3. Incredible Hulk Coaster (TPT Ranking: #13 overall)

HULK SMASH!!!

Yeah, I got nothing. The last time I was at Universal was two weeks before the soft launch of the updated version of Incredible Hulk Coaster. So, you have me at a disadvantage here. I’ll cede to your wisdom on this one. What I will say from watching ride videos is that the intro is AWESOME. The Stargate-ish setup prior to exploding into daylight is a design masterpiece.

2. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (TPT Ranking: #10 overall)

In your eyes, the debate over the best attraction at Universal Resort Orlando comes down to two attractions. And you’re not the only one to think that way. At the Golden Ticket Awards, your twin favorites have absolutely dominated during the 21st century. Amusement Today has selected one of them as Best Dark Ride 15 out of the last 16 years.

The more venerable of the two is The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, a ride so great that it became the de facto blueprint for Universal’s expansion. Think about all the popular motion simulation attractions at the park today. The reason Universal keeps making them is that they’re easy to do, the theming takes care of itself, and the ride throughput is tremendous. They learned all of these things thanks to the success of a simple story about Spider-Man saving the day once again. As I said in my Behind the Ride piece, it’s “one of the most influential rides of the 20th century, one whose impact is still felt today.” Personally, I would rank it ahead of the next title, but as you’ll see in a moment, it’s still not my favorite Universal attraction.

1. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (TPT Ranking: #6 overall)

Your favorite ride at Universal Orlando Resort is the most obvious one. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey almost single-handedly reversed the fortunes of the company. Prior to its arrival, Universal was a struggling competitor who lacked any advantage over their more storied neighbor at Walt Disney World. Then, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter arrived. Suddenly, they had a selling point so remarkable that Disney has become the imitator, with Pandora and Star Wars Land introduced in the wake of its success.

While the entire Hogsmeade area is a triumph, it needed a central selling point, an attraction so good that it would sell tickets. And that’s the Harry Potter experience, a motion simulator employing the same premises from Spider-Man, only expanding them into the world created by JK Rowling. Universal ride designers contemplated all the recurring elements from the seven books in the series, eventually settling on a few key elements to implement.

Thanks to this technological, well, wizardry, riders fly over the architecture of Hogwarts, they interrupt a Quidditch match, and they come face to face with bone-chilling Dementors. In only four minutes, a person receives the full Harry Potter treatment. It’s the type of theming that transports a person to a faraway land. The strategy may have been invented by Walt Disney but Universal concocted their version in a witch’s brew. A true masterpiece, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is the most important ride at any Universal theme park. I completely understand why you’ve declared it your favorite.

As for what you got wrong, let’s just say that if I were grading your paper, there’d be a lot of red ink. On the old school front, you left out Men in Black: Alien Attack, a terrible oversight. For more recent updates, this Simpsons fanatic simply cannot believe that The Simpsons Ride isn’t in the top five, much less completely excluded. For that matter, Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl would make my list. And while I’m being a fanboy, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem is a total joy from start to finish. I even love the pre-show line.

Also, while I personally hate the ride for repeatedly crotching me, I also feel like Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at least deserves a mention. While I’m not a fan, it probably deserves a nod more than a Dr. Seuss carousel. Similarly, while I, like all good-hearted people, hate the collected works of Michael Bay, Transformers: The Ride probably deserves a mention.

Then, we move along to the most obvious exclusion. THE best thing at Universal Studios anywhere in the world right now is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. It should head this list and deserves a spot in the overall top five of TPT’s Top 100. Instead, it’s not even listed. I just don’t understand that at all. Do you people hate dragons? Are you all bankers and cops who loathe the idea of a robbery? The whole thing makes me want to break out my Harry Potter wand ($79.99 MSRP…I got the Sirius Black one if you’re wondering) and cast the Imperius Curse on you so that I can MAKE you vote for Escape from Gringotts.