When going to any theme park like Universal Studios Florida, you want to know what rides are worth the wait and which are best saved for the back of the deck. Well, if you’re curious as to what my rankings happen to be, then look no further!
Before we buckle into the ride vehicle, let me be clear: this is a complete and subjective ranking of the rides of Universal Studios Florida. So if you want the list of the best Universal Studios rides, that’s waiting in another queue altogether.
Also, this guide was written before the summer 2024 opening of DreamWorks Land. Though I more than likely won’t be able to ride those attractions, if anything opens that’s adult-friendly, I’ll update these rankings accordingly. Now that we’ve got those caveats aside, let’s dive into the rides of Universal Studios Florida, ranked from worst to best!
13. Hogwarts Express – King’s Cross Station
While the Hogwarts Express attraction is one of my favorite Universal Orlando Resort improvements, it’s also the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the rides presented. A huge part of my reasoning for this rank is simply that it’s a screen-based attraction that doesn’t have to be.
Some may favor this ride more than I do, but I wish it was an immersive tunnel experience rather than totally based on digital trickery. With all of the screens/projections involved, it’s an experience that’s more confining than it is exciting.
12. Fast And Furious – Supercharged
Oh, Fast and Furious. Universal Studios Hollywood seems to be building you a proper attraction as we speak thanks to that new roller coaster, but that fact still doesn’t cover up the fact that Fast and Furious – Supercharged lived up to its infamous reputation. On the plus side, the cast members enlisted to sell the pre-show narrative are the real MVPs of this ride, so the ride isn’t a total loss.
This would have made a better simulator that’s similar to The Simpsons Ride thanks to three different screens of story to follow. Not to mention, the original home of Earthquake! and Disaster! is a ride system that can only provide so much of the adrenaline-charged Fast and Furious excitement you’d expect. Sorry, Dommy, this is what happens when you let Reyes into the garage.
11. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Full disclosure: Twister: Ride It Out is still one of the Universal rides I wish they’d bring back. But I’m open to new experiences, even if they happen to be total monuments to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. This simulator is mild entertainment at best, and there is one key thing you need to keep in mind: if you’re not a Fallon fan, your mileage is going to clearly vary on this pleasure cruise.
I do have to give this attraction one positive note: its replica of the 30 Rock interiors are pretty spot on. It felt like being back in New York for the moment, and that slice of home is undoubtedly the best part of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon.
10. Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast
How do you build a first person shooter experience without giving your agents enough room to properly shoot? That’s exactly what happened on Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast. I had to apologize to the same unfortunate woman multiple times, as when I was in the thick of battle, I accidentally kept getting into her personal space.
On the plus side, the interactivity is quite novel, which makes for more innovation and a less passive experience. Plus, the laser pistols are funky enough that you can recreate Roger Moore’s poster pose from Moonraker very easily.
9. Transformers: The Ride – 3D
When you climb onto a ride like Transformers: The Ride – 3D, you do so hoping to feel like you’re a part of the movie that’s being used as inspiration. I feel this Michael Bay-based attraction embodies both the positive and negative aspects of that concept, as this is, for better or worse, a rideable Transformers movie.
Maybe it’s because I used my Universal Unlimited Express Pass snagging one of the last rides of the night, but I felt like I missed a lot of the attraction’s lore. I know it’s not terribly complicated, as it’s basically the Autobots and Decepticons playing keep away with another intergalactic macguffin. Still, that didn’t smooth over the feeling of missing some details that would have helped anchor me in that world.
8. The Simpsons Ride
Putting aside the fact that Back to the Future: The Ride was replaced by The Simpsons Ride, this attraction definitely has its fair share of fun. The wit and the spirit of the long-running Fox TV series is absolutely present in the Springfield U.S.A. section of Universal Studios Florida thanks to the many animated segments shown in the ride queue.
Which is what makes the actual ride itself a bit of a letdown, as the snark usually reserved for The Simpsons doesn’t easily scale to an attraction of this sort. There are plenty of fun quips and incidents that pepper Sideshow Bob’s quest to kill the beloved animation family, but the sharpness of the series at its best is lost when trying to mix that in with a thrill-a-minute experience.
7. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts mixes two of my favorite entertainments: 3D and roller coasters. This totally-immersive experience can be fun, but when you’re not worried about losing your goggles, you’re probably going to wonder what makes this different from Transformers: The Ride – 3D.
Well, for starters, I didn’t feel like using the Universal Unlimited Express Pass robbed me of the ride’s storyline. So while escaping from Gringotts, I certainly didn’t feel like I was scrambling to follow the plot. Also though, the atmospheric effects and the long-overdue love for Domnhall Gleeson’s Bill made this experience the superior Potter playground in Universal Studios Florida.
6. Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
Is Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl the most adrenaline-fueled ride at Universal Studios Florida? No, it certainly isn’t, but the reason I love this Simpsons-flavored boardwalk ride is, for the most part, the view. In a theme park that has tons of indoor and screen based experiences, I’ll take any excuse to take in the fresh air.
Plus, the theming centered around two of The Simpsons’ most popular characters that weren’t in Season 1 is another added bonus. Much like The Simpsons Ride, the quippy dialogue goes a long way to bringing back fond memories of when I used to watch the series myself. Unlike that other Krustyland attraction, the ride doesn’t crowd our the Simpsons charm, and Doc Brown didn’t have to lose his lab to see it built!
5. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Those of you who know me are probably surprised that Despicable Me Minion Mayhem actually cracked my top 5 of Universal Studios Florida rides. But this Despicable Me reminded me of how sweet these movies were before the Minion craze! Also, as far as simulators go, this is possibly the best one in this particular park, as there’s a whiff of banana-scented air as you sail through danger as a Minion yourself.
With Despicable Me 4 on the way to theaters as part of the 2024 movie schedule, I really hope this movie takes a cue from Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. If you can make me emotional about Gru and his family celebrating the anniversary of their adoption, and in the middle of a formerly 3D thrill ride, you’re clearly doing something right.
4. E.T. Adventure
I need to lay down a very important caveat before praising the E.T. Adventure, as I’m sure plenty of people are wondering how this attraction rose so high. Well, for starters, it’s one of the last opening day attractions left at Universal Studios Florida. That fact carries quite a bit of nostalgic favor, even if the attraction based on one of Steven Spielberg’s best movies needs a massive technical update.
The theming that recalls Universal Studios’ origins as a theme park focused on moviemaking, and the way this ride captures the E.T. aesthetic, go a long way to sell the importance of the E.T. Adventure’s continued presence. We may not have gotten a cinematic sequel, but this ride lets the world get as close as it possibly can to such a prospect, and in beautiful detail.
3. Men In Black Alien Attack
Men In Black Alien Attack is another attraction from a bygone era, with Will Smith’s footage on the ride being the aspect that ages it the most. But you know something? I’m ok with that. In fact, I was pretty happy to see this throwback to the era of the original Men in Black movies.
This attraction still works like a charm, giving people who love Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters at Walt Disney World a similar experience, just with a little more edge. Blasting rogue aliens around New York City hasn’t lost its touch, and neither has the queue theming that so richly invokes the iconic production design of those films.
2. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
One of the things I admire most about Universal Studios Florida is the fact that this park maximizes its space for attractions. There is the downside of requiring a lot of screen-based/indoor experiences to do just that, and I have my fair share of gripes connected to that fact. That said, for a coaster with a limited amount of space to work with, the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit makes my thrill ride loving heart so happy.
The totally vertical lift hill is a novelty, as it almost immediately has you defying the forces of gravity. What follows is a fast, fierce and fantastic attraction that’s only bolstered by the presence of a paired down, but still impressive library of music to use as your own personal soundtrack. That variable, along with the intensity of the ride, is what’ll have me returning to the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit for some time in the future.
1. Revenge of the Mummy
The promise that Universal Studios Florida was built on was that it was a park where you could “see the stars, and ride the movies.” Even without experiencing the other variations on Revenge of the Mummy, I have to say that the Orlando version is the best one available.
I say this because it’s the only one that’s based on the concept of a Mummy sequel being visited by the curse of Imothep. So not only do you get a fourth wall-breaking adventure against Arnold Vosloo’s classic baddie, you also get that still-preserved iconic Brendan Fraser moment.
But what is it that makes Revenge of the Mummy the best Universal Studios Florida ride? Quite frankly, it’s because it’s the ride that touches all the bases of the best aspects of the park. Using limited space and a totally indoor setting, it’s a love letter to Universal’s Mummy movies that mixes the behind-the-scenes charm of Universal Studios Florida 1.0 with the IP-driven focus that the park currently employs.
I’m almost surprised that this was the ride I rode the most during my recent Universal Orlando Resort trip. But then again, this is a ride that puts you in the world of The Mummy. If you know me, you know that’s a one-way ticket to excitement.
With that final ranking, I’d like to welcome you all back to the CinemaBlend station house. Please make sure to account for all loose articles and exit to the left! Thank you for taking this ride with us, and make sure to have yourself a blended day!
