Best Themed Rides??? Best themed restaurants???

MystikaFaith · Mar 4, 2015

I'm s hardcore Disney fan and honestly I have zero desire to go to Universal... BUT I have some family members who would likely enjoy the place so I am contemplating adding it to the list of places to explore and I'm open to the idea that I may even enjoy myself.

One of my favorite things about Disney rides is the theming. I love being immersed into the experience. I see pictures of attractions like the Hulk ride and green paint on a coaster just doesn't do it for me. It obviously looks fabulous from a thriller perspective, but in terms of themeyness (I know... not a word), I just don't feel it.

So...... What are Universals best themed must do attractions?

And, along the same lines, what are Universal's best themed restaurants?

Thanks in advance...

johde · Mar 4, 2015

Universal has no shortage of highly themed attractions. My list of rides that have the "full package" of extensively themed queues and extensively themed rides would include. (Think The POTC or Splash Mountain of Universal)

Forbidden Journey
Escape from Gringotts
Amazing Adventure of Spiderman
Transformers
E.T. Adventure
Popeye and Bluto
Men in Black
Dudley Do Right Rip Saw Falls

In the extensively themed attractions with lightly themed Queues (Think It's a Small World, Kilimanjaro Safari)
Cat in the Hat
Disaster
Twister
Jurrassic Park River Adventure
Despicable Me

Highly themed queue for "off the shelf" ride. (Best Disney analogy now might be "new" Dumbo but they are still queues)
Hulk
Dragon Challenge
Dr. Doom

Lightly themed queue/Lightly themed "off the shelf ride" (Primeval Whirl, Aladin, )
HRRR

On the restaurant front, If you're looking for a 50's prime time type theming you're in general not going to find it. Universal doesn't do that kind of experience. In terms of Restaurants that transport you to another place. Leaky Cauldron and 3 Broomsticks feel like the came right out of the HP movies. Simpson's Fast Food Blvd and especially Moes Tavern feel like they came right out of the show. Mythos is a uniquely themed restaurant.

buttercup14 · Mar 4, 2015

I can't comment on restaurants but rides I'd say any of the harry potter attractions and the mummy would be best themed. I think a big difference between Disney and universal is these day universal seem to create a lot of their theme and immersive-ness through motion simulator technology, so if (like me) you don't enjoy motion simulator or they make you sick, you might struggle with universal.

MystikaFaith · Mar 5, 2015

Thanks for the responses. I just did a quick google of Mythos and it looks great. Moes Tavern looks fun as well, though my kids would be clueless as to where they are LOL

I'm pretty good when it comes to motion simulators. It's heights that do me in.

Now having skimmed through some of their attractions, it seems that our biggest problem will be accommodating everyone in our group. My oldest (who will be 14) will likely want to do the scarier things (which Universal seems to have a lot of), but those rides would undoubtedly scare the bejeebers out of my youngest (who will be 4) who will likely be too short for those attractions anyways. It seems like the more heavily themed rides (the ones I'd likely enjoy the most) fall on the scarier end as well. I'm not sure it would be worthwhile to do the park as a family, hubby and I may just have to split up for day and do different attractions with different kids. Is that a common thing at US? Or am I misjudging the attractions?

BrinkofSunshine · Mar 5, 2015

I think there's a ton to do with the whole family- and even if some in your group are too scared/too small to do some attractions, everyone is welcome to go inside the lines together (and see some of the impressive theming inside!) and either exit at the end, or you can do a child swap.

There's also a ton of things for smaller kids- there's a few kid rides in both parks, as well as interactive play areas.

I hope you enjoy Universal. I'm a huge Disney fan, but I think much of the theming at Universal is just as immersive, and sometimes more so than Disney. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, are the most impressive areas in any park I've ever been in.

RMulieri · Mar 5, 2015

Jurassic park play area is fantastically themed and younger kids LOVE it..

CyndiLooWho · Mar 5, 2015

My boys were 11 and 13 the last time we went, and they were both ride chickens - no roller coasters, nothing scary. We had a blast anyway. We saw the Terminator and Shrek shows, rode MIB, Simpsons, Spiderman, ET, Disaster, all the Seuss stuff. It was too cool for the water rides, but those are going to be available to you guys, too. Some of us rode FJ, and the ones who didn't want to ride exited after going through the line with the rest of us.

At 4, you probably have some too short to ride all the simulators, but you can stop in the play areas while your bigger kids do the more intense stuff.

This summer, only the 16 yo is going to be a chicken, and that's ok, it's who he is. Too much analysis of what could go wrong in that kid. He'll go through the lines with the rest of us and he'll hold all our stuff in the rider swap room while the rest of ride. He'll still have a blast, and the rest of us will, too.

DOOM1001 · Mar 5, 2015

The whole Diagon Alley Potter area is about as themed as you can get,several notches over anything at Disney.The Hogsmeade Potter area in IOA along with many other rides and restaurants at Universal are also highly themed but Diagon Alley is at another level.

