Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment

    4.8 (27 reviews)

    Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment Photos

    You might also consider

    More like Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment

    Recommended Reviews - Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Victoria Frankenstein
    Noah M.

    The Baseline: For a theme park attraction, a quality experiences must be provided, the attraction must be fun and engaging, an immersive environment must be established, the queue line must be themed, and safety must be a top priority. Queue: This is a great fun queue to wait in and if it moves fast you may feel like you are missing out on photo ops. It feels and immerses you into Frankenstein and set you up for the story. The lighting and decor is amazing and the videos are equally amazing for the ride setup. The locker system is also smooth and efficient and the only hold back is if you cannot operate simple technology (and that is on you and not Universal). The cast employees are there to help you if you have issues (which again is on you unless the there is a tech breakdown). Attraction: This is a Universal Monsters ultimate ride and is a must if you are visiting Epic Universe. Dark Universe is my favorite portal location and this is the ultimate attraction there. Go team Frank and Save Igor! This is a suspended track ride in which you are set into a rotating claw seat that takes you to different parts of the adventure. The adventure is to survive the different encounters with the Universal Monsters with the help of your friendly local Frankenstein's Monster, Igor, and Victoria Frankenstein (Victor's grand daughter). You get to see the hunchback, creature from the Black lagoon, the Wolfman, the Mummy, Dracula's brides, and of course, Dracula. The ride did not make me feel sick like other "claw rides" do sometimes and is very smooth and extremely fun. Rode it twice on my visit.

    Brandon T.

    Not big guy friendly, so I couldn't get on. They offer a test seat outside by the entrance and one more inside by the lockers... The left side is a tiny bit larger by about 4" wider, but still not good enough for me even just being a 3X Tall shirt size. Insanely great graphics and set design though, really wish universal would accommodate larger riders though

    Janecia H.

    I LOVE a good storyline and I'm genuinely impressed with the way they spun THAT MANY monsters into this one ride. The animatronics were popping and the seat even buzzed me in unison with the lightening strikes! I really enjoyed the diversity of representation as well!

    Frankenstein's scan
    Adrian F.

    This isn't a ride. It's a resurrection. The Monsters Unchained ride is easily one of the best dark rides ever built, full stop. Not just "theme park good." Not just "new ride good." This is industry-benchmark good. Let's start with the queue, because it deserves its own standing ovation. It's not filler. It's not air-conditioned hallway purgatory. It's world-building--moody, cinematic, and dripping with dread. The kind of queue where you slow down on purpose because you don't want to miss anything. Universal understood the assignment: the ride starts long before the vehicle moves. I deliberately didn't post more photos, because spoiling this experience would be a crime. This is one of those attractions you deserve to encounter cold, with no expectations and no context--just vibes, darkness, and mounting unease. Now, the ride itself: Precision. Scale. Atmosphere. Animatronics that feel present, not robotic. This isn't jump-scare nonsense. This is controlled terror, classic horror, and technical mastery working together like a symphony written in shadows. And the history matters here. Universal didn't just invent theme park monsters--they defined cinematic monsters. Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy--these weren't IPs, they were myth-making machines that shaped horror for a century. For years, it felt like those icons were underused, sidelined, treated like Halloween decorations instead of foundational storytelling pillars. Monsters Unchained fixes that. This ride feels like Universal finally said, "We remember who we are." And then built something worthy of that legacy.

    Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
    Monique W.

    This is one of the best rides I've ever had a chance to experience! Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment is one of the flagship attractions in Epic Universe's Dark Universe Land. The ride is in Frankenstein Manor! As you walk through the queue ,you're invited into the world of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein, the great great grand daughter of the original Henry Frankenstein as she attempts to showcase the monsters. The ride is such amazing story. The queue and the pre shows are detailed. If you go to the single rider line though, you'll miss the queue and pre show. In one room, you meet Ygor via screen who warns you of the impending danger. In another room, you'll see Dr. Victoria Frankenstein surrounded by crackling Tesla coils and ominous lab equipment. She introduces you to the Frankenstein Monster, reimagined, Dracula then appears to instigate chaos! The ride is one of the robotic arm vehicles. It's similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden journey. This ride does have a lot less of the visual 4D effects though which is great! The vehicle does have accelerations, tilts, spins and slight small drops though which aligns with all of the animatronics and how the scenes flow throughout the ride. One of the most impressive aspects that I really enjoy about this ride is all of the lifelike animatronic monsters and some of those include Dracula, the Wolf Man, the creature from the black lagoon, the mummy, and more! The figures looked amazing! They were designed well, and you could see them blink, snarl, and move! There are LED screens though that are integrated with the animatronics. This ride is lengthy, about 8 minutes long. I did have to store my bags in a locker before boarding. It is a high capacity ride, so the wait time is relatively low. When I went through the standby line, it was about 30 minutes, but single rider was walk on! This was such a fantastic ride and highly recommend it! The whole Dark Universe themed area is so immersive! If you're visiting Epic Universe, you have to try out this ride!

