My personal list (using current rides):
1. Spider-Man
• To me, this is the crown-jewel attraction of the resort. It inspired so many of the rides that have come after it, while still being the best at what it does globally two decades after its creation. Whenever I visit with first time visitors, this is the ride I take them to first. Total immersion, great blend of practical effects, real show scenes, screens, and 3D.
2. Horror Makeup Show
• I love this one because like many old-school attractions, the team members are the ones who bring the attraction to life. Even when you know some of the jokes are coming, they still get a good laugh. I love that even after the resort has become increasingly more popular, they still get in the jokes about this not being Disney, and how they can be a little mean and nasty here.
3. HP Forbidden Journey
• Despite Hagrid probably being the better ride, I think Forbidden Journey takes the spot. Nothing will beat the walk up to and through the castle. Aside from RoTR, which I haven’t been on yet, I think this is the only true queue that people don’t get bored in. The interior of Hogwarts is such a fascinating place, and there is so much going on between all the mini-show scenes and talking paintings that I could spend forever in there just listening to it all.
4. E.T.
• There’s something about this that I have a soft spot for. I don’t even know if I’ve ever seen the movie to completion, but the attraction just gets to me. It’s almost like this tiny tucked away section of the park that is still stuck in the 90s, and I love it. Brings me back to visiting parks as a little kid. The actual ride is just so peaceful. I think of it as Universal’s competitor to Its a Small World, except the audio in here is actually good.
If we were to open the list to defunct attractions, I think Jaws is a no-brainer, and I am tempted to throw Disaster’s name into th mix as well, just for how interactive and unique it was.