The Incredible Hulk Coaster

HULK GO FAST! What, you were expecting something about Hulk smashing instead? The only thing that will get smashed on this roller coaster is your body as the safety guard crushes your intestines. It’s the logical conclusion of going 67 miles per hour through seven inversions in only 75 seconds. Like the comic book character who supplied the ride with its name, this coaster isn’t the least bit subtle. It’s all about power. The sheer joy of feeling four G’s in your face is great, too.

Krakatau Aqua Coaster

Yes, one of the best thrill rides at Universal Orlando Resort is hosted at Volcano Bay. Krakatau is the volcano whose mighty presence lords above the rest of the water park. And the aqua coaster of the same name takes place in the heart of the volcano, shooting guests through a series of tunnels that will leave you breathless. It’s one of the best overall water park rides and clearly the highlight of Volcano Bay. It holds its own against Universal’s best land-based attractions, too!

Revenge of the Mummy

The Mummy film franchise may be struggling at the box office right now but A) it has survived 80 years, so don’t worry about any temporary issues and B) the Universal attraction is still brilliant. This ride uses every trick in the book to turn up the heat, one time doing so in a literal sense. It even famously throws the roller coaster cart into a reverse, a premise that Disney would borrow a couple of years later with Expedition Everest. While two other rides listed here are almost as worthy, Revenge of the Mummy gets my vote for best pure roller coaster at Universal Orlando Resort.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Hoo boy! This ride is such a rush that Universal received some terrifying survey reports during their testing phase. The realism is such that guests were literally wetting their pants at the most dramatic moments in the story. Rumors suggest that Universal toned down at least one key element, but there’s no escaping the fear of the final encounter. A too-close appearance of an audio-animatronic version of King Kong will cause your heart to race, the hallmark of a true thrill ride.