“Let’s all go to the movies!”
As a theme park, Universal Studios Florida has always remained constant in its mission to celebrate the movies. The park first opened in 1990, and its success has since fueled the creation of two additional theme parks – Universal’s Islands of Adventure park and Universal Volcano Bay water theme park. Add in a host of beautiful resort hotels, the CityWalk dining and entertainment district, and the upcoming Epic Universe theme park, and Universal Orlando has become a full-week destination in its own right.
Each of Universal Orlando’s theme parks has its own flavor, and Universal Studios Florida celebrates a love of film and television icons. Let’s celebrate the top ten attractions at this little piece of Hollywood in Orlando, Florida.
10 – The Simpsons Ride
“Hey hey, kids!” Krusty the Clown has got a ride for you! This simulated roller coaster ride takes riders on a tour of Krustyland, as well as the Simpsons hometown of Springfield. This bang-up attraction sends riders crashing through the park with the whole Simpson family, while the show’s hallmark hijinks and cameos pop up left and right. This simulator ride is a treasure trove for fans of the show. Unfortunately, I suspect more and more guests no longer “get it.” Krusty’s pre-show video – which I find hysterical – seems to fall flat with most guests, and the cameos come and go so quickly that they’re hard to notice. As for the movement itself – the ride can feel a little bit painful. The constant banging and landing starts to get tiring, and by the end of the ride, my body is happy for the break. That being said – this ride is 100% SImpsons energy, and a lot of fun.
9 – Men In Black: Alien Attack
Load up, because you’re about to shoot some pretty nasty aliens! Men In Black: Alien Attack gives riders the guns (and the gumption) to take out some of the worst (and a few of the cutest) intruders in New York City. This beautifully themed attraction is housed inside a pavilion reminiscent of the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Inside, the queue takes guests through MIB Headquarters, where they can see some of the iconic creatures and spaces from the Men In Black film franchise. After a brief training session, riders get to business shooting some alien scum in the Big Apple. This is where Alien Attack really shines. The “streets of New York” are made up entirely of physical set pieces, and almost all of the targets are animatronics, elevating the level of immersion. The only down side of the attraction’s physical nature is the limitation on how much movement the pieces offer. But still – the attraction is gorgeous.
8 – Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
It’s time to go bananas! Guests on this 4-D motion simulator ride are transformed into Minions to help Gru celebrate the anniversary of adopting his daughters. The experience begins in Gru’s house (aka the queue area), which contains one of my favorite props of all time – a lion eating a dog, which is eating a cat, which is eating a mouse. The preshow area preps guests for their transformation, then the real fun begins. Guests are turned into Minions, and everyone takes a wild journey through Gru’s world. Similar to the Simpsons Ride and other 4-D screen-based attractions, Minion Mayhem tosses riders through a series of simulated bumps and jumps. Are they fun? Sure! Am I glad when we come to a complete stop? You bet!
Pro Tip: Minions are often outside the attraction exit dancing with guests. Go stop by and enjoy your Minion moment! Another Pro Tip: If you want to take the Minion madness back to your resort, consider staying in one of the Despicable Me kids suites in Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.
7 – 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 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.
6 – 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 attractions, there is no way E.T. Adventure does not 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 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).
5 – 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!
4 – Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Nothing says “party” like a rollercoaster you get to pick your own music for. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the only outdoor coaster in this 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, and is also quite a fun and colorful sight at night!
3 – 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.
2 – 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 invites guests into “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 – an Egyptian mummy! Undead soldiers, fire and brimstone flood the set, and riders are sent on a rush through the tomb, 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.”
1 – The Bourne Stuntacular
The first couple times I visited Universal Orlando, I blew off this attraction, not wanting to commit the time to a “demonstration” 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 extravaganza continuing the intriguing story of Jason Bourne. The primary stuntman, playing Bourne himself, 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 stage-wide 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!
Honorable Mention – Hogwarts Express
An actual transportation option which doubles as a very charming 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 directions of the ride 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.
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