Universal Studios Florida

World Expo

A short 1960s world's fair district holding one attraction, and one of the best rides in the park.

  • Opened1990
  • Attractions1
  • Places to eat0
  • HeadlinerMEN IN BLACK Alien Attack

World Expo is the smallest and least developed area in the park: a stretch of angular 1960s exposition architecture between Diagon Alley and Springfield, with almost nothing in it. Guests walk through it in ninety seconds and do not register that it is a separate land.

The reason to stop is Men in Black Alien Attack, which opened in 2000 and is one of the two or three best attractions Universal Studios Florida has. It is a competitive shooting dark ride: two vehicles run the same track side by side, you shoot aliens for points, and the car spins when you hit certain targets. Unlike most shooter rides, the score genuinely depends on knowledge — there are high-value targets that most riders never find, and the final score is announced to the whole vehicle.

It is 42 inches, it has a single rider line, and it is Express eligible. The spinning at the end catches a few people out, so it belongs on the motion-sickness list even though it looks tame from outside.

There is no dining in World Expo. Springfield is a two-minute walk in one direction and Diagon Alley is three minutes in the other.

Do not miss

  • Men in Black Alien Attack, 42 inches, with a real skill curve and a public score
  • A single rider line that regularly halves the wait
  • The shortest walk between Diagon Alley and Springfield
  • One of the quietest walkways in the park, and useful for that alone

World Expo tips

  • Shoot the alien in the crashed vehicle at the start and keep firing at the same target repeatedly; the ride rewards holding the trigger far more than aiming carefully.
  • There is a very high-value target at the end of the ride that is worth several thousand points on its own. Look up and forward in the final room rather than at the aliens beside you.
  • The car spins hard in the closing sequence. If somebody in your group is already fragile from the simulators, this is the ride that finishes them.
  • There is no food in this land at all. Eat in Springfield before you come across, or in Diagon Alley after.

Attractions in World Expo

Dark ride · 4½ min · Express

A competitive shooting dark ride from 2000 where two vehicles race the same track, the car spins when you are hit, and the score is announced to everyone.

Men in Black Alien Attack opened in 2000 and has aged remarkably well, largely because its central idea is competitive rather than technological. Two vehicles run the same track side by side through a New York overrun with aliens, each carrying six riders with mounted blasters, and every rider's shots feed a vehicle score displayed at the end.

Tips for MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack
  • Hold the trigger down constantly rather than aiming. The scoring rewards volume of fire heavily and this is the single biggest improvement most riders can make.
  • There is a very high-value target in the final room. Look up and forward at the end rather than at the aliens beside you.
  • The single rider line here is well run and routinely halves the wait, though you lose the shared score with your party.
  • The vehicle spins hard at the finish. If somebody in your group is already fragile from the simulators, do this before them rather than after.
  • Ride it twice if you enjoy the first one. Knowing where the high-value targets are roughly triples a competent score, which makes the second ride better than the first.

Full guide to MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack →