Recently I visited the Universal Studios Orlando Resort and I want share my opinions on what the resort has to offer. I'd like to start out by saying that the crowds at the resort were minimum at best. The longest wait for a ride was 70 minute wait but if you took the single rider line it would be at most a 20-30 minute wait. Universal is currently being outperformed by the Disney parks up north because for one, the Disney holiday festivities blow Universal's out of the water. Second, the new Star Wars movie was only less than a week a way at the time I was there and I would guess anyone remotely excited for the movies would be heading out to the Disney parks at this time.
But with all that does Universal measure up to the mouse's Orlando theme park? In a way, kind of. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter puts Universal in close contention with Disney. Universal has always been the alternative to Disney in the theme park game. It has a lot less variety but a lot more attitude in the sense. Look at most of the intellectual properties that are licensed in the parks. Harry Potter, The Simpsons, Despicable Me, Transformers, Jurassic Park, etc. all you can find in a Universal theme park. But in that sense some of the rides may become dated as time goes on. I do not see the Michael Bay Transformers being popular in the distant future and I sure as hell believe that very few people remember the Men in Black movies. Where Disney relies on properties that have proven to be successful over time, Universal is willing to give whatever movie series is popular a ride if they can make one. But what do the parks have to offer, well lets start with Universal Studios.
Universal Studios Orlando is one of two parks of the resort, the other being Islands of Adventure. Some rides you will see immediately when entering the park are Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and Shrek 4D. Minion Mayhem is a motion simulator ride that is child friendly, fun, cute and even a little heart warming. Shrek 4D on the other hand, is none of those things. I understand that some people like the Shrek movies but there was no effort put into this thing. Most of the jokes are pun related and fall flat almost on arrival and by goodness there is way to many Disney jabs. Another ride you will see is Hollywood: Rip, Ride, Rocket. It's a roller coaster with a completely vertical ascension and a twisting loop de loop. But one thing that makes this coaster different is that you can choose what song you want to hear while riding. It's like Rock n' Rollercoaster but this time you can choose what you want to hear.
But the main thing hear is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. Universal has bent over backwards in order to make sure guests feel as though they are apart of the Harry Potter world and let me tell you, they do a fantastic job. From its London exterior to the "hidden" wizard world that stands behind it, Diagon Alley is an impressive feat of theming. From large things like the buildings to small things like having no sodas and only serving English food, you really feel like you have entered into the world of Harry Potter. The main attraction of Diagon Alley is Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringots. A roller coaster/simulator hybrid, Escape From Gringots is a thrilling journey that takes through the faults of the Gringots bank where you meet up with Harry and also the deadly Voldemort. It's a fun and unique ride that if the lines are short enough, should be ridden twice. But Diagon Alley is only one part of the Wizarding World.
Located in Islands of Adventure is Hogsmeade village. Now if you have a park hopper pass, which everyone should, you get to travel between the two locations via the Hogwarts Express train. It's a glorified monorail but the experience that lies on board the train is one you have to see for yourself. Hogsmeade village shares the same impressive theming as Diagon Alley. The Universal designers should be praised for how much effort went into this project. The big rides here are Dragon Challenge, an intense rollercoaster experience I dare not try, Flight of the Hippogriff, a kiddy rollercoaster, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Forbidden Journey is for my money the best ride of the two worlds. Imagine Soarin Over California but on steroids. It's a blend of flight simulator and dark ride that must be seen to be believed. Now be warned, this journey may give a little motion sickness as your ride vehicle does spin you around a lot as my dad can verify. Overall, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a must see for Potter fans and theme park lovers. Oh, I forgot to mention the greatness that is Butterbeer. Yeah, it's as good as everyone says it is.
Once your done with Hogsmeade you can explore the rest of Islands of Adventure, which sadly is not much. Yeah there are cool rides like The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman and the Jurassic Park River Adventure, but after those two there really isn't anything else that noteworthy. Seuss Landing is cool for its Seuss look and Lost Continent is okay, its stunt show Eight Voyage of Sinbad is a good relaxing time waster but again there are WAY to many pop cultural references and Poseidon's Fury is nothing special. Bottom line: You should HIGHLY invest in a park hopper pass because if you only do Islands for the day, you may get bored.
Islands sister park Universal has more things to do like Transformers the Ride: 3D, a ride I waited 45 minutes for in the single rider line because the ride broke down, but it's the Spider Man ride basically, same ride vehicle and everything. But it all comes down to taste if you prefer Spidey or Optimus Prime. I like the Spider Man ride but Transformers offers a newer version of the ride that I enjoyed more. But I do recommend going on Spidey as soon as you can because with Disney owning Marvel I have no idea how long it and its Marvel themed land in Islands of Adventure will be standing.
There are also rides like The Simpsons Ride, another motion simulator ride but this time in an Omni-max dome, that replaced fan favorite Back to The Future the Ride but it is a worthy successor for its humor and fun and Men in Black: Aline Attack which is a shooting gallery ride like the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Disney parks but with more focus on animatronics instead of cardboard cutouts. For me its more fun than Buzz but its movie theme is becoming more dated and less relevant as time goes on so if you enjoy Men in Black I would ride it soon as its days may be numbered. One last ride I would recommend is Terminator 2: 3D. If you enjoyed the second Terminator movie I would highly recommend going on this. James Cameron directed the show so you know there's going to be some clever technology you won't see anywhere else
Both parks offer something different from the Disney brand, but without the Wizarding World it can barely hold a candle to Disney. I understand if you prefer Universal over Disney as someone who has been going to a Disney park for the last couple of years I welcomed the change of scenery. But this scenery has very little to offer outside of its Wizarding World. Yeah there are some cool rides but if your stuck in one park for the day you might end up becoming bored, especially if you choose Islands of Adventure. This is why I encourage you to buy the park hopper tickets as not only do you get to see all of the Wizarding World and each parks rides, but you also get the Hogwarts Express which is a special ride for park hopper pass holders only. For me, Universal Studios Orlando does not offer more than Disney World or Disneyland/ California Adventure but it does offer something different. And if your up for a unique theme park experience I'd say go for it, but only if you buy the park hopper pass
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