Universal’s New Dark Ride Rivals Disney’s Best
When I stepped off Universal’s newest attraction to officially open, I was blown away. I wouldn’t say that the ride made my jaw drop, but that’s only because I had a dumb grin plastered on my face for the entirety the experience. I was laughing and having such a good time that I knew I had missed a lot, and wanted to do it again immediately.
As much as I try to avoid the needless and contrived faux fan rivalry between Disney and Universal, that’s exactly where my mind kept going. I couldn’t help it. For lack of a better term, this is a Disney dark ride, something straight out of Fantasyland or Toontown with the types of old school gags, whimsy, and charm you’d expect from Imagineering.
Except this is better than any Fantasyland-style dark ride in recent memory at Walt Disney World or Disneyland. It puts Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure), and Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid all to shame.
The attraction in question is the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash. It’s a new family-friendly dark ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, located in the Upper Lot across from Despicable Me Minion Mayhem in a newly-redesigned area called Pets Place, which is essentially a New York City area.
Often derided by Disney fans for leaning too heavily into screens, simulators, and 3D, Universal Creative has flipped the script here. The Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash is a slow-moving dark ride that tastefully uses screens to complement physical sets. It’s almost entirely animatronics, dimensional environments, and practical effects. In fact, the balance of Secret Life of Pets: Off The Leash rivals the best modern masterpieces of Walt Disney Imagineering. But more on the comparisons in a bit.
NOTE: This review contains photo and plot spoilers for the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash. While there are no big ‘wow moments’ that can be spoiled–the joy here is in the totality of the experience–the ride is still best enjoyed for the first time in person. You’ve been warned…
The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash begins outside a Manhattan apartment building. The attraction uses Universal’s Virtual Line, with return times offered via the official app or at ticket kiosks around the corner from the entrance.
The attraction facade is relatively nondescript, although the vibrance and crisp quality feels like a vaguely romanticized caricature of New York City. It’s a delightfully detailed and inviting area that fits well with the residential streets of the Upper Lot.
The attraction queue weaves through apartments that would presumably be familiar to fans of the Secret Life of Pets films.
We’ve seen neither, but appreciated the lived-in quality of the homes, which had a ton of Easter Eggs ranging from posters to a Nintendo GameCube.
As dachshund owners, we were sold on the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash almost from the get-go. I’m going to go ahead and ignore all the cues from the attraction and assume this character is the franchise’s hero, known for his bravery and quick wits. However, I do question the accuracy of a dachshund that simply goes about his business when strangers enter his home.
Sadly, this is not even remotely consistent with our personal experiences, which tend to occur at a much higher decibel level. Setting aside that delightfully pleasant inaccuracy, the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash queue and pre-show are exceptional. Among the best of any theme park attraction anywhere.
In the living room, we learn the attraction’s premise, that we are stray puppies in need of adoption, from Patton Oswalt: The Dog and Cam from Modern Family: The Dog (sorry, don’t know their names in the film or Cam’s real name, so we’ll roll with typical Universal naming convention).
There’s an adoption event at the pet store…yadda yadda yadda…Kevin Hart has a harebrained plan to get us there.
Despite this being a Virtual Line, Universal isn’t really “blurring the lines” of a traditional theme park pre-show versus ride here, but it’s an incredibly effective set-up with great animatronics and furniture leveraged exquisitely to create a more organic queue.
From there, we head to the load area and board the two-person cardboard box vehicles. The ride system also isn’t groundbreaking–it’s an omnimover rather than something trackless, but it’s a good fit for the attraction.
From there, our boxes depart for the pet store, we see our alternative reality dog selves in a window, and head for a scenic drive (?) through the alleyway behind Pets Place. This area, along with every other environment in Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, is jam-packed with visuals. The ride is leisurely at this point, but it’s still impossible to see it all.
In short order, the attraction switches gears and hits its “something has gone terribly wrong” bump in the road. Unlike every other pet ever, Snowball likes fireworks and decides to put those to good use. That goes exactly how you’d expect. No matter, as the journey and the ensuing hijinks are the stars of the show here. The narrative and destination matter, but they’re overshadowed by the fun you’ll have along the way.
The ensuing scenes are frenetic and madcap, in the best way possible. I don’t want to spoil everything (several scenes are not described or pictured here), but you can tell the Universal Creative team behind Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash had fun with it, and wasn’t afraid to think outside the box and get a little weird.
