Universal Orlando Resort offers a large number of thrill rides and attractions for older children, teens, and adults, but what if you’re traveling with younger children? Most major attractions have height requirements ranging from 34” to 54”, and a few attractions even with lower height requirements may be too frightening for most children, such as Skull Island: Reign of Kong. There are, however, some attractions and areas made specifically for younger children to enjoy.
At Islands of Adventure, Seuss Landing is a fun spot for younger kids. The area is whimsically themed and has a few playground and water play areas, as well as the Caro-Seuss-El and the mild One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish attraction. The Cat in the Hat attraction is a fun and mostly mild ride that features some spinning, and has a height requirement of 36”. There is also the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, which is an elevated tour of Seuss Landing by train – just note that this attraction does have a height requirement of 40”.
If you’ve got a little one that loves dinosaurs, you’ll want to make a stop at the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. Go down to the lower floor below the Burger Digs restaurants to find a variety of dinosaur displays, some interactive games, and occasional dinosaur hatchings. Nearby in the Jurassic Park area, you’ll also find Camp Jurassic, an elaborate outdoor playground.
Pteranadon Flyers is a ride in Jurassic Park designed specifically for children 36” to 56” in height – adults may only ride if they are accompanying a child in that height range. The ride vehicle hangs from a suspended track, allowing guests to fly over the trees as they slide down the track. Note that this ride is very slow-loading, so if you’re going to ride, try to do as early as possible.
Over at Universal Studios Florida, the large Woody Woodpecker KidZone offers a variety of attractions and play areas for smaller children. This includes Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, a fairly short kid coaster with a height requirement of 36”. (If you’ve ridden the Barnstormer at Walt Disney World, this is similar). The area also features the show A Day in the Park with Barney, suitable for smaller children that are fans of the purple dinosaur. You’ll also find the only opening-day attraction remaining in Universal Studios, E.T. Adventure. This mild dark ride takes guests through the story of E.T., including a visit to E.T.’s planet, with a height requirement of 34”.
There are also several play areas in the KidZone. Fievel’s Playland, which references the animated film An American Tail, makes it seem as though you’ve shrunk to the size of a mouse and has areas for kids to run, climb, and slide. There’s also a raft waterslide that’s open to both kids and adults. Just behind the Playland is Curious George Goes to Town, an expansive water play area with lots of interactive opportunities to get soaked. Behind all the water features is a foam ball playground, as well.
And, of course, there’s no height requirement for meeting characters! Guests can find Gru and the Minions from Despicable Me, Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick, and Transformers such as Megatron and Bumblebee in Universal Studios Florida. Over in Islands of Adventure, Marvel Super Hero Island offers a variety of heroes daily, usually including Captain America, Spider-Man, Storm, Rogue, and other X-Men. Seuss Landing offers a variety of Dr. Seuss characters such as the Cat in the Hat, the Lorax, and Thing 1 and Thing 2. You can also catch most of these Dr. Seuss characters in the Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear! show.
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I’m Elizabeth, and I’m a planner, a vacation enthusiast, and quite the nerd. Even better, I’m dedicated to helping you plan an unforgettable vacation without all the stress. I like to say that I specialize in nerd travel – to me, being a nerd has always meant being unashamedly passionate about the stories I love. This is why I love planning for my favorite destinations – these are places that can take you right into the world of your imagination and make it real. If you’re just a grown-up kid like me, you’ll love these destinations, too. Whether you’re imagining fairytale castles or adventures with wizards and dragons, I can help you make it happen! I’m putting all that I’ve learned about vacation planning and my nerdy love of fantasy to work for you, so that you can write your amazing vacation story. Visit my blogNerdTravelPro.com to learn more about how you can get help planning your next adventure, and come visit me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for even more vacation fun and tips. Contact me at elizabeth@theaffordablemouse.com to start planning.
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