The Simpsons Ride

Description And Comments

Another animated film coupled to a motion simulator, The Simpsons Ride is as much a satire of theme parks as it is a high-speed thrill ride through the Fox animated series that is now TV’s longest-running sitcom. Featuring the voices of Dan Castellaneta (Homer), Julie Kavner (Marge), Nancy Cartwright (Bart), Yeardley Smith (Lisa), and other cast members, the attraction uses a visit to Krustyland – the absurdly unsafe amusement park owned by the show’s cantankerous Krusty the Clown – as an excuse to skewer Disney, SeaWorld, and even Universal itself.

The queue area and pre-shows involve Simpsons video clips (both classic and newly created) that help define the characters for guests who are unfamiliar with the TV show, and mock virtually every classic Disney attraction from Haunted Mansion (here as the “Haunted Condo,” with “999 unhappy teen employees”) to Hall of Presidents (redone as “Hall of the Secretaries of the Interior” – wait time 0 minutes). Not even ride safety videos are spared; The Simpsons’ version is an outrageous gorefest starring Itchy & Scratch demonstrating how not to behave.

The attraction itself recycled the foundations of Universal's former Back to the Future ride; watch the queue video for a time-traveling cameo by Doc Brown. It is a simulator similar to Star Tours at DHS and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, but with a larger curved screen more like that of Soarin’ at Epcot. The ride vehicles hold 8 guests in two rows of four.

The storyline has the conniving Sideshow Bob secretly arriving at Krustyland, the aforementioned amusement park, and plotting his revenge on Krusty and Bart for sending him to jail. Sideshow Bob gets even by making things go wrong with the attractions that the Simpsons (and you) are riding. While there are dozens of dips, turns climbs and drops during the ride, there are probably hundreds of one-liners and visual puns. Like the show on which it’s based, The Simpsons Ride definitely has an edge, and operates on several levels. There will be jokes and visuals that you'll get but will fly over your children's heads—and most assuredly vice versa.

Touring Tips

• This attraction offers Universal Express.

Because the screen you sit in front of is a giant curved dome, anyone sitting outside the central sweet spot gets a distorted view, which may aggravate motion sickness. For the best experience, ask the attendant at the bottom of the ramps for Level 2, then ask the next attendant you see for Room 6. Taller guests (6 feet or over) should sit in the front row to avoid bumping their heads.

As far as motion simulators go, The Simpsons Ride isn't as sickness-inducing as many. The wider screen seems to help, as this mom from Huntington, New York said:

I'm not a fan of wild motion simulators, but I was fine on this ride. The field of vision makes it very engrossing, like Soarin'. However, our family still rates Star Tours higher than The Simpsons Ride, as participating in the Star Tours simulation was most like actually being a character in the original Star Wars movie!

Though not as rough and jerky as some simulators, skip it if you're an expectant mom or prone to motion sickness. Some parents may find the humor a little too coarse for their younger children.

In late 2016, Universal began testing a single rider queue at The Simpsons Ride. If available, it should help trim your wait.

The Simpsons Ride Wait Times

This chart shows you roughly how long you'll wait for The Simpsons Ride when you visit on a day with a given Universal Studios Florida Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average "peak" wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it's the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see The Simpsons Ride Wait Times.

Special Comments

• We rate this attraction as Not To Be Missed.
• This attraction has a minimum-height requirement of 40 inches.
• This attraction may be frightening for children.
• This attraction offers rider swap.

Must be 40" tall to ride; not recommended for pregnant women or people prone to motion sickness.

Special Needs

• Physical Considerations
• Video Captioning Available
• Assistive Listening Devices Available
• Must Transfer From Wheelchair/ECV
• No Service Animals

Disney Dish with Jim Hill

D’OH!-HO-HO

Don't tell Disney's legal department, but the setting that Homer and Marge float through as they experience "Captain Dinosaur's Pirate Rip-Off" ride is an exact replica of the "we take the town" sequence in Pirates of the Caribbean at the Magic Kingdom. The only difference is that you travel backwards through these well-known scenes, moving from the auction scene back to the Wicked Wench instead of the other way around.

Other Attractions in Springfield: Home of the Simpsons

• Kang & Kodos' Twirl 'n' Hurl

Touring Plans with The Simpsons Ride

• Universal Studios Florida One-Day Plan for Parents with Small Children
• Universal Studios Florida One-Day Plan WITH Early Entry
• Universal Studios Florida One-Day Plan (without Early Entry)
• Universal Orlando Highlights One-Day/Two-Park Plan WITH Early Entry PART 1
• Universal Orlando Highlights One-Day/Two-Park Plan (without Early Entry) PART 1
Universal Orlando Two-Day/Two-Park Plan WITH Early Entry DAY 1/PART 1
Universal Orlando Two-Day/Two-Park Plan (without Early Entry) DAY 1/PART 1
ALTERNATE Universal Orlando Highlights One Day/Two Park Plan PART 2
Universal Orlando Highlights One-Day/Two-Park Plan (Starting in IOA) WITH Early Entry PART 2
• See all Touring Plans...

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