Blending a working movie studio and a theme park into one was a potential recipe for disaster, but Universal Studios Hollywood proves that it can work, and it can work perfectly. This is one of the most exciting theme parks in the world, filled with an amazing variety of attractions from thrilling rollercoasters to themed dark rides.
There is truly something for everyone at Universal Studios Hollywood, allowing movie fans to literally ride their favorite movies, experiencing them first hand. With so much to experience, it can be tough to determine what people should ride first, but these 10 amazing attractions are ones that simply cannot be missed.
Swirly Swirly Fun Ride
Every theme park needs to have attractions that younger guests can experience, and because they're designed for them they aren't typically as thrilling. The Swirly Swirly Fun Ride is an example of that at Universal Studios Hollywood.
This is a basic spinner attraction, which is themed around the Despicable Me movies. Guests can board a bug and go up as high or as low as they like, being able to control that as they spin around, getting a great view of the area.
The Simpsons Ride
This ride can be found at the Orlando theme park as well, and there aren't any differences to the experience with this one. Guests board a motion simulator and head to a different theme park, joining The Simpsons on their day out as they end up having to avoid Sideshow Bob's attempts to murder them on different rides.
It's not quite as modern or as fresh as some of the other attractions at the park, but it is a funny ride with some witty one-liners and clever use of the theme park rides on the animated screen, making guests feel like they're really riding them.
Flight Of The Hippogriff
This is an outdoor rollercoaster that can be found in the Wizarding World section of the park and is themed around Harry Potter. Guests get to see Hagrid's hut and experience what it is like to fly on the back of a Hippogriff in an exciting ride.
This isn't a massive thrill rollercoaster, as it is actually designed with younger guests in mind. However, that makes it a perfect ride for the entire family, with this being a great first rollercoaster for younger visitors.
The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash
This is the newest ride to be added to Universal Studios Hollywood, and it is a welcome addition to the park. Bringing all the characters of the popular animated movie to life in a fantastic dark ride, this is one that the entire family can experience together, with lots of detail being placed into it.
While this isn't a thrilling rollercoaster, it is simply an immersive experience that allows guests to experience the movie, see their favorite characters and be in awe at the fantastic audio-animatronics.
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
While this ride can also be found in Orlando, at Universal Studios Hollywood, Despicable Me is given an entire area, which enhances the overall experience heading into this attraction. The ride itself is a fun motion simulator that brings the humor of the movies into the ride.
It's one that everybody can experience, as there are some seats that don't move for those that aren't looking for any thrill at all. However, the story will have people laughing and the motion is exciting, yet calm enough for younger guests to really appreciate this ride.
Revenge Of The Mummy - The Ride
This ride can also be found in Orlando, however, unlike the motion simulator attractions, this isn't the exact same ride. Because this is an indoor rollercoaster, there's different space to be found in the two locations, and while this ride is slightly weaker than the Orlando version, this is still a terrific ride.
Being an indoor, dark rollercoaster this ride brings a lot of thrill, as guests aren't able to predict what is about to come around the corner. With mummies put into the ride and some fun special effects, this is a ride that is sure to get the blood pumping.
Transformers: The Ride-3D
This is another attraction that can also be found in the Orlando sister park, and unlike some of the others, this is an identical clone. Putting guests directly into the middle of a fight between the Autobots and the Decepticons makes for a thrilling motion simulator ride that has both practical and screen-based effects.
With a fun story of guests being put into a young Transformer ready to prove themselves, this ride has got a lot of action, explosions, and some thrilling twists and turns (literally). It's an exciting tide that people are sure to love, taking the idea of a themed dark ride and pushing it with a lot of thrill.
Jurrasic World - The Ride
Water rides always prove to be popular in theme parks, especially in the heat of Los Angeles. This ride was initially themed around Jurassic Park but has since been enhanced with more of a focus on Jurassic World instead. The additions were fantastic, adding new dinosaurs and some thrilling effects that utilize technology perfectly.
Guests head out on what initially starts out as a peaceful journey, only for things to quickly take a turn for the worst. Eventually, guests find themselves face to face with some of the biggest dinosaurs possible in a thrilling ride that is sure to get people soaked.
Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey
The Wizarding World is one of the most popular sections of Universal Studios Hollywood, allowing guests to sample a butterbeer or purchase a wand. But the big reason it's so popular is this attraction, which can be found inside the impressive Hogwarts castle.
This is an immersive and thrilling dark ride that sees guests ride a broomstick, going through many popular elements of the movies. A brilliant blend of screens and practical effects makes this ride fantastic, seeing guests go face to face with dementors, the wimping willow, and some huge spiders in a truly magical experience.
The World-Famous Studio Tour
Out of everything that Universal Studios Hollywood has to offer, The World-Famous Studio Tour is easily the greatest. This allows guests to go on a lengthy tram tour and literally explore the Universal movie set, showcasing some classic sets for different movies and television shows, giving a glimpse at how they're put together with some tricks of the industry.
It brings the theme park and movie set together in what is a classic attraction that people travel around the world to experience. There are two actual ride experiences within this attraction as well, which only adds to thrill, plus, there's always the chance guests might be able to spot a celebrity or a television show being filmed while they ride!