Newest Additions to Universal Orlando

The last time that I went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure in Orlando it was about 5 or 6 years ago. It was so exciting for me, and I absolutely loved every minute of it. In fact, since the last time I visited Universal, I could never stop thinking about it! I was very lucky to be able to take another vacation to Universal this past week, and now I will continue to think of it once again until I go back in the future!

A few things that I remember from the last time that I went there that are now gone are: the Monster Cafe, the Terminator ride, the Dragon Challenge, and the Shrek ride. Additionally, there were changes to the Jurassic World area to make room for the new Velocicoaster and Raptor Encounter. While I did want to experience Terminator and Shrek again (and I did get a lovely piece of cheesecake and chocolate cake from the Monster Cafe the last time I visited that I would have liked again), there was still plenty to enjoy... including the newest additions to both parks: the Bourne Stuntacular, Velocicoaster, and Hagrid’s Motor Bike Adventure!

Now, these might not seem “new” to everyone, as they were brought into the parks in 2020, 2021, and 2019, respectively. But as I have not been there since their additions, they are new to me (and still newer to the parks).

I am not going to be talking about these in the order in which they came out, but rather by which park they are located in, starting with Universal Studios and then moving onto Islands of Adventure!

Bourne Stuntacular

The Bourne Stuntacular is located in Universal Studios Orlando. It takes the place of the Terminator ride, and it follows the story of Jason Bourne.

You don't necessarily have to be familiar with his story or films to enjoy the show (although it would be an added bonus) because, right from the start of the show, you are brought into a large room where you are given an overview of what you are about to witness.

Right away, I thought that the storyline to connect you to the show was amazing and well thoughtout. Jason Bourne is still on the run, and we are basically going to see him on his crazy (and dangerous) journey!

After recieving our briefing, we are coralled into the theater. The stage is in front of you, and the seating is like a movie theater. You then watch Jason Bourne on the stage doing stunts as he is chased, accompanied by moving props and screens.

I absolutely loved this show. It was like you were there witnessing Jason Bourne on the chase right in front of you. The plot and the graphics and the stunts were amazing. I was absolutely blown away after seeing the show! At one point, Jason was flying above us as if he really was on a helicopter!

The actors/actresses and stuntsmen/stuntswomen are crazy talented! And I commend them 10000% for being able to do this show multiple times throughout the day and week (and in front of an audience to boot!).

My only real complaint (which has nothing to do with the show itself and more to do with my height, haha) would be the fact that I was seated behind someone much taller than me. I had trouble seeing the show when Jason was right in the center of the stage. Luckily, he was only in the center of the stage for the very beginning and was moving around the rest of the show.

But, it was still disappointing to me, as I loved it so much and was sad to miss even a little bit due to poor seating. That being said, if you are on the shorter side like me and can switch seats with maybe the person next to you, I would recommend it. You do not want to miss out on even a minute of this spectacular show.

I would have loved to see it multiple times in one day, but due to the nature of the show, there are specific showtimes so that the actors can rest and prepare. That, and the fact that there's so much to do in Universal Studios, I just didn't have the time to see it a second time.

Now onto Islands of Aventure...

Velocicoaster

The Velocicoaster is located at Islands of Adventure and is built right into Jurassic World. It fits right into the theme of the area, and the building and the wait line make you feel like you're in Jurassic World. The scenery while on the ride is also beautiful! You go right over the water and, when you're not upside down or going too fast, you can see multiple parts of the park!

That being said, the ride is very fast! It has multiple accelerations, and the ride itself compares you to running alongside the velociraptors! This ride not only goes super fast, but it also goes upside down and drops!

The story is fun, and I love that they show Owen Grady and Claire Dearing on the big screen before the ride. While Claire is excited to share the new ride and gives you a safety briefing, Owen hates the idea and outright states how terrible it is.

I would highly recommend riding this multiple times, if you can, because it is that fun. However, the wait times for the ride are often very long! I would either advise you to get an express pass so that you are able to get on the ride quicker, pay attention to the wait times on the Universal Orlando Resort app, or utilize early park access (if you're staying at one of the parks or have the annual pass) so that you can hit the ride before the park opens.

And lastly at Islands of Adventure...

Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure

You do not have to be a Harry Potter fan to love this ride. I am a Harry Potter fan, but I think that even if it wasn't themed the way that it is, it would still be amazing because it is so different and really nothing like I've ever personally seen in a roller coaster. That being said, the theming adds SO MUCH to the ride itself. And I think that, while it would still be great, it would not be the same ride without it. The Harry Potter theming and the storyline makes this ride one that cannot be missed. It is so good that people will wait hours just to get on this ride.

With that being said, this ride does not allow for the express pass. This and the Velocicoaster had the longest wait times while I was at Universal. But, while the lines are often terrifyingly long, if you time it right, you can get on quicker than you think (or, at least, while I was there, you could).

From my personal experience, the best time to ride would be early morning if you've got early park access or at night right before the park closes. If you do have early park access, definitely take advantage of this. I found that the line was still long and seemed very taunting due to the corral that they put up. But the line actually moved pretty quickly, and the corral that the park put up was really only there to keep the foot traffic a little bit neater because everyone was heading towards Hagrid's.

If you try to hit Hagrid's in the middle of the day, you're looking at closer to an hour (or more) for wait times. But, I would like to say that, if you can, definitely try to ride it once in the daylight and once at night. While the experience is great both times, there's something so cool about being able to ride it in difference atmospheres. Although a little chillier at night, I honestly feel like it was so much more thrilling in the dark!

Pro tip: download the Universal Orlando Resort app so that you can keep up with the wait times for the rides! I found that we were able to keep an eye on all the wait times and run back and forth to different rides based on that. We were able to get a ton accomplished. I'm not sure if the app was available when I visited years ago, but I had never used it before my most recent trip, and it really was a great help!

So, now onto the ride experience...

Halfway through the queue, there's an animated show with Hagrid and Mr. Weasley. It kind of separates the line and it almost seems to make the line go by quicker (although it doesn't, haha) because when you get out of the room, you move right onto the next room. But, they don't always have it showing, especially if you go on the ride late at night or early in the morning.

The ride takes you through the Forbidden Forest, and you get to see Hagrid, as well as some magical creatures, including beautiful and realistic-looking unicorns and a centaur. It's full of so many elements from Harry Potter, and any fan would go crazy just to witness it! The animations and storyline are so nostalgic and exciting!

The roller coaster is super fast and has multiple accelerations, as well as a complete drop when you get to the Devil's Snare. It also goes backwards, and it's so much fun getting to feel like you're actually riding a motorbike! That being said, definitely try riding both in the sidecar and the bike!

My only complaint for this ride would be that it’s painful on the legs if you pull the bar too tight. You can't adjust it, so it just stays like that, and because of the speed, the pressure onto your legs from the bar is intense. It left me with indents on my leg, whoops. But, hey, at least you know you’re secure! And, regardless of that, I'd still ride it a thousand times over.

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I hope you enjoy this! And, if you’re going to Universal at any point in the near (or distant) future, I hope you enjoy the parks, too! Universal is one of those places I could visit over and over again, and it never gets old!