Which are the worst Universal Studios Orlando attractions? The ones that you really can skip if you don’t have time when you visit the park.
We have gone from writing about the Top 10 Best Universal Studios Attractions to the Top 5 Worst!
Why not top ten, like the other list? I couldn’t actually come up with ten bad attractions, as Universal for the most part has some really great attractions, and there only a few that I’d call bad.
This list serves not so much as a rant about the bad Universal attractions, but a guide for anyone planning on visiting the parks soon and want to know which attractions they ought to avoid. Give everything a try if you have time – if not then these are the ones to skip!
5. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem (Universal Studios)
It’s not terrible, but there isn’t much to it either. It feels like one of those cheap simulator rides you’d find at a museum.
I like motion simulators, but the problem with this one is the screen doesn’t wrap around you like on The Simpsons Ride and neither does it blend in with the practical sets like in Transformers: The Ride – 3D. Instead, it’s just one screen on a wall, and if you look anywhere other than the screen, you’ll see you’re in a theater, and it breaks the immersion.
The simulators are very rough too and not much fun to ride. Plus, there aren’t many simulators, meaning the wait time can be painfully long.
Though the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem ride itself is underwhelming, the story, theming and some of the 3D effects work really well.
I would say try it once, but keep in mind there are better attractions in the park and it’s definitely not worth waiting in a long line for. And the line is pretty much always long because it is so slow loading.
4. Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (Islands Of Adventure)
Compared to other river rapids attractions, this one is a bit of a dud. Even though you get soaked on Grizzly River Run and Kali River Rapids, what makes the soggy pants worth it is the huge, thrilling drops.
Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges only has one drop in it and its small, slow, and not steep at all, meaning you got your underwear drenched for nothing.
And you really do get drenched. Just way too drenched.
The theming is very tacky. It feels like a Six Flags attraction.
Also, younger guests, such as myself, don’t know much who the characters the attractions is based on are. I know Popeye, but I have absolutely no idea who Bluto or anyone else is.
A better water-ride is Dudley Do-Right Ripsaw Falls. It has some of the same problems, but at least it has lots of great drops in it.
3. Shrek 4D (Universal Studios)
I already don’t like 3D shows, so when I saw that they increased 3D by 1 and made it 4D my anxiety levels sky-rocketed. Shrek 4D easily meets my list of worst Universal Studios Orlando Attractions
While some shows cleverly utilize 3D effects, like Terminator 2 – 3D, Shrek 4D results to the cheap “oh look, something is getting up in your face!” trick way and offers little else.
There are 4D effects too, which are supposed to make the show more immersive, but instead, end up making the experience extremely uncomfortable. The moving seats are especially unpleasant. Ask someone to shake you around violently on a dining chair, then you’ve got Shrek 4D.
I wouldn’t even recommend this for kids, since it’s actually pretty scary, even though it is an attraction they’re the target audience for this attraction. One of my most traumatic theme park memories comes from the scene where it feels like there’s a spider crawling on your hip – I was absolutely terrified.
2. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon (Universal Studios)
When I saw a post saying Universal’s next ride was about a race through New York with Jimmy Fallon, I thought it was a fake post. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
The simulator itself along with some portions of the ride is good. The queue is great – instead of waiting in line, you get to sit down and watch live performances, look at videos, as well as play games. It might even be one of the best queues in the park.
However – and I can’t believe I’m saying this – even Twister Ride It Out was a better attraction this – and that had a flying cow…
It’s been a while since I’ve been on this attraction, so I had to watch a video to get a reminder on what happens in the attraction. The point when I knew this would make it on my worst Universal attractions list was when someone in the pre-show started rapping the safety precautions.
I’m not sure even Jimmy Fallon rides would like this. I think a Jimmy Fallon 3D show could work, but who was ever asking for a Jimmy Fallon ride? The ride is just – weird… It’s so forgettable that I forget it exists.
What really brings this attraction down are the jokes. They’re all cringey and don’t even warrant a chuckle.
If you’re a fan of Jimmy Fallon, you might like it. However, I don’t see how any other audience would enjoy this ride. It really is one of the worst Universal Studios Orlando Attractions
1. Fast & Furious: Supercharged (Universal Studios)
Well at least it can’t get much worse than the Jimmy Fallon Ri – oh… Oh no…
Basing a ride off Fast & Furious is a great idea. You could do something like Test Track where you’re in a sports car, or maybe have some kind of bombastic racing roller coaster. Making it a motion simulator seems like a missed opportunity.
Most of the Fast & Furious: Supercharged attraction is actually pretty boring. A lot of it is just characters talking to each other and giving exposition.
The car chase at the end isn’t terrible, but there’s way too much going on and I can never keep track of what’s happening. And again, it would’ve been much better if they made it like Test Track – a simulator with a bunch of screens just doesn’t cut it.
The pre-show might have to be the worst part of the ride. The actors from the Fast & Furious cast look like they don’t want to have anything to do with the ride, the live actors talking to the characters on screen is cringe worthy, and whenever they say “welcome to the family,” it just feels uncomfortable.
I rode it once and I doubt I’ll ever do it again.
Which do you think are the worst attractions at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure?
