Tag Archives: Universal Orlando

Universal Studios ride rating

I recently went on holiday to Orlando, specifically Universal Orlando. I thought I would give my ranking for all of the rides in the Universal Studios Park..

There are 13 different rides in this park some of which are rollercoasters and some of which are simulators. You can view the full list here.

As a blind person I am going to have different experiences on these rides as I interact with all of these ride differently to how everyone else would.

13 Illuminations villain con minion blast

This is the newest ride in Universal Studios, in fact it opened when I was in Florida on the 11th August, however, for me this ride was very underwhelming. for a new ride the line was short we only waited 30 minutes; this could of been because the ride is a moving walkway meaning the queue is constantly moving but it could also be a lack of interest in this ride. As I said this ride has a moving walkway which moves you through the building where you have to shot things that come up on the walls. Now the shooting aspect could be another reason I personally found this ride underwhelming as I had no idea what to do all I know is there were flashing colours. But I did overhear comments from other guests in the park about how underwhelming this ride was. for me personally this ride is definitely not worth the wait. One aspect of the ride I did like was the queue because it allowed you to interact with some of the replicas of the villains devices, it was also very cool which was a nice break from the heat.

a picture of a bright orange sign which has white writing on which reads welcome to villain con international

12 Dispicable me minion mayhem

Another minions ride, this one is a lot older but is still a bit underwhelming. It is a nice calm ride to go on but it is very similar to a lot of the rides in this park and I have definitely grown out of these kinds of rides. Again I feel I could be missing crucial parts of this ride due to my sight loss and the fact this ride is a simulation. I can definitely see the appeal of this ride for younger guests or families.

a picture of a sculpture there are multiple minions with a sign in the middle which has a blue background and yellow writing the sign reads MInion Land

11 fast and furious supercharged

This ride is very much like King King Skull Island. The ride is a party bus which is very jerky and is very loud and for me was very overstimulating with the noise, lights and movements. I really didn’t enjoy this ride and personally I think a lot more could have been done for this ride; they could of had a rollercoaster (which they are planning for Universal Hollywood) which in my opinion would have been a lot better and more exciting.

10 Race through New York starring Jimmy Fallon

This ride is very similar to the Minion Mayhem ride only with a tad more excitement. Again I feel I missed out on some elements of this ride due to it being a very visual ride. Again I loved the consistent theming throughout the queue and being given a colour which was represented on the NBC logo.

a picture of the front entrance to JImmy fallon race through new york the front of the building is designed to look like NBC and has what looks like a cut out of jimmy fallon on the top of the overhanging entrance
Photo from Discover Universal (https://blog.discoveruniversal.com/attractions/complete-guide-to-race-through-new-york-starring-jimmy-fallon-at-universal-studios-florida/)

9 Kang and kodos twirl and hurl

This is essentially the Studios version of Red Fish, Blue Fish, One Fish, Two Fish but it is themed to the Simpsons genre. A fun classic theme park ride, I have witnessed smaller children being scared of the ride due to the aliens and the sound they use for the alien voice. other then that this is a great classic theme park ride.

8 Hogwarts express

You may be thinking Amy you have already reviewed this but as the train goes both ways i am reviewing it again. This ride (like I have said previously) is a great way to stay cool for a few minutes and transfer between parks. I do like the fact the storyline changes depending on which way you are going. But again I missed out on part of the ride due to its visual nature. It would be great if Universal could offer visual impaired guests an audio description headset for the journey.

7 Transformers the ride 3D

This ride is again a visual ride whoever it is more like the Spiderman ride over in Islands of adventure meaning that their were 4D elements during the ride. despite this ride being mostly visual I still enjoyed although I did remember it being more exciting than it actually was. I did struggle with the queue as it was very dark and the lighting in the queue was red or blue which would change unexpectedly; as a blind person I really struggled with the lighting in this queue and even turning a torch on wasn’t helpful..

a picture from the back of the transformers ride building you can see where the entrance is and there is a transformer on the roof nearest to the entrance

6 The Simpson

This is another simulation ride which is very visual but also physical as the ride vehicle moves around in conjunction with the visual aspect of the ride. For me personally this was one of the better rides as i could see the bright colours that they used in the film and the audio and physical movements of the car helped me gage what was happening.

5 MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack

a picture of the men in black ride it is a white building with arcs the sign is in a oval shape in black and reads men in black alien attack
Photo from Universal Orlando ( https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/gb/things-to-do/rides-attractions/men-in-black-alien-attack)

This ride is another ride where you have to shoot something in this instance you have to shoot aliens. Now I love this ride its like a mini rollercoaster but a simulator at the same time. and honestly I just randomly point and shoot and it has never failed me so far. Do I get the best scores no. But I did manage to beat my family, don’t ask me how.

a picture showing the three blasters belonging to Amy, her sister and her mum the photo is a bit blurred due to the ride still moving but you can see the score on all of the blasters the one in the far left belongs to amy mum you can't make the full score out but it was around 10,000 the blaster in the middle belongs to amy sister kim and again you can't make the full score out but it is around 9,900 the blaster on the far right belongs to amy and has the score 23,950

4 ET adventure

This is a classic Universal ride its calm yet still entertaining and interactive. For me personally the ride was just pitch black but I was told there were lights throughout the ride. Even though I couldn’t see the visual aspects of the ride I still really liked this ride and would definitely go on it again.

3 Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

This is probably the most daunting ride universal studios offers, but like we say in my family “if you can do rip ride rockit you can do anything”. I do really enjoy this ride and although I can get stressed going on it due the moving walkway and how quick you have to get in your seat. I also sometimes feel as if I am not secure in the seat but that is mostly in my head. This ride is enjoyable and you do get to chose music (although I didn’t as I was unable to access the touch screen). I would do this ride a few times maybe not all in a row but definitely a few times spread out over the course of a visit.

a picture of some of the track for rip ride rockit we can see where the ride starts and goes up at a 90 degree angle as well as the loops and upside down sections of the track

2 Harry potter and the escape from Gringotts

Escape from Gringotts was definitely in the running for first place, With the high speed rollercoaster section mixed in with 3D and 4D elements this ride was definitely one of the best. I loved the fact that even though I couldn’t see the 3D parts I still knew what was going on because of the audio, sound effects and 4D effects like fire and water. I would go on this ride all day if I could.

a picture taken from down diagon ally of Gringotts bank it is a tall white building with pillars on the top of this building sits a white dragon the dragon on top of the building will breath fire at random intervals

1 Revenge of the mummy

This ride most certainly deserves 1st place. Very similar to how the Gringotts ride works the Mummy has high speed rollercoaster sections which also go backwards. If my memory is correct I believe the Mummy has had some more parts added in as there were a few parts that I didn’t remember being in the ride previously. Again this is a ride I could go on continuously and never get bored of.

a picture if the entrance to the mummy it is a white building with four pillars out front the is a sign that reads revenge of the mummy
Photo from Universal parks and resorts ( https://universal-parks.fandom.com/wiki/Revenge_of_the_Mummy_(Florida))

Islands of Adventure Ride Ranking

I recently went on holiday to Orlando, specifically Universal Orlando. I thought I would give my ranking for all of the rides in the Islands of Adventure Park.

There are 18 rides in Islands of Adventure. You can see a full list here.

Some of these are rollercoasters and some are motion simulation rides. Unfortunately I will not be including the Cat in the hat ride, One fish Two fish Red dish Blue fish ride, The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride or the Caro-Seuss-el ride as I have not been on this as these rides are recommended for 12 and under.

As a blind person i am going to have different experiences on these rides as I interact with all of these ride differently to everyone else.