    My grandfather was BLOWN AWAY by the ride's architecture
    Tharin W.

    One of (if not THE) best rides Universal has ever built. I can't say enough about this incredible dark ride. It's fun, it's thrilling, the queue is amazing, the pre-show is amazing, the animatronics are 10/10. This is a MUST DO ride, one of the best dark rides in the world.

    Jacqui C.

    Located at Epic Universal. We went during off season, so not horrible too busy, but this park seemed to very popular, especially because it's new. There was a small delay while waiting in line, but they fixed it pretty quickly. The area were you wait in line is pretty impressive. It was a very fun ride and very different from the other rides. The type of track it's on is very unique and if you like monsters you definitely need to ride it. It was very fun.

    Annie N.

    Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment is one of the newer rides at Epic Universe. It is located in the Dark Universe portal of the park. It is easily my favorite attraction in the park. I loved it and my husband loved it, we ended up riding it quite a few times. I personally think this is the best attraction in the park. This is a motion ride that has 4 seats across, there is a restraint that comes over your head and the vehicle moves in all kinds of directions. It doesn't spin you, but it will move sideways, forwards, backwards as well as tipping you forward and laying you back. It's the same type of motion as the Harry Potter attraction at Islands of Adventure. The difference with this is that they made the two middle seats slightly larger. People who are more broad shoulder or chesty such as myself could have issues on the original HP version at Islands. This one however, they made wider and I had no issues with the middle seats. There are test seats out front as well as a team member to assist. If you are concerned I would say make sure to test it, because it can be very embarrassing if you get all the way to the front and cannot ride. There is a limit though, the team member has to safely make sure the restraint is locked, since the motion tips you way forward, they don't want anyone falling out. There is also a height requirement of 48 inches. The story of this attraction is centered around Dr. Victoria Frankenstein continuing work of her ancestors deep below the family estate. She brings you into her experiments which are all over the mansion and then below the estate during the ride. Of course something happens and you come along on the chase, as Dracula is leading a revolt. Some of the spooky character you get to see including: Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and more. As I stated, I love this ride! I was worried I would be sick, but to be honest, I was not at all. I think the difference is that there are not a ton of 3D screens. There are very large animatronics. I think with the moving vehicle, not having screens to look at really helped. I would ride this every single time we come to the park. I highly recommend adding this to your list of rides.

    Thomas P.

    11 out of 10! Take Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ride system, advance it 300 years, make it about Universal Monsters, and yeah, that's what this ride is. The animatronics are so lifelike and amazing that I am no longer afraid of sleeping at 5 Nights at Freddie's. You literally get up close and personal with them that you can almost touch them. It's the best dark ride anywhere. Period. Awesome ride. Can't wait to do it again and again and again!

    Raegan L.

    What a delightfully twisted & spooky bit of fun! Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment is a thrilling virtual ride showing off the best of Universal's classic monsters. This is really the marquee ride of Dark Universe. I'm not even a huge fan of Universal horror movies or the old monsters, yet I really enjoyed this ride and all it had to offer. It was beyond well done- the animatronics were off the charts realistic. There are a few pre-show viewing in the queue and I couldn't believe there wasn't a real woman standing there in one of them. Crazy. The ride itself I could best compare to the Harry Potter castle ride over in Islands of Adventure- it's a cart with 4 seats each that floats and glides through the screens that feel like you're really there in the madness. But don't worry, if the castle ride makes you sick, this one won't. My dad gets motion sickness pretty easily and he feel just fine after this ride- whereas he can't even ride the castle ride anymore because it's just guaranteed sickness. As we walked the queue there was a lot to look at- and I started to wonder if this ride would be "scary" or what the goal was. I am a huge scaredy cat so I was a little nervous, but it was all good fun! There's only one part I'd maybe consider a "jump-scare" of sorts but nothing was close enough even in the 3D to really freak a person out too much. Mostly it was just fun to see all the classic monsters share a stage. However, I'd still be careful of taking kids on this ride depending on their age and what they can handle. I know my 7-year-old self would've cried and been traumatized from this ride. But it is a great ride, just maybe not for all the kiddos. It was also cool to see some of the characters featured in the pre-show of this ride walking around Dark Universe in person once we got back outside. That really connected everything even more and made it exciting.

    Abe A.

    Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment is by far my favorite attraction at Epic Universe. This is one of the newer rides at Epic Universe which opened in May of 2025. This attraction is located in the Dark Universe portal of the park. I loved this attraction so much we ended up riding it quite a few times over the course of two visits. I personally think this is the best attraction in the park and not just because I always go for the spooky things. The ride itself, is a motion ride with 4 seats across, next to each other, it has a restraint that comes over your head and the vehicle moves in all kinds of directions. It will tip you forward, backward, side to side and also travels frontways, backway and sideways, however, it does not spin you. This is the same "arm" as the Harry Potter attraction at Islands of Adventure, if you have been on that. The main difference with this attraction compared to the IOA attraction, is that they made the two middle seats slightly larger. People who are more broad shoulder or chesty, or are a little larger, would have issues on the original HP version at Islands, but now, this one they made wider, which allows more to be able to ride. Once again there are test seats out front as well as a team member to assist. If you are concerned I would say make sure to test out the seat. It can be very embarrassing if you get all the way to the front and cannot ride. There is a limit though, the team member has to safely make sure the restraint is locked, due to the motion of the ride, they have to ensure everyone is safe and no one falls out. There is also a height requirement of 48 inches. The story of this attraction is centered around Dr. Victoria Frankenstein continuing the work of her ancestors deep below the family estate. Throughtout the line and pre show, she brings you into her experiments which are all over the mansion. The ride is below the estate. Not to give too much away but obviously something happens and you get to go along on the chase. Some of the spooky characters you get to see include Dracula, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon and more. As I already mentioned, I love this ride! I don't mind rides, they do not make me sick but my wife was very worried. She gets motion sick easily but she took Dramamine and was totally fine. The difference we figured out was there are not a ton of 3D screens, instead they use large animatronics. I would ride this every single time we come to the park. I highly recommend adding this to your list of rides. ACES!

    Wilson R.

    Amazing epic monsters Unchained is Something I was highly surprised, This Halloween It's. Must go to spot..

    See all

    20 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    21 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    27 days ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Noah M.
    153
    317
    3329

    3 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Brad G.
    510
    811
    5888

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 7
    Love this 10
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Abe A.
    426
    376
    1940

    8 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jacky C.
    271
    2282
    2707

    8 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Austin N.
    226
    54
    90

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment

    Review Highlights - Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment

    Victoria Frankenstein, the great great grand daughter of the original Henry Frankenstein as she attempts to showcase the monsters.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Amusement Parks 2,427 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Universal's Islands of Adventure - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

    Universal's Islands of Adventure

    4.0(1.5k reviews)
    3.4 miDr. Phillips, Horizons West / West Orlando

    Entering IoA into the Port of Entry may be one of my favorite parts of visiting this park. The old…read moreworld mystical soundtrack that welcomes you and the shops with different moving and talking elements really invite you into the adventure with a feeling of excitement. If you like thrills, this park is for you. Why? Velocicoaster, Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure, and the Hulk will have all coaster-head smiling. But what about low-key story-based rides for people more on my page of wanting a chiller experience? Seuss landing is adorable (could maybe use a bit of a refresh - the hole land reminds me of the books - fun, nostalgic, meaningful, but a little worn and sticky). And the water rides? Take them away and I will riot! They are currently demolishing The Lost Continent, including Mystic Fountain, which is sort of sad. But I am so excited to see what's next!

    When I consider the Universal park I'd like to visit again, this would be my first pick. There's so…read moremuch we didn't get to experience due to sharing the day between two parks. Jurrasic Park, Superheroes, Harry Potter, and classic cartoon characters are the standout themes here and the rides are made for older kids and adults. The park closed at 9p and I loved how you could get in line up until that time versus them closing entry early. Next visit we will consider the ride passes. It was an obvious difference in waiting time. SO expensive though, even without this add on. We'll be back Orlando!

