2026 Universal Studios Hollywood Attractions Guide & Ratings

Universal Studios Hollywood Attractions cover

This Universal Studios Hollywood Attraction Guide was designed to help you plan your visit to the entertainment capital of LA. Universal Studios Hollywood may not be the biggest Universal park by land area or number of attractions, but the quality level across the board is very high. Add to that, being the original Universal Studios park means it’s steeped in history. If you’re planning a trip here, lucky you! You’re sure to have an amazing time.

But as with most major theme parks, you can’t just walk up to the park gates with a ticket and expect to have a good time. You need to do your research and find out which attractions you want to experience and what your game plan will be to ensure you do everything you possibly can in a day. Even for relatively small parks like Universal Studios Hollywood, you still need to be prepared.

But you must be wondering, how do I plan a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood? Or at the very least, how do I decide on which attractions to ride during my Universal day? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I decided to make this attraction guide to give you a better understanding of the different attractions found in Universal Studios Hollywood. From thrill rides to shows, I’ll go over every single attraction and give it a rating from A+ to F.

Generally if I rate an attraction with a B+ or higher, that generally means it’s a ride worth going on. Anything lower than that is an attraction I wouldn’t consider a highlight. Now that being said, at the end of the day, this is still your vacation. If you look at the list of headliner attractions and find that one doesn’t appeal to you, then you shouldn’t feel obligated to ride it just because I ranked it as good. This was meant to be a guide, but it shouldn’t replace your personal preference or gut feel if you think you can’t, shouldn’t, or don’t want to ride a particular ride.

After I assign a rating to the attraction, it will be followed by a short description of the attraction, some touring strategies for that attraction, and who I think the attraction will appeal to. If you’re interested, you can also read my ranking of Universal Studios Hollywood rides where I go more in depth on each ride’s story and history.

Let’s begin!

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Universal Studios Hollywood Attractions Guide

Can’t Miss Attractions

Studio Tour

Rating: A+

Without a doubt the number one Universal Studios Hollywood attraction, the Studio Tour has the distinction of not only being the first Universal Studios Hollywood attraction, but the attraction that started the Universal parks to begin with. In this ride you go on a tour of the Universal Studios studio lot, passing by iconic sets from various movies and tv shows like Psycho, War of the Worlds, Nope, and The Good Place. You also get to go on King Kong 360, Earthquake, and various other experiences while on the Studio Tour that act as rides within the ride.

Anyone can do this attraction, but note that some kids may find elements of this attraction scary, such as King Kong 360, Earthquake, and the Jaws experience. This attraction, however, does not have a height requirement, meaning anyone can experience this attraction. Take note that you may get motion sickness during King Kong 360, and you may get wet during Earthquake.

I wouldn‘t recommend you do this as soon as you arrive as it takes an hour to do, which means it’ll cut into prime rope drop time. Instead, I would wait until about noon or later to do this attraction. Remember to go to the bathroom before lining up as the entire experience can take up to an hour plus how long it’ll take you to wait in line, although the line for this attraction rarely exceeds 40 minutes.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Rating: A+

If you don’t include the Studio Tour, this ride would be the best ride in the park. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is a dark ride that has you soaring over Hogwarts on an adventure with Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the entire Wizarding World gang. Along the way you’ll encounter dragons, dementors, and spiders and participate in a quidditch match. The ride blends physical sets and screens to create a seamless, immersive, one of a kind experience.

This ride has a 48” height requirement. It also has a single rider line, although if you use it you’re going to bypass a large portion of the queue. The queue of this ride is fantastic and is the best queue in the entire park. Take note that you may get motion sickness on this ride due to the ride’s various screen segments. The ride also jostles you around a lot, so keep that in mind. It’s not suitable for people who have pre-existing heart, back, or neck problems. It is also size restrictive. Guests with larger body shapes must verify via the test seat if they can fit onto the ride.

Because of its single rider line, you can do this at any time of the day. But if you want to see the entire queue, I would recommend riding it after visiting Super Nintendo World or towards the end of the day when crowds have thinned out. Lines can get long in the middle of the day, so best to avoid it then or use Universal Express.

Jurassic World – The Ride

Rating: A

Jurassic World – The Ride is one of the best Universal Studios Hollywood attractions. It takes you into the world of the movie in a water ride that has one of the best buildups of any ride in the world. Its mix of screens, practical sets, and amazing animatronics makes it one of the best rides in the park, if not the best. This is a must do, especially if you’re a fan of the Jurassic films. In the ride you go for a tour of the park when all of a sudden the Dinosaurs escape from their habitats. What follows is a chaotic ride through the park with dinosaurs on the loose.

