Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon | Universal Studios Orlando


The Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon is one of the most fun rides in both of the Universal Orlando theme parks. Originally opened in April 2017 replacing the “Twister…Ride it Out” attraction which closed the prior year.

The attraction itself is within a replica of 30 Rockefeller Plaza which is the centerpiece of Rockefeller Center in midtown-Manhattan, New York City.  This building fits perfectly within the New York area and sits right next to Universal Music Plaza.

There is an extensive queue where guests pass through a replica of the corridors of the actual NBC Studios in New York City.  There is a lower level area is designed like a large lobby which displays of the history of The Tonight Show where you will find huge photos of Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, etc.  The second floor is the waiting area where guests will see live performances of The Ragtime Gals barbershop quartet as well as have the opportunity to have a meet-and-greet with Hashtag the Panda.

Once inside “Studio 6B”, guests are sent into a room for the pre-show where  Jimmy and Roots vocalist Tariqu Trotter perform a rap song on the rides safety precautions.  After the song and some of Jimmy’s antics (no spoilers here), guests move into Studio 6B for the Race Through New York.

Check out our full, on-ride POV video of the RACE THROUGH NEW YORK STARRING JIMMY FALLON at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida.

There is a minimum height requirement of 40 inches or more to go on the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon so unfortunately smaller guests will have to pass.  And since this attraction is a 3-D motion simulator, you might not want to ride if you get motion sickness easily.  We consider this ride, however, to be far less intense than the Simpsons Ride or even Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.

Unless you have Universal Express pass, a reservation is needed on the Virtual Line using the Universal Orlando Resort app.  Since the attraction itself is approximately 4 minutes not including the pre-show, and there are 76 participants per group in a “flying theater’, wait times are typically less than 40 minutes on most summer day.

So what do you think of the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon?  Is it near the top of the list of your favorite rides in Universal Studios Florida?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments of our YouTube video shown above.  

Learn More about the Universal Orlando Resort with our Theme Park Guides

Where Should We Stay When Visiting the Universal Orlando Resort?

The Universal Resort has a number of great on-site hotels and each and every one of them have their own benefits, characteristics and price points.

There are multiple “categories” of hotels but the highest quality on-site hotels are the Premier Hotels.  Premier hotels are Universal’s premium hotels that have the highest quality amenities & accommodations, the closest locations to the theme parks and largest amount of on-site hotel benefits. 

What sets Premier hotels apart is that they provide a free Universal Express pass to every guest staying in the room.  Universal Express allows guests to skip the regular lines and ride the most popular rides as many times as they would like.  Once you get used to Universal Express, you will never want to visit a theme park without one.

In addition Universal’s Premier hotels and resorts, there are a number of other on-site and off-site hotels options.  Click here to learn more about hotels in the Universal Orlando area.

Jerry Joyce

Jerry Joyce has been a Florida resident since 1988 and has lived in a variety of places in the South Florida area. Jerry is an avid boater & water sports enthusiast, beach aficionado, a lover of great food, muscle car fan and a theme park annual passholder for many years. Some of his favorite places in Florida include the Florida Keys, Walt Disney World, Cedar Key, the Loxahatchee River, St. Augustine and Ten Thousand islands.

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