Best Rides at Universal Orlando

I have been going to Universal Orlando for over a decade and still get excited by the rides, atmosphere, and snacks! Now, its even more special seeing it through new eyes with my toddler!

I got to experience Epic Universe in April during the preview days and can’t wait to go back! Let me help you plan your next trip by giving you a run down of the best rides at Universal Orlando so you know which ones are for you!

Universal Orlando has a great mix of thrill and slow rides so there is something for everyone! With the addition of Epic Universe, it’s more important than ever to plan out your days at the parks.

I’ve compiled a list of all the rides at Universal Orlando at the three theme parks, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Epic Universe, not including the water park, Volcano Bay. I’ve also noted the must do rides you don’t want to skip, including some of my favorites, and the other rides to choose between in case you don’t have time to hit them all. I’ll also give you a rundown on park-to-park tickets and express passes!

You might also like 7 Tips for Visiting Universal’s Epic Universe

My brother and I drinking Butterbeer in Diagon alley

Park to Park

When purchasing tickets for Universal Orlando parks, you have the option of a base ticket or a park-to-park ticket. A base ticket allows you to enter one park per day. A park-to-park ticket will allow you to enter multiple parks per day. A park-to-park ticket is needed to ride the Hogwarts Express.

Make sure you know what parks you plan on going to. Currently, for 2025, If you want to go to Volcano Bay you will need a three park ticket. If water parks aren’t for you, save money by only buying a two park ticket. Epic Universe requires it’s own separate ticket that cannot be park-to-park.

THIS WILL CHANGE IN 2026!

If you are booking a trip for 2026, the tickets will be different. Epic Universe will be a part of the three and four park tickets and you will be able to do park-to-park with Epic Universe and the other parks.

Want help planning your Universal Trip? Reach out HERE!

Express Passes

There are two types of express passes, Express and Express Unlimited. Express passes allow you to use the express lane for rides and participating attractions. Express lanes are shorter than the regular standby lines.

They don’t show a wait time for the express lane, you can just assume it will be shorter. To estimate the average wait time of the express lane, divide the standby line in half. So if the standby line is 60 minutes, the express lane could average 30 minutes. Remember, this is just an estimated average! The express lane could be longer but in my experience, I rarely wait longer than 30 minutes, even if the standby line is 90 minutes.

One thing to note about express lanes is sometimes the lane skips the introduction to the story of the ride. Using the Mummy as an example, in the standby line, a video is playing of an interview with Brendan Frazier which ties into the ride a little bit. Going in the express lane, you don’t always see the video or are in line long enough to watch the video. I wouldn’t worry too much about this though! It’s not detrimental to enjoying the ride.

Express

An Express Pass will allow you to ride in the express lane at participating attractions one time per ride, per day. So if you wanted to ride The Mummy, you could use the express lane once. If you wanted to ride again, you would have to use the standby line.

An Express pass can be purchased in addition to your base or park-to-park park tickets or added on to your vacation package. Prices vary by day and season. At this time, Epic Universe has a separate Express Passes. Volcano Bay also has it’s own express system called Tapu Tapu.

Express Unlimited

An Express Unlimited Pass will allow you to use the express lane at participating attractions as many times as you want! That means if you wanted to ride the Mummy four times in one day (I usually ride no less than three times in a day lol), you can!

Express Unlimited Passes can also be purchased in addition to your base or park-to-park park tickets or added on to your vacation package. Again Epic Universe and Volcano Bay are separate at this time.

Another way to get Express Unlimited Passes is by staying at one of three Signature Hotels: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort. Everyone in the room will get thier own room key that will be used as the Express Unlimited Pass.

There are five signature hotels but only the three listed above will get you Express Unlimited Passes for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. An Epic Universe Express Pass will still need to be purchased separately even when staying at one of these hotels (this might change in 2026 but we don’t know yet!).

A Guide to the Best Rides at Universal Orlando

Universal Studios

If you have rainy day or are visiting in the summer during a heat wave, this park has many attractions that are indoors and perfect to escape the rain or heat!

Illumination’s Minions Land

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (MUST DO) – Get turned into a Minion and run around Gru’s lab! This ride is an IMAX style virtual ride where you sit in moving seats and wear 3D goggles. If your prone to motion sickness or have little kids, you can ask to be seated in stationary seats at the front of the theater. This is another indoor ride to duck into if it rains.
Illuminations Villian-Con Minion Blast – Prove your as villainous as the Vicious 6! Stand on a moving walkway and blast your way through this interactive game. Also indoors!

New York

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (MUST DO) – Unfortunately this ride is closing permanently at the end of summer 2025. If your trip is before then, enjoy this crazy fast ride while you rock out to a song of your pick.
Revenge of the Mummy (MUST DO) – My favorite ride in this park! Escape Imhotep in the dark on this thrilling and fast indoor roller coaster. This is also a good ride to rush to if it starts raining.
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – Another IMAX theater type virtual ride where you sit in moving seats while you follow Jimmy Fallon around New York City. Also indoors!
TRANSFORMERS The Ride-3D – Another indoor 3D ride. Sit in a vehicle that moves around watching Transformers fight.

San Francisco

Fast and Furious – Supercharged – Sorry to be negative, but this is my least favorite ride at Universal Orlando. Guests sit in a large bus that is surrounded by large IMAX type screens. The bus slowly moves between different racing scenes but the screens make it feel like you are in the action. This ride is also indoors!

The dragon sitting on top of Gringotts bank in Diagon Alley

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (MUST DO) – Help Harry, Ron, and Hermione escape Voldemort at Gringotts Bank. This ride has moving vehicles that occasionally stop in front of screens where your 3D goggles bring the movie to life! Also indoors if you need to escape the rain.
Hogwarts Express – Kings Cross Station (MUST DO) – Remember, a park-to-park ticket is needed to use the Hogwarts Express to get between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. From Universal Studios, walk through Platform 9^3/4 and watch out your train car window as you leave Kings Cross Station and arrive in Hogsmeade. The window scenes are different each way so be sure to ride the Hogwarts Express both ways!

World Expo

MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack (MUST DO) – Think you have what it takes to be in the Men in Black? Test out your skills on this ride. Shoot aliens while riding through the streets of New York! Another indoor ride!

Springfield

The Simpsons Ride – This ride is notorious for causing motion sickness in even the toughest of people. Its all indoors and takes place in a car that moves in front of a large screen.
Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl – Soar through the air in a space saucer. This is a good ride for littles!

DreamWorks Land

Trolls Trollercoaster – A kiddie coaster perfect for your little ones discovering roller coasters!

Hollywood

E.T. Adventure – Indoor ride! Enjoy a slow leisurely bike ride through scenes from E.T.

Get compensated for delayed or canceled flights with
AirHelp!

Islands of Adventure

This park has a few rides that you will get soaked on. We usually pick the hottest day were there to wear quick dry clothes and ride the water rides midday to cool off!

Marvel Super Hero Island

The Incredible Hulk (MUST DO) – One of the craziest and fastest roller coasters at the park!
Storm Force Accelatron – A kid friendly ride that lets you control how fast you spin.
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall – Doctor Doom sends you 185 feet into the sky then pulls you backdown faster than gravity!
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man A 3D ride following Spiderman around the streets of New York! This is one of the few indoor rides in this park.

Toon Lagoon

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (MUST DO) – On a hot sunny day this is one of my favorite rides to cool off on. You will get drenched floating along on a log and plummeting down Ripsaw Falls!
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges – Brave the white water rapids on a raft! You will get soaked on this ride too!

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Skull Island: Reign of Kong – Sitting on a large bus with screens surrounding you, watch King Kong battle dinosaurs! It’s only slightly better than Fast and Furious because there is a giant animatronic King Kong.

Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park River Adventure (MUST DO) – A calming river boat tour turns terrifying as you veer off course. You will get splashed if you escape the T-rex!
Jurassic World VelociCoaster (MUST DO) – Don’t get caught by the velociraptors on one of the newest rollercoasters at the park!
Pteranodon Flyers – Fly through the air over Jurassic Park! A great ride for little flyers!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (MUST DO) – My all time favorite ride! Fly around Hogwarts and through the Forbidden Forrest on Hagrid’s Motorbike! Be first on this ride with early park access by staying at a Universal Resort Hotel and get in line before the park opens to the public.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (MUST DO) -This ride is inside the Hogwarts castle and one of the few indoor rides in this park! Sitting four to a row, Hermione casts a spell so you can fly around the Hogwarts ground with Harry and Ron!
Hogwarts Express (MUST DO) – Hogsmeade Station – Remember, a park-to-park ticket is needed to use the Hogwarts Express to get between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. From Islands of Adventure, watch out your train car window as you depart Hogsmeade and arrive at London, Kings Cross Station!
Flight of the Hippogriff – Another kiddie coaster! My youngest brother loved this ride when he was little and would ride it over and over again while us older kids went on Forbidden Journey.

Seuss Landing

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride – Take a slow train ride over Seuss Landing!
Caro-Seuss-el – Pick your favorite Seuss creature to ride on this classic carousel!
The Cat in The Hat – The last indoor story ride in this park can be a bit creepy. At least, we thought the animatronics looked scary. Watch the Cat in the Hat terrorize the house!
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish – Fly in the air on a fish! Listen to the song to avoid getting splashed. This is my toddler’s favorite ride in the park!

Traveling with a little one?
Pack lighter by renting baby gear at your destination! No more lugging car seats and strollers through a crowded airport. For the best baby gear rental options delivered right to your hotel, check out:
Baby Quip

Epic Universe

This park just opened May 22, 2025. Walk through portals to enter new worlds that are so detailed you’ll feel like your not even at a theme park anymore!

Celestial Park

Stardust Racers (MUST DO) – This dueling roller coaster has two tracks that race each other. Ride it twice to try each track because they are different!
Constellation Carousel – A new take on merry-go-rounds that will leave you starstruck!

Super Nintendo World

Mine-Cart Madness (MUST DO) – This ride has no express lane. Feel like your in the Donkey Kong video game and help protect the bananas!
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge – Play Mario Kart on this 3D ride. Watch out for shells! This ride is indoors!
Yoshi’s Adventure – Help Yoshi find the eggs on this easy going kiddie ride. Play along with your power-up band!

Dark Universe

Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment (MUST DO) – This scary ride is all indoors in Frankenstein’s mansion. Ok people, I rode this ride BY MYSELF! like no one else in my ride vehicle, or ride vehicle in front of me OR the ride vehicle behind me! When I got to the front of the line I asked if it was even open and if I was riding alone and the team member said, “Guess you’ll have to fight the monsters yourself! Good Luck!” LOL! Luckily the line queue was scarier than the ride itself. Be prepared for most realistic animatronics to date though!
Curse of the Werewolf – This ride was fast and so fun but very short.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry (MUST DO) – This ride is indoors and does not have and express lane! It is a thrill ride with some virtual aspects.

How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

Hiccup’s Wing Gliders (MUST DO) – My favorite ride at this park! Help Hiccup test out his new wing gliders and fly around like a dragon!
Dragon Racer’s Rally – This ride has no express lane. Learn how to fly a dragon! Look for the sign in the ride queue that tells you how to maneuver the wings.
Fyre Drill – Battle other boats on the lake with water guns. You will get wet!

Conclusion: Best Rides at Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando has so many fun and interactive rides. I went over every ride at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Epic Universe, what rides were indoors, and what rides don’t have an express lane. Even if you don’t like roller coasters, there are many other rides and experiences to discover. I hope this helped you determine the type of ticket thats best for you and what type of express pass to get. Happy planning and I hope you have a great trip!