E.T. Adventure

E.T. Adventure stands as one of Universal Studios Florida most beloved attractions, a gentle dark ride that has welcomed guests of every age since the park first opened its gates in 1990. It holds a special place in the hearts of returning visitors as the very last original opening-day ride still operating, a nostalgic survivor that carries you on a glowing bicycle through the night sky and out into the stars. While newer attractions chase thrills with speed and screens, E.T. Adventure remains a quiet, charming reminder of a different era of theme park storytelling.

You will find E.T. Adventure tucked into the leafy corner of the park known as Woody Woodpecker's KidZone, an area designed with families and younger guests firmly in mind. Surrounded by a misty pine forest queue that builds anticipation from the moment you step inside, the ride is a perfect counterpoint to the high-energy attractions elsewhere across Universal Orlando Resort.

The E.T. Adventure Experience

E.T. Adventure is a gentle flying bicycle dark ride based on the classic film. After winding through a beautifully detailed redwood forest, you board a row of bicycles suspended beneath a moving track. The premise is simple and heartfelt: E.T. is ill and his home world, the Green Planet, needs your help. Your mission is to fly him safely back across the galaxy so he can heal his dying planet with his magical touch.

The ride begins with a clever personal touch. As you reach the loading area, an attendant hands you an Interplanetary Passport and asks for your name. That small detail pays off beautifully at the very end of the journey, when E.T. himself thanks each rider by name as you disembark, a moment that has delighted generations of guests and remains one of the most charming surprises in any Orlando attraction.

From there you lift off into the night sky, soaring over a glittering city before passing through space and arriving at the fantastical Green Planet, a world of luminous flowers, friendly alien creatures and soft, dreamlike colour. The pace is slow and soothing throughout, with no drops, spins or sudden movements, making it an experience built around atmosphere and emotion rather than adrenaline.

Top Tip: Listen carefully when the attendant asks for your name and speak it clearly. The name you give is the one E.T. will use to thank you at the end, so it is worth getting right for that lovely final moment.

Essential Ride Information

Height Restrictions

The minimum height to ride E.T. Adventure is just 34 inches, or 86 cm. This is one of the lowest height requirements anywhere at Universal Studios Florida, which makes the ride genuinely family friendly and accessible to most toddlers and young children. Guests below this height can still enjoy watching from the queue and the surrounding KidZone, but the gentle nature of the ride means very few young visitors find it too intense.

Queue Times by Season

Peak: During the busiest periods such as summer holidays, Christmas and Easter, expect waits of around 40 to 60 minutes during the middle of the day. The forest queue is shaded and atmospheric, which helps the time pass, but early arrival is strongly recommended.

Moderate: On a typical spring or autumn day, queue times usually settle between 20 and 35 minutes, with shorter waits in the first hour after opening and again in the evening.

Quiet: On the calmest off-peak days you may walk straight on or wait less than 15 minutes, making this an easy attraction to enjoy more than once.

Universal Express Information

E.T. Adventure is included in the Universal Express Pass programme. If you hold an eligible Express Pass, you can use the dedicated Express queue to significantly reduce your wait, which is especially valuable on busy days. Because the standard queue here moves at a steady pace, Express delivers the most benefit during peak afternoons rather than quiet mornings.

Best Times to Experience E.T. Adventure

The best time to ride E.T. Adventure is in the first hour after the park opens, when crowds are still gathering near the front of the park and the KidZone area remains quiet. Riding early also lets you enjoy the misty forest queue before the heat of the day builds, and you can always return later if the little ones want a second flight.

Late afternoon and early evening offer another excellent window. As families with young children begin to leave the park and crowds drift toward the bigger thrill rides, waits at E.T. Adventure often fall sharply. The ride takes on an extra layer of magic after dark, when the glowing city and starlit space sequences feel even more immersive.

If you are touring during a peak holiday period, aim to fit E.T. Adventure in around a parade or a major show, when much of the crowd is drawn elsewhere and the queue thins out considerably.

Top Tip: Pair E.T. Adventure with the other nearby family attractions in one efficient loop. Tackling the whole KidZone area together saves walking and keeps younger members of your group happy and entertained.

Who Should Ride E.T. Adventure?

E.T. Adventure suits a wonderfully wide audience. Families with young children will love its low height requirement and complete lack of scary moments, while nostalgic adults who grew up with the film will treasure the chance to relive a piece of cinema and theme park history. The gentle pace makes it ideal for grandparents, multi-generational groups and anyone who simply wants a calm, charming break from the thrill rides. It is also perfect for first-time visitors looking to ease younger riders into the world of dark rides. To plan the rest of your day, take a look at the other attractions across the resort.

The Story Behind the Ride

E.T. Adventure opened on 7 June 1990 as one of the original attractions at Universal Studios Florida, and it was developed in close collaboration with the films director, whose beloved 1982 movie remains one of the most cherished ever made. The team wanted the ride to continue the story beyond the film, which is why the attraction sends E.T. on a brand new journey home to the Green Planet rather than simply retelling the events of the movie.

The ride was a technical achievement for its time, combining a suspended flying vehicle, elaborate scenery and a genuine pine forest scent piped through the queue to deepen the sense of immersion. Its iconic flight over a twinkling city, lifted directly from the film most famous moment, has become one of the signature images of the entire resort.

Today E.T. Adventure carries an added significance: it is the very last opening-day attraction still operating at Universal Studios Florida. As other classic rides have closed and been replaced over the decades, E.T. Adventure has endured, beloved by fans who campaign to keep it flying for generations to come.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How tall do you need to be to ride E.T. Adventure? The minimum height is 34 inches, which is 86 cm. This is one of the lowest height requirements at the park, making it suitable for most young children.

Q: Is E.T. Adventure scary? No. It is a gentle, slow-moving dark ride with no drops, fast turns or frightening scenes. It is designed to be soothing and magical, which makes it a great choice for nervous or first-time riders.

Q: Does E.T. really say your name at the end? Yes. You give your name to an attendant when you board, and E.T. thanks you by that name as you exit the ride. It is one of the most loved moments of the whole experience.

Q: Is E.T. Adventure included with Universal Express? Yes. The ride participates in the Universal Express Pass programme, so eligible guests can use the Express queue to shorten their wait. You can plan with Universal Orlando tickets and check details at Universal Orlando or on Wikipedia.