Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl Review
These aliens won’t be able to take over Earth without some sort of new gimmick
Ahhh, Kang and Kodos, our favorite Simpsons characters! ...well, maybe not, but I do enjoy these aliens who mostly appear during the Treehouse of Horror specials (some of the best Simpsons episodes ever). Kang and Kodos is a classic spinning ride, similar to Magic Kingdom’s Dumbo the Flying Elephant and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. You board a vehicle for 2-3 guests and spin for 2 minutes until it’s over. Simple and straight to the point. You just need to close your eyes to know what I am talking about.
The Good
One of the good things about this ride is that wait times rarely exceed 10 minutes. As you spin around, you can enjoy listening to classic Simpsons characters like Homer, Bart, and Grandpa, which is a nice touch. Additionally, you can use a lever to move up and down, in typical aerial carousel fashion.
Kang and Kodos is basically the only ride for toddlers in Universal Studios, so it's definitely worth a visit with your little ones. In fact, there’s a good chance your children will love Springfield even more than the ride. The area features several carnival games and vibrant colors everywhere. It’s one of the best spots for young children and toddlers, even if you just plan to walk around and visit the shops.
The Bad
It’s hard to say that an aerial carousel is technically “bad,” as these rides are designed mostly for kids and toddlers. Still, I wish there was a bit more happening with Kang & Kodos. You can use your lever to go up and down, but that’s about it. This is disappointing since most aerial carousels have some sort of gimmick to stand out.
For example, Dumbo the Flying Elephant features a great playground area in the queue, Red Fish Blue Fish in Islands of Adventure has animatronics that splash water, and Astro Orbiter is taller than most carousels. There isn’t much going on with Kang & Kodos beyond listening to some Simpsons characters. While Springfield looks awesome and you get nice views from up there, I wish there was a little bit more to the ride. I doubt these aliens will conquer planet Earth with such a simple ride.
Will Kids enjoy it?
Toddlers will probably enjoy it. This is, after all, one of the few attractions in Universal Studios without a height requirement, making it perfect for bringing your little ones to meet those charismatic aliens. The spinning isn’t aggressive, and you aren’t that high off the ground. However, teenagers will likely find this ride too boring, and there are better attractions in Universal Studios for them.
