Universal's Islands of Adventure Reviews (Orlando, Florida)

Other Areas of the Park

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 19, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo ===Toon Lagoon===This is the second of the worlds if you walk round the park in a clockwise position and features characters mainly from Popeye. It is very brightly coloured although it is quite small and there are only three rides between the shops ...Read more ===Toon Lagoon===

This is the second of the worlds if you walk round the park in a clockwise position and features characters mainly from Popeye. It is very brightly coloured although it is quite small and there are only three