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From thrilling curler coasters to the immersive Harry Potter world, there’s a lot to take pleasure in on the movie-themed Universal Studios Orlando.
We love exploring the totally different lands—hopping from Diagon Alley, London to Springfield, USA, strolling on San Francisco’s wharf and thru the streets of New York.
In this publish, we share our rankings for the perfect rides at Universal Orlando plus suggestions for different should do actions.
Contents
What is Universal Studios Florida?
The Universal Orlando Resort consists of two theme parks—Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, plus the water park Volcano Bay.
This publish focuses on the perfect rides at Universal Studios Florida.
Be certain to take a look at our information to the greatest rides at Islands of Adventure, because it’s house to our three favorite sights in the entire resort—Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Jurassic World VelociCoaster, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
The Islands of Adventure publish additionally has suggestions for avoiding traces at Universal, what to pack, the place to remain and extra.
Note that each parks have Harry Potter Worlds—Hogsmeade is in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios Florida. Both are wonderful so it’s value visiting each parks with a Park-to Park ticket.
Most Popular Rides at Universal Studios Orlando
These are the highest Universal Studios Florida rides which have the longest traces with their common wait occasions over a 12 months:
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – 62 minutes
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – 46 minutes
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – 46 minutes
- Revenge of the Mummy – 39 minutes
At busy occasions of the 12 months, take into account buying an Express Pass to skip the traces on nearly all sights at Universal Orlando (together with all of the rides under).
It’s included if you happen to keep at one in all Universal’s Premium motels (we beloved our keep at Portofino Bay a 10-15 minute stroll from the parks).
You also can scale back your wait occasions by becoming a member of the Single Rider traces for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Revenge of the Mummy, and Transformers.
Best Rides at Universal Orlando
1) Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride, 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 42 inches (107cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage (free)
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is by far the perfect trip at Universal Studios Florida—don’t miss it!
As quickly as you stroll down the splendidly detailed Diagon Alley in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you discover the big dragon on prime of Gringotts Bank—that is the place the trip takes place.
Even the queue is a part of the expertise as you stroll into the grand foyer previous goblin financial institution tellers. It appears a lot just like the film and the goblins are extremely life like.
The trip itself is a mixture of curler coaster and movement simulator with 3D screens as you be part of Harry and associates as they attempt to escape from the financial institution. There are some enjoyable thrills but it surely’s not too intense.
Harry Potter followers will love being a part of key scenes from The Deathly Hallows Part 2.
As Escape from Gringotts is the preferred trip within the park, you’ll need to trip this primary factor. It’s behind the park so energy stroll straight over there as quickly because the gates open.
It’s included in Express Pass so we walked proper on.
2) Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride
Minimum Height: 51 inches (130cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage and all unfastened objects together with telephones (free)
Location: Production Central
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the one outside curler coaster at Universal Studios Florida. It’s a scary one starting with a vertical climb as much as terrifying heights adopted by an enormous drop.
One of essentially the most enjoyable features of the trip is selecting a track as your private soundtrack (don’t take too lengthy to decide on otherwise you’ll find yourself with the default!).
Simon beloved Rip Ride Rockit, however I discovered it too jolty. VelociCoaster in Islands of Adventure is a a lot smoother (and much more thrilling) coaster.
3) Revenge of the Mummy
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride
Minimum Height: 48 inches (122cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage (free)
Location: New York
Revenge of the Mummy is a enjoyable indoor coaster that takes place largely at the hours of darkness with some cool particular results.
While it doesn’t go the other way up, it may be fairly scary as mummies attempt to assault you and you are feeling the warmth of fireplace.
It’s the most effective rides at Universal Studios Orlando, a traditional that’s a should do for many guests.
The single-rider line is beneficial for this standard attraction.
4) Hogwarts Express – Kings Cross Station
Type of Ride: Family
Minimum Height: Children beneath 48 inches (122cm) have to be supervised
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
Hogwarts Express is each a trip and transport between King’s Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure.
A Park-to-Park ticket is required to trip, and also you’ll need to trip it each methods for various experiences.
