Universal Orlando tends to get a lot of disrespect. That has changed somewhat in recent years, with the property’s addition of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, its hotel boom, and its announced third theme park. But still, sometimes, it’s thought of as the annoying kid brother of its mousy neighbor down I-4.
For years, it was kind of true. Universal cheaped out on a lot of facets of the resort experience, from poor staff training to penny-pinching operations budgets. But, when Harry Potter showed Universal the future that might be would that they chose to invest serious capital in the property, those negatives started to change.
As such, theme park fans often think of the good things at Universal as relatively-recent acquisitions. But, here’s the thing: Walt Disney World opened in 1971, including beloved attractions such as the Haunted Mansion. By the year 2001, those attractions and that park were already considered classics worthy of cultural enshrinement. “They’ve been around 30 years and stood the test of time!” people would say.
Well, I have news for you. Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990. It turns 30 in 2020. It’s time we start looking at some of that park’s attractions with the same reverence afforded to Disney’s classics.
Here are eight attractions and areas at the Universal Orlando resort that should be considered classics, just like Disney’s best.
E.T. Adventure
Image: Theme Park Tourist
We’ll start with a bang. If there was one ride Disney could steal from Universal, it would be this one.
E.T. Adventure opened along with Universal Studios Florida in June of 1990. The passion project of master filmmaker Steven Spielberg, the attraction places guests on pedal bikes to take them through the journey of E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial. The result is an extraordinary symphony of lights, color, set design, and orchestration — which, even now, remains one of Universal’s most popular attractions.
Its queue — circling through the woods where Eliot and E.T. flee — is among the most beautiful and well-themed in Central Florida. The ride itself is substantial, with a show-stopping climax that takes guests to E.T.’s homeworld thousands of light years away.
E.T. Adventure is one of the five best attractions at Universal Orlando, and it’s been doing its thing non-stop for nearly 30 years. It deserves to be thought of as a classic.
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Image: happyskrappy, Flickr (license)
When Universal did its first major expansion in 1999, it took a major swing for the fences. Building an enormous park themed to multiple intellectual properties, the company landed on size and scale as its play for a second gate.
One of the island themes that the company landed on has had an effect so vast and so grand, it has essentially changed the landscape of entertainment itself.
Looking at Marvel Comics as a potentially underrated entertainment property, beloved both for its comic book production as well as its ever-presence on the Saturday morning cartoons, Universal signed a deal with Marvel giving them the exclusive theme park rights to its characters east of the Mississippi River. The result was Marvel Super Hero Island, and its centerpiece attraction, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man.
This ride has been open for twenty years, and yet it still feels just as cutting edge as it did back in the 20th century. The ride system — motion simulators mounted to a moving track, in front of 3D projections — is so timeless, Universal brought it back just a few years ago for their Transformers attraction.
But Spider-Man is still the original, and it is still the best. Combining live-action effects and sets with three-dimensional film, there is no attraction anywhere in the world that takes you inside the life of a superhero quite like this one.
Oh, and that deal that Universal signed with Marvel? It’s still active. That’s why you’ve never seen the Avengers in Walt Disney World. Crazy, right?
Men in Black: Alien Attack
Image: oliverfoto, Flickr (license)
When you’re trying to build a timeless attraction that will last well-past its expected sell-by date, a great place to start is by aping the architecture of the 1960s.
Predating the Mad Men-inspired love affair with mid-century modern design by about 10 years, Men in Black: Alien Attack is the rare combination of a great ride, exciting queue, and beautiful show building. Universal’s headlining attraction — Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — gets all of the ink for great show building design, but Men in Black is nearly its equal.
Evoking the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens, New York, this attraction begins with a fake presentation about your place in an uncaring, lonely universe. It’s clever, and it helps transition the rider into the world of the attraction — which, even though the film it’s based on is itself 20 years old, never feels confusing or out of date.
Most of all, the ride is modern and fun — a clever shooter that progresses well and stays fresh. It opened just two years after Buzz Lightyear: Space Ranger Spin at Walt Disney World, and yet, it feels light years ahead. It’s a modern classic in every sense of the word.
The Cat in the Hat
Image: rain0975, Flickr (license)
Universal eventually found its voice in producing high-octane thrills with high-tech ride systems – a kind of classed-up Six Flags, with roller coasters that bring in the thrill seekers but with high theming to keep families interested.
But, around the turn of the century, the company still had its little brother complex with Disney. And, as such, they tried their best to do what Disney did and win the game that Disney designed. They never quite beat Disney at their own game — opting instead, eventually, to change it altogether — but their noble attempts are still great to enjoy. The Cat in the Hat, like E.T. Adventure before it, is a family ride through-and-through. Using clever lighting, animatronics, and a fancy-free ride system, The Cat in the Hat brings the Dr. Seuss story to pulse-pounding life.
The namesake book is, obviously, hardly a page-turner, but Universal cleverly brought it to life in a fun and memorable way. The ride does border ever-so-slightly on being too thrilling for some, and was in fact toned down from its rowdier first incarnation over a decade ago. That’s just a fun sign of what was to come for Universal’s ride designers. It’s still no less classic.
Hard Rock Hotel
Image: scmikeburton, Flickr (license)
Disney gets all of the credit for hotels, and with good reason. Recently, Universal has made a strong play at Disney’s crown with clever budget options like Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Endless Summer.
But, it’s easy to forget that back when Universal was shifting to phase two just before 2000, they built a few of the best hotels in Orlando. One of those, the Hard Rock Hotel, is the definition of a classic.
With its Spanish/California architecture, its playful musical design motifs, its showpiece swimming pool and its proximity to Universal Studios Florida, the Hard Rock Hotel is absolutely the definition of a deluxe experience. It’s been around long enough that guests who stayed there as kids when it first opened can go there on their own with friends and family. And, it’s still as popular today as it was then.
That’s the sign of a true iconic resort.
Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges
Image: rollercoasterphilosophy, Flickr (license)
Admit it: If you had to pick just one between Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges and Kali River Rapids, you’d pick Popeye.
That, on its own, speaks volumes about this incredible river rafting ride. Additionally, the hours-long lines it can experience on the hottest summer days provides further evidence of its excellence.
Universal cleverly made a themed river rafting ride that doesn’t forget the principal point of a ride like that is to get its guests very, very wet. On other similar rides, there’s a Russian Roulette-type game of “who will be the one to get the worst of it?” On Popeye, there is no such game — just grim acceptance of the entire raft’s fate.
There is no better raft ride anywhere in the world. It’s length, its theming, and its commitment to get you drenched elevate it to a classic in its genre.
Jurassic Park: River Adventure
Image: rollercoasterphilosophy, Flickr (license)
Universal Studios Hollywood has already said goodbye to its version of Jurassic Park: River Adventure, which is a shame. But, the Orlando edition remains — and, thankfully so, because it is a classic attraction.
Featuring most prominently the soaring John Williams score, this ride has so many great things about it. For one, the dinosaur animatronics are truly top-notch. Additionally, the set design offers an incredible sense of place — transporting you to the industrial behind-the-scenes areas that are so memorable from the original film.
But most of all, it pulls such a great trick at the beginning, that it’s a surprise more rides haven’t ripped it off.
To start, guests go on what appears to be a normal, Jungle Cruise-style tour of Jurassic Park. Only after the boat is mistakenly pushed off course and into the overrun section of the backstage areas does the ride truly reveal itself. It’s really clever, and were it not for the spoiler of the massive drop seen from out front, it would be a true shock.
Still, the ride is so well designed and so fun, it’s hard to complain. It’s one of Universal’s best attractions, and has been for 20 years.
Port of Entry
Image: Theme Park Tourist
Yes, it’s true — the entry plaza to Universal’s Islands of Adventures is a true classic.
Consider this: When Islands of Adventure first opened, theme park entrances looked either like Disneyland’s Main Street USA or were thrown out for a grand, sweeping entry plaza like at Epcot. Universal, rather cleverly, decided that it would create a Main Street USA, but for a place that didn’t exist — a kind of bohemian, otherworldly town square that served as a jumping off point for the many islands nearby.
The design of the Port of Entry is exquisite in this regard, evoking architecture of Ancient Greece, Rome, Northern Africa, the Middle East, and fanciful civilizations that never came to be. It feels like a place where adventurers and explorers pass through, selling wares and trading stories. It is over 20 years old, but it feels like it could have been built yesterday — or 2000 years ago.
The Port of Entry is a magnificent place, and it sets the stage for Islands of Adventure perfectly. It does everything a park entrance is supposed to do, but it gets only a fraction of the credit of a park like the Magic Kingdom. Let’s change that.
Universal Orlando turns 30 next year. It’s time to treat it like the classic, multi-generation resort that it is. We’re lucky to have it.
