In October I went to Florida for two weeks and spent a lot of time at Universal Orlando. In this post I’m going to tell you what my favorite rides were in the two Universal parks – Universal Studios and Islands Of Adventure.
Universal Studios
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
This is a really awesome roller coaster that is right at the front of the park. It actually goes up to the top straight. Going up 90 degrees feels very weird, and is probably the worst part of the ride. The best thing is it allows you to choose music while you ride. The speakers are in your seat so you get to hear it pretty loud. You basically choose a category from dance, hip hop to metal and more, sit back and enjoy the ride. The also includes a loop too which looks like it goes upside down but doesn’t actually. A word of warning this ride is really rough, especially if you get put right at the back. Because you only have a bar around your waist it means you can move about really easily. Keeping your head back against the seat is really hard and it very easy to hurt your neck on this one.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
If you love Despeciable Me, you will love this ride. It’s a 3d simulator ride featuring many of the characters from the movie. On the ride you get changed into a Minion which is really fun. On the way out I also got my photo taken with a few Minions which was fantastic.
Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts
This is a 4d roller coaster ride through Gringotts Bank. It features many characters from the Harry Potter movie. This is much gentler than Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey and is a fantastic ride. The lines can get long and as it isn’t on Universal Express, I recommend going on this as soon as the park opens or using the single rider line.
The Simpsons Ride
This one is an amazing ride and a must for any Simpsons fan. It’s a roller coaster simulator ride that features a lot of the characters from the tv show. Sideshow Bob is basically trying to kill you and The Simpsons, including giant mutated Maggie.
Kang And Kodos Twirl N Hurl
This one is extremely fun as you go around in your flying saucer trying to hit the targets that are located around the side of the ride. If you hit the targets they spin around and make a noise. Targets include Grandpa, Groundskeeper Willie and Nelson.
Men In Black Alien Attack
I just love this ride as you go around with a laser shooter and have to hit the alien targets that are located around the room. Some of the targets are not easy to hit and it is possible to max out your score on this one. Don’t miss the boss at the end of the ride where you can get a bonus score. Can you become a Galaxy Defender?
Islands Of Adventure
The Incredible Hulk
This happens to be one of the best and is must if you love roller coasters. It features a couple of loops and even takes your photo. Unlike other roller coasters where to get to the top it goes up slow, this one launches you out of the tunnel and goes into a twist right away. The ride is 34m high and goes to a speed of 108km/h.
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
This is one of those drop tower bounce rides. I like this one better than the traditional bounce ones as instead of going up slow and dropping you down, this one blasts you up to the top and drops you down.
Jurassic Park River Adventure
This is probably one of the best themed water rides I have been on. It starts out as a nice relaxing boat ride where you see all different dinosaurs. Then halfway along, one of the dinosaurs knocks your boat off course into the Raptor containment area. You then get taken up really high into this building where you will find all different dangerous dinosaurs including a T Rex. Then your boat goes into a 26m drop at 80km/h, where it is possible to get wet. Don’t miss the big splash at the end.
Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
This one is a must for any Potter fan as it takes place in Hogwarts Castle. The ride queue is really impressive as you get to walk around the castle itself. This is the only ride at Universal that makes me feel ill when I come off. I can go on Hulk and other fast roller coasters time and time again. But when it comes to this one I feel very sick. I’ve heard it makes a lot of other people ill too.
Dragon Challenge
Formerly known as Duelling Dragons this features two side by side roller coasters that do all different sorts of fun things like loops and twists. There are two different tracks Chinese Fireball (red) and Hungarian Horntail (blue). I’ve ridden the two and definitely think Chinese Fireball is the best as it is more intense. If you have seen Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire you will recognize the Triwizard Tournament theming. Waiting a bit longer and riding front row is a must do. Both are 38m high. Fireball reaches speeds of 96km/h while Horntail is a bit slower at 88km/h. This is my favorite ride at Universal.
Flight Of The Hippogriff
This is a really family friendly coaster and great for people who don’t like fast roller coasters. In the queue you will go past Hagrid’s Hut and just before you start to go up the hill you will see Buckbeak the Hippogriff himself.
In both parks is the Hogwarts Express, allowing you to travel from Islands Of Adventure (Hogsmeade) to Universal Studios (Kings Cross) and back. It’s a very realistic recreation of the Hogwarts Express and if you look out of the window you can see all different people and interesting things from the Knight Bus, Hogwarts and Malfoy Manor.
So these are my favorites at Universal Orlando. Most of them are on Universal’s Express system meaning you can skip the regular line and get on faster. The only rides out of these which were not on Express were Harry Potter And The Escape From Gringotts, Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey and Kang And Kodos Twirl N Hurl.