14. King Kong Skull Island

This is probably a controversial one. But I personally don’t like the King Kong ride. Personally I wasn’t a fan of the party bus style of ride especially as a lot of the ride is very visual so i didn’t really get the full experience of what was going on around me. I did like the queue aspect of the ride as this was themed very well and all though most of the queue was inside the lighting was pretty good. This was good for me as a blond person as i really struggle with changes in lighting. However this wasn’t enough for me to rank this higher on my list.

13. Flight of the Hippogriff

This is a classic simple rollercoaster. This is a ride mainly aimed at younger guests but is definitely worth a go. I personally now find the seats cramped and and the ride is very jerky which causes a lot of movement which the seat. If this ride wasn’t as jerky as it is I would definitely go on it again.

a picture showing the hippogriff rollercoaster cars the front of the cars is shaped like the head of a hippogriff and the are two people to a car
Image from Universal Studios Japan (https://www.usj.co.jp/web/en/us/attractions/flight-of-the-hippogriff)

12. Pteranodon Flyer

These are probably only this low because of the amount of other rides available in this park. The Pteranodon flyers are essentially a suspended swing which has the top part shaped like a Pteranodon. This is a classic theme park ride and for a very long time was the only sort of ride my sister would go on.

11. Hogwarts Express

This ride transports you between each park however what makes this ride ‘pop’ is the visual aspect something which I can’t appreciate as much as other people. I do still like this ride as it is a calm way to get between the parks and the sounds that are played along the way are very realistic of what it may be like riding the train either to Hogsmeade or to Kings Cross.

A video of the Hogwarts Express pulling into Hogsmeade station

10. Storm Force Accelatron

This is a classic theme park ride and is essentially a glorified version of the teacups. Now whilst I do enjoy the teacups they do have a habit of making me incredible dizzy something which can impact one of the eye conditions that I have. I personally also feel there are better rides throughout the park.

9.. Dr Doom Fearfall

This is another classic theme park ride; where you as the rider are shot straight up into the air and then back down. For me personally I think this type of ride was one of the first theme park rides I went on and whilst they may not give me the same type of adrenaline kick they once did they still do give me an adrenaline boost. I loved the atmosphere of this ride the sound effects played throughout the line and as you boarded the ride added an extra layer of atmosphere to the whole ride.

a picture showing two towers that loom in the sky there is a sign at the bottom of the picture in pink which reads DR DOOMS FEAR FALL in the centre of the sign is a picture of dr doom
Image from Universal Orlando (https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/gb/things-to-do/rides-attractions/doctor-dooms-fearfall)

8. The amazing adventures of Spiderman

This is a 3D simulation ride which takes you on a trip through New York as you try and rescue the Statue of Liberty from the villains. Again this is a very visual ride but even with that in mind I still really enjoyed this ride there was a lot going on audible so that I could still have a vague idea what was going on during the ride. and even during the queue there was audible aspects such as the Bugles editor telling you what the mission was. there was also some aspects of the ride such as water spray or fire being unleashed which I was able to feel. I did also like the lighting in the queue as it wasn’t overly dark or overly bright which for me as a blind person was really great.

7. Jurassic Park River Adventures

This is one of three water rides in Islands of Adventure. This is a tame river ride through the Jurassic period where you encounter numerous different dinosaurs; the ride suddenly gets caught going into the raptor area which is classified as dangerous before you finish going down a steep incline narrowly escaping a TREX. For me this ride wasn’t as exciting as it could be and I seemed to remember it being scarier than it actually was; whether that was because the ride has changed or whether it was because I was a lot younger the last time I went on I couldn’t tell you.

entrance to the Jurassic park river adventure there is a pale grey stone with a red sign reading river adventure the stone slopes off to the left of the picture and forms a point like a triangle
Image from discover universal website (https://blog.discoveruniversal.com/attractions/complete-guide-to-jurassic-park-river-adventure-at-universals-islands-of-adventure/)

6. Dudley Do Right Ripsaw Falls

This is the second of the water-rides in Universal Islands of Adventure. This ride is more like a log flume which makes in my books makes it more exciting than Jurassic Park River Adventures the final drop down is definitely steeper and higher up. Whilst this ride gives me less auditory feedback than Jurassic Park River Adventures Dudley Do Right Ripsaw Falls gave me more adrenaline and excitement. I did struggle queuing for this ride as parts of the flooring can be wet and therefore slippery; for me as a blind person this wasn’t the best.