It’s never too outlandish or unconventional, and it’s always hilarious. I know Disney doesn’t have a monopoly on charming dark rides, but there’s something about this that just has an early 1990s Imagineering sensibility to it. I can’t quite articulate what or why, but it’s there.
The attraction succeeds largely on the hilarity of dogs and cats doing dog and cat things. One of the questions we asked ourselves upon exiting is “why aren’t there more attractions based on pets?!” That now seems like as glaring of a theme park oversight as the underrepresentation of dinosaurs. (Thankfully, Universal is remedying both this summer!)
The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash also contains an emotionally poignant note with the fulfillment of its premise. This extends its depth even further, making it a really satisfying experience from start to finish.
Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is also a masterclass in pragmatic design. Nowhere does it try to overachieve–the appropriate ride system, figures, props, and other technology is always utilized.
When something impressive is called for, it’s there. When it isn’t, it’s not. This might sound like a backhanded compliment, but it absolutely is not. The restraint allows the attraction to have a formidable number of animatronics–over 60! I can’t remember the last time a Disney attraction had this many (maybe Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage, and you probably already know what we think of that).
All too often, the tail wags the dog when it comes to bleeding edge technology in theme park attractions. This results in one of two things: attractions that don’t age well and ones that are terribly imbalanced because half their budget was clearly blown on 5 seconds of a 5 minute ride. There are around a half-dozen examples of this from the last two decades at Walt Disney World.
Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash avoids those pitfalls, and presents a perfectly-balanced marriage of animatronics, practical effects, props, screens, and other tech. It’s engrossing from start to finish, with eye-catching visuals, gags, and tons of pets. There’s truly never a dull moment; it’s non-stop fun.
That brings us to the Disney comparisons, which really hammer home this point. Most fans will want to know how Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash compares to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Quite simply, it’s better than both–a little better than the former and a lot better than the latter.
Both of those Disney attractions fail in seamlessly blending technology, leaning too heavily on screens. Those are intended to be big, high-energy rides (with budgets to match!) but they don’t have the emotional resonance or heart of Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash. It’s a ride that simply works, and everything clicks better.
Aiming a bit higher, the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash reminds me most of Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek at Tokyo Disneyland. There are a ton of similarities, from ride vehicles to set staging and more. Secret Life of Pets is smoother, newer, and has dogs & cats, so I prefer it by a slight margin, but it’s a close call/personal preference.
There are also some passing similarities between this and Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin and Mystic Manor, but that more comes down to pacing, energy, and the tone of some gags. Those comparisons otherwise fall apart–it’s great, but not Mystic Manor level great. In terms of Universal comparisons, it reminds me of Men in Black: Alien Attack, minus interactivity–plus pets.
Beyond all that, the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash really reinforced that Universal is having a moment. Post-reopening, we’ve lavished praise on Universal Orlando, noting how much more aggressive they’ve been than Walt Disney World at courting guests with promotions and special offerings. Universal has also gone above and beyond to ensure entertainment, attractions, and seasonal festivities offered commensurate value for money even in these temporarily abnormal times.
Then there has been the brisk construction pace on Jurassic World VelociCoaster and the quicker-than-expected resumption of work on Epic Universe, the third gate at Universal Orlando. On the other side of the globe, Universal Studios Japan opened Super Nintendo World; while I’ve avoided all spoilers of that, the limited tidbits I’ve seen and heard sure sound and look awesome.
Universal Studios Hollywood’s “moment” has arguably been happening for the better part of the last decade. We first became Annual Passholders in late 2014, after the announcement of Universal’s “Unprecedented Investment in Epic Theme Park Transformation” that April.
At that point, construction was already in full swing. In addition to significant projects like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, place-making was happening around the Upper Lot that made it more inviting and richly-themed. There have been some missteps along the way (looking at you, Fast & Furious Supercharged), but the vast majority have been resounding successes. Universal Studios Hollywood is a dramatically different–and better–park than the one we first visited in 2014. The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash extends that winning streak and further diversifies an ever-improving attraction lineup.
Ultimately, the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is a home run. Not a booming solo shot, long gone the moment it makes contact with the batter flipping the bat and slowly trotting out of the box. One that has a gritty utility player rushing out of the batter’s box, slowing down only when the ball clears the right field wall. The kind of home run that looks better with each subsequent replay.
