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This article will introduce you to the best rides at Islands of Adventure and tell you all that you need to know to begin planning an epic ride experience at Universal’s Islands of Adventure!
Discover which Islands of Adventure rides are consistently rated as being the best and can be counted on to provide smiles and thrills worth remembering!
Keep reading until the end for an explanation of Universal Express Pass, single rider line, and child swap – 3 great enhancements to experience the best rides at Universal Islands of Adventure with shorter wait times.
Best Rides at Universal Islands of Adventure
In case you’re confused like I was, Universal Orlando consists of 3 parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay water park.
Each park requires its own separate admission ticket unless you specifically purchase Park-to-Park theme park tickets in which you can visit all of the parks, any time each day.
It just so happens that Universal’s Islands of Adventure has been rated the #1 theme park in the world for multiple years in a row!
After all, Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida features some of the best immersive, family-friendly, AND thrilling theme park rides of all time!
Its amazing combination of coasters, water rides, animatronics, and 3D technology make for an all-around thrilling and memorable ride experience.
To best enjoy the rides, we first recommend that you consult our 1-Day Islands of Adventure touring plan to understand the overall layout of the park.
This touring plan will give you an overview of how to maximize your time and minimize time spent standing in long lines.
Additional planning tip: Heading to Universal Studios Orlando to round off your visit?
Find our list of the best rides at Universal Studios Florida here.
…We’ve got guides to Walt Disney World too!
1. Jurassic World VelociCoaster
Jurassic World VelociCoaster opened in June of 2021 after Universal largely remained silent during its 3 years of construction in order to build its anticipation.
Since its opening, VelociCoaster has lived up to the hype, establishing itself as one of the best rides at Islands of Aventure!
Not only is VelociCoaster one of the best all-time rides at Universal Orlando Resort, but some say, it’s the best coaster in the entire state of Florida.
Its interactive queue includes a wall of floor-length windows fitted with artificial reality technology and raptor cages complete with lifelike raptor animatronics.
With an emphasis on adrenaline, high speed, and thrill, the coaster itself features 2 high-speed launches, 4 inversions, and a 155-foot tall top hat (90-degree angle ascent, followed by a 90-degree angle descent), as well as a ‘stall’ while the coaster is hanging upside down.
Trust me…you don’t want to miss this one!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in Jurassic Park
- Does NOT apply for Early Park Admission or Express Pass
- 51″ height requirement
- Ride VelcioCoaster within the first 30 minutes of park opening as 1-2-hour waits will accumulate later in the day
- Be aware that this ride experiences closures and extended delays due to technical difficulties at times
2. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Not only is Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure one of the best rides at Islands of Adventure, but some still claim that it is the best theme park ride of all time!
New in 2019, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure is a story coaster that takes riders through the Forbidden Forest that plays host to the Harry Potter characters’ innermost fears.
You can ride on a motorbike (like Hagrid) or sidecar (like Harry Potter) as you are blasted 50 mph up the 65-foot catapult, gigantic backward drop, 7 launches, and nearly 1-mile long track.
Prepare for amazing animatronics and to come face-to-face with Wizarding World’s rarest magical creatures while the Harry Potter score blasts loudly through the speakers.
This ride is off-the-charts awesome!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Does NOT apply for Early Park Admission or Express Pass
- Often, but not always, requires a Virtual Line reservation
- Single ride line available
- There’s a family room for non-riders participating in child swap
- Ride Hagrid’s within the first 40-minutes of park opening as 2 – 3-hour waits will accumulate later in the day
- This ride experiences frequent ride closures and extended delays due to technical difficulties
3. The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Another one of Island of Adventure’s best rides, the Incredible Hulk Coaster, is exactly what you’d expect from an awesome roller coaster, plus so much more!
Themed after Marvel’s Hulk, this gigantic masterpiece of green twisted steel serves up twists and turns of epic proportion.
With a launched lift hill that accelerates the ride train up to 40 mph in approximately two seconds, the coaster eventually reaches a maximum speed of a whopping 67 mph!
