Best Place to Sit on Universal Orlando Rides
The question that every Universal Orlando Operations Team Member will hear in their career is, “Can I get the front row?” It’s an understandable question, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret: the front row isn’t always the best row to sit in. To prove it to you, let’s go on a journey together through some of the rides we have here at Universal Orlando Resort, and I’ll give you the insider scoop on where the best place to sit is. After years of riding roller coasters, there’s one thing I’ve come to learn from the experiences I’ve had on these incredible machines: it matters where you sit on a roller coaster!
Style One: Simulators
Simulators at Universal come in all shapes and sizes – everything from the moving rovers of TRANSFORMERS: The Ride – 3D to the immersive theater style of Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. The closer you sit to the screen, the less effective the 3D effects. The best place to sit across the board is somewhere near the middle back.
Style Two: Water Rides
With the exception of Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges (sorry, no matter where you sit, you’re getting soaked) the best place to sit on our water attractions all depends on how wet you want to get. Looking to cool off? The front is the best place for you (center, too, if you’re on Jurassic Park River Adventure). However, if you secretly want to avoid the splash, sit a few rows from the back.
Style Three: Dark Rides
Whether it’s the immersive story of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey or the competitive fun of MEN IN BLACK: Alien Attack, the middle seat is always preferable. By sitting in the middle, you’re given a front and center view of the action.
Style Four: Roller Coasters
No other ride type has the front row requested more than roller coasters. the front row of a roller coaster always provides the best view of the action. Whether you’re hurtling toward earth at 70 miles per hour down the first drops of the tallest roller coasters or careening through 140-foot-tall Immelmann loops, you’re going to see what’s happening much more easily when you’re in the front row of a roller coaster. Another plus? You’ll get more wind in your face, which only enhances the thrill of riding a roller coaster. A downside? Longer waits, and many amusement park front of the line pass programs don’t apply to jumping the line for the front seat on a roller coaster.
Neither is a problem with Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Rockit’s trains seat 12, which allows for a consistently smooth ride. And with stadium style seating, you’re always guaranteed a good seat no matter where you sit. However, if you’re looking for a truly rockin’ ride, you may want to try sitting on the left side of the car.
With 22 on-ride speakers and a treasure trove (literally) of theming to look at, Revenge of the Mummy is a roller coaster that is best enjoyed towards the back of the ride vehicle.
Both Rockit and Mummy have shorter coaster trains that make selecting the prime seat easy, but what happens when you step up to a coaster with a longer train?
The Incredible Hulk Coaster, for instance, provides three different ride experiences for coaster fans. First timers who may be hesitant to ride can take solace in the middle rows (4-5), while those who love unobstructed views patiently wait longer for the front row. A ride in the middle seat often comes without the wind-in-the-face thrills of the front row, augmented sensations of weightlessness experienced in the back, and you will also feel less isolated on the roller coaster train since you will have people both in front of and behind you. Ask any serious coaster enthusiast about Hulk, though, and they will tell you only one row matters: Row 8. The last row of The Incredible Hulk Coaster provides the most extreme and exhilarating experience.
For those Row 1 enthusiasts, here’s some validation for you: Dragon Challenge. Being the only inverted coaster on property (meaning the track is above you, not below), the best seat on Dragon Challenge is undisputedly the front row.
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