We get this question a lot: What is the best ride at Universal Orlando?
It’s basically an impossible question. Do you mean the best ride for kids? The most iconic ride? The most thrilling? If only there was a (not-really) scientific way to answer this difficult question… .
We’ve searched through YOUR reviews and already addressed what YOU think the BEST rides in Universal are, now we’re diving even deeper to RANK THEM ALL.
Now for the fine print.
We scoured the AllEars Review Section and pulled together a list of all of the rides and ranked them from LOWEST to HIGHEST. (Keep in mind, these are RIDES — no shows, walk-throughs, or theater experiences included.) We’re not saying we agree on all counts, but these are the rides that keep you coming back again and again! And here’s the deal, folks, if you don’t agree, or if your favorite ride is too low on this list for your liking, then go in and review it! Our data is only as good as your submissions!
31. Fast & Furious: Supercharged
Score: 2.76/10
Our Readers Say:
“The queue has loud and obnoxious music, the two pre-shows are pointless. The ride vehicle then sits between two large projector screen with footage of a car chase playing. Deafening air canons/smoke canons blast next to your traumatised ears and cold water splashes onto you. The grand finale is the bus you’re sitting on violently and pointlessly drops downwards a few inches, which was a painful experience on my otherwise healthy spine. As the bus enters the unloading station, everyone aboard our bus looked disappointed and the staff member at the station tried to encourage everyone to applaud (nobody did).”
“The worst ride I have ever been on in my life (I’ve been on a lot). I am so glad the queue was short but that was probably because nobody else wanted to ride. The actual ride took ages to start and the ride itself was just a straight line with a poorly made screen. 6 people had to squish into one row and it made me claustrophobic. DO NOT RIDE!”
“Think Kong but with nothing interesting going on. Takes forever to get going when you’re on the ride, and the “ride” is a boring straight line. Don’t waste your time on this, go on Kong instead it’s got way more thought put into it.”
Fast & Furious: Supercharged
30. Kang & Kudos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
Score: 3.44/10
Our Readers Say:
“Nope, I’m not about this ride. The voice is so annoying to me and music makes my ears bleed. It really is just annoying and makes me sick. I’m sure some kids would love it, but they won’t understand the Simpsons theme behind it.”
“Fun Dumbo style attraction. US has very few kid rides so this is a great ride to have. It’s also more fun than it looks!”
Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl
29. Storm Force Accelatron
Score: 4.4/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is fun for kids to take control of the spinning, but not the adults who are along for the ride! Definitely dizzying and small capacity seems to make the wait longer than more desirable rides.”
“It is a pretty solid “Teacups” clone, that incorporates the otherwise absent X-Men in to the park”
“It’s a Teacups attraction with Marvel theming. Some say you get more dizzy on it than it’s MK version, so if you like that kinda of sensation… go for it! If you’re already planning to skip Alien Swirling Saucers at Hollywood Studios because it’s too similar to Mad Tea Party, why not skip this one too? For me, I pass and ride Hulk Coaster once more”
Storm Force Accelatron
28. Caro-Seussel
Score: 5.47/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is my favorite carousel! The fantastic creatures are adorable”
“I mean this is a normal carousel but Seuss themed so it’s obviously cute. It’s a nice break from rides and whatnot. The lines are usually short.”
“It’s a very cute ride. It’s definitely not my first choice of a ride but it’s not a waste of time. I like riding this better than riding a carousel with plain horses.”
Caro–Seuss–el
27. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Score: 5.5/10
Our Readers Say:
“Waste of time, work, space, and materials.“
“This is a great ride! It is not very roller coaster like but it does make your stomach drop at some points.”
“There’s so much to laugh at throughout this ride. Starting with the queue, there are artifacts to enjoy and then upstairs the live entertainment is pretty funny. You may get silly songs stuck in your head, but it’s worth it. The corny jokes abound.”
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
26. Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Score: 6.09/10
Our Readers Say:
“This ride is what you make it, so it can suit a wide range of ride preferences. At some points, it got a little too intense for me, so I took my glasses off. Very managable ride after that. Keep your glasses on for the full effect. Can get really loud. Probably scary for the little ones. I used express pass right after it opened, and I thought it was a good use of my time, but I would have probably been disappointed had I waited in a long line.”