    Photos
    Universal's Islands of Adventure - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

    Universal's Islands of Adventure - Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls®

    Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls®

    Universal's Islands of Adventure - The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®

    See all

    The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®

    Fun Spot America - Ride like the wind on our Liberty Swing,

    Fun Spot America

    4.1(391 reviews)
    2.2 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    Fun Spot America is a long-established business here in Orlando, Florida that can appeal to both…read morethe tourists and those of us fortunate enough to call Orlando home. It is nostalgic coming here and a great place to bring kids. Think like an old-school carnival or fair that is here year-round and you are just scratching at the surface. I would definitely recommend here. Go check it out and indulge the inner child within you.

    I recently brought two students here for a field trip and we had a good time overall!…read moreWe purchased tickets through Groupon for $62 (regular price is $69 for unlimited rides), which I think is a great deal considering how much they were able to do. I also liked that there's no entry fee for non-riders and you can purchase rides à la carte. I ended up paying $12 for a go-kart ride and LOVED it We got there around 12 PM and it wasn't crowded at all. The lines were super short, so the students were able to ride things 3-4 times with no problem, which made it even more worth it. One of the best deals was the all day dining pass (you have to buy it online). For $24, you get 2 meals and a snack, which is a steal compared to the regular menu prices. Our first stop was Cluckees where we had tenders, wings, and fries. The portions were HUGE and everything was tasty, especially the fries. None of us could even finish our food! For our snack, we grabbed ice cream. The kids loved it, but it wasn't my favorite. Later, we went back to Cluckees for a chicken sandwich and fries for dinner. This time it wasn't as good as earlier. Maybe a different cook or just an off moment. We didn't spend time in the arcade and stayed mostly outside. The park is a pretty decent size with plenty to do. Even as the day went on and traffic picked up, it never felt overly packed. The staff was friendly and very laid back, which added to the relaxed vibe of the day. Overall, it was a good experience. The kids really enjoyed it. I'd give it a 3.5. Btw I think there is a bee problem there. I saw bees flying around often. Not enough to ruin the experience, but I definitely noticed them.

    Photos
    Fun Spot America - This spin is a real Head Rush.

    This spin is a real Head Rush.

    Fun Spot America - Roller coaster

    Roller coaster

    Fun Spot America

    See all

    Universal Studios Florida - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

    Universal Studios Florida

    3.5(3k reviews)
    3.1 miDr. Phillips, Horizons West / West Orlando

    I'm so happy we've gotten to experience Universal. It was a different pace than Disney, in a good…read moreway, now that my kids are older teen and adult ages. We had a beautiful day to visit and smiled throughout the day. Some of our best moments were walking through the various city streets and seeing musical performances and dancing. The walkways were wide and we were never on top of other guests. Most rides had reasonable wait times and/or offered single rider options. The locker areas for cramped, but I appreciated how many of the wait queues were indoors, keeping us cooler and away from the rain. The Harry Potter sections were amazing, just amazing. I couldn't have imagined how it would have felt being in the middle of the space. Restaurants, both sit down and quick service, were scattered throughout the park. I loved that we didn't have to worry plan in advance to get a spot at either. My only downside to Universal Studios is that some of the themes felt outdated or just aren't favorite characters of mine. At least this helped to decrease the temptation of spending money on apparel or merchandise.

    Theme Park I had…read morebeen waiting for the kids to get old enough where it would make sense to hit these larger and more sophisticated theme parks and man, it was worth the wait! We took advantage of a package deal that was offered online and headed to Orlando. We booked accommodations at one of the newer hotels that are part of Universal (Terra Luna) and that was also a great experience. We got to the park the same day we arrived and after a few minutes getting the tickets scanned and validated, we were on our way. We opted for Universal park first and entered pretty much into minion land. From that point onward, the day was a blur of walking, riding the attractions and just marveling at the details that go into a place like this. Of all the attractions in this park, the one that the kids kept wanting to go back to was the entire Harry Potter area - they really do a spectacular job with the attractions and when the giant dragon on top of Gringotts decides to blow fire, you feel the heat wave pass you by. The park is pretty much set up in a large circle and we did a few laps that day we were here. There are plenty of food beverage options available in the park- and as you might expect, those are not going to be exactly cheap. We ate at Krusty burger over in Simpsons land and to be fair, while expensive, the food was actually better than expected for this type of venue. Definitely something for everyone at this park and sure to engage pretty much most of the age groups. I enjoyed the attractions as much as the kids did to be honest. Be prepared to walk - bring those extra comfy shoes and don't forget the sunscreen and sunglasses. A wonderful time and we are already planning another visit.

