of the T-Rex. Dino-fans will absolutely love this ride, and non-dino fans will enjoy it as well. The splash-down is always fun, and gives a fun way to cool off from the Florida heat.
8) Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Image: Orlando Informer
Nothing says “party" like a rollercoaster you get to pick your own music for. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the only outdoor coaster in Universal Studios Park, and the only outdoor coaster in Universal Orlando offering that slow creep up to the first drop. In addition to setting the anticipation, the crawl to the top offers riders the opportunity to select a song of their preference to rock out to, creating a personalized experience. Rip Ride Rockit stands tall at 167 feet, and reaches an impressive top speed of 65 mph, making the streets of New York below look wildly blurry. This coaster is a blast!
7) Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley is basically the Fort Knox of the Wizarding World. Getting in and out are no small tasks, even when escorted by one of those money grubbing goblins. In this hybrid dark ride/indoor coaster, riders navigate the vaults well below ground with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, trying to retrieve a special item. But Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange have other plans. To be honest, Voldemort is little more than window dressing in this attraction, as Bellatrix does all the heavy hitting. Several harried sprints along the mine rails are needed to escape certain death, including an encounter with a Ukrainian Ironbelly dragon. As with all the Harry Potter attractions on this list, the indoor queue is exceptionally well detailed, and totally worth the time waiting in line.
6) The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Back on Marvel Superhero Island, the Incredible Hulk Coaster is 100% gamma ray-infused adrenaline. The queue line and pre-show set the stage for all guests “willingly participating" in General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt" Ross’ military experiment to create super soldiers. Following a series of warnings, the classic launch coaster shoots guests out of the gate, quickly reaching a top speed of 67 mph. Riders sail through seven inversions while rocking out to original music created by Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump. This coaster is so intense, riders inevitably exit looking a little disheveled. Pro tip: If you want a photo with the super-sized Hulk marquee at the ride’s entrance, do it before you ride!
5) Revenge of the Mummy
Every time I ride this coaster, it returns for consideration as my favorite coaster at Universal Orlando. Evoking the true intent of Universal Studios as a movie-based theme park, Revenge of the Mummy presents to guests as a working Hollywood set filming a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy (starring Brendan Fraser). The experience begins innocently enough in the queue line, where guests catch glimpses of the filmmaking process. But once they board the vehicles for a tour of the set, the entire situation is taken over by Imhotep - a real Egyptian mummy! Undead soldiers, fire, and brimstone flood the set, and riders are sent on a rush through the tomb set, including a portion in total darkness. Somehow, riders make it out alive, which is more than we can say for Brendan Fraser. All the poor guy wanted was his “cup of coffee."
4) The Bourne Stuntacular
The first couple times I visited Universal Orlando, I blew off this attraction, not wanting to commit the time to a presentation show while there were adrenaline-filled roller coasters calling my name. What a mistake that was! The Bourne Stuntacular is a heck of a lot more than a simple stunt show - it is a stunt-filled story continuing the intriguing story of Jason Bourne. Bourne himself (the primary stuntman) navigates his way through several intense challenges, while being pursued from all angles by his adversaries. Along the way, Bourne fights his way out of a brawl, escapes a shootout in a suburban home, races a sports car, jumps from a building, and soars through the sky from a rope beneath a helicopter. The combination of live actors, real set pieces, and background screens work in flawless harmony. In fact, the quality of the screen is so high, at one point I had trouble telling the real actors from the background feed. I’ll say it again - do not blow by this spectacular show!
3) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
This may be my personal favorite attraction at Universal Orlando. Located in Hogwarts Castle near Hogsmeade, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a perfect union of motion simulation, screens, and animatronics. The story here is exceedingly simple - riders fly through the skies around Hogwarts with Harry and Ron. En route, riders encounter a dragon, dozens of giant spiders, the Whomping Willow, and even Draco Malfoy. While the ride is amazing, the queue which winds through Hogwarts is fascinating, especially for Harry Potter fans. The talking portraits are brilliant and carry real conversations. Guests pass through several iconic classrooms, have a brief encounter with the Sorting Hat, and pay quick visits to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. Forbidden Journey is the ultimate immersive Harry Potter experience at Universal Orlando.
2) Jurassic World VelociCoaster
The fastest roller coaster in Universal Orlando is a rush for the senses. VelociCoaster uses two different launches to send guests flying at a top speed of 70 mph. This coaster winds its way around Jurassic World and even comes close to Hogwarts - all while avoiding several velociraptors which are loose on the grounds. At one point, guests hang upside down over the lagoon bordering the raptor paddock, feeling almost close enough to touch the water! With a total of four inversions, this coaster gives a total rush to riders while being smooth enough to avoid too much shaking. This coaster is neck-and-neck with the top pick on this list. Tip: While waiting in the queue when approaching the loading area, enjoy the banter between Owen Grady (play by Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (played by Bryce Dallas Howard). These Hollywood heavy hitters knocked it out of the park for this queue video, and it is totally worth your attention.
1) Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
"Yer a wizard, Harry!" Hagrid is one of the most beloved (and quirky) characters in the Wizarding World, and guests in Hogsmeade can join him on a wild ride through the Forbidden Forest on this “story coaster." Guests riding in Hagrid’s iconic motorbike will travel close to a mile in length and enjoy seven launches, reaching a top speed of 50 mph. Along the way, they come face to face with a Blast-Ended Screwt (which Hagrid is desperately trying to keep under control), catch a glimpse of Fluffy the three-headed dog, and even pass by the Weasley family’s famous flying Ford Anglia. But beware the Devil’s Snare - it holds quite a surprise for guests.
“Hagrid’s" - as the coaster is familiarly known - is the most popular ride in all of Universal Orlando. It is also one of very few attractions not included in Universal’s Express Pass system. Pro tip: If you are a Universal Orlando hotel guest, get to Islands of Adventure for Early Entry rope drop to make the dash for Hagrid’s. If you don’t, then be prepared to wait in line for a while.
Where did your favorite Universal Orlando attraction rank on this list? How many of these attractions will be bumped from the list when Epic Universe opens in May? Share your thoughts with us on social at: Instagram X