This ride has a 42” height requirement. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. It also has a single rider line that you can use. The final drop can be quite forceful, and because of that the ride carries with it warnings for pre-existing conditions. Do note that you can get very wet on this attraction, especially if you sit in the front of the boat. For the lowest chance of getting wet, sit in the middle of the row towards the back of the boat.

I would do this ride immediately after doing Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. Its wait time can get long in the middle of the day, especially in the summer months when guests will want to cool down by going on the ride. I recommend riding with a poncho if you do not want to get wet. Remember to put your ponchos in the recycling bins after you’ve used them.

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge

Rating: A

Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge is a hybrid dark ride and interactive shooter ride. In the ride you’ll don VR headsets and race alongside your favorite Mario characters as you try and rack up enough points to beat Team Bowser. Along the way, you’ll pass by iconic locales from the Mario universe, including the ever infamous Rainbow Road. It’s such an immersive, fun, and competitive ride that’ll leave you with a smile on your face.

This ride has a 40” height requirement. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. It also has a single rider line that you can use. Just like Forbidden Journey, the attraction cannot accommodate certain body types. A test vehicle is available in order for you to check if you can ride this attraction.

This is the first ride I would do. If you can fit buying the early entry pass into your budget, I think it’s well worth it. I would recommend heading straight here as soon as the park opens even if you don’t have early entry. This ride loads pretty slowly and the line can feel like it isn’t moving. So to maximize your time, I would head here as soon as possible.

Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash

Rating: A

My personal favorite ride in the park, Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is a dark ride located in the Upper Lot opposite Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. In the ride, the cast of animals from the Secret Life of Pets take you, a recently discovered stray, across town to get adopted. Along the way you’ll encounter some threatening cats and even take a firework to the adoption center. The ride blends screens and animatronics seamlessly, and reminds me so much of large-scale Disney dark rides.

There’s a minimum height requirement of 34”. I don’t understand why this ride has a height requirement as it’s the gentlest moving ride in the entire park. This attraction cannot accommodate certain body types. A test vehicle is available in order for you to check if you can ride this attraction. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. It also has a single rider line that you can use.

Sometimes this ride requires a virtual line reservation to ride. You can book a virtual line reservation on the app. If this isn’t required, I would ride this ride in the middle of the day or towards the end of the day as you’re walking out of the park. I recommend it for the middle of the day because its queue is almost completely indoors so it makes waiting in a long line easier. It also empties out at the end of the day.

Transformers the Ride 3-D

Rating: A-

Based on the hit film franchise by Michael Bay, Transformers – The Ride 3D is a motion simulator dark ride. This is one of Universal’s famous screen based rides, although this one has you actually going around a building instead of just simply looking at a screen as your car moves. In the ride, you aid the Autobots as you try to keep the AllSpark from the Decepticons.

This ride has a 40” height requirement. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. This ride jostles you around quite a bit, so if you have any pre-existing conditions, I would do some more research to see if it is advisable for you to ride this attraction. It also goes without saying that the ride may cause motion sickness due to the screens and the 3D. There is a single rider line for this ride.

Make this your lowest priority ride when you’re at the Lower Lot. I would prioritize the other three lower lot attractions before this one. Its line doesn’t get long until a few hours after the park has opened, mostly because of the popularity of the other rides located in its vicinity.

Waterworld

Rating: A-

This stunt spectacular based on the movie Waterworld is exciting, tense, and breathtaking. It’s honestly one of the best theme park shows in existence. Inspired and loosely based on the plot of the movie, Waterworld features aquatic stunts, fighting combat, and even a flying sea plane that lands within feet from the audience. It’s the best show in Universal Studios Hollywood and one of the best Universal Studios Hollywood attractions.

If you’re sensitive to loud noises or fire, you may want to reconsider watching this show. Take note that there are “wet” and “dry” seating areas. If you sit in the wet seating area, be prepared to be splashed with a lot of water. If you want to be close to the show but don’t want to get wet, consider wearing a poncho. The show is about 30 minutes long.

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

Rating: B+

Among all the Universal Studios Hollywood attractions that are motion simulators, this one is by far my favorite. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem has guests volunteering to become minions and work for Gru. After turning into minions, you’re then taken on a variety of tests led by Gru’s three adoptive daughters. With a sweet emotional payoff, wacky scenes, and two interesting pre-shows, this ride should entertain people of all ages.