“This is criminally underrated. The setup is excellent, with one of the most atmospheric queues in Orlando. While it would have benefitted from more physical sets, this exceeds where Fast and Furious next door fails by building up effectively to the 360 degree ‘main scene’ with effective set design, sound effects and entertaining, smaller scenes. The animatronic at the end is amazing, but the entire ride is worth your time. Sit in the middle of your row to get the full benefit of both sides of the Kong vs Dinos scene.”
“This may not be a fair review because our family is not really into scary things. This ride was too much for my 10-year old, starting with the queue. It was a bit too scary and loud. The actual ride is similar in style to Fast & Furious, like riding a bus. There was a lot of action to follow, which made me dizzy. So, if you’re up for action that can be a bit frightening, this is for you!”
Skull Island: Reign of Kong
25. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Score: 6.4/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is your typical spin and go up/down ride, comparable to Dumbo. The uniqueness of this ride is that there are fish along side the ride spitting water on you. You can play a game to try to avoid getting wet, making it more exciting.”
“Great Dumbo style attraction!”
“Eh, it’s okay. The flying rides are all the same. But it is more fun that water is involved. Makes it more like a game.”
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
24. Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
Score: 6.43/10
Our Readers Say:
“I rode it for the first time. That initial launch is the stuff of nightmares. sometime at night I still think about it.”
“Really terrible, waited for 20 mins expecting a reasonably long- 5 min long ride at the bare minimum but in the end it was 5 seconds. Recommend for when there’s no queue and it’s quiet but other than that it’s not very good”
“This ride makes me laugh so hard I could cry every time I ride it. The surprise of the ride gives me such an adrenaline rush. I find the voicing of the ride a little creepy, but other than that it is not scary at all.”
Doctor Doom's Fearfall
23. The Simpsons Ride
Score: 6.57/10
Our Readers Say:
“The wait for this ride is not too bad because you get to watch Simpsons scenes, for which my 10-year old is always ready. There are many jokes/innuendos on this ride. It’s funny in many ways, but the movement of the vehicle while watching a screen is something to know if you get motion sickness. The ride is jerky and has a silly story line.”
“100% the worst ride I have every experienced. I hated it. Made me so sick and it wasn’t even worth it. I don’t think the Simpsons should have their own land–oooooo hot take.”
“Better than fast and furious, but not by much. Wish this was still back to the future. It will make you sick.”
The Simpsons Ride
22. Transformers; The Ride 3D
Score: 6.67/10
Our Readers Say:
“This has got to be the most painful ride I have ever been on. After riding this I had to go back to my hotel room because it was so jerky. If you think this is like Spider-Man, it’s not. Spider-Man is older and less jarring. Be warned if you ride this, you might need a chiropractor after”
“This is a great and thrilling screen ride”
“I think this one is okay, it is the same ride system as Spider-Man, but I think I like that concept better. It has a lot of movement and it makes me sick. Also the music in the line is so loud it gives me a headache.”
Transformers: The Ride 3D
21. Pteranodon Flyers
Score: 6.67/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is a great ride to relax your feet after a long time in the park. You must have a rider with you between 36″ and 56″ to ride, which limits who can go on it. Because of the low capacity (only 2 riders are loaded at a time), the line usually takes much longer than it looks. You get a great view of the park while you’re riding up above the treetops. Don’t miss this if you are able to ride it! Also, take advantage to see the park lit up at night!”
“If you can go on with a little kid, it’s a fun scenic ride through Camp Jurassic”
“I unfortunately can’t ride this because I haven’t brought a child young enough for me to ride with. So I guess this is a review made out of spite because this should be open to everyone!!”
Pteranodon Flyers
20. Cat in the Hat
Score: 6.75/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is a fun ride through the classic Dr. Seuss story! The characters and how they move is fun to watch…you’ll need to ride it several times to take each of them in…I feel like I see something new every time we ride. This ride is longer than others in the park and the line is also air conditioned. The gift shop at the end of the ride has something for everyone, if you’re looking for a Cat in the Hat souvenir. There are a couple spots that seem louder than need be and the ride vehicle does spin around quickly once or twice.”