Starting from Kings Cross has the benefit of departing from the iconic Platform 9¾—on the prime of the steps watch different friends disappear via the wall!
The video screens within the home windows and doorways of the practice make it really feel like you’re actually driving the Hogwarts Express together with Harry and associates.
5) Transformers: The Ride 3D
Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 40 inches (102cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: Production Central
Transformers is a 3D movement simulator the place you be part of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in a battle towards Megatron.
It’s an exhilarating journey with some enjoyable results (really feel warmth and water) and life like moments (when robots are thrown towards the car).
Motion illness will be a difficulty on this one. It was for me in Universal Studios Singapore, so I skipped it in Orlando. Simon all the time enjoys it, although.
Look out for the Transformers character meet and greet exterior.
6) The Simpsons Ride
Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 40 inches (102cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: Springfield, U.S.A: Home of The Simpsons
On this simulated curler coaster, you be part of the Simpsons household on a visit to Krustyland.
Simon thought it was a enjoyable trip for Simpsons followers however not a should do.
It’s notoriously dangerous for movement illness, so I skipped it.
The Springfield space is unquestionably value visiting, although. It’s cool to see areas from the TV present like Moe’s, Krusty Burger, and Kwik-E-Mart. You can play carnival-style video games too.
7) Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 40 inches (102cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: Production Central
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem is likely one of the hottest rides at Universal Orlando, however we rank it decrease. It’s the next precedence with youngsters.
It’s yet one more 3D movement simulator trip the place you be part of Gru and his daughters to coach to grow to be a minion. When it goes improper, you comply with the household via all types of risks.
It’s a cute trip however possibly skippable for adults if traces are lengthy, until you’re a massive minion fan.
If you actually need to trip it and don’t have an Express Pass, I’d head again right here (it’s close to the doorway to the park) after driving Gringotts and Rip Ride Rockit.
8) Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 40 inches (102cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: New York
Simon loved the Jimmy Fallon trip greater than he anticipated—it’s foolish however pleasant and value doing if traces aren’t lengthy if you’re in New York.
Jimmy Fallon followers will particularly admire the jokes, but it surely’s a family-friendly attraction appropriate for many, until movement illness is a matter (yep, it’s one other movement simulator).
9) Men In Black Alien Attack!
Type of Ride: Interactive Shooter Dark Ride
Minimum Height: 42 inches (107cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage (free)
Location: World Expo
Men in Black is a welcome break from the movement simulators as you trip in vehicles making an attempt to shoot aliens and rack up the best rating.
While it’s not as nicely completed because the interactive shooter rides at Disney like Buzz Lightyear at Magic Kingdom, it’s value doing when you have time.
It’s a superb possibility within the afternoon when you’ve ridden the extra standard rides.
10) E.T. Adventure
Type of Ride: Dark Ride
Minimum Height: 34 inches (86.36cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone
Another low-key darkish trip is E.T. Adventure. It’s the one really mild trip within the park, so it makes a superb break from thrills and 3D simulators.
You trip on flying bikes within the sky after which, surprisingly, go to E.T.’s house planet. It’s dated however cute.
11) Fast and Furious – Supercharged
Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 40 inches (102cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: San Francisco
Fast and Furious is likely one of the least standard rides within the park.
The numerous pre-stories really feel unnecessarily lengthy and the trip itself is brief, shaky, and simply not that thrilling.
Unless you’re a fan of the franchise or a automotive nerd (there are tons within the queue), this one is skippable.
Other Top Things to Do at Universal Studios Orlando
For me, the perfect issues to do at Universal Studios Orlando aren’t rides in any respect.
12) See the Knight Bus
While I discover the rides at Universal Studios Florida much less interesting than at Islands of Adventure, the world I actually love is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.
You begin in London with the Georgian townhouses of Grimmauld Place and Kings Cross Station, the place you catch the Hogwarts Express.
One of the highest sights on this space is the purple triple-decker Knight Bus, one of many precise prop buses used within the Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban movie.