    Photos
    Universal Studios Florida - The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

    The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™

    Universal Studios Florida - Despicable Me Minion Mayhem®

    Despicable Me Minion Mayhem®

    Universal Studios Florida - Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit®

    See all

    Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit®

    Marvel Super Hero Island

    Marvel Super Hero Island

    4.7(20 reviews)
    2.7 miDr. Phillips, Horizons West / West Orlando

    Old school (pre Disney) Marvel comics, ride, and stores in Islands of Adventure in Orlando…read more Lots of comic book themed colors and designs here, good for those who are historic comic fans and the meet & greets here looked like fun if busy lines. The Hulk coaster, Fearfall wasn't on when we were there, and the Spiderman 4D experience. End of the day could've used some cleaning, someone had thrown up or really lost a meal on the ground, no one out there cleaning it up...

    Marvel Super Hero Island is located at Universal's Islands of Adventure. It's off to the left side…read moreas soon as you enter the theme park. This area opened in 1999 and is themed from the comic books! All of the buildings in the area have the comic book style architecture and has features themed from iconic Marvel Characters. I really liked how the buildings have special chrome illusion paint. Depending on where you view the building or at a different angle, with specific lighting, it changes how the buildings look! It's pretty cool. There are variety of theme park rides in Marvel Super Hero Island. The Incredible Hulk Coaster: This is a super fast ride! It goes from 0 to 40 mph in just two seconds! The ride can reach up to 67 mph though and has a variety of inversions! The Amazing Spider-Man: This is a 3D dark ride. It's a slow ride though! It combines motion simulation and special effects to immerse you in the ride! You'll get to see Spider Man and a few villains from the series! Doctor Doom Fearfall: This ride is a drop ride. You'll be launched up to close to 200 feet in the air! I try to avoid this ride though. Drop rides are a little scary for me! Storm Force Accelatron: It's a spinning ride. It's based on the X-Men series. You're helping storm defeat Magneto! There are a lot of Meet and Greets in this area! Last time I was here, I saw Wolverine and Captain America! You can also see other superheroes like Spider-man or even villains such as Doctor Doom or the Green Goblin! If you're looking for dining options there is the Captain America Diner, and some other quick service options like Aunt Anne's! There are some stores you can shop in for Marvel merchandise which offers collectible, toys, apparel and so much more! My mom and I spent a few hours at Marvel Super Hero Island. It has a lot of attractions and stores!

    Photos
    Marvel Super Hero Island - Outside

    Outside

    Marvel Super Hero Island - Captain American, Iron Man and Thor

    Captain American, Iron Man and Thor

    Marvel Super Hero Island

    See all

    ICON Park - There are jumbo games like Connect 4 & these girls got Mickey and Minnie hats from The Secret Service Agency Entertainment Company !

    ICON Park

    3.7(553 reviews)
    1.9 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    Overall, I think this is a great place to check out if you are in Orlando…read more We came here because we have Legoland gold passes which means we get free admission to sea life, Madame Tussaud's, and the Orlando Eye. All three of these together took up about two hours and then we were able to go to Cafe tu tu tango to get a bite to eat. This was a great half day experience while we were visiting Orlando. There was a parking garage and parking was super easy. By that time we left around 8:30 PM there were so many cars, but when we first got there at about 5 PM there were tons of spots. They do have parking spots you can pay for in the lower levels so it seems like if you're willing to pay there will always be parking. If you want free parking, you need to go earlier because this seems to be popular for nightlife. I always appreciate when there's so many attractions together that you can walk to. This place has quite a few restaurants, some shops and the attractions all in a contained area. It was very clean and when we came, there was a huge police presence, because apparently a couple weeks before there was hundreds of teenagers that descended to the area and fought. So the place was doing a really good job making sure that everything was safe. This is a place for both families and non-families alike.

    Another "go big or go home" Orlando destination spot for tourists, complete with its own eye (The…read moreWheel). The entertainment complex has a variety of restaurants ranging in price , including my beloved Shake Shack. There are shops, an aquarium, was museum, arcades, live music, illusion museum, and several other places on the twenty acre complex I'm not sure about parking other than knowing it's free. I usually walk over from my hotel when in town for conferences. It's something to do in evening after sitting all day listening to speakers.