“Compared to thrill rides that you can fill your day with, this is just mediocre. This can also be a nice break from those intense rides though. My cousin and I love to ride this ride and smell the popcorn scent in that part of the ride. We have been known to ask to stay on the ride and ride it multiple times since the line is never long.”
“It’s fun and horrible at the same time. My feelings vary everytime I ride it. On one hand it’s super cute, and on the other hand the animatronics are terrifying.”
The Cat In The Hat
19. Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster
Score: 6.84/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is a short kiddie coaster. It’s fun, but quite jerky. My son doesn’t prefer this as the wait for other rides are more worth it to him. Reminiscent of Barnstormer.”
“As an adult, you can skip it. For kids who are getting introduced to roller coasters it’s great!”
“This is the best ride in Universal Studios for your little ones. This ride usually has up to 5 minute wait times so it is re rideable. Also it is a short ride.”
Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster
18. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Score: 7.11/10
Our Readers Say:
“Pretty bad honestly. I was a little pumped as we entered Grus house, but then we had to wait through a really long pre-show. Finally, we got to the theater and it was really underwhelming. The only part I liked was when I left.”
“Going into this ride i had zero expectations and it was pretty great! I didn’t get to ride it the last time I went to Universal though because of the stinking line! But I will say if you’re a fan of simulators give it a try!”
“It’s fun for the whole family!”
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
17. The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
Score: 7.33/10
Our Readers Say:
“Good for kids, adults not so much. Cute theming.”
“I suspect my fellow reviewers are all biased or bots. This ride was nearly devastating to my psyche. The repetitive music and creepy colors were awful. I took a poll from my fellow adult riders and we all decided that we would rather spend an hour on the Hulk ride with the prospect of getting sick than an hour on this one.”
“A fun ride with amazing views of the park.”
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride
16. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Score: 7.33/10
Our Readers Say:
“Decent log ride, like 3-4 small drops and the huge one at the end. Lots of downtime during the ride. Meh”
“It’s hard to rate this ride without comparing it to Splash Mountain. It is quite bumpy and difficult to get in and out of the ride vehicle. There is a story along the way, which is fun to follow. There are also some good mini hills within the ride that allows you to forget about the hard bumps. The bonus is that there are few water rides at IoA, so that makes this one rate higher in general.”
“I think a lot of people overlook this ride because of the water, and I understand, but it I love the cartoon theme and the drops. You need to make this an end of the day adventure. Lines are usually short because people are scared.”
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
15. Flight of the Hippogriff
Score: 7.46/10
Our Readers Say:
“As an adult I was surprised by how thrilling this was and really my only complaint is that I wish they sent you around a second time because it’s pretty short”
“This is a fun mini-coaster. The ride seems a bit short, but there are twists and turns that make it exciting. The view of Buckbeak as you ride past is very interesting…better to see if you’re on the right side. Even if you’re not huge on Harry Potter, this one can be a great introduction to thrill rides! And if you like fast rides, wait for the back seat!”
“Great Rollercoaster for kids who want to get introduced to them and have graduated from Woodys Nuthouse coaster”
Flight of the Hippogriff
14. Men in Black: Alien Attack
Score: 8.0/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is a good challenge if you like to compete for high scores. You can search how to get the super high score, but we haven’t achieved it yet. The spinning makes it unappealing to me because it makes me dizzy. There is also a tour you can ask to do, but it’s dependent on their staff availability.”
“Love this interactive shooter game!”
“My 10 year old son’s favorite. It’s a good ride for kids not quite ready for the big thrills. It’s fun on repeat rides and I enjoy beating my husbands score!”
Men in Black: Alien Attack
13. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Adventure
Score: 8.0/10
Our Readers Say:
“We always have to do this one! It’s reminiscent of Peter Pan style ride, but you’re sitting on a bike. The best seat is the front row so you can see E.T.’s heart light up different times through the ride. My son likes the queue a lot and finds the fountain a good one to toss a coin in as we wait. We find that the line is usually short, but, if it gets long, it moves quite slowly. We think that the part where you get to E.T.’s home is odd, but there’s always something new to find if you look around at a different spot each time. Flying over the city is cool!”