You can peek inside, meet the conductor, and infrequently watch him converse with the shrunken head that hangs above the dashboard.
13) Explore Diagon Alley
This is the place it will get actually good. See if yow will discover the hidden entrance to Diagon Alley then emerge into one other world.
This immersive space is extremely detailed with tons to discover. You should buy a wand in Ollivanders, jokes at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Every Flavour beans at Sugarplum’s Sweetshop and feather quills and parchment at Scribbulus.
While the shops promote loads of souvenirs, the decor feels genuine and there’s plenty of cool stuff to see, even for non-shoppers.
The avenue is dominated by the massive dragon on prime of Gringotts Bank, which breathes precise fireplace every so often.
Diagon Alley will get actually busy so it’s greatest loved on the very starting or finish of the day.
We got here right here very first thing to trip Gringotts and go searching after which returned for lunch after looping across the park. It additionally appears particularly magical after darkish.
14) Wander Down Knockturn Alley
At the tip of Diagon Alley, yow will discover the doorway to Knockturn Alley, house to distributors specialising in darker types of magic.
It is actually darkish down right here with a genuinely creepy vibe that doesn’t really feel like a theme park in any respect.
Make certain to go inside Borgin and Burkes to see all types of highly effective Dark Arts objects.
15) Watch the Wand Ceremony at Ollivanders
Watching the wand ceremony at Ollivanders Wand Shop is a should do at Universal Studios Orlando.
The darkish retailer in Diagon Alley feels so genuine with its towering piles of wand packing containers on dusty cabinets.
One particular person is chosen from the room to be paired with their excellent wand by conducting spells. They can then select to buy the wand subsequent door, as can anybody watching.
You also can go to Ollivanders in Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure, however clearly, the Diagon Alley location is most genuine.
16) Cast a Spell with a Wand!
Buying an interactive wand (from $63) is a enjoyable solution to improve your expertise at Harry Potter world. You can solid spells in Diagon Alley and over in Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure.
We beloved creating wand magic on our Universal Studios Japan go to!
Look out for the gold medallions on the ground that present you the place and the way to solid a spell.
It would possibly take follow to get the wand actions good to create magical results like making it rain, illuminating lanterns, and levitating a quill.
17) Eat within the Leaky Cauldron
The Leaky Cauldron pub is the principle place to eat in Diagon Alley. It serves British fare like fish and chips and bangers and mash.
Vegan choices embody Irish Stew and Shepherd’s Pasty Pie (with meatless beef crumbles and greens), which Simon loved.
Accompanying your meal with a glass of Butterbeer (scorching, chilly or frozen) is a ceremony of passage. We additionally tried a Fizzy Orange Juice however regretted it.
18) Enjoy a Butterbeer Ice Cream
The Butterbeer beverage is tremendous candy and I choose it in soft-serve ice cream kind, which you’ll be able to take pleasure in from Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley.
19) See a Show
For a change of tempo, there are two indoor reveals at Universal Studios Florida.
The Bourne Stuntacular is a live-action stunt present as you watch Jason Bourne on his adventures.
Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-up Show offers you the chance to see how make-up and particular results are created for the large display screen together with the way to make pretend blood.
20) Look out for Street Entertainment
You also can discover avenue leisure all through the park—verify the app for schedules.
In Diagon Alley, you may watch musical sensation (and Molly Weasley’s favorite singer), Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees, and revel in storytelling and puppets with The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
In New York, pay attention out for the soulful sounds of The Blues Brothers.
Is Universal Orlando Worth Visiting?
Universal Orlando is unquestionably value visiting—it’s a should for film followers.
While we choose the rides at Islands of Adventure, we wouldn’t miss Universal Studios Florida for the extremely immersive Diagon Alley and the superb theming all through the park—from New York to London to San Francisco.
Try to spend a day at every of the parks if you happen to can, though with a Park-to-Park ticket you may see the highlights in someday, particularly when you have an Express Pass.
Don’t miss our information to the should do Islands of Adventure rides.
Other Universal and Disney Posts
Read our guides to different Universal Studios and Disney parks in Orlando and past.
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