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Credit: Aditya Vyas on UnsplashWith the opening of Villain-Con Minion Blast at Universal Orlando Resort, many theme park fans have taken to social media to share their excitement over another kiddie ride being available at the park.
While the Universal and Disney Parks are often pitted against each other in terms of “best theme park,” there’s no doubt that they’re both major draws for tourists traveling to Orlando, Florida. So much so, that families will often visit both Resorts while spending time in the “theme park capital of the world.”
Late last year, it was announced that Universal Orlando would be closing their Kid Zone area in Universal Studios to make way for a brand-new kid-friendly area of the park. This time, however, the area would be themed after popular DreamWorks characters and franchises, like Kung Fu Panda, Trolls, and Shrek. This would make the area more relevant and interesting to the younger generation of Universal Guests, since the area previously included characters like Curious George, Fievel from An American Tail (1986), and Woody Woodpecker.
This closure followed a few months after Shrek 4-D was closed earlier last year to be replaced by the now-open Minion Blast. With such a significant section of the park closed for renovations, Minion Blast was a welcomed addition for Guests visiting with their families and younger children. Many shared their excitement on social media over the fact that there was another kiddie ride in a park that some say is severely lacking kid-friendly attractions.
However, there are several other kid-friendly rides to be found at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, including a handful that don’t have any height requirement.
- Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl (no height requirement)
- The Hogwarts Express (no height requirement)
- One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (no height requirement)
- Caro-Seuss-el (no height requirement)
- E.T. Adventure (min. 34″)
- Cat in the Hat (min. 36″)
- The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride (min. 36″)
- Pteranodon Flyers (min. 36″)
- Flight of the Hippogriff (min. 36″)
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong (min. 36″)
These rides are generally more family-friendly as well compared to the very kid-centric aspect of the previous Kid Zone. While the list above is just rides with no height requirements or up to 36″ tall, that list alone is almost half of the attractions available at Universal Orlando between the two existing parks. In reality, that’s a decent amount.
Universal has often been associated with being the more “adult-friendly” park with its bigger-thrill rides, Halloween Horror Nights event, and stronger pours of alcohol. While plenty of families with children still visit the park, you’re more likely to see an adult couple or group without children than you would at Disney World just down the street.
However, it’s because of Disney World that Universal should continue to focus on older Guests, from teenagers to adults without children. The Walt Disney World Resort has several Park options for Guests of all ages, making it just as easy for a newborn to ride some of the attractions as a 95-year-old grandmother. While Disney does have a good amount of roller coasters with height restrictions, it has just as many rides that anyone can ride.
In order to make the Parks more kid and family-friendly, it can be disappointing to teenagers and adults that want more thrill out of the most well-known theme parks, making it difficult to enjoy their vacation or rationalize the cost of the trip. As complaints about rude Guests and unruly children seem to be on the rise thanks to social media, it’s important for adults to be able to have a space they can enjoy, too.
While first memories and magical vacations are important for children, they can be just as important for adults, no matter if it’s their first visit or 50th time in the parks. Universal doesn’t have to do away with kiddie rides, but it would be nice if they could continue to cater more towards older Guests who enjoy bigger thrills.
Do you think Universal needs more kiddie rides or is it better as is? Share your opinions in the comments below!