If you are planning on visiting Universal Orlando Resort in Florida, there are a lot of things you are going to want to do. However, the lines can be long depending on the time of year, and you are going to want to know what rides are really worth your time. Not to say that the other rides aren’t good, because they all are good, but this is a list of my favorite rides—the list of rides that I personally think are the best rides for teenagers at Universal Orlando Resort. Excitement and thrills are all rolled into big, well-done packages at Universal Orlando Resort. These are also the ones that I think are family-friendly thrill rides at Universal Orlando Resort in addition to being the best rides for teens.
First published November 10, 2016. Updated March 2022. Thanks to Universal Orlando Resort for providing park admission in November 2016 so we could check out these rides in order to see which ones our family loved the best. As always, all opinions are our own. This post contains affiliate links.
Best Rides for Teens at Universal Studios Florida
TRANSFORMERS: The Ride–3D
On this ride, you are herded into military transport in order to escape a city infested with evil robots who are destroying everything. You’ll battle alongside Optimus Prime and Bumblebee as are being chased by a giant killer robot who will go to the end of the world to obliterate you until you are rescued by the Transformers.
The Simpsons Ride
On this ride, you take a trip through Krustyland (yes, that is actually a word) and are required to don a lead vest to keep the nuclear radiation from vaporizing you. You then go on a simulation ride with the Simpson family and narrowly avoid destruction by Sideshow Bob.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Diagon Alley
We’re big Harry Potter fans in our house. My entire family likes the Harry Potter franchise. The theming is unbelievable. You feel like you’ve stepped into the movies and the world of Harry Potter. There are so many rides and experiences, and they are all so good. I wanted to put them all in one category. Between both parks, they range from riding dragons to playing quidditch to escaping Voldemort’s minions. You can also eat at the Leaky Cauldron, shop at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, and have a wand choose you at Olivander’s.
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is definitely worth the wait. Plus, traveling to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Hogsmeade on the Hogwarts Express is great (make sure you have your park admission for the Universal Islands of Adventure ready at the ticketing booth). When you board the Hogwarts Express at King’s Cross Station, make sure to use the magic mirrors to see your friends as they cross by Platform 9 3/4.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
This ride is not for the faint of heart. This towering coaster offers a musical twist: as you strap in, YOU pick the song you want to hear over your adrenaline pumping and screaming. As the coaster climbs toward the sky at a 90-degree angle, you’ll make the first insane drop. Topping out at 65 mph, this rip-roaring ride is a “rockit” blast from start to finish.
Revenge of the Mummy
We love this ride here and at Universal Hollywood. Hold on tight as you rush into the darkness and flee from the evil Mummy Imhotep. If you’re lucky and are able to escape, it won’t be before you’ve plunged straight down into a pitch-black abyss. Hopefully, you won’t remain sealed inside this tomb forever,
Best Rides for Teens at Universal Islands of Adventure
The Incredible Hulk Coaster
This ride was one of my favorite. The waiting queue alone was amazingly decorated and made me feel like I was actually inside a secret military base. On the ride, you take a high-speed rollercoaster through a super-fast course full of twists and turns that will definitely not disappoint you. It was thundering the day we went so the wait was crazy but totally worth it as we got the front car. Do the front car if you can. It’s the best ride in the park in my opinion.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong
At the time, this was the newest ride at Universal Islands of Adventure was great, but it’s really the wait leading up to the ride that makes it even better. As you wait in the line to board the ride the story is deepened before you’ll brave the dangers of a 1930’s expedition that is caught in a clash between prehistoric predators and fearsome creatures. It’s pretty scary for little kids and the scare-acters, like the ones they use during their Halloween Horror Nights, definitely add to the scare factor. As ferocious beasts battle before your eyes using movie magic and awesome technology, King Kong hurls himself between you and impending doom.
Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure. Courtesy Universal Orlando Resort.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Hogsmeade
Flight of the Hippogriff, Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey are all on The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Hogsmeade side. Make sure you take the Hogwarts Express in both directions, too, because the ride is different in each direction.
Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort
Jurassic World VelociCoaster
You board the vehicle for a high-speed hunt through the jungle. Florida’s fastest, tallest, and most intense launch coaster ever created, catapults riders 155 feet into the air at speeds up to 70 mph while racing alongside a ferocious Velociraptor pack, inspired by the blockbuster “Jurassic World” films. With 360-degree inversions and a dynamic inverted stall that spans more than 100 feet of track riders twist and soar above land and water as they plummet along a severe 80-degree drop and steep inclines.
There you go, a list of my personal favorite rides and the ones we think are the best rides for teens at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida. There are, obviously, lots of other great thrill rides and experiences, but I recommend you go on these before any others. And remember, be sure to get in line for them as soon as possible so you can get on all of them as well as others so you can have the best time possible.
What are your recommendations for the best rides for teens at Universal Orlando Resort? Do you have a favorite? Leave us a comment below!
Pro Tip for Universal Orlando Resort: You’ll need admission for both parks to go back and forth between Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure to visit all of these rides. Also, the Universal Express Pass is a great way to reduce wait time in lines and a MUST if you only have one day at the parks in order to see and experience as much as possible. Get your Universal Orlando Resort Tickets here!
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