The 10 Rides And Attractions In Orlando Actually Worth Waiting For

Orlando's a funny place. Despite being a major city with a fast-growing metropolitan area stretching to nearly three million inhabitants, its underappreciated neighborhoods, like its main street district, with wine walks and night markets, are barely known to visitors. Instead, they swarm upon its numerous theme parks. Not that residents are complaining: Walt Disney World is the largest single-site employer in the country, and Universal's parks are driving billions of dollars in revenue each year. But with Disney's smallest park, the Magic Kingdom, pulling in 17 million visitors a year, it's no surprise that ride lines can be utterly brutal. 

Fast passes can help, but using these every day for a full family can get expensive quickly. Single-ride passes can start at $25 per person, while comprehensive passes can set you back as much as $300 per person per day in certain parks. Naturally, that's simply not accessible for many people, especially when visiting at one of the most expensive times. So, on a first-time visit, without queue-skipping magic, which rides and attractions are actually worth waiting for? After six visits in the last few years (don't ask), these are the 11 Orlando thrills I'd happily get back in line for — and a few that I would recommend lining up for even if you have a fast pass.

While the list isn't ranked, Universal Islands of Adventure's Jurassic Park VelociCoaster dominates almost every one you can find. As Orlando's fastest and highest roller coaster, with a blockbuster movie franchise to live up to, expectations are naturally high for this ride. But how fast is the VelociCoaster? And can it be that good?

Thankfully, unlike some of the recent Jurassic World movies, critics agree this one lives up to the hype. Catapulting riders into a frantic chase alongside its eponymous dinosaurs, the coaster boasts two incredible launch patterns, the second of which pulls you to speeds in excess of 70 mph in 2.4 seconds. Even though you're only held in with a lap bar, you'll then soar through four full inversions, a top hat crest, a 100-foot zero-g experience, and countless direction shifts. It's not one for those with serious motion sickness, so be warned. But for everyone else, this is rollercoaster engineering at its best. With a total ride time of about two minutes, it's a fair ride. Frankly, any longer at that intensity could be dangerous.

Average wait times for the VelociCoaster hover around an hour, which is more than fair for a ride of this quality, but you can expect that to rise considerably at peak times. From personal experience, many prefer to just ride it once because of how intense it is. If there is a long wait, don't worry too much. The theatrics in the line are incredible, with spectacular animatronic dinosaurs, multiple scene-setting videos featuring stars of the movie, and a solid overall thematic presence to help it feel a little shorter.

Just a short walk from the VelociCoaster is Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. It's part of Universal's multi-park Harry Potter universe, which is a feat in itself. It's more than possible to spend your entire Universal trip bouncing between Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and Wizarding Paris. With that said, this themed coaster might be the best all-around ride in Orlando.

From one of the viewing areas, the ride is somewhat deceptive in terms of intensity, and one could be forgiven for mistaking it for a more kid-friendly ride. That couldn't be further from the truth. Riders are seated in carriages fitted out like Hagrid's motorbike and sidecar. From my experience, opting for the bike side offers a slightly more thrilling experience, as you're raised further and feel like you're gliding. It's the longest roller coaster in Florida, clocking in at almost a mile, and it explodes through seven launches, hitting speeds of 50 mph, before whirling riders through surprise after surprise, including a 17-foot freefall — the first coaster in the U.S. to do so. There's even an insane backwards section that takes everyone by surprise on their first go-around.

It's a genuinely creative ride, and one of the biggest surprises I've had in a theme park. With average wait times of around 100 minutes, this is definitely a ride to consider prioritizing early in the day or right before the park closes. As with the rest of Universal's Harry Potter efforts, the wait is a delight, introducing you to characters from the books and movies, and setting the tone for the thematic coaster. This isn't one to miss.

If thrill-seeking is the goal of your Orlando trip, Universal's array of parks should be the priority. Disney World doesn't compete on the same level when it comes to roller coasters, but the newly opened Epcot-based Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind might suggest the Mouse is trying to change that. With a staggering cost estimated to be around $500 million, someone in the Disney camp was serious about this ride — and it shows.

As the world's longest enclosed roller coaster, it's impossible to anticipate what the ride will be like. Even as you sit down in relatively simple carriages with lap bars, you can't deduce much. But as soon as you set off on your story-based ride, it's a different universe. The carriages rotate a full 360 degrees, controlled throughout the entire 5,577.4 feet of track. This helps both with the visual experience and gifts the odd experience of drifting smoothly through some aggressive turns — kind of like being in space. It features a tremendous reverse launch section, speeds up to 50 mph, and some of the best visuals of any ride in Orlando. Throw in the epic soundtrack featuring one of six songs from yesteryear, and you have one of the best attractions in Orlando. It's a Space Mountain for a new generation.