“Classic original attraction that makes you feel nostalgic!”
“I liked this ride! The queue and the ride both smelled a bit like mildew, but I feel like it made the setting feel more realistic. Admittedly, it’s kind of weird once you get to ET’s home planet, but it’s an easy ride and good for kids. Somewhat similar to Peter Pan at Disney.”
E.T. Adventure
12. Hollywood Rip Ride RockIt
Score: 8.06/10
Our Readers Say:
“Amazing ride, super fun and interactive. Would definitely reccomend.”
“So rough I had the leave the park. Rode everything at Disney World just fine. No problems with roller coasters in past. Tapped ou and went back to the hotel. Felt sick all day.”
“This ride is really fun! I love all the twists and turns, and that you can pick your own music. It’s just that when the coaster goes straight up,it kinda tilts so I felt like I was going to fall right off and die, which is probably because I’m thin. Also the ride hurt me, like, more Than my mom did when I got home too late. So yeah…ouchie”
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
11. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Score: 8.1/10
Our Readers Say:
“I absolutely loved this ride!!! I rode it 3 times!!! The one part I didn’t like was when scream jumps out at you and she gets right in your face. Out of all the 3D effects screams felts the realist! Overall this is one of the best 3D rides I’ve been on! It feels like you’re right there with Spider-Man! It’s such an amazing experience! Although there are problems. The graphics are weird and the animation looks goofy and can sometimes take you out of the experience so that could use an update! The 3D and 4D elements Make this the perfect ride!!”
“It is really good. It has sets with screens (kind of Transformers 3D.) But it can make people motion sick looking at you Molly. But that’s ok. Overall it’s a great attraction.”
“I like this ride okay, but I can’t get over how sick it makes me. The ride itself is really cool actually, but I can’t enjoy it because of the back and forth of the 3D and real life. I think the concept is really neat and they did a great job with theming. I love to walk through the queue.”
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
10. Popey & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
Score: 8.2/10
Our Readers Say:
“It’s a cartoonish version of Kali River Rapids, if Kali River Rapids was actually good”
“This ride is so much fun! Water comes at you from all angles throughout the ride and there are many twists and turns. Be prepared to get soaked…there’s no way to avoid it on this ride. If you don’t have extra shoes, wait and ride it late in the day or you will be squishing through the parks the rest of the day. There are lockers for rent and a small space in the middle of each boat to put a fanny pack or small purse, but don’t count on them staying completely dry. Another fun thing is that you can shoot people from above on Olive’s playground, which is just outside the exit.”
“It tells you that you will get wet, and you will. Prepare for the worst, but it is so fun for everyone. Old and young, you can’t get better than a nice water ride. It isn’t intense, except for the wetness.”
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges
9. The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Score: 8.27/10
Our Readers Say:
“Love the launch, I did get a bit of headbanging but nothing to bad. I thought the ride was great but after the mid course breaks it was super slow. I do love this ride”
“The worst head truma ever”
“This ride was very fun, but I felt sick afterward. I rode it again the next day and did not feel sick at all. I think the more you ride it the more you’ll get used to it. Overall it’s a very fun ride and most of the time you can catch it at a 10 minute wait.”
The Incredible Hulk Coaster
8. Hogwarts Express: Kings Cross Station
Score: 8.58/10
Our Readers Say:
“Great way to get from park to park”
“A Fun ride if you are a Harry Potter fan. The line is very tedious, but the absolutely brilliant station kept me distracted. Probably won’t ride again though, as it was a little boring for me and kinda awkward as your in a room…that’s a little dark…with complete strangers”
“First of all: I adore Harry Potter. However … this attraction was a huge disappointment after such a long wait. While I’m sure some of it has to do with the extremely high expectations I had, the attraction is very short and the theming isn’t the best, in my opinion. It just felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities to include details and effects that would’ve made it more immersive. It just wasn’t worth the ridiculously long wait, in my opinion.”
Hogwarts Express (Kings Cross Station)
7. Jurassic Park: The Ride
Score: 8.65/10
Our Readers Say:
“One of my favorite rides at Islands of Adventure!!! It is way better than the overrated one at Universal Studios Hollywood!!!”
