Our Top 5 Rides for Kids at The Universal Orlando Resort

With all the attractions, roller coasters and thrill rides at the Universal Orlando Resort, the resort is not typically known to be as “kid friendly” as some of its Orlando area competitors.  However, there are still a great number of rides and attractions for the younger ones.

As you can see, this list encompasses ride from both Universal Studios Forida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.  We generally determined  that a “Kid Rides” is a ride that someone at most any age (beyond a new born of course) would be able to enjoy as well as a ride that is “themed” for kids in general.

The great thing about anyone putting together a “Top 5” list of just about anything is that opinions of which ride is better than the others will vary greatly.  This list is based on our own personal experience as well as the large number of guests that Endless Summer has hosted over the years. 

We anticipate that our list will change in the Summer 2024 when the new DreamWorks Land is opened.  This land will include a Trolls themed roller coaster, a splash area, character meet & greets as well as a chance to talk with Po from Kung Fu Panda.

One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish ride

The One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish ride is located in the Seuss Landing in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The entire Seuss Landing area is themed for the little ones and is based on works of Dr. Seuss as it is filled with all his characters and story lines.

After you buckle yourself into your “fish”,  you need fly your fish up & down while spinning round & round to avoid getting wet from the fountains.  But since most days in Florida are very hot, the water is quite refreshing.  While riding you will listen to great themed Dr. Seuss music – “Here we go!”.

Up to three riders can ride in each fish and wait times are generally less than 15 to 20 minutes. Universal Express is accepted at this ride.

The ET Adventure

No list of top kids rides at the Universal Orlando resort can be complete without this classic ride. The ET Adventure is one of the few remaining rides from when Universal Studios originally opened in 1990.  

This indoor / dark ride begins with watching a short video with both ET and Steven Spielberg (original movies director) setting the stage about how you will accompany ET on his journey home to save is dying planet.  Like the movie, you will fly through space of bicycles but like Steven Spielberg says, you don’t have to pedal. One of the best parts of the pre-ride experience is the interior  queue as you go through a winding forest seeing a number of props from the 1982 movie.

Once you board your “bicycle” you will ride with ET through the forest and then “fly” over the city and through space to ET’s home world known as “The Green Planet”.  You and ET will meet some of his friends and then save his planet from dying.

And as you may noticed towards the end of the video, ET says the names of his fellow heros (although this feature is not always properly functioning).  So in the beginning of the ride you will give a team member your name and get an “Interplanetary Passport”.  A running joke among annual passholders is for your entire group to give the same name.

There is a 34 inch height requirement on the ET Adventure and any children under 48 inches will need to be accompanied by a supervising companion. Wait times can vary at this ride but are typically less than 30 minutes on most days.  Universal Express is also accepted on this ride.

High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train ride

One of our particular favorites, you will ride high above Seuss Landing in Universal’s Islands of Adventure on The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train ride.  The riders are part of the Sneetches storyline in this ride as you wind through Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, around the Caro-Seuss-el and over the Islands of Adventure central lagoon.

There are two separate tracks in the Seuss Trolley Train ride so you will get slightly different experiences when you ride each one.  

The Seuss Trolley Train ride does not have a large capacity so wait times are typically longer than many of the other rides in Seuss Landing. We have seen wait times as long as 60 minutes during the summer months so if you can get on this ride early before the crowds come to the park, it should save you some time. Universal Express is also accepted that this ride. There is also a 36 inch height requirement for this ride and any children under 48 inches will need to be accompanied by a supervising companion.

The Pterandon Flyers

The Pterandon Flyers is an outstanding ride for kids and we really enjoy this ride which is a two-person ride that flies above Camp Jurassic.  You get an incredible view from well above Universal’s Islands of Adventure and you can see Skull Island: Reign of Kong as well as The Jurassic Park River Adventure.

Unlike some of the other “kid friendly” rides, there is a 36 inch height requirement to ride the Pterandon Flyers and if another person taller than 56 inches wishes to ride, an accompanying rider below that height is required to ride.  So if a teenager or adult wants to ride, they better find a child that will take them.  

Historically this has been a ride with a very long wait time due to limited capacity so make sure that you get to this one early in the day before the crowds arrive.  Most recently Universal added a “Virtual Line Pass” so you can get a specific time to ride the Pterandon Flyers.

The Cat in the Hat Ride

Our top ride in all of the Universal Orlando Resort is The Cat in the Hat.  Also located in the Seuss Landing within Universal’s Islands of Adventure, you can’t miss than huge red and white hat as you enter this area.

As you may have guessed, this ride is completely themed after the Cat in the Hat storyline by Dr. Seuss and includes a number of the characters not only including  the Cat but also Thing 1 and Thing 2.  You will enjoy the antics of the Cat as you whirl around in your car through this amazing story.

There is a 36 inch height requirement on The Cat in the Hat ride and any children under 48 inches will need to be accompanied by a supervising companion. Wait times can also vary on this ride and during busy days, we have seen wait times of more than 30 minutes.  Universal Express is accepted at The Cat in the Hat ride.

Honorable Mention: Flight of the Hippogriff

The Flight of the Hippogriff is an outstanding family-friendly coaster will give you a birds eye view of the entire Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hogsmeade.  And like Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, the Flight of the Hippogriff is a great place to start as a first time roller coaster rider.

This ride has a minimum height requirement of 36 inches and any rider under 48 inches is required to have a supervising companion.   Due to the limited capacity of the coaster ride vehicle, wait times can get lengthy and easily exceed 45 minutes on a typical summer day.

Where Should We Stay When Visiting the Universal Orlando Resort?

There are a number of great on site hotels at Universal and each and every one of them have their own benefits and characteristics.  If you are coming with the entire family that will include young children, then your best bet is the Cabana Bay Beach Resort or one of the two hotels that encompass the Endless Summer Resort.

Both hotels are relatively inexpensive for on-site theme park standards and offer larger rooms than most other hotels in the area that will give everyone in the family plenty of space.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Cabana Bay is an amazing resort that has a retro 50’s & 60’s style hotel theme and is one of the less expensive at Universal Orlando.  There is plenty to do with the kids including two massive pools with both a lazy river and a water side, a 10-lane bowling alley, a large game room and a massive on-site food court.

There are number of different buildings at Cabana Bay including two tower buildings that overlook Volcano Bay (Universal’s water park). In addition to traditional hotel rooms there are 430 square foot family suites which sleep up to six and include a kitchenette with mini fridge, microwave and sink.

The Endless Summer Resorts

Universal’s Endless Summer Resort is comprised to two hotels: The Surfside Inn and Suites and the Dockside Inn and Suites.  Both hotels are part of the “value” orientation at Universal and have a beach “vibe”.

In addition to standard rooms, these hotels feature two-bedroom suites that sleep up to six people and are perfect for a family that is traveling with small children.   These two-bedroom suites contain 440 square feet, a kitchenette area with picnic table, two queen beds in the main room and another queen bed in the second bedroom. 

On site amenities at the Endless Summer Resort hotels include resort style pools and splash pads, game rooms, fitness centers and an on-site marketplace that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

When staying at Cabana Bay or the two hotels at the Endless Summer Resort, you get a number of great benefits including early park entry, complimentary transportation to the parks as well as CityWalk.  Unfortunately Universal Express is not included with your stay at Cabana Bay or the Endless Summer Resort hotels.