Disney World might be more popular with little kids, but Universal Studios has a number of attractions – among them some incredible roller coasters – that are incredibly popular with people of all ages.
For the most part, there really aren’t any Universal Studios vacation packages specifically geared toward roller coasters. However, there is currently one package tied in with the new “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” – a new section of the park set to open in a few months. For $285 per adult, you can get a four night stay at a local hotel near the park and admission to the park. At the high end of the Universal Orlando packages are stays at hotels on Universal property and a number of what are known as “Potter extras” – little souvenirs and other such things to make your stay special; this will run you $645 for each adult. In the “Wizarding World” will be two roller coasters, which will add to those already in the park.
Any talk of Universal Studios vacation packages aimed at the lovers of roller coasters has to start with “The Incredible Hulk”; it’s rated as one of the ten best roller coasters in the country, and quite the exciting ride. It’s the only rollercoaster to start out high up in a building and immediately go into a 360-degree loop! The loop wraps around a walkway in the Island of Adventures section of the park, and there’s a large net to catch glasses, hats, and other items people forget to secure. If you do remember to do so, the ride also has a series of small lockers you can use to tuck any such loose items away.
Another great roller coaster for those who love them is “Dueling Dragons”; this is actually two roller roller coasters – one red and one blue – with a dragon theme. The two rides wind and twist together; you often feel like you’re racing toward the other, and it is quite the rush to ride it.
For roller coaster lovers who have small children, Islands of Adventure has the “Flying Unicorn”. This is a smaller roller coaster, but it still has some great mini thrills to it, and it’s a great way for a family to enjoy a coaster together. Along the same lines as the “Unicorn”, over in Universal Studios is the “Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster”. It is a wonderful roller coaster to ride with your kids: exciting enough for kids, not too boring for adults, and it lasts long enough to please everyone.
Next, there’s the “Revenge of the Mummy” roller coaster, based on the recent latest version of the story of the mummy; the movies featuring Brendan Fraser. This roller coaster is quite unique in that it is entirely inside a building and it travels both forwards and backwards over the course of the ride.
One of the newest roller coasters in the park is the “Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit”. This ride includes several unique elements. It has the highest vertical lift in the world, and the first non-inverting loop. In addition, each rider gets to select a music soundtrack to listen to while they’re on the ride. The list of five songs is constantly updated, and it includes both classic and current rock music. Another unique aspect of the roller coaster is that it has both an off-board and on-board video system to capture the entire experience of your ride. Afterwards, if you want, you can buy a DVD of the event – complete with the music you selected.
Universal Studios offers a huge range of roller coasters, and they have enough different themes to please just about anyone. Taken together, they represent a great package of roller coasters that will be exciting, entertaining and completely thrilling.