My Top 5 Rollercoasters in Orlando
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With 3 major Universal theme parks and 4 at Disney, it’s no surprise that Orlando is home to some of the country’s best coasters. Some are family-friendly, while others are more heart pounding for all the thrill seekers out there. Personally, I like to enjoy a mix of both tame and exciting rides on any visit. The new VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, at 70mph, is the fastest in Orlando. It’s also the tallest launch at 155 feet: just looking at it makes me a bit queasy. In my guide, I will highlight a few of my favorite coasters at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.
Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure
Location: Universal’s Islands of Adventure
I remember waiting 3 hours for this one when it first opened at Islands of Adventure back in 2019. The wait is pretty hideous as most of it is in the direct sunshine. Nevertheless, this is one of my favorite coaters in Orlando. As of June 2025 (my latest visit), the crowds have thankfully died down a bit. At opening, I still waited 50 min as a single rider (the regular line was 90 min), so it is still quite popular. If you love Harry Potter, you will love this themed coaster which travels through the Forbidden Forest with a lot of unexpected surprises along the course (I won’t give them away, but they are pretty exciting).
According to the Universal website, this is the first coater to feature a free fall vertical drop (17 feet) and also the longest at 5053 ft (about a mile). Also, there are 7 launches, so this is one exciting and unpredictable ride. One guest gets to ride in Hagrid’s motorcycle and the other in the sidecar: I have rode both ways and prefer the motorcycle.
The queue: The outdoor queue follows Hagrid’s hut, while the indoor queue takes you past Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class and through the ruins.
The Hulk
Location: Universal’s Islands of Adventure
The Hulk has been one of my favorites for a decade now. I have been going on this coaster for as long as I can remember. It’s super fast with a 40mph launch within 2 seconds and speeds that reach 67mph. Lots of inversion and twists on this one and it all goes by just a little too fast. There are several zero gravity rolls which means the track twists at the top of a loop and you feel a temporary weightlessness feeling. This ride originally opened in 2015 but was remodeled with new ride seats plus a new storyline for the queue. The entrance is pretty cool: you will pass a giant Hulk statue holding the old ride vehicle.
The queue: In the new queue, you enter General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross’s military lab where he is running experiments using gamma radiation. Gamma radiation transformed Bruce Banner into the Hulk.
Stardust Racers
Location: Universal’s Epic Universe
I visited Universal’s newest park, Epic Universe, in early June of 2025. The park was completely packed with wait times of 1-4 hours for most rides, the longest being the Ministry of Magic. While much of the day was a frustrating experience, riding Stardust Racers was the highlight of my day. This awesome dual coaster (green & yellow) is so fast (speeds up to 62mph) and smooth. It is now one of my favorite rides in Orlando. I would visit Epic again just to experience the thrill of this coaster again. What’s really cool about this ride is that there are multiple inversions known as the “Celestial Spin” where the 2 coasters cross as they go up and down.
The queue: One downside of this ride is the boring queue which reminds me of a line at Six Flags. Also, there were no misters, so it was a miserable almost 2 hour wait in the Florida heat.
Expedition Everest
Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Expedition is one of only a handful of rides located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. Fortunately, it is one of the top coasters in Orlando. This ride is really thrilling for a Disney coaster, and probably a bit too intense for younger children. It features a huge ending drop, a steep incline, dark sections, and a number of cool special effects. I really love the Himalayan mountain/Yeti theme. The gigantic Mt. Everest makes quite the statement and there are a lot of great photo opps within the park.
On an interesting side note, it was Disney’s most expensive coaster at a whopping 100 million budget until the new Guardians of the Galaxy coaster (budget 500 million) opened at Epcot in 2022.
The queue: The line is pretty exciting with a lot of interesting artifacts to look at during the long wait including a Yeti museum.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Location: Disney’s Magic Kingdom
This one is a bit tamer than others on this list, but I love the theme and nostalgia. Big Thunder mountain is themed after gorgeous Monument Valley in Arizona. The train is supposed to take you through the haunted remains of a ghost town named Tumbleweed. As someone who lived in Arizona for 4 years and truly misses it, I appreciate the gorgeous scenery and attention to detail. You will pass many Western scenes along the way including a saloon, cacti, and big boulders. It’s a family friendly coaster that isn’t as thrilling as some of the others but still exciting with many turns and small drops.
Update: This ride closed temporarily in January of 2025 for remodeling. It is expected to open again in 2026.
The queue: You will enter an abandoned mine shaft with interactive surprises along the way.
Note: I have not been on the Jurassic Park VelociCoaster yet. Hoping to check it out first thing in the morning on my next visit so I don’t miss out! Also, I have not been on the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster.
Honorable mentions:
Space Mountain: Classic Disney ride featuring a space themed trek through starry skies. Lots of fun drops.
The Mummy: Fast and fun indoor coaster with lots of cool special effects based on the movies. Cool queue as well. A nice cool & dark break from the harsh afternoon heat and sunlight!
Ride tips
- Get on quicker as a single rider if you don’t mind splitting up with your party.
- Wear a lanyard for easy access to your ticket to open lockers. This way there is no need to worry about your phone going dead.
- Download the Wait Times apps for all parks so you can plan your day accordingly.
- Get into Universal parks an hour early by staying at a Universal resort. I like Cabana Bay: it’s affordable with a free shuttle and 2 great pools. Early entry is a great time to get on popular rides like Hagrid’s and Veloci Coaster which have long rides mid-day.
Coaster closings
Sadly, 2 great coasters, Rip Ride RockIt (Universal Studios) and Aerosmith Rock N’ Roller Coaster will be retiring soon. Universal announced that Rip Ride RockIt is expected to close in August of 2025, while Disney announced that the Rock N’Roller is scheduled to be replaced by a Muppets Coaster in 2026. I am really surprised. Rip Ride RockIt was such a unique coaster with a near vertical lift, fun music along the ride, and the world’s first non inverting loop. The Aerosmith coaster was awesome too: so fast and so fun with the music.