While some Disney lines are so long that this unsanitary trend of going to the toilet in the bushes has taken off, Cosmic Rewind's wait time averages around 87 minutes. Epcot has fewer major thrill rides, so it's worth keeping an eye on the wait and seizing your chance when it drops. With that said, the wait itself is epic. Riders are fully immersed in the Marvel universe, and the pre-boarding mood is set by a Terry Crews and Glenn Close-led space evacuation. It's all pretty unbelievable.

We're back in Universal for this one: specifically, its brand-new Epic Universe theme park — just adding to the reasons you should visit Universal Orlando Resort. Its signature attraction, Battle at the Ministry, is nestled (a little confusingly, if you're not a Potterhead) in an astounding recreation of wizarding 1920s Paris as featured in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise. From a purely personal standpoint, the ride itself in isolation probably wouldn't have made my list, but combined with everything else, it's on a different level.

The story-based ride centers on the trial of Dolores Umbridge (the villain from the fifth book and film), which takes place in the lavishly recreated Ministry of Magic in London. The jolting and jostling ride is impressive, using state-of-the-art imagery to hurl you through wand-waged battles between Harry, his friends, and Death Eaters, and is one of the best in its class. Frankly, it's the queue you'll be raving about.

The waiting experience might be the best in any theme park in the world. For Potter fans, the recreation is astounding. Riders enter the Ministry via Floo Powder, one of the best immersion efforts in an already hyperimmersive park, and wander through countless nods to the franchise, complete with moving wanted posters and character offices. Featuring more than 125,000 tiles, the Ministry of Magic has been recreated almost perfectly to scale in some respects, with some clever trickery to broaden its depth further. It's worth rewatching the fifth installment just to grasp how impressive it all is. It's one ride I'd recommend skipping a fast pass for, especially if you're a serious fan. For those less bothered about the wizarding world, the average wait time of almost 2 hours might stretch a little too far.

Disney's Star Wars-based Galaxy's Edge was a direct response to Universal's game-changing Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Disney gifted Star Wars fans with an incredible and hyperinteractive experience. While others might disagree with this article for not including Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, it's Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance that steals the show and makes the wait time worth it.

Another dark ride (meaning not a roller coaster but a guided ride, usually in the dark, using animatronics and other effects), Rise of the Resistance, turns riders into members of the Resistance, caught up in a daring rescue mission on board a First Order spaceship. For Star Wars fans, it's a joy. Being thrown around by Kylo Ren's force blasts, flitting at the feet of full-scale AT-ATs, and dodging Stormtrooper attacks, it's everything you'd hope for in a Star Wars ride. The effects, both cutting-edge and traditional, are well-used, and it all flows excellently. It's the pre-ride that steals the show, though.

Segmenting and slowing the lines to allow smooth operation, riders are ushered by cast members into a to-scale spaceship with an animatronic alien (I won't say who), before being taken hostage by the First Order. The first step off the ship, greeted by a full army of Stormtroopers, is out of this world. For those who grew up with the movies, it's a little dream come true. The average wait time is around 71 minutes, but as soon as those blast doors open, you won't remember a thing about it.

The Magic Kingdom is usually for visitors with kids. For years, it's been coasting on nostalgia, with its primary thrill rides such as Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (currently closed) now feeling a little dated or underwhelming. TRON Lightcycle / Run addresses this.

Whether it succeeded is subjective, but there's no denying it's a great ride, and the only truly modern thrill ride in the Magic Kingdom at the moment. That fact alone makes it worth waiting for. Riders are catapulted through the electronic grid-world of the TRON movie franchise in unique bike-style cars. The forward-leaning position you're held in helps make the ride a little more intense, although it can be a little uncomfortable for taller riders. You'll hit speeds up to 60 mph, soaring outside of the impressive canopy it's housed in before heading into a video game-like interior. It encapsulates the TRON world well — if you've ever actually seen the movies.

It's earned its place on this list because in a park devoid of other true thrill rides, it can be a real highlight — especially for first-time adult visitors who aren't as moved by the nostalgia of the first park. Compared to Epcot-based Cosmic Rewind or one of Universal's world-class roller coasters, though, it's a step down. The thematic experience during the wait is limited, and most of it is outside with nothing around you. Plus, at 60 seconds, it's the shortest ride on this list. If you're bouncing around with a park hopper to hit rides, you might not want to prioritize it. Visit during summer, an unexpected time of year for fewer crowds, and you might not have to worry at all.