Perhaps the baseball analogy is a tad tortured, but the point is that the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash is both a home run and a ride that surprises you, getting better with each subsequent ride-through. It’s an old school dark ride that is not particularly flashy, but features an impressive number of animatronics, nails the fundamentals, and fires on all cylinders so incredibly well that it’s more memorable than most blockbuster attractions. And as much as I dislike the manufactured rivalry, it’s really remarkable that Universal is essentially eating Disney’s lunch in the year that the latter’s flagship resort turns 50. Who knew that dinosaurs, dogs, cats, and iconic video game characters could so handily beat (*checks notes*) a rat in a kitchen. Everyone, that’s who.
Planning a Southern California vacation? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles or Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Pasadena, Santa Monica, Laguna Beach, and tons of other places! For comprehensive theme park advice, consult our Universal Studios Hollywood Planning Guide and/or our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide.
Your Thoughts
Have you experienced the Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Is this an attraction you’d like to ride? Would you take a side trip to Universal Studios Hollywood while visiting Disneyland for this? Wish Imagineering would build another “old school” attraction like this? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
It’s really funny that you liked it so much, because my family went to Universal and had the worst experience with it! The “virtual line” took hours, was very unorganized. People keept going in the express lane without being checked to see if they had the express pass. We liked how immersive the line was, but it was not fun for the claustrophobic members of our party. The highlight of the ride for us was seeing ouselves as puppys, but the rest was pretty underwhelming. The anamatronics were pretty good, and the design of each room was appreciated. However, it was really hard to see anything, it was SUPER hot, and there was a weird smell in there.
I’m really glad I got to read this article, because it gives me a much different veiw on the ride. My experience was so bad that my family keeps using it as a comparison for bad things. “How was your weekend? Mine was worse than the Secret Life of Pets ride!”
Anyways, thanks for this article!
When I stepped off Universal’s newest attraction to officially open, I was blown away. Doesn’t make sense unless u say when I stepped off Universal’s newest attraction I was blown away. But we get what u mean smh
This sounds like something my son would love. Do you happen to know if it is handicapped accessible?
Thanks, Tom! Fingers crossed for Disneyland following suit next month.
Where would you place this attraction in your Universal order after arrival list?
We are going to USH for the very firs time next week!
It’s not a high priority because of the Virtual Line. Race down to the Lower Lot and knock things out there, starting with Jurassic World.
“It’s really more like the dachshund owns us.” So true! But there are worse emperors and empresses that could be running your lives.
Has California lifted the non-resident restrictions for theme parks? Or is the restriction just no longer being enforced now that vaccinations are widely available? We’ve been eyeballing a trip to Disneyland but all of the language on the hotel reservation site warning us against it (proof of residency may be required!) has scared us off.
“Has California lifted the non-resident restrictions for theme parks?”
The short answer is yes. Universal, SeaWorld, Knott’s…pretty much every theme park in the state…have updated their policies to allow fully-vaccinated out of state visitors.
Unfortunately, Disneyland has not updated its policy to reflect this change. Accordingly, we opted not to visit. It probably wouldn’t have been an issue as I’ve heard Disneyland isn’t enforcing anything, but we’re not the rule-breaking type. Not a huge issue for us, we’ll just head back in June when things change.
Hi Tom. When was the debut of this ride? Did you guys just go on a trip out to CA?
Universal is the best thing to happen to a Disney fans. And vice-versa. Competition breeds excellence.
Great review Tom, I agree with most of your assessment. The thing that baffles me the most with this new attraction are the ride vehicles and restraint system. As a simple omnimover, the ride has all the intensity of Disney’s Little Mermaid ride, yet the guest restraint system is more restraining than that of Space Mountain. As a result, many small children and toddlers who would love this ride are unable to ride because of the required height requirement and the fact that they need to sit in their own separate seat. I also quite a few guests who were just somewhat above average weight trying out the test seats and learning that they are not able to ride. Completely unnecessary.
Very surprising that they could not figure out a vehicle with a similar design to Disney’s omnimovers, wherein everyone could ride, regardless of age or size. They must have had their liability attorneys design the vehicles.
One thing to keep in mind is that USH is normally incredibly popular with international tour groups. No value judgment or implication whatsoever there, but when a language barrier is at play, ride warnings aren’t as effective and there might be greater concerns about guests getting out of ride vehicles and entering the sets–especially since it would be pretty easy on a stoppage.
Similar justification for Splash Mountain (WDW) getting more substantial lap bars a few years back.
I was getting a real live action immersed in animation feel from your pictures, just like Roger Rabbit Toon Spin and the queue for The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. As you say, it does sound similar to Toon Spin without, um, the spinning? (I’ll have to dig out your review of Ride & Go Seek.)
