Rides at Universal Orlando that Everyone has to Try

If Disney World is the “happiest place on earth”, does that make Universal Studios in Orlando the second happiest place on earth? This may be up for debate, but no one can argue that Universal provides tourists with a thrilling, immersive experience appropriate for all ages. Attracting Disney moms, Harry Potter fans, and rollercoaster junkies alike, the theme park opened in 1990 as Universal Studios, with the adjoining park Islands of Adventure opening in 1999. Although only a few of the original attractions remain today, including the ET, Spider-Man, Hulk, and Cat in the Hat rides, Universal continues to add to the park, keeping tourists coming back for more. 35 years after its opening, the theme park is almost unrecognizable from the original and now features a third park called Epic Universe. Even with these additions and innovations, just a few rides stand out from all the others.

Without a doubt, the best ride in Universal is Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. This roller coaster opened in 2019 and has a track that is nearly a mile long, which perfectly matches its mile-long waiting line. Although lines for this ride can last more than three hours, it is well worth the wait. It is ridden in pairs, with one person sitting on a “motorbike” and the other in a cart attached to the motorbike. The rollercoaster is narrated by Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, as the riders zoom away from the Hogwarts grounds and view many rare magical creatures present in the Harry Potter series. The decorations are uber-realistic and include a life-sized rendition of Hagrid’s hut and a newborn unicorn. This ride features a world record of seven launches, with the coaster moving faster at each launch until it hits a top speed of 50 miles per hour. There are two minor drops, including a backwards drop and a directly vertical drop. In my opinion, the highlight of this coaster is when it heads backwards across the track at the same speed it traveled forward with, causing every rider to throw their hands up with glee. Every moment on this rollercoaster felt like the climax of my life, so I was not surprised to learn that it was also the most expensive roller coaster to ever be built.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Islands of Adventure in Orlando

Another must-ride roller coaster is The Revenge of the Mummy. Inspired by the film series The Mummy, this ride is an indoor roller coaster that includes a backwards drop, a track change, and a drop sequence accompanied by flashing lights in fire. In other words, every element needed to compose an absolutely thrilling and terrifying two minutes. The queue for this ride sets the scene by making riders feel like they are in the pyramids of Egypt, as the walls are lined with stone and hieroglyphics. The ride starts off slow, fooling riders into thinking they are about to embark on a relaxing journey through the pyramids. Then, the ride stops and a mummy appears, claiming the curse from the movie is indeed real. The mummy warns the riders to escape, but it is too late - a second mummy, an evil one, appears with the goal of locking the riders’ souls in the tomb forever. After one drop, the ride appears to be over and the riders think they have escaped, but the thrill has just begun. The climax of the ride comes with several turns, drops, and flashing lights before a sudden ending and escape to safety. As someone who is terrified of large drops, I was apprehensive about riding this roller coaster, to say the least. I had researched the ride on about every known website to prepare myself, but no blog or article can describe the exhilaration the ride brings. After riding it once, I immediately wanted to relive the whole experience, and it has quickly become one of my favorite rides at the park.

Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios in Orlando

Finally, one of the most popular rides at Universal is VelociCoaster. This ride opened in 2021, and is known by many as the scariest roller coaster in Universal. It is inspired by Jurassic World, and the line even features realistic-looking dinosaurs. The ride itself starts with a launch from zero to 50 miles per hour before going straight into an inversion (the upside-down part of the rollercoaster). There are four inversions total, but two of them were built with a “zero-gravity” feature, meaning the rider won’t even feel the coaster go upside down. Just as the ride speeds up to 70 miles per hour, the riders are launched through a 150-foot drop. Those who are brave enough to keep their eyes open can enjoy a view of the entire park at this point. The grand finale of the ride is a 360 degree barrel roll over the water. Although I have never been brave enough to ride this rollercoaster, senior Helena Blake, who has been to Universal more times than she can count, describes VelociCoaster as “an intense, high speed ride that everyone needs to try at least once. It’s definitely my favorite ride at the park, followed by The Mummy and Escape From Gringotts,” she said. When asked what her favorite part about the ride was, Blake replied “I love how it’s smoother than any other rollercoaster at the park. It’s definitely a terrifying ride, but not at all aggressive like The Hulk or Rip Ride Rock It.” Blake may recommend this ride to all park goers, but it’s still too intense for me to try. However, if you’re a thrill seeker like Blake, VelociCoaster might be your new fixation.

Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure in Orlando