This ride has a 40” height requirement. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. This ride is a bit jerky, so if you have a pre-existing condition, I would do some more research to see if you should experience this attraction. This ride can cause motion sickness due to the screens and motion of the ride vehicles. If you would rather ride on a stationary vehicle, they do have one available.

This ride opens later than the other rides, so because of this I would save it for later in the day. If you can ride it as soon as it opens, you can be on and off the ride in about 20 minutes. This is also a good ride to pair with the Secret Life of Pets ride in doing them as your last rides of the day.

The Simpsons Ride

Rating: B+

The last of the Universal Studios Hollywood attractions that is primarily screen based, The Simpsons Ride follows TV’s favorite animated family. In the ride, the Simpsons take you on the newest ride in Krustyland, Springfield’s premier theme park. Unbeknownst to them, however, Sideshow Bob has returned and vows revenge on the Simpsons family. This is a ride that just gets more insane with every twist and turn, and for that it will always be iconic.

This ride has a 40” height requirement. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. This ride can be a bit rough, so if you have a pre-existing condition, I would do some more due diligence to see if you should experience this attraction. This ride can cause motion sickness due to the screens and motion of the ride vehicles.

Do this ride at the beginning of your day. I would say to make it the first Upper Lot ride that you do. Its line can balloon really fast, so doing it early is essential. Alternatively, you can also do this later in the day when lines get shorter because people have left the park.

Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride

Rating: B+

The last highlight among the Universal Studios Hollywood attractions, Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride is a rollercoaster that takes place (mostly) in the dark. It’s a wild, thrilling, and at times scary ride. Expect to encounter multiple mummies on this ride. The story goes that you enter an ancient Egyptian temple and are cursed by Imhotep. It’s a bit on the shorter side in terms of ride length, but it is a lot of fun!

This ride has a 48” height requirement. A test vehicle is available in order for you to check if you can ride this attraction. This ride does jostle you around quite a bit, so those with pre-existing conditions, should take extra precautions. This ride can cause motion sickness, especially for those who get dizzy riding rollercoasters.

This should be the third ride you do after Mario Kart and Jurassic World. Take advantage of the single rider line for this ride. Also, you must store all loose belongings in a locker located at the entrance of the attraction. Lockers are free for the first two hours.

The Rest of the Pack

Kung Fu Panda Adventure

Rating: B

This multi-sensory theatre experience themed to Kung Fu Panda is similar to some 3D shows like MuppetVision 3D and Mickey’s Philharmagic. In the show, Po is tasked with delivering a mysterious liquid to an emperor. Kang, the villain of the show, tries to steal the liquid. The ending of the show is the best part, when the walls of the theater melt away and transport you to another dimension. It also has one of the most clever effects ever done for a show.

The line for this show never gets too long, and shows happen continuously so do this whenever you would like to. If you don’t want a seat that vibrates, look for the seats marked with a “non-moving” sign on them.

Flight of the Hippogriff

Rating: B

This junior coaster is located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Themed around the Hippogriff, the famous winged creature featured in the books and movies, the story goes that Hagrid tries to teach his students about Hippogriffs by making one made of straw and enchanting it so students can learn how to fly them. It’s a simple ride, but its surprisingly thrilling twists and unique Hippogriff animatronic elevate this above your normal junior coaster.

This ride’s line tends to balloon in the middle of the day. Save this for the end of the day if you can, but if you aren’t able to ride it, you aren’t missing much. It has a 39” height requirement. If a guest is under 48”, supervision is required. This attraction cannot accommodate certain body types. A test vehicle is available in order for you to check if you can ride this attraction. Those with pre-existing conditions should take extra precautions before riding.

Silly Swirly

Rating: C

Located in Super Silly Fun Land, Silly Swirly is a spinner that has you riding on these creatures as you rise and fall and take in views of Universal Studios Hollywood and surrounding areas. It’s a gentle ride that brings a lot of kinetic energy to the land it’s in.

This ride shouldn’t aggravate any pre-existing conditions. It also has no height requirement. You can do this at any time. It’s probably the ride with the shortest average wait in the park. If you miss it though it’s no big deal.

Universal Studios Hollywood Attractions Guide Conclusion

And that’s it! Hopefully this post helped you decide which Universal Studios Hollywood attractions you would like to experience. I will say this park has the highest average score of any park I’ve made these kinds of posts for, which speaks to the quality of the rides here. If you need any more help with planning your USH trip, feel free to contact me in my DMs on Instagram or Facebook!

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