Have you been to Universal Orlando. What are your favorites there?
I would like to visit these parks one day to experience the Harry Potter rides, although some of them may be too intense. I didn’t know that there was a Hogwart’s Express between the two parks, that’s a really fun feature!
LikeLike
It’s great. You need a park to park ticket to use it x
LikeLike
I absolutely love theme parks so visiting Universal would be a dream come true x
LikeLike
It’s a fantastic place to visit x
LikeLike
It has been a long time since we went to Orlando but we loved Universal it was one of our favourite parks x
LikeLike
The two Universal parks are great x
LikeLike
Oh my goodness this looks incredible, I’m such a kid when it comes to rides, i would rather go on the slow kids rides than the scary ones lol. I havent been to Universal but your post is certainly making me want to add it to my Bucket List x
LikeLike
You need to go, you will love it x
LikeLike
I haven’t been since I was a kid and there are so many new rides I didn’t know about until this post! The Despicable Me one would be top of my list.
LikeLike
That one is extremely fun x
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love water rides and the Jurassic park ride looks amazing! x
LikeLike
I love that one x
LikeLike
I’m surprised to hear that people have felt ill from the Harry Potter rides. You’d think they’d be a little less intense. I have to admit I’m a bit of a wimp though so I’d probably feel ill too!
LikeLike
It’s only really the one in the castle that does it. Funnily enough I can go on Dragon Challenge which throws you upside down and go straight back on. For some reason the one in the castle makes me feel sick and that doesn’t do all the stuff Dragon Challenge does x
LikeLike
I went on the hulk ride about 13 years ago and loved it. So scary, but in the best way.
LikeLike
Hulk is amazing x
LikeLike
It’s been AWHILE since I visited a theme park. For someone living in California, I sure overlook it sometimes. One of my goals this year is to go out and venture more. Your post reminded me to do so 🙂 Thanks!
LikeLike
You’re welcome x
LikeLike
I’d love to visit Harry Potter at Universal. I haven’t been on rides for years due to a neck injury unfortunately xxx
LikeLike
That really is a shame as the rides are great x
LikeLike
I’d love to visit the park’s one day I’ve not been to a theme park in a long while.
LikeLike
You really need to go x
LikeLike
I have never been to Orlando but I would like to! I like the sound of the Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride!
LikeLike
It’s a great ride, but it makes me feel so sick when i come off x
LikeLike
I love the look of the Harry Potter ones – being on the hogwarts express is like something i’ve dreamt of since harry potter came out x
LikeLike
The Hogwarts Express is fantastic x
LikeLike
You know you are old when only 1 of the rides was there when you went last! I’d love to go back especially to the Hogwarts bits!
LikeLike
They are the best x
LikeLike
I’ve heard so much about the rides at Universal and they all look amazing. I literally can not wait to go x
LikeLike
Both parks are amazing, the rides are fab x
LikeLike
I need to go on the Gringotts ride! It sounds amazing! Would love to go to Orlando one day!
LikeLike
I think the Gringotts ride is more gentler than the one in the castle. I don’t feel sick on the Gringotts one x
LikeLike
I remember going on Duelling Dragons many years ago! I really want to try all the Harry Potter rides!!
LikeLike
Thats now called Dragon Challenge. The roller coasters no longer run side by side which is a shame x
LikeLike
I’m not one for rides, I went to disney as a kid and was the one who held the bags! I did go one some things and out of all of these i’d have to go on the minions rinde x
LikeLike
The minions ride is amazing x
LikeLike
Escape from Gringrotts is hands down my favourite ride! It’s amazing! xo
LikeLike
It really is a fab ride x
LikeLike
What an amazing fun park. I’d probably be too scared to go on most of those, but it would be fun to watch 😉
LikeLike
Thats really fun too x
LikeLike
OMG it looks terrifying but then I don’t like heights so I am useless at theme parks. My girls would probably love the kiddie ones they like these sort of rides.
LikeLike
All of the rides were great x
LikeLike
It sounds great for anyone that loves these sorts of rides. I am sure my daughters would love it
LikeLike
You need to take them x
LikeLike
I love theme parks so this would be my dream! I love the idea that I could pick the music for the ride too.
LikeLike
That really is a great thing about it. They also have a hidden song list too x
LikeLike
I’m so jealous! These rides sound amazing! I’d love to go on the Harry Potter & Simpson ones!
LikeLike
They are amazing x
LikeLike
Universal studios looks amazing, though I am not one for rides x
LikeLike
They have rides to suit everyone, so if you don’t like roller coasters, you will find at least one thing you will like x
LikeLike
omg I love all the rides! I miss universal so much and i want to go back asap x
LikeLike
It really is amazing x
LikeLike