Why Haven’t They Banned These Universal Orlando Ride Hacks Yet?

Universal Orlando has some seriously awesome ride hacks that are so good we’re surprised they’re not ILLEGAL.

If you’re heading to Universal Orlando for an upcoming trip and you want to level up your ride game, we’re about to drop some major tips. So buckle your seatbelt, pull down on the lapbar, and remove your hats and glasses. LET’S RIDE.

Hacking the Lockers

Starting off this list, we’ve got to mention lockers. Universal uses them a LOT for storage for rides — as in, many attractions don’t offer storage for your belongings in the ride vehicle. Instead, you’ll be asked to stow your belongings in a complimentary locker before you board.

The key to this is to wear a bag that can fasten around your waist, like a fanny pack/belt bag. If you can wear your small bag in that manner, then you won’t have to store it before you board, and you can save time by skipping the lockers.

Single Rider Queues

Universal Orlando Resort is home to quite a few Single Rider queues, and they can be legitimately helpful. Disney World fans know that the Single Rider lanes over there can be hit or miss, but in Universal, we’ll use them nearly every chance we get.

One thing that’s important to note is that Universal’s Single Rider lines may open and close as necessary for the capacity of the ride. So if you find that a Single Rider queue is closed at one point in the day, it may be smart to check back later.

Express Pass is Sometimes INCLUDED

If you’re staying on property at Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, or Royal Pacific, you’ll get Universal Express Unlimited INCLUDED with your hotel stay! This is an absolutely massive perk that could legitimately save you hours in line.

This perk doesn’t currently work at Epic Universe, but at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, it’s a serious lifesaver. And Express Pass at Universal is so uncomplicated — you just get in the Express Lane for attractions whenever you’re ready. No booking or planning required!

Level Up at Villain-Con

If you’re planning to visit the new-ish Minion Land at Universal Studios Florida, then there’s one thing you need to do first — download the Universal Orlando app! With this app, you can level up your experience on Villain-Con Minion Blast by customizing your gameplay and keeping track of your scores.

We find this ride to be a lot more fun when we use the app ahead of time, because we can customize our blaster’s capabilities, go on digital missions, collect trophies, and view our spot on the leaderboards. It’s especially fun for kids or your competitive friends!

Avoid Getting Wet!

In Seuss Landing at Islands of Adventure, there’s a fun little ride that often gets overlooked called One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. It’s a Dumbo-style spinner attraction, but there’s a catch!

While you’re riding, water will be sprayed at the fish ride vehicles. However, if you listen to the in-ride audio, it’ll give you instructions for which way to move your fish to avoid getting wet! If it tells you to go up or down, make sure you listen…at least if you want to stay dry.

The Ultimate Hack for Men in Black

Last but not least, we’ve got the ultimate hack for Men in Black: Alien Attack! In this shooter-style attraction, there’s a section of the ride where you’ll be facing down another ride vehicle, and the audio will tell you to shoot at their ship’s exhaust port. This can be pretty tricky to accomplish since it’s a moving target, but if you hit that goal, you can score quite a few points.

During that moment, though, you can also turn around and shoot at your OWN ship’s exhaust port to get points. This is easier to accomplish if you’re sitting on the two outside seats in the back row, but it might be possible for any of the riders. Try your best to hit the side of the exhaust port — otherwise, you’ll send your ride vehicle spinning in circles.

There you have it — some of the best ride hacks and tips for Universal. If you’re heading to Universal Orlando soon, keep this list in your back pocket!

To see where you NEED to dine in Epic Universe, check out the video below.