Theme Parks

9 Universal Studios Roller Coasters And Rides That Are Worth The Wait, Ranked

I would literally camp out for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

by Collette Reitz
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Courtesy of Universal Parks USA

Nothing brings a theme park day to a screeching halt like a long line to get on a ride. With thrilling roller coasters everywhere you turn at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, you might wonder which ones are actually worth the wait.

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Wait times vary by day, and the best place to check updated wait times is in the Universal app — but they can get upwards of 100 minutes long.

To get an idea of which rides are worth that long line, I ranked nine of the most thrilling rides.

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9. Men In Black Alien Attack

Shoot lasers at aliens as you make your way through an indoor track. If you’re looking to scream with your hands up, this ride won’t do it — but there are quite a few spins to make a short wait worth your while.

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8. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Located in Islands of Adventure, this ride is very immersive and a must-ride for any Harry Potter fans. A moderate wait will make the magic worth it. If you succumb easily to motion sickness, you may want to think twice about this one.

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7. The Amazing Adventures Of Spider-Man

Also in Islands of Adventure, the wait is so worth it for this ride that uses 3D and 4D technology. With a rocking soundtrack and four Stan Lee cameos throughout the ride, this OG staple will make you glad you waited in line.

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6. TRANSFORMERS: The Ride 3D

If you like Spider-Man, you’ll love the Transformers ride. It uses the same 3D and 4D technology as well as air and wind effects to really make it feel like you’re cruising. A moderate wait won’t mean a thing once you help save the city from Megatron.

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5. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

You’ll come face-to-face with Voldemort in this 3D and 4D ride, so use the longer wait times to hype yourself up for the daring escape. You’ll also see the ornate bank interiors and get fully prepped for the mission as you wait in the queue.

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4. The Incredible Hulk Coaster

If you want to scream your head off, this ride located in Islands of Adventure is for you. Zooming at 67 miles per hour, you’ll get turned upside-down a couple times and basically experience what it’s like to Hulk out IRL. TL;DR: it’s worth the wait.

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3. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

This ride is a fan-favorite in Islands of Adventure — and definitely worth the wait. You get different experiences when riding the sidecar or on the bike, and you’ll have good reason to shoot your hands up in the air as you ride.

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2. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

Hydrate your vocal cords as you wait in line for this 17-stories high thrill ride, and make sure you know which song you want to jam out to as you make the climb. Pro tip: use your time in line to pick a tune from the secret song list.

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1. Jurassic World VelociCoaster

This ride is the definition of “worth the wait.” Located in Islands of Adventure, you’ll experience two launches, inversions (beware about feeling like you might just fall out of your seat), and get a unique view of the park at the top of the tallest drop.

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Of course, in the end it’s up to you which rides are worth your precious theme park time, but if you’re looking for thrills, you won’t want to miss the top coasters on this list — no matter how long the lines are.

Courtesy of Collette Reitz

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