Potential first time visitors

[Roscoe18]

Hello all ... we have tentative plans for a three or four day trip exclusively to Universal in November. We've done WDW twice in the last three years but none of us have ever been to UO (or if I have, it was so many years ago that everything is different anyway!)

I'm trying to get a sense of some of the bigger rides in comparison to Disney rides to see if my kids would be up for it. As a general rule, they don't do anything with inversions and neither of them have wanted to do Tower of Terror or Splash. Everything else at Disney is pretty much fair game.

First my DS11. He isn't generally a fan of simulators but he'll tolerate them and doesn't usually get motion sick. He likes coasters (except for RNRC, as mentioned above with the inversions) - he loves Big Thunder, will do Space, Everest, etc. I've done a little reading on Hagrid's, and it seems a bit more intense than those. Someone said Space would be a 5 out of 10 on the intensity scale, while Hagrid's would be a 7. I'm mostly worried about the vertical drop at the end, since he won't do Tower of Terror. Any opinions on this one in particular? We're obviously skipping Hulk, Velocicoaster, etc.

Now for my DD8. She hates coasters, so I'm counting her out of Hagrid's regardless. She is a huge Harry Potter fan, though, so I'd love for her to do the bigger rides there. First, Escape from Gringotts - it appears that it starts off like a coaster before the screens come in. How long is that section? I don't want her to hate it from the minute we get on, but I'm hoping we get past it and she can just enjoy the ride. Then there's Forbidden Journey - my kids are generally fine with motion sickness, but is it more intense than say Star Tours, Flight of Passage, etc? I felt very sick after Millennium Falcon on our recent trip, but I rode it again a few days later and was totally fine so I chalk that up to a bad day.

Thanks for any insight!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Universal is much “wilder” ride wise then Disney. Lots of simulators (especially US), roller coasters and rough rides. I suffer from motion sickness, and for me forbidden journey was about the same as star tours, motion sickness wise and worse then FoP. There are kid friendly rides in the parks, though not as many as Disney. We love Universal and Harry Potter alone is reason enough to visit. My older kids actually prefer universal to Disney. It’s definitely worth a visit.

 

[bchbetha]

When my ds2 was 8 he was a ride wuss but he rode all the HP rides at least once.
Don't overthink the comparisons. Worse case, they hate the ride and never want to ride it again.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

My friend who hates drops loves Hagrids (& Mummy, Gringotts, she also does Space). The drop isn't bad, especially if you're near the back of the train. Either way I would definitely try it!

 

[StageTek]

First my DS11. He isn't generally a fan of simulators but he'll tolerate them and doesn't usually get motion sick. He likes coasters (except for RNRC, as mentioned above with the inversions) - he loves Big Thunder, will do Space, Everest, etc. I've done a little reading on Hagrid's, and it seems a bit more intense than those. Someone said Space would be a 5 out of 10 on the intensity scale, while Hagrid's would be a 7. I'm mostly worried about the vertical drop at the end, since he won't do Tower of Terror. Any opinions on this one in particular? We're obviously skipping Hulk, Velocicoaster, etc.

That drop at the end might frighten him. It is pretty intense. But it's not much more so than the drops on Everest. I think he'll be fine.

Now for my DD8. She hates coasters, so I'm counting her out of Hagrid's regardless. She is a huge Harry Potter fan, though, so I'd love for her to do the bigger rides there. First, Escape from Gringotts - it appears that it starts off like a coaster before the screens come in. How long is that section? I don't want her to hate it from the minute we get on, but I'm hoping we get past it and she can just enjoy the ride. Then there's Forbidden Journey - my kids are generally fine with motion sickness, but is it more intense than say Star Tours, Flight of Passage, etc? I felt very sick after Millennium Falcon on our recent trip, but I rode it again a few days later and was totally fine so I chalk that up to a bad day.

The the coaster element on "Escape" might very well frighten her and it's right at the beginning. It's short but it could easily make her anxious for the rest of the ride. And there are several more coaster-type sections.

Forbidden Journey is so different from Star Tours and Flight of Passage that it's difficult to know. I find it much more intense because you are also on a track.[/quote][/QUOTE]

 

[Bethany10]

There's also Seussland, which my 10 year old thrill loving DS found charming. As a ride coward I loved Seussland and it was one of the highlights of the trip for us in 2019. There's also the interactive wand elements to the potter areas she might enjoy.

 

[MomOTwins]

My youngest DS and I sound very much like your family. While we both loved the non-thrill-ride elements of the Harry Potter lands (shops, snacks, wand spots, train), and we really liked the hippogriff kiddie coaster and Gringotts (thought that was going to be two scary, but it doesn't go too fast and the scenes are more fun than terrifying). That said, it did feel like Universal in general was a bit too much for us. Even avoiding anything that went upside down, most of the rides: Hagrids, Forbidden Journey, Jurassic World, Kong even Spider Man and Transformers were are all just a bit too intense and scary at times to be enjoyable (that spider man villain is creepy! and why are there so many spiders on Forbidden Journey!). My older boys and husband enjoyed themselves, but my youngest DS and I kept closing our eyes on most rides and generally were glad when they were over.

Seuss-land, while definitely tamer, was also pretty boring. Felt more like we were at a basic six flags instead of a $100+ a day theme park. We prefer how at Disney, a lot of the rides are both tame and immersive/special.

We all bought annual passes thinking we'd go again on our upcoming disney trip, and I already wish we didn't have them. I think this time I will try to just focus on the entertainment side of the harry potter stuff, which was very very good.

 

[disneyseniors]

I don't have small children now, but will give my take on Universal's rides.
I never get sick on rides, except MS at Epcot (the red side), and at Universal it was Forbidden Journey. I felt like I was going to flip over backward at times and I got sick after the ride. It's too bad because the queue is fantastic. Maybe you daughter would like to do the Q and then leave at the exit before going on the ride.
As far as Escape from Gringotts? I loved it! The pre show effects are great and the ride is alot of fun. The whole atmosphere is excellent. There are screens which work very well in this case and a mild drop which doesn't last long, and is kind of fun! I guess I wouldn't worry about EfG, but would stay away from FJ, just from my experience. But everyone is different.
She will love the HP lands. I could spend all day there, especially Diagon Alley and Knockturn alley.

I dont' ride coasters either, but Escape was one not to miss, IMO.

 

[Roscoe18]

Thanks everyone for the tips/suggestions. This is all good information. I know most of these are a matter of "everyone is different" but it's good to know a basic rundown of how things are.