    Photos
    ICON Park - There are Super cool balloon artists making balloon outfits in various places around the world the park this kid had a pirate sword and bird

    There are Super cool balloon artists making balloon outfits in various places around the world the park this kid had a pirate sword and bird

    ICON Park
    ICON Park

    See all

    Diagon Alley - Diagon Alley entrance

    Diagon Alley

    4.8(277 reviews)
    3.5 miDr. Phillips, Horizons West / West Orlando

    Hearing about it or seeing pictures is one thing, but being there in the middle of the buildings…read moreand shops is spectacular. This is a section you can spend only a little of your time in or it might be where you spend the bulk of your time. That likely depends on how many of the shops and restaurants you want to visit in the area. You may also be fans of the magical wands and making things move in the windows. I really enjoyed seeing the pages of the book come alive as well as several visitors, dressed in robes and other Harry Potter themed clothing. This is a fantastic spot for picture taking as well. It does get quite crowded in certain areas so hold onto your patience and enjoy the experience.

    I'm not a Potterhead though I did used to be a pothead and once binged all 8 movies over a couple…read moreweeks in 2014 through the haze of the ganja. And Diagon Alley is light on attractions. Its sole ride, Escape from Gringotts I gave two stars as I found it very lackluster compared to the two Potter themed thrill rides over at Islands of Adventure. But the theming in this section of the park is absolutely phenomenal and highly immersive enough to make this an easy 4 stars. The Knight Bus was fun enough for both my sister and I to get pictures by it with its friendly steward and his appropriate accent. I missed the low key entrance on our first go round. As I said I watched the movies in a cloud of smoke and didn't realize it was this secret fandom entrance/exit but the throngs passing through tipped us off. The greater density with everything packed so tightly together and its separation from the other themed areas of Universal Studios Florida makes this Potter themed area more impressive than its counterpart over at Islands of Adventure- even without a magnificent castle. The alleys, the shops, the hand painted signage, the dragon perched high shooting out that massive flame... I can only imagine how hard this hits if you're a Potter fanatic. And though Escape from Gringotts was pretty weak sauce in my estimation the queue and the theming before the ride experience was top notch. They really broke the bank on this, as with the great train ride in. Maybe if I ever go back I'll watch a Potter movie or two sober.

    Photos
    Diagon Alley - Inside Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios Florida. *The* Leaky Cauldron (I think).

    Inside Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios Florida. *The* Leaky Cauldron (I think).

    Diagon Alley - 11.21.22 The Knight Bus where troubled wizards slept, ate, and traveled by in order to find their way

    11.21.22 The Knight Bus where troubled wizards slept, ate, and traveled by in order to find their way

    Diagon Alley

    See all

    Super Nintendo World

    Super Nintendo World

    4.6(35 reviews)
    0.0 miInternational Drive / I-Drive

    Colorful, full of life and BUSY! This location is a Nintendo fan's dream, but be aware that…read moreeveryone wants to visit. There are interactive areas, 3 rides, 1 hidden attraction, lots of food and character experiences and tons of photo-ops. Shoutout to the amazing Team Members with the characters, they have some serious crowd control jobs and offer great moments with Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi. I do miss Donkey Kong and TOAD and I hope they return soon.

    We definitely felt dropped into a Mario Bros / Super Nintendo game or movie. The space, while…read moresmall, is colorful and contain the elements you'd expect to see - Yoshi, boxes to hit for sounds and points, mushrooms, Bowser, etc. Even the gift shops are fun with their apparel and character accessories. (Did a Yoshi hat come home with us? Yes, yes it did.) This space will not be appreciated by everyone - not because we don't love Mario Bros but because it is small and full of people in every corner. It offers a few attractions and it is a huge commitment to stand in line for a short thrill. We did ride Bowser's ride. It allowed for single riders. It delays regularly though - in our case a cart had to be removed and replaced on the track. It involves a lot of technology the way the game is designed. Our family of 4 did not understand the game at all and how we even gathered points. Thankfully we didn't stand in line as long and wouldn't recommend anyone else does. Sadly the other rides were not part of our day due to the lengthy wait times and in the case of Donkey Kong, so backed up that the single rider line was closed. We witnessed a lot of happy kids running around and tapping question marked boxes. Even for my older teen / adult children they stood in the space and smiled while they took it in. It was the first place they wanted to see upon our arrival.

    Photos
    Super Nintendo World - Portal at night

    Portal at night

    Super Nintendo World
    Super Nintendo World - Super Nintendo World photo ops at Universal Epic Universe

    See all

    Super Nintendo World photo ops at Universal Epic Universe

    Monsters Unchained The Frankenstein Experiment - amusementparks - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...