RMulieri · Mar 5, 2015

Monster café is very well themed inside.It is counter service but tasty food and very cool environment

Seeker615 · Mar 5, 2015

I think the theming at Universal is amazing. The Harry Potter sections alone are breathtaking! At the studios I just love the Old NY area.

Studios side - Men In black, ET, Mummy, New HP section are all great.
IOA side - All the areas are well themed. The Cartoon section is a blast. So much color and great photo ops! Seussland is another colorful area. Harry Potter area is awesome. The Lost Continent section is well done too!

The best part is that both parks have a great rider swap. Very easy to use.

jennc27 · Mar 5, 2015

I am a huge Disney fan and Harry Potter fan and when our two boys asked to go to Universal I went to see Harry Potter. I am glad we went. We had a great time and loved everything about it. When we went my youngest was short for some of the rides. We discovered at The Mummy and FJ they offered child swap. They had us in a waiting areas were you can sit and watch tv. Rip Ride Rocket had child swap but it was just standing off to the side. That was the only three rides we rode that we required it. I am sure there are others.

We all loved the theming at Universal. My favorite ride was ET. The queue with the trees and the ride made me fell like I was in the movie. Harry Potter area was amazing. We had breakfast at Three Broomsticks and enjoyed watching for the shadows of the house-elf on the walls. The Spiderman ride and queue where great as well. The queue has different rooms of offices as you move through it so you always had something new to look at. When we asked the boys if they liked Disney or Universal best and they could not make a choice.

Before we left we watched you tube videos to get an ideal of the rides and the areas. It helped us get excited and ready to go.

CPanther95 · Mar 5, 2015

The only advantage I'd give to Disney's theming of their parks & rides over Universal is because of the nostalgia attached to them.

kbelle8995 · Mar 5, 2015

Diagon Alley is an incredible area. Theming wise it is amazing. Take a tour down Knockturn Alley. Gringotts has some neat little details. Leaky Cauldron and Three Broomsticks are great themed restaurants. I prefer LC. Even the bathrooms in that area are like you stepped into the movies. On the whole Islands of Adventure is better themeing wise. Port of entry is really neat as is Suess Landing.

buttercup14 · Mar 5, 2015

RMulieri said:
Jurassic park play area is fantastically themed and younger kids LOVE it..

Oh yes, I forgot about that, defiantly great for kids and with theming! I enjoyed it as an adult too!

MystikaFaith · Mar 5, 2015

Looks like I'm going to have to actually watch those Harry Potter films so that I can fully appreciate my surroundings.

Planogirl · Mar 5, 2015

I love a lot of the theming at Universal. While IOA is overall nicer than the Studios, it's hard to beat Diagon Alley and even the older New York section is pretty decent.

DOOM1001 · Mar 5, 2015

Planogirl said:
I love a lot of the theming at Universal. While IOA is overall nicer than the Studios, it's hard to beat Diagon Alley and even the older New York section is pretty decent.

IOA has better overall theming but Universal has the best themed area in Diagon Alley and is the better park overall.That King Kong ride is badly needed at IOA,when someone comes on these boards and asks about the Universal parks and they don't like coasters or water rides you pretty much have to tell them to avoid IOA unless they're a Potter fan or have kids with the Seuss Landing area.Universal just has a lot more to offer to the average guest.

sharona · Mar 5, 2015

MystikaFaith said:
I'm s hardcore Disney fan and honestly I have zero desire to go to Universal... BUT I have some family members who would likely enjoy the place so I am contemplating adding it to the list of places to explore and I'm open to the idea that I may even enjoy myself.

One of my favorite things about Disney rides is the theming. I love being immersed into the experience. I see pictures of attractions like the Hulk ride and green paint on a coaster just doesn't do it for me. It obviously looks fabulous from a thriller perspective, but in terms of themeyness (I know... not a word), I just don't feel it.

So...... What are Universals best themed must do attractions?

And, along the same lines, what are Universal's best themed restaurants?

Thanks in advance...

I think you will be more than pleasantly surprised - especially if you stay on site and have express pass. It's so liberating and relaxing compared to touring at WDW.

And yes, definitely watch the movies or read the books to fully appreciate the HP areas.

kelleybean · Mar 5, 2015

One thing to keep in mind for your 14 year old ... Universal has a lot of singles lines. I've had many times where the wait for Forbidden Journey is 45 minutes and I walked right up in the singles line. Single lines have been a great option for my 13 year old niece who wants to ride some of the thrill rides over and over and the adults aren't always up to it.

MystikaFaith · Mar 5, 2015

I think we will definitely make use of the single lines. Hubby is a wimp, I'm afraid of heights and the 14 year old wants to conquer them all!

Best Themed Rides??? Best themed restaurants???

Mouseketeer

DIS Veteran

Mouseketeer

Mouseketeer

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Harry Potter Fanatic!

Mouseketeer

Mummyketeer

DIS Veteran

Mouseketeer

Mouseketeer

I feel the nerd in me stirring

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Mouseketeer

Mouseketeer

Share this page