Are you planning a Universal Orlando vacation? Today we are sharing the best water rides at Universal Orlando including water attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme parks.
If you are planning a Universal vacation you should know about the water rides at Universal Orlando resort.
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure have water attractions that range from spray areas for toddlers to water thrill rides.
We like to plan a portion of our day to ride the water attractions all at once.
They are some of the best rides in the theme parks and when we ride all at once we don’t have to go through a cycle of getting soaked and then drying off.
This is easier if you are visiting multiple days, but can still be done during a one day visit to the parks.
Check out the tips at the end of this post for how to easily add water attractions into your Universal visit.
Water Rides at Universal Orlando Resort
There are three theme parks at Universal Orlando resort. They are Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.
Volcano Bay is a waterpark so that is where you will find the most water rides. They have a water coaster that is a really unique ride that takes guests up and down the water slides.
We share how to plan your day at Volcano Bay in this post: Universal’s Volcano Bay: What You Need to Know for Your First Visit You definelty want to check out the wave pool and Krakatau Aqua Coaster.
If a visit to a water park is not part of your family vacation plans there are still options to cool off with water attractions at both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
Water Rides at Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Orlando water rides are best for young kids. The main water attractions are Curious George Goes to Town and Fievel’s Playland Water Slide.
Update: These attractions are closing permanently on January 15, 2023. Hopefully new water attractions will be added but as of now the water rides are at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Both of these attractions are play areas where kids can explore and run off some energy. The Curious George play area has a water bucket that spills all over guests. There is also a dry ball area in the back of the area.
Fievel’s Playland has a fun water slide that is great for all ages. We like to let the kids play in these areas for a mid-day break.
There are a few areas in the Diagon Alley area that you can get sprayed while performing spells at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I would not consider them a water attraction but they do have water elements so I wanted to include them.
Water Rides at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Universal’s Islands of Adventure water rides will get you soaked and are thrilling attractions! If you like thrilling water attractions Islands of Adventure can’t be missed.
Starting with the Toon Lagoon area at Islands of Adventure you will find multiple areas to get wet. As you walk through Toon Lagoon there are spray areas that can cool you off without waiting for an attraction.
If you are looking for thrill you should ride Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. This is a raft rapid rides that you can either get totally soaked or not wet at all. It is really random but plan on getting soaked!
Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls is more intense than your typical log flume ride. It has a 75 foot drop that may be too much for younger guests. The minimum height requirement ride height is 44 inches and up.
This may frighten younger children so be aware of what to expect. You can do a youtube search for the rides to get an idea of what to expect.
Now that you are completely soaked you can head over to Jurassic Park River Adventure. This boat ride adventure takes guests through Jurassic Park and finds them escaping a T-Rex. You will most likely get wet on this ride!
If you have younger kids you may want to check out a few tamer ways of getting wet at Universal Orlando.
The Mystic Fountain in the The Lost Continent is an interactive fountain that will talk to you and spray you with water.
Seuss Landing is the next land that has water attractions that are great for little ones. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is an interactive circle ride where guests have to move their fish up and down to avoid the water spraying at them.
You will not get soaked but it is a good place to cool off.
If I Ran the Zoo is another play area in Seuss Landing that has a few minor water elements. You can also play in this area and not get wet, so it is great with kids!
Expect the longer wait times to be at Jurassic Park River Adventure and Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls.
If you want to skip the lines consider purchasing a Universal Express Pass or staying at an on-site resort like Hard Rock Hotel that included Express Pass.
Best Universal Orlando Water Rides
The best Universal Orlando water rides will depend on the ages of your group.
If you have older kids and adults you may want to prioritize the thrilling attractions. For guests with toddlers and young children, the splash areas will be your best option.
If you are visiting with older kids visit the Islands of Adventure water attractions. If you have young children Universal Studios water attractions are best.
- Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges- Islands of Adventure, You will get wet. Fun for all ages.
- Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls- Islands of Adventure, You will get wet. May be too intense for young kids.
- Jurassic Park River Adventure-Islands of Adventure, You will get wet, typically not soaked. Might be scary for young kids but most are fine.
- Fievel’s Playland- Universal Studios, The water slide is a lot of fun for kids of all ages. We really enjoyed this area.
Tips for Water Attractions at Universal Orlando Resort
If you do not want to be soaked all day consider packing ponchos and flip flops. Use a locker to store your sneakers and ride the attractions without soaking your shoes.
You may feel silly wearing a poncho but we are always happy we have them. I usually pick them up at the dollar store and bring them with us on our trip.
After the ride you can either toss them or put them in a bag to dry out at your hotel.
Bring ziploc bags or ask at a gift shop for an empty bag to store them. This has saved us from being soaked for our entire day.
If you have the time plan a water ride day. Visit both parks and do all the water rides and then return back to your hotel to change. We’ve done this during longer stays at Universal.
Universal water rides can be a great addition to your Universal Orlando vacation. They are some of the best attractions at the parks and I love including them in our days at the Universal theme parks.