5. Hulk

Now I already know that this ranking is going to be a controversial one. Whilst I do like the Hulk I always come off the ride feeling dizzy and faint; this is the only ride I have ever come off feeling like this. I also struggle with the lighting in the queue for the Hulk not only is it dark but the little lighting that is in the queue also happens to be green which makes the whole queue seem even darker. Now I get that the queue is themed to the ride but for me as a blind person this is probably one of the worst queues for me to go through, As I said earlier I do like the Hulk but it doesn’t seem to like me.

a picture showing the whole of the hulk rollercoaster track the track is green and shows multiple loops, turns and corkscrew sections
Image from Fandom Website (https://universal-parks.fandom.com/wiki/The_Incredible_Hulk_Coaster)

4. Harry Potter Forbidden Journey

This ride is one of the rides in the parks which has a moving walkway when you board the ride; the staff were lovely on this ride and directed me to the stationary boarding area so that I wouldn’t have to tackle the moving walkway. The queue for this ride does go from light outside to dark inside which was very hard for me to adjust to. For the ride itself it is one of those rides that I personally could go on again and again without getting tired of. Whilst the majority of the ride is visual there are a lot of audio aspects which accompany the visuals and add more to the story. The same can also be shown in the queue for the ride as whilst it is dark there are things like talking portraits. I have loved this ride since I first went on it in 2014.

3. Popeye and Bluto bilges-rat barges

This is the third and final water-ride in Universal Islands of adventure and for me this is the best out of the 3 in this park. This is a rapids ride which sends you over waterfalls and into caves. Now I don’t know if it was just me who felt this but at certain points of this ride such as when you go into the cave I could feel cold air being blown about making you feel as if you were truly stuck in a cave. This ride just felt entirely more immersive.

2. Jurassic Park Velocicoaster

This is one of the newest rides in Universal and it definitely was difficult deciding between the top to rides. But for me this ride felt like a mix between the Hulk and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. I liked the fact the queue had clips of recorded footage making it seem as if you were actually going on a mission involving dinosaurs. However the queue was again dark and what little light that was in the queue was coloured blue making it even harder to see. I probably did go on this ride the most but it was a worthwhile ride and for a newish ride it shocked me how short the queue was.

a picture of rollercoaster track you can see the track angling towards us as it covers round begore going straight again and curving the other way

1. Harry Potter Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure

This ride was well worth the 75 minute wait I had to wait in at 8am. Theming for this ride is on point with the ride vehicles replicating Hagrid’s motorbike with the side car and buttons on the motorbikes dashboard, The ride would accelerate and slow down much like Hagrid’s motorbike did and at some points the bike would even go backwards. Along the ride at various points you would encounter different magical creatures from blast ended skrewts all the way to a unicorn. What i liked about these encounters is you would have a commentary from ‘Hagrid’ and some of the encounters would have an aspect you could feel such as fire. I loved all the aspects of this ride the only thing I didn’t really like was the darkness of the queue.

a picture of the entrance to Hagrid's motorbike there are 4 people stood under an umbrella by the entrance the entrance is a stone arch way which leads into a spire at the top there are trees in the background
Image from WDW News Today (https://wdwnt.com/2023/01/rumor-hagrids-magical-creatures-motorbike-adventure-to-close-for-refurbishment-next-month-at-universal-orlando-resort/)

Now as I stated earlier my rates are going to be completely different due to certain circumstances that not everyone will have. I also know that a lot of what I found difficult about each of the rides is what a lot of people find engaging and what actually sets the rides apart. This is in no way an official rating of each of the rides and all of these are my own opinions.