Universal has it’s share of wet rides.  I have to admit they are my favourite kind  especially on a hot day as most days are. 

Almost everywhere you’ll find some element of the watery type of fun whether its a full drenching or just a refreshing spray.  

There are three rides where you will get soaked although two of them depend on where you are sitting and the luck of the draw .  Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges is a little like a game of Russian roulette- one of you may stay dry but it’s unlikely.

I don’t recommend the huge people dryers which are conveniently situated near the wet rides.  I kept feeding them with dollars but I think it would take all day to get dry and the sunshine is free.  However they are good for a photo opportunity.  I would advise doing these rides all on one day and dress in clothes which will soon dry in the sun or rent a locker for the day so you can get changed afterwards.  Lockers are situated at the main entrances of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.  Take a spare plastic bag to put your handbag or purse in whilst you ride or a Ziploc bag to protect your phone.  On the Bilge-Rat Barges there is a covered central compartment to put your belongings.  I use this but still use a plastic bag.  Don’t try to stash your shoes in here as they won’t set off until everyone has their shoes on. This year a fellow rider tried three times but got spotted and gave up in the end.  I assume it’s a health and safety issue.

My favourite wet rides

• Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges.  A white water rapid type of ride. You have to wear safety belts, very bouncy, you will get very wet.  Water comes from all directions and from water guns that the observers can use.  Quite a long ride.  My all time favourite.  If you’ve a sense of humour you’ll be laughing all the way.
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls .  Another ride in the Toon Lagoon area of Islands of Adventure.  Roller coaster and flume with a huge drop at the end.  A bit of a tight squeeze for someone my size but worth the effort.  There’s a dummy seat that you can test before you ride to see if you fit.  You will get soaked.
• Jurassic Park River Adventure.  I call this a bit of everything ride.  Combining a boat ride adventure with a flume ride.  Complete with a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex.  You will probably get wet and possibly soak your bottom half.  Nice and relaxing till you get to the end.  My other half and I just happened to be right at the top of the drop when it broke down.  Luckily we survived and didn’t get eaten.

• Camp Jurassic.  Not really a ride as such but a great place to cool off and have loads of fun often at the expense of other park guests.  Apologies if we ever soaked you.  We only discovered this by accident on our third holiday and it appears it’s not very well known about so we usually have it all to ourselves.  It’s situated near the Pterandon Flyers and is an adventure   type playground with hidden caves, walkways and is great for kids ( and grownups ) to explore.  If you follow one of the paths it leads to a dinosaur containment area complete with high Jurassic Park style security doors.   Behind some rocks there are dinosaur heads which are actually water cannons shooting upwards.  This area is well themed and landscaped with heavy tropical foliage so anyone wandering through this area won’t realise that above you on a higher level is another area with water guns aiming down.  This is where we set up camp and soak the unfortunate unsuspecting passersby below.  They then spot the dinosaur head water cannons and retaliate and everyone gets soaked.  A great way to pass the time and cool off.
• The Mystic Fountain.  Again not a ride but one of my favourite places to have a rest and be entertained.  This is an interactive fountain which responds to passersby by engaging in conversation and rewarding them with a squirt or fountain of water from various jets.  I assume there’s a staff member hidden close by  listening with a hidden camera operating the water features and answering the questions.  I’ve had a good look round and there’s nothing obvious.  Children and adults enjoy the banter which is most entertaining.  There are no seats but there’s a wall at sitting height with some shade if you want to cool off but not get wet.

Cooling off at Universal Islands of Adventure

All the above rides are in Islands of Adventure however Universal has managed to slip some watery element into most of it’s rides and areas. 

• Subtle splashes at The amazing adventures of Spider-man
• Skull Island -Reign of Kong 
• Water play area for kids at If I ran the zoo at Seuss Landing
• One Fish, Two fish, Red fish, Blue fish ride at Seuss landing. 
• Several water features at Toon Lagoon making great photo points
• Misting fans and splash pads in the Marvel areas.
• Splash Zone at the end of Jurassic Park River Adventure 

Cooling off at Universal studios

• You will get splashed at  Shrek 4-D
• The Simpsons Ride
• Despicable Me Minions Mayhem
• Transformers-the ride
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• A few areas in Diagon alley especially if you have an interactive wand.
• Fievel’s Playground has a raft slide where you may get wet and a playground where your kids can splash about.
• Curious George goes to Town is a huge water play area where you can get seriously wet.  Every so often a huge bucket tips over when it gets full drenching anyone underneath. 
• Universal Orlando’s Horror Make Up Show.  Another favourite of mine where you may get wet.   I’ll give details in a more relevant post as it deserves more than a few lines.  Take the time to see a show and cool off in the air conditioning; sit down and give your feet a rest. 
• One place not to cool off is in the waterways and lakes in the Universal Resort.  Don’t think there’s no natural wildlife in these waters.  This sign is by the beach at Loews Royal Pacific. 

Have you any thoughts on keeping cool at Universal Orlando ? I’d love to read your comments.