Epic Universe has been immensely popular since it opened earlier this year. While its primary highlights are the spectacular designs of its Wizarding World, Monsters, Nintendo, and the "How to Train Your Dragon" universe, it's a stunning standalone coaster that might be the best pound-for-pound ride there.

Named Stardust Racers, it's a dual-launch roller coaster that hits speeds up to 62 mph and soars to 133 feet. In case the dual-launch concept has gone over your head, two separate carriages launch simultaneously along mirrored tracks that intertwine at key twists and turns. One superb moment sees each carriage barrel roll over the other on a steep drop. It's a true standout roller coaster in Orlando, with some theme park aficionados even throwing its name around as one of the best in the world.

Despite rave reviews, it has one of the lowest average wait times on this list at just 36 minutes. My own experience mirrored this. I stampeded into the park at opening time, passing right by Stardust Racers in hopes of getting into the Ministry of Magic quicker. Instead, I was met with a 3-hour wait. Starlight had a 5-minute wait time, allowing me to ride it multiple times in 30 minutes. It has a loose story involving captured comets, and it's located in Celestial Park, which is effectively the path that leads to the other universes. Regardless, even if you stumble on a longer wait day, don't hesitate. This is an epic thrill ride.

With everything going on at Universal these days, an older ride like the Hulk may have been on the chopping block. But where other, newer rides have failed, the big green mean machine is still thriving. It underwent major renovations in 2015, with the track fully replaced and the queue experience updated to ensure it stays relevant, but frankly, the ride in itself is good enough.

Despite being over 25 years old, the ride is as thrilling as ever. Its initial launch sequence sees riders propelled to 40 mph within two seconds upward through a sensory-blasting tunnel before peeling off dramatically at the peak. From there, it's a whirlwind of seven inversions, two underground trenches, and top speeds of around 67 mph.

The Incredible Hulk Coaster is one of my favorite coasters in Orlando. Incredibly fast and featuring a zero-gravity roll, it's still a standout ride, from the initial blast-off to the very end. The ride is particularly good at dusk, adding an atmospheric tinge to the incredible views of the park — if you can peel your face off the headrest to look. Even the waiting is good fun, and feels like stepping into the comic book itself.

Pleasantly, the presence of VelociCoaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and the ability to jump between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios means crowds have thinned down a little for Hulk. The average wait time was just 30 minutes, putting multiple rides firmly on the cards. Even if that wait creeps up, this old-timer is still more than worth it.

In my opinion, Revenge of the Mummy might be the most overlooked ride at Universal, if not Orlando. Its exterior is a little inconspicuous, and once you're inside, it feels slightly dated compared to the newer, total immersion-based areas like Wizarding World and Galaxy's Edge. But for those who ignore the warning signs, Revenge of the Mummy is an immensely rewarding experience and sets the standard for story-based rides.

Pinning down exactly what this ride is makes it so fun. The ride is part movie immersion and part roller coaster, with initial and sudden speeds of up to 45 mph, a genuine surprise on the first go-around. The effects are excellent, using real fire (which feels alarmingly close), smart animatronics, and graphics to explore the film's various dangers. Leaving without trying this ride is a shame, and many do so by no fault of their own. Just be warned if you're scared of the dark.

Thankfully, average wait times for Revenge of the Mummy sit at around half an hour, making it an easy ride to fit into your day. But it's worth waiting far longer than that. It's one I always head back to, as remembering the drops and unexpected turns is nearly impossible.

Operating as something of a sister ride to Battle at the Ministry, Escape from Gringotts was, and is, the premier attraction in the Diagon Alley section of Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. When it launched in 2014, it was a central part of the game-changing world-building being accomplished in Universal's parks.

The approach to the ride is special. Visitors enter this corner of the park through an iconic, enchanted brick wall to find a life-size, no-detail-missed replica of Diagon Alley. Again, for Potter fans, it's an unparalleled experience. Gringotts, the wizarding bank, is guarded by a fire-breathing dragon (literally) and houses the ride within its walls. The waiting line is impressive in its own right and features a walkthrough of the bank, complete with goblin tellers and some character introductions. From my perspective, the ride itself is superior to Battle at the Ministry. While similar, it's more aggressive in its coaster aspects and a little more thrilling than its counterpart.

Its average wait time is around 44 minutes, but this can surge heavily during peak dates, so be prepared for longer. As mentioned, the surroundings, engineering, storytelling, and atmosphere all make an hour fly by.

I've visited Orlando and most of its parks seven times in the last six years, taking in almost all of the rides each time with the use of fast passes. Without those passes, these are the rides I would opt to wait for, considering the excitement, originality, waiting experience, and overall thrill. I've also taken into account expert opinions and statistics from a range of blogs, websites, and official sources.