Croissant Moon Bakery. (photo by @bioreconstruct)
Island of Adventure’s Croissant Moon (100% positive) was a surprise top ranking in 2023 but now we get it. The restaurant offers fresh pastries, sandwiches, and snacks that hit the spot. Their latest creation is the croffle, a croissant waffle that comes topped with a sweet topping or savory pizza topping. Green Eggs & Ham (95% positive) went from Islands of Adventure more an infamously bad restaurant with disgusting sandwiches to an eclectic selection of toppings-covered potato barrels. Menu items include the famous green eggs & ham, a pizza option, and even buffalo chicken. Quietly, Pat O’Brien’s (93% positive) has climbed your rankings for years now for its fun N’awlins menu and daily piano entertainment. Stay tuned for more coverage of Pat O’Brien’s soon. The Kitchen (92% positive) returns to our favorites lists with its impressive menu spanning your classic American breakfast to tomahawk steaks at night. The Kitchen hits it out of the park with entertainment – select breakfasts include acoustic performances and select dinners include tableside close-up magic. Finnegan’s Bar (92% positive) has always been a fan-favorite place to grab a drink or a bite to eat but the recent menu refresh introduced new entrees while retaining classic sandwiches and Irish items. Guests love the live music at the restaurant, too.
Aerial look at Sapphire Falls. The pool is shallow across the middle, like a sand bar. (aerial photo by @bioreconstruct)
Loews Sapphire Falls has skyrocketed up our ratings in 2024 and is now solidly considered the best overall resort at Universal Orlando. It receives high rankings in room quality, quietness, staff friendliness, and its expansive pool. I loved my stays at Sapphire Falls, especially dining at Strong Water Tavern, and I know several friends who prefer this resort as a step up from Cabana Bay. 96% say they would return to Loews Royal Pacific at an outstanding rate and one that tops Sapphire Fall’s 94%, we expect this is due to its inclusion of a complimentary Express Pass. Our readers rate Universal’s Endless Summer – Dockside Inn & Suites with the best food court for its huge selection of fresh food at affordable prices (I still dream about that breakfast sandwich).
The Universal globe behind lights, fountains, and pyro after CineSational. (photo by @bioreconstruct)
Two new shows top the list of best Universal Studios Florida attractions. CineSational: Symphonic Spectacular received across the board five stars from all our readers. This nighttime show combines fireworks, lights, and fountains to bring the music of the movies to life. The other new show to receive high marks is DreamWorks Imagination Celebration kids show in DreamWorks Land. This cute show is great for young families who want a place for kids to sing and dance with familiar characters. Next door is our next top attraction Animal Actors on Location which offers a low wait experience to see how animals are trained for movies and TV shows (also there’s a corgi, which is five-star worthy alone). The Wizarding World rides rate highly with Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and Hogwarts Express making the top attractions list. Finally the perennial classic Revenge of the Mummy rates highly with all guests which we hope inspires Universal Pictures to bring back Mr. Fraser back to the cinematic series.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. (photo by Michael Carelli)
In a surprise to no one, Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure is the top attraction in the Island of Adventure. After a rough opening year, the ride found its footing with consistent daily operations and wait times. If you have yet to experience this attraction we suggest riding at 1:00 p.m. or within the last half hour the park is open. Hogwarts Express consistently receives high marks at both parks, with the waits from Hogsmeade in IOA to London in USF being slightly shorter. Raptor Encounter might seem like a surprise on this list until you realize you are meeting a RAPTOR. Universal must agree with us as they frequently use the experience in advertising materials. If you want to get a little closer to those raptors then check out Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Island’s next top-rated attraction. The smooth and thrilling coaster has topped Hulk as the best intense coaster at Universal Orlando. Finally, Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges rounds out the top five with its highly themed raft ride. We love Bilge-Rat Barges and think it has the best layout and theme of any raft ride in the country.
That’s it for 2024, what was your favorite attractions at Universal Orlando? Leave them in the comments below!
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