Best and worst of Universal Studios Hollywood

Time is a precious vacation commodity, so we've ranked the Universal Studios Hollywood rides from best to worst, based on line lengths worth enduring. (We top out at 90 minutes, the maximum anyone should wait for anything but an ER doctor.)

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• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (worth waiting 90 minutes): Four-passenger vehicles swivel, swoop and tilt as you fly behind the boy wizard in and around Hogwarts Castle. The attraction seamlessly blends animatronics with 3D-motion simulation into a magical journey.

• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (70 minutes): The story is as inventive as the visuals, delighting all ages. Beware: The lengthy preshow hints at slow loading times, so even if the line appears short, the wait may be long.

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• Studio Tour (65 minutes): If you visit Universal Studios Hollywood and skip its longest-running ride (in more ways than one), it’s like going to Pisa and blowing off the leaning tower. The actual studio-tour part is limited to a few sets and sound stages, but the attractions spice things up. The tour lasts 45 minutes, offering an unmatched wait-to-experience ratio.

• The Simpsons Ride (60 minutes): The motion simulator lacks 3D but makes up for it with multidimensional humor. It’s a must even for those who’ve never seen an episode of “The Simpsons.” Just make sure they’re riding with someone else so you don’t have to explain everything. (Bonus: Belly up to the bar in Moe's Tavern and have a Duff, an experience far richer than the beer itself.)

• Transformers: The Ride — 3D (50 minutes): The wow factor has been dulled by Forbidden Journey, which employs similar technology (a vehicle twisting and turning between immersive film scenes). Still, if you like explosions, this is your ride.

• Jurassic Park — The Ride (30 minutes): The technology in this water ride seems a bit prehistoric. In the 1990s, the animatronic dinosaurs were cutting-edge amazing. Now the stiff movements suggest a visit to Hydraulic Park. Enjoy it for the motion-simulator-free nostalgia.

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• Revenge of the Mummy — The Ride (20 minutes): What’s with all “— The Rides"? Does Universal assume people are unaware they are in a theme park where nearly everything is a ride? The indoor roller coaster shoots you up and back a rather tame track while mummy images flash in the dark.

• Shrek 4D (15 minutes): It’s not a ride. The “Shrek” 3D short features the original cast and 3D animation. The fourth “D”? Mostly sprays of water.

• WaterWorld — A Live Sea War Spectacular (10 minutes): Odds are good that more people have seen this show than the movie on which it’s based. You’re treated to explosions, fireballs and an array of water-based stunts. Its days may be numbered, as any expansion of Wizarding World is rumored to make the show disappear.

• Flight of the Hippogriff (5 minutes): Anyone with children ages 6-10 will probably have to ride this family-friendly (code for “tame”) coaster. It could be worse. It could be the Dumbo ride in Disneyland, which also packs a long, slow-moving line.

• Special Effects Show (1 minute): Amid effects that aren’t all that special (makeup and sound, really?), it’s a 25-minute excuse to show clips from Universal movies. The hosts are chipper in an annoying morning-show way. But a guy is lit on fire at the end, so it has that going for it.

• StarWay (0 minutes): This is actually the set of escalators between the upper and lower lots. Universal lists it under “Attractions” in its press materials, so who are we to argue?

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Skip unless you still have time to kill

• Raptors Encounter: You may see a mechanical velociraptor wandering outside Jurassic Park, with a way-too-breathless handler doing his/her best to convince you the dino is real. Uh, no.

• Universal’s Animal Actors: Plenty of dogs. Some birds. Could be a cat or two, if memory serves. They do a few tricks over an inordinately long time. You're better served waiting in line for something. Another beer, perhaps.