Four paragraphs in until you mentioned this was in California! Ah, this should be easy to clone and can fit into any one of multiple locations at Universal Orlando.
Thank you, and congratulations! (I’m lucky enough to be visiting family myself, so I know how you feel.)
Great review as usual. But, I never figured you and Sarah to be dachshund owners.
It’s really more like the dachshund owns us.
This was a lovely, happy read. Thank you 🙂
This sounds so fun! How I wish Orlando got this ride instead of Fast and Furious, but at least it exists! My son would love this so much! Maybe we will get a Pets update in the old run down Barney and Fival kids area. Even 5 years ago my kids had no idea who those characters were. I agree Universal is hitting it out of the park! Also, pretty cool that you actually traveled to California after all this time. Hope you enjoyed the trip.
One way or another–either in USF or Epic Universe–I’d imagine this ride ends up in Orlando. It’s just too good not to clone, plus it has a relatively small footprint, wouldn’t cost a ton to build, and would have a ton of appeal to families. Seems like a no-brainer.
Hi, I’m a long-time reader who enjoys getting to experience Disney World vicariously through your blog (and in person, as I was last there a few years ago). Especially in this past year+ of uncertainty and stress, I have found myself longing for the sort of happy mindlessness that being in the “Disney bubble” can create. I was last there a few summers ago and had a joyful time. Still, in some ways, I find Disney World – EPCOT in particular – to not live up to my memories and nostalgia. In the past two decades or so it mostly just seems so much more crowded and I miss the Future World of my childhood (charming and hopeful) and I hate the new IP infusions (I’m looking at you, “Frozen” in Norway) and am still missing “Imagination 1.0” and its associated play area. I also dearly wish they would continue investing in more dark rides and not make all the new headliners thrill rides (I’m not a big fan of drops or intense coasters), so this new ride in Universal Hollywood sounds wonderful! I have never been to any of the Universal Parks, largely because I worry I won’t make us of so many attractions (too “thrilling” and my partner hates drops, etc. even more than me!), but I’m really starting to think there could be some fun things there and have enjoyed learning more about Universal through your features. Anyhow, this is a really long comment, but the chief point that I wanted to make was that what really made me happy about this particular post was that I could feel your joy really come through in the writing of this post and I suspect it may have broader sources than just the new ride! There has been so much loss of life this past year and even for those among us who have been fortunate enough to have themselves and their loved ones safe, it has been a stressful time, psychologically and/or economically. How wonderful it feels being able to travel comfortably again (thanks, vaccines!) and I look forward to my next time jumping into some kind of omnimover and being transported to somewhere with whimsy and fun. Thanks for doing that with this post, Tom!
“I could feel your joy really come through in the writing of this post and I suspect it may have broader sources than just the new ride!”
Well, I also did see a gigantic dinosaur this same day, so you’re probably right! 😉
In all seriousness, getting back to California and now seeing our families again has been a massive mood boost. I find the various health protocol changes fascinating and enjoy covering them to a degree, but I’m just ready for all of that to be behind us. It’s polarizing, stressful, and definitely not what I “signed up for” with a blog about theme parks.
As for your points about EPCOT and Universal, the latter still may not be a good fit for you in Orlando. They’re doing a lot right, but there’s so much you just couldn’t do. Universal Studios Hollywood is a different story entirely, and is very much like the old school Disney-MGM Studios (this was the park that inspired that one). There are thrill rides, but the tram tour is the heart of the experience, and it is so good. Worth the price of admission alone!
Universal: “I drink…your milkshake!”
Sounds great, although I admit I skipped some of the details to keep it a surprise. Do you know if there are any plans for this ride to come to Universal in Orlando?
Fun review. This sounds like exactly the type of ride Universal needed. I hope you had a good time in California and I look forward to more Anaheim hotel reviews.
Tom- I am insanely jealous of all your travels! Good thing you write an amazing blog so I can at least feel like I’m going places too!
Assuming you had In and Out at least once?
Hope you guys had fun on the correct coast. We had planned to be out there this July but couldn’t pull it together with all the uncertainty (doing Rocky Mtn. National park instead). Looking forward to a dose of California next summer…
When did you experience the ride! Are you in California!
Just left California–back in the Midwest now before returning to Florida next week. Not a particularly productive trip since we couldn’t do Disneyland, but it was good to be back in LA and OC. Will have a separate USH report and some Anaheim hotel reviews soon, though!