5 Best Things to Do at Islands of Adventure
Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando, Florida is a fantastic place to visit and spend a few days if you are in the area and looking for something really fun to do. We have the 5 Best Things to Do at Islands of Adventure.
Universal Studios has two parts and Islands of Adventure is the one I’m going to talk about today.
Both parks have their perks and several things that will thrill you so you will want to do them both but Islands is unlike any other park you’ve ever been to.
The Rides – The rides are pretty much what everyone wants to know about first for any park. Islands of Adventure is literally set up in an “island” theme, where it is in a full circle and going around that circle are different sections – Islands, with their own themes and things to do.
Each section has wonderful rides,some are more geared for kids, some for adults. The rides display the wait times so if you encounter one with a really long wait, you may want to come back later.
The sections at the front of the park, Seuss Landing and Marvel, tend to stay busy just because they are easy to get to and people are either ending there or starting there. Harry Potter rides also have steadily long waits since it’s so popular.
Roller coaster Fan? Start in Marvel
The Incredible Hulk Coaster
This ride is by far is the largest ride in the park and one of the best coasters I have ever ridden. (And I’ve ridden a lot!) It is extremely smooth in its curves and loops and is a real blast. It is also one of the very first rides you’ll come to in the park
The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
In the Marvel area and is so much fun. It’s an indoor ride, with 3-d effects and my kids and I both love the 400 ft free fall. If you get woozy from 3d rides, you might want to skip it.
Skull Island:
Reign of Kong brings the next generation of the King Kong legend to life on an unprecedented scale. The adventure begins as guests are transported deep into a mysterious world.
Their mission is to discover creatures of unknown origin with the 8th Wonder Expedition Company. There is a 17-ton expedition vehicle to navigate the increasingly foreboding terrain.
The Seuss landing is geared toward the kids but I love it anyway. The area is super cute and the kids old and young enjoy it. It is especially fun around Christmas time.
The Harry Potter has some amazing rides and I’ll cover that later in the article as well as some really fun water rides!
Displays and Artwork
Universal has some amazing art work. With each section of the park has something to offer. Even the lighting and garbage cans are beautiful.
Many of the shops have collectibles, original artwork, and prints like in Marvel and Seuss Landing. You can buy one of a kind original works by Dr. Seuss.
The Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle Light Projection Show at Universal Studios Hollywood
Wizarding World of Harry Potter
This section alone is reason enough to visit Islands of Adventure. Both parks have a dedicated area to the movies and books and both are worth a visit. There is have a train ride that connects the two parks. Not only does the train ride save a lot of time but it is an experience. You’ll think that you’re in the movie!
The shops and display windows in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter are just like Diagon alley and many have “magical” things in them to see.
There are live shows, really great food and drinks you won’t find anywhere else in the park along with some awesome rides.
The Hogwarts Castle
This ride is one of my favorites, although it can be a little disorienting if you are sensitive to a lot of movement. The way the seats move is different than any other ride in either park. There is a fun smaller coaster with the hippogriff theme that is really fun, right across from the castle that you won’t want to miss.
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Do expect it to be fairly packed in this area, unless you are there in the fall, as it always is. You have to be patient at times in order to see things, but they are worth the wait.
One other thing to mention for sure, is that they offer interactive wands for purchase, in addition to the regular wands. If you are a big fan, this experience is really great and you will love doing it!
In Toon Lagoon, the delightful land where everyone’s favorite cartoon characters come to life off the pages of the Sunday comics, Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges features a white-water raft ride which puts riders in the middle of the age-old conflict between Popeye and Bluto.
Water rides and splash zones
Here in Florida, especially in the summer time, this is one thing you will be especially grateful for. All the water rides are of course, a load of fun, but they do get you soaked, so as long as you’re prepared for that, you’ve got to do them.
There is a section between Marvel and Jurassic Park that is a classic comics theme focusing on characters like Popeye and Betty Boop. There are two great water rides in this area.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
In this ride That blowhard Bluto has made off with Popeye’s best gal, Olive Oyl. The only way to save her involves an 18-foot octopus and a lot of water. It’s so much fun to watch everyone get wet!
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Part roller coaster, part water flume, this ride combines the fun of the classic cartoons with edge-of-your-seat action. As our story unfolds, Snidely Whiplash has once again kidnapped fair Nell Fenwick, and it’s up to the lovably laughable Royal Canadian Mountie, Dudley Do-Right, to rescue her.
In Jurassic Park, there’s a dino themed water ride with a huge drop too, as well as a great section for kids to play in where they can squirt each other and go down slides and play.
Shops and dining
There are many great shops. So many different types, since each section is different, too. There are several candy and treat type shops, general Universal merchandise ones, a Christmas one, ones with awesome collectibles and more.
The entrance area of the park is a little village of several different types of shops. The dining has a good variety too. Islands of Adventure has a dining plan if you are eating more than one meal a day, this is the way to go. Have food allergies? They provide you with information and help if you need it.
You can also visit the Universal Studio in Hollywood CA and stay in their universal studios hotel to fully enjoy the rides, attractions, entertainment and more.
