Universal’s Islands of Adventure is spectacular. Don’t just take my word on that. Listen to the voters at TripAdvisor. They’ve named Islands of Adventure the #1 Amusement Park in the World for four years running! And you’re about to see why. Here are the top nine rides at Islands of Adventure.
9. The Cat in the Hat
One of my favorite intellectual properties (IPs) in Orlando is Dr. Seuss. Every theme park should host a slew of family-friendly attractions. And who’s better for that than the good doctor?
While the Dr. Seuss attractions at Islands of Adventure are admittedly just okay, I still would have felt guilty to exclude them all. Besides, a dark ride based on The Cat in the Hat is something that the world will always need. I’m not saying it’s perfect – honestly, I almost picked The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! – but The Cat in the Hat brings joy into the hearts of children.
8. Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
Even though I’m a Disney diehard, I’ve never been a Kali River Rapids fan. For my money, the best river rafting ride in Orlando is this one. This one goes fast while still providing quite a bit of comic relief.
During your journey, you’ll see Bluto tormenting Olive Oyl. The Popeye theme adds a lot for sure, but it’s the sure sheer volume of wetness that elevates this attraction for me. When I willingly board a barge, I expect to get soaked. On Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges, it’s impossible for anything else to happen.
7. Jurassic Park River Adventure
Universal Studios Hollywood recently received a new version of this attraction, one themed to Jurassic World. Alas, the original Jurassic Park ride is the one you’ll find at Islands of Adventure. And let’s be honest that it’s a bit past its prime.
Even so, this water ride remains the biggest adrenaline rush of its kind at Universal Studios Resort. Guests first encounter gentle dinosaurs playing in the water before the situation takes a turn. Alarms trigger, indicating that the bad kind of dinosaurs are now in control of Isla Nubar. And you know the rest.
Jurassic Park: The Ride has stood out as a comfortable source of family entertainment for more than 20 years now. It’s just not the best Jurassic ride these days.
6. Hogwarts Express
Yes, listing Hogwarts Express is a cheat. It’s a part of Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, making it a 50/50 proposition. I cannot in good faith exclude one of the best parts of a visit to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The train trip through the Potterverse is like a modern-day version of the monorail. Once, Disney delivered a unique form of theme park transportation. Today, Islands of Adventure displays an immersive Harry Potter short film while you ride a train between the parks. The level of detail is spectacular, and I adore that both legs of the trip tell different stories.
5. The Incredible Hulk Coaster
One of my favorite toys as a child was a Green Machine, and when I see The Incredible Hulk Coaster, I feel like I’m reliving my youth. As a kid, I’d imagine myself peddling at furious velocity even though I was probably topping out at five miles per hour.
This coaster brings my dream into reality. Once the ride explodes into activity, the thrill is real. Suddenly, I’m Hulking out at 67 miles per hour. It’s the fastest attraction in Orlando and delivers four G’s of force to boot.
I’d rank The Incredible Hulk Coaster quite a bit higher if the ride lasted more than 80 seconds. Even my tiny-leg-powered Green Machine had more staying power than that.
4. Skull Island: Reign of Kong
In reading this article, you’ve likely picked up on the various tiers. A couple of the attractions listed here are good but certainly not on a par with the rest. Then, we get to the Hogwarts Express, and everything from that point forward is spectacular. The depth of outstanding rides at Islands of Adventure is why TripAdvisor voters have lauded it as the best.
The top six attractions demonstrate how much better Universal has gotten with IPs. All of the rides listed here are based on a popular license, but more than half the list is either Harry Potter- or Marvel-based. Then, there’s a classic Universal Pictures character.
Technically, RKO Pictures is responsible for 1933’s King Kong, but modern audiences primarily know the character from the 2005 Universal Pictures release directed by Peter Jackson. Oddly, the Skull Island attraction has nothing to do with 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, which was a Warner Bros. release. If anything, that studio tried to capitalize on the name recognition of the 2016 ride.
I say this because the reviews for Reign of Kong were glowing from day one. This ride isn’t like any other in Orlando, as it’s not afraid to put the rider in danger. The gripping fear of monster-based death is real during a visit to Skull Island.
You encounter terrifying residents of the island, one of which captures your guide. The implementation of digital projection during the ride is the gold standard at Universal (sorry, Fast & Furious – Supercharged), and Kong’s appearances are masterful. By the end of this ride, you’ll fully understand why he’s the ruler of Skull Island.
3. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Now we’re up to the big boys. This attraction and the next one are the two most decorated dark rides of the 21st century. AND THEY DON’T WIN!!!
Yes, Islands of Adventure’s top three attractions are so good that the Best Dark Ride from 2000-2010 and its spiritual successor can’t top the category. This overall list demonstrates the quantity of phenomenal attractions at Islands of Adventure. The top three emphasize the quality.
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is theme park royalty. In an era before Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, much less the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel had just emerged from bankruptcy. They happily licensed the character to Universal, never expecting such greatness from the ride.
Somehow, lightning struck. For more than a decade, this attraction towered above everything else at either Universal Orlando Resort. But nothing stays on top forever…
2. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
And a change came to Islands of Adventure in 2010. The opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter reversed the fortunes of Universal theme parks. Even though the first iteration was a modest investment, everyone’s love of the Potterverse led to an almost incomprehensible traffic increase.
Here’s an amazing Potter fact. In 2009, Islands of Adventure claimed attendance of 4.627 million. For calendar 2011, the first full year of The Wizarding World, the total was 7.674 million, an increase of more than three million or 66 percent. And the anchor attraction for this section is unquestionably Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
This dark ride replaced Spider-Man as the Golden Ticket winner from 2011-2015. Even today, it’s clearly one of the best rides at Universal. It’s just not THE best ride. Or even the best Potterverse ride.
1. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Yes, the newest Harry Potter attraction is the best that Islands of Adventure has to offer. Universal has somehow built a hybrid dark ride/roller coaster that provides two different ride experiences.
As the name implies, the coaster cart is a motorbike, and that’s where the twin experiences come into play. One person becomes “the driver,” sitting behind the handlebars. The other rides in the sidecar, which delivers an entirely different feel. One person sits more upright while the other has a bit of wiggle to his half of the ride cart.
The closest comparison to Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, the Magic Kingdom attraction that also marries dark ride and coaster concepts. The difference is that the Universal ride is more modern and has the glorious Harry Potter license. It’s legitimately the best thing that Universal has ever done and easily rises above everything else at Islands of Adventure.
