When visiting Universal Orlando, or any theme park for that matter, the excitement and thrills that you experience within your day come with one unfortunate caveat: they will likely be preceded by some form of wait time.
However, this time spent anticipating these world-class attractions doesn’t need to be any less fun, and at Universal Orlando there are a number of rides where the queue lines have been specifically designed to keep you entertained as you edge your way closer and closer to the excitement that lies ahead. So without further ado, here are 7 rides at Universal Orlando that feature the most exciting queues!
Let’s start with perhaps the two most obvious ones…
1. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (Universal Studios)
As you enter the doors of this Wizarding World attraction, you’re immediately transported into Diagon Alley’s Gringotts Bank, the safest place on earth! While there are no interactive elements within the line, the queue of this attraction allows you to walk through the main hall of Gringotts bank, as you’re carefully and curiously observed by a number of Goblins who are hard at work at their desks. Further on in the queue, you then enter a ‘lift’ and so begins the deep descent into the Gringotts vault.
2. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Islands of Adventure)
A short journey over on the Hogwarts Express will transport you to the Wizarding World’s pièce de résistance, Hogwarts castle, which houses the Forbidden Journey attraction. From the outside, Hogwarts castle is certainly something to behold, however, once you step inside, you’re given the opportunity to wander the halls of Hogwarts just like a real student would. Various Hogwarts alumni feature throughout this attraction’s stunning queue line, though you may need multiple visits in order to truly take in all of the incredible details that Universal Creative have put into crafting this immersive walk-through experience.
3. E.T. Adventure (Universal Studios)
After watching arguably one of the most iconic theme park pre-show videos of all time, you are immediately transported into Elliott’s world as you enter the forest from the final moments of Steven Spielberg’s E.T: Extra-Terrestrial. Aside from its numerous call-backs to this beloved 80s movie, the E.T. ride queue is famous for one thing – its smell (though it’s currently up-for-debate as to whether this scent has recently been swapped out!) While perhaps not as mind-blowing as the previous two on this list, E.T’s queue is the perfect lead up to the attraction and is certainly one of Universal Orlando’s more beautiful queues.
4. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon (Universal Studios)
Although the jury may be out on whether Race Through New York is worthy of its place among Universal’s beloved ride line-up, the queue for this attraction is among one of the most interesting in-line experiences. As you enter Universal’s own replica of New York’s well-known 30 Rockefeller Plaza, you can take a wander around a small museum-type space that pays homage to the previous hosts of The Tonight Show.
Once upstairs, Race Through New York’s queue boasts a revolving door of unique features, including a meet-and-greet with Hashtag the Panda, as well as performances from The Ragtime Gals, Jimmy Fallon’s barbershop quartet. The seating areas also feature interactive screens where guests can play games and write their own Thank You notes (inspired by a fan-favorite segment of The Tonight Show).
5. Men In Black: Alien Attack (Universal Studios)
Ever wanted to visit MIB headquarters and earn your title as Galaxy Defender? Men in Black: Alien Attack’s queue line is your ticket to intergalactic fame as you enter the immigration and controls area of MIB and see some of their employees hard at work. From the moment you enter the ride building, there are fun call backs to the film franchise and on busy days your ride experience may even include a short pre-show that offers a few more details as you prepare for your upcoming mission.
6. Revenge of the Mummy (Universal Studios)
Having recently received a fresh lick of paint (amongst other things), the Revenge of the Mummy queue goes from hilarious to incredibly spooky in almost no time. The first half of this ride queue bears witness to another iconic pre-show video, in which the cast and crew of The Mummy, including Brendan Fraser himself, discuss the evil curse that seems to have overrun their film set. Then, after a chance to view some of the props and costuming from the films, you enter a more tomb-like setting, with some fun interactive touch points – including one that allows you to scare other guests in the queue!
7. Honorable mention: VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure)
Velocicoaster’s queue is a unique one that serves to somewhat intimidate you as you wait to board this terrifying coaster. The most impressive elements of this queue are the stunning Velociraptor animatronics that greet you shortly before entering the locker area and these eerily realistic additions to VelociCoaster’s queue simply must be seen to be believed.
Which Universal Orlando attraction features your favorite ride queue? Which queue from this list is your favorite? Let us know by leaving us a comment or voting in our poll below.