“One of the best water rides! Combines a story element with a thrilling finale!”
“So fun! Starts out slow then takes a turn (literally!) We did this twice in a row and would totally do it again. Express passes came in really handy here. The posted wait time was 100 minutes, and we rode this ride twice in a row (using Express) in under 45 minutes. My face got absolutely soaked, but I did not get nearly as wet on this ride as I did on the Popeye water ride, even sitting in the front row.”
Jurassic Park: The Ride
6. Hogwarts Express: Hogsmeade Station
Score: 8.72/10
Our Readers Say:
“You have to ride this at least once. It’s cool to be able to ride the Hogwarts Express and see your ride to Diagonal Alley out the window. Not worth it if there’s a long wait because you can walk to Universal Studios faster.”
“Holy cow last time we went after the reopening the line was painfully long. Like felt like I was in line for 9176 years. I think it’s fun to look at but I also think I can walk over to either park faster. It can also be stuffy so watch out for motion sickness lol”
“I love the Hogwarts Express! Not too much different from traveling TO Hogsmeade, but a great way to park hop and adds a little more magic to your Harry Potter experience.”
Hogwarts Express (Hogsmeade Station)
5. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Score: 8.79/10
Our Readers Say:
“Very cool and unique ride. I don’t normally get motion sick on screen based rides,but this one does sometimes get me. But I LOVE the bits where you’re zipping around the scenery and creatures. Baffled that this gets such short queues now.”
“This is my favorite ride of all time! It’s is so amazing and Harry Potter fans use ride it! It can make some people motion sick but even if you don’t want to ride it you should definitely go through the Q the ride is so fun!”
“SOOOO Scary! I heard it was similar to Soarin. The beginning is very similar. But it moves around so much. I am not a coaster person, but I would rather ride a coaster than ride this again. It is also really dark and scary. Not appropriate for kids at all, which is fine since they probably wouldn’t be tall enough to ride this anyway.”
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
4. Revenge of the Mummy
Score: 8.9/10
Our Readers Say:
“Really fun. Loved the set pieces and production at the start. The launch isn’t too intense and the coaster section is subtilby thrilling, if a little short.”
“I only recently found out this ride even existed and I LOVE The Mummy movies so I was super excited to ride it and was not disappointed. I thought it was going to be similar to Disneyland’s Indiana Jones ride, but I was completely thrilled to be launched into an indoor coaster that is ten times better than Space Mounting in my opinion.”
“Love love love this ride! It’s got an amazing combination of dark ride and thrill ride combined! It’s a must do if you are a thrill ride junkie!”
Revenge of the Mummy
3. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Score: 9.1/10
Our Readers Say:
“I rode this four times today and three times yesterday it was so fun!!! Definitely good if you have fast passes but can get long if you don’t. The theming is awesome and I love the elevator ride. Definitely try this at least one time!”
“THIS IS THE BEST HARRY POTTER RIDE IN THE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS PARK! I had a great time riding it the first time and it was just as good the second! As a mediocre Harry Potter fan this ride still satisfies.”
“Level of detail of Gringotts and the animatronics of the goblins just incredible! Ride combines aspects making you feel you are in Gringotts and experiencing this magical world .”
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
2. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Score: 9.51/10
Our Readers Say:
“Ride itself, very cool. 100 minute wait not so cool. Very hard on feet and long time to keep kids entertained.”
“One of the BEST rides in the Universal theme park!!!”
“I did single rider and not sure it reduced wait much. I am a big guy and it was uncomfortable to get in the seat (kudos to the team member who had me try the test seat!). I just didn’t enjoy the ride, am glad it’s outdoors vs indoors.”
Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
1. Jurrasic World VelociCoaster
Score: 10/10
Our Readers Say:
“This is one of the fastest rollercoasters I have ever been on, It is thrilling and I have been on multiple coasters in my life but this takes the cake.”
“This was the best roller coaster I have ever been on!”
VelociCoaster
And don’t forget to leave your own reviews on the AllEars review pages!
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While we can guess by the name, it might be helpful to actually describe the ride – even if it’ just the generic ride description.