As an iconic attraction at Islands of Adventure, Hulk is a hyper-coaster with a euphoric ride experience that attracts fans from all over the world.
This is a ride our teens rode 6 times in one day while we were at the park – they couldn’t get enough!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in Marvel Super Hero Island
- Qualifies for Universal Express Pass
- Single-rider line available
- There’s a family room for non-riders participating in child swap
- Ride Hulk within the first 40 minutes of park opening as 100-minute waits will accumulate later in the day
- No loose articles are permitted on the ride – free lockers are available adjacent to the ride
- All riders must proceed through a metal detector before riding
Additional planning tip: Getting to ride the Incredible Hulk Coaster multiple times in a row with a 5-minute wait or less is one of the many reasons that we think Universal Express pass is totally worth it!
4. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of the most popular attractions at Islands of Adventure as well as one of the most in-demand theme park attractions in America.
To enter the ride, guests walk through the gates of Hogwarts and begin their journey through themed dungeons that feature items from the Harry Potter movies and books.
Passengers then enter through the Hogwarts castle doors, place their loose belongings in lockers, and queue outside in the Hogwarts greenhouse.
After zig-zagging throughout the greenhouse, you’ll enter Hogwarts Castle again, this time through its backdoor.
The ride itself involves being seated on an enchanted bench to which you are secured via an over-the-shoulder harness.
Once harnessed in, the ride vehicle sits atop a technologically advanced robotic arm that gives way to a thrilling and unforgettable ride experience.
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The Forbidden Journey provides an extreme amount of motion while it drops, spins around, and twists and turns to make it feel as if you are riding on a broomstick with Harry Potter.
After a simulated flight around Hogwarts castle, an encounter with the Whomping Willow and a horde of Dementors, and a Quidditch match, the motion simulator dark ride comes to an end.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is truly an attraction that is not to be missed!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Qualifies for Early Park Admission and Universal Express Pass
- Has a single rider line and Child Swap area
- This ride can be a rough experience for those prone to motion sickness
- Stow all loose articles in the free lockers as stuff will fall out of your pockets otherwise
- Average wait times of 70 – 100 minutes will accumulate on peak crowd days.
5. Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Skull Island Reign of Kong is deemed one of the best rides at Islands of Adventure for its epic theming and amazing 3D technology that fully immerses you in the story of Kong.
The ride itself is an indoor/outdoor safari by means of 40-foot-long trackless ride vehicles (trucks) that can hold up to 72 people.
Each vehicle has an animatronic driver who interacts with the riders.
Instead of using the same driver for every vehicle, there are five different drivers.
Each driver has a different dialogue and storyline, so riders can experience the ride in very different ways.
As guests explore the far reaches of Skull Island by means of the expedition trucks they encounter visually stunning bugs, dinosaurs, and eventually a life-like King Kong himself.
Even though Kong is larger than life, he looks downright real. The emotion that is seen in his face is so amazing that some people are not even sure that it’s just another computer-animated creature on a screen.
Practical planning tips:
- Located in Skull Island
- Qualifies for Universal Express Pass
- During inclement weather, the ride’s trucks take a bypass route indoors, cutting out the outdoor portion of the ride. This results in a slightly shorter ride experience, however, it enables it to stay open during inclement weather
- The Kong ride requires the use of 3D glasses for a fully immersive experience
6. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is an indoor adventure 3D simulator ride.
It combines special roving motion vehicles with 3D projection, elaborate physical sets, and tactile effects.
Park guests are turned into reporters of the Daily Bugle and board a ride vehicle known as the “Scoop”. Upon boarding, riders learn that the Sinister Syndicate has captured the Statue of Liberty with an anti-gravity gun.
As Spider-Man fends off the enemy, the ride climaxes as Doctor Octopus lifts the Scoop ride vehicle up and ‘releases it’ to simulate a 400-foot freefall.
Though the vehicle never actually leaves the ground, a number of synchronized effects including a movable building set, lighting cues, simulator movements, and wind effects make this experience feel real.
In fact, in addition to Spider-Man’s motion base and 3D projections, the special effects of fog machines, fire, wind, heat, mist, strobe lights, and water spray are what makes this ride so memorable!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in Marvel Super Hero Island
- Qualifies for Universal Express Pass
- Has a single rider line and Child Swap area
- The Spider-Man ride requires the use of 3D glasses for a fully immersive experience
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man has been the recipient of many awards from the amusement park industry
Additional planning tip: After reading about Islands of Adventure’s top rides, check out our Universal Studios Touring Plan!
Both parks provide for a similar ride experience that you will never forget!
7. Jurassic Park River Adventure
Jurassic Park River Adventure is one of Island of Adventure’s original headliner attractions.
It is also one of our personal favorite rides!
In the River Adventure, guests board 25-passenger tour boats for an aquatic ride through the grounds of Jurassic Park. The scenery is so realistic that it feels as if you’re in a Jurassic Park movie!
Everything is calm as the tour begins while floating among large herbivore dinosaurs, prehistoric-looking plants, and peaceful geysers.
As part of the storyline, something goes horribly wrong, however, and your tour boat is nudged off course.
After floating through a dangerous raptor facility and being introduced to several scary, life-like dinosaurs, riders eventually come face-to-face with a gigantic T-Rex!
Afterward, the ride comes to an end after an 85-foot escape plunge into the river below!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in Jurassic Park
- Qualifies for Universal Express Pass
- Has a Child Swap area
- This is a great ride for a hot day as you will get wet
- You will get the least wet by sitting in an interior seat
- The 85-foot drop was a world record when the ride was first built
- You should never have to wait for more than 60-minutes to ride Jurassic Park River Adventure
8. Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat-Barges
Bilge-Rat Barges seats 10 riders at a time as they float down the man-made canyon of gushing rapids, waterfalls, turns, and dips.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat-Barges is a classic whitewater rapids raft ride during which you are sure to get wet.
What makes Popeye’s one of the best rides at Islands of Adventure is that it is a full 7 minutes long. Also, as a water ride, it is a welcomed way to beat the Florida heat.
Beware, as every rider will get wet!
Practical planning tips:
- Located in Toon Lagoon
- Qualifies for Universal Express Pass
- This ride usually opens an hour later than the rest of the park, typically at 10 AM
- Each raft has a covered center console into which you can place backpacks, socks, and shoes; lockers or zip lock bags are strongly suggested for anything electronic
- The rapids are rougher and more interesting, and the ride is longer than Animal Kingdom’s similar Kali River Rapids
The Next Best Rides at Islands of Adventure
9. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls – log flume ride with drops where you will get wet.
10. Flight of the Hippogriff – Family coaster with shorter height requirements than the other, larger coasters.
11. Doctor Doom’s Fear Fall – a huge drop ride with typically short wait times to ride.
12. Poseidon’s Fury – 20-minute walk-through tour of a temple dedicated to Poseidon.
13. Storm Force Accelatron – spinning teacup ride with X-men theming.
14. The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride – elevated train ride, perfect for kids!
15. Caro-Seuss-el – a classic carousel with typically short waits, once again, perfect for small kids!
Additional planning tip: Guests can ride Hogwart’s Express (the Harry Potter-themed train ride) between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure ONLY if they have a Park-to-Park theme park ticket.
For this reason, I did not include it as one of the top rides at Islands of Adventure.
Best Rides at Islands of Adventure: Universal Express Pass
There is no denying that when the Islands of Adventure crowd calendar predicts moderate to high crowds, waiting in lines can become incredibly draining and time-consuming.
To help offset time spent standing in lines, Islands of Adventure allows you to add Universal Express access to your theme park admission.
This is especially helpful when trying to experience all of the best rides at Universal’s Islands of Adventure as they typically have the longest lines.
Here’s how it works.
Universal Express is an all-day pass that allows you to skip the regular lines – and use a special Express Pass line – at select Universal attractions.
If you are staying on-site at one of Universal’s premier resort hotels, Universal Express Unlimited is free for every day of your visit. Your room key is scanned and serves as the Express Pass when getting on rides.
If you are not staying on-site and wish to purchase Universal Express passes, the cost varies by day and expected crowds. So during peak times, prices will be higher.
Current prices can be found on the Universal Orlando Resort website.
Additional planning tip: Universal Express is separate from regular admission. In other words, you must purchase BOTH an Islands of Adventure base ticket along with an Express Pass add-on.
It’s easiest to buy Express passes online.
You can also buy them at the entrance gates and throughout all three parks at dozens of locations.
Best Rides at Islands of Adventure: Single Rider Line
If you are traveling alone or are willing to be temporarily separated from your travel party, consider hopping into the single-rider line at select Islands of Adventure rides.
This time-saving option is open to all Universal Orlando guests at no extra charge, and many find that the single rider line is often just as fast as the Express Pass line.
As a single rider, you’ll wait in a separate queue and are then slipped into vacant seats left by large groups.
The speed of the single rider line is dependent on the flow of odd-numbered parties through the queues, so the wait time can be extremely unpredictable.
Another thing to note is that single-rider lines open at the discretion of the ride attendants, and may temporarily close if crowds are very light.
Single-rider lines are almost always available at the following attractions:
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- The Amazing Adventure of Spider-Man
- Dr. Doom’s Fearfall
In addition, Islands of Adventure will sometimes offer single-rider access at Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls and Jurassic Park River Adventure.
Best Rides at Islands of Adventure: Child Swap
Younger riders may need to skip one of the best rides at Islands of Adventure because they are either not tall enough or they do not want to go.
The Islands of Adventure Child Swap program allows families with small children to experience rides without splitting up or waiting in line twice.
In other words, someone waits with the young child while the other parent/person rides the ride, and then the two adults switch places.
This gives everyone else in the party an opportunity to hop on the attraction without having to go through the queue all over again.
To use, inform the attendant stationed in front of the ride’s entrance that you would like to use Child Swap.
Additional planning tip: It is important to request Child Swap before you enter the queue because each attraction handles it a little differently.
For instance, some rides feature separate air-conditioned Child Swap rooms with a TV, while others simply have designated Child Swap areas or separate lines.
Rider Swap is available at the following attractions at Universal’s Islands of Adventure:
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
- Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
- Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster
- Jurassic Park River Adventure
- Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Of the Top 15 best rides at Islands of Adventure, which one are you most looking forward to?
Jen
If you liked reading about the best rides at Islands of Adventure, continue planning your Universal Orlando vacation here:
Touring Plans:
- Universal Studios Touring Plan: 1-Day Itinerary
- Islands of Adventure Touring Plan: Complete 1-Day Itinerary
Universal Orlando Tips:
- 45 Tips for your First-Time Visit to Universal Orlando
- What to Bring to Universal Studios (+Day Bag Tips)
- 9 Big Differences Between Disney World and Universal Studios
- Loews Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando: 9 Reasons to Stay
- A Complete Guide to the Lockers at Universal Orlando
- 7 Best Restaurants at Universal Citywalk Orlando
Universal Orlando Rides:
*Before leaving, be sure to check our Travel Resources Page to find exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*
Thanks for the tips on the 7 top best rides. It is always hard to decide which rides to go on first when at a theme Park. I can see that my girls will love it here especially the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Thanks for reading! I’m glad that you found some rides that you think your kids will love! Happy and safe travels!!
Thanks for the tips on the 7 top best rides. It is also hard to decide which rides to go on first when at a theme Park. I can see that my girls will love it here especially the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
You’re welcome! Yes, sometimes when you only have 1 day, it’s hard to hit every ride! Glad you found this list helpful!
Great tips! These rides of Islands of Adventure are making me want to visit again soon! It’s been years since I’ve been there and will definitely be taking my son when he’s a little older.
Thank you! Yes, as kids get older, it is definitely ‘the place to be’. We will definitely be returning there again as well!
Can you even believe we haven’t been to Islands of Adventure!! Do you think we’d still enjoy it even though we’re not into Harry Potter? (Gasp!) Will definitely consider this in the future!!
There is definitely not a need to be a Harry Potter fan…you will still LOVE it! We’re not huge Potter fans either, but nonetheless, the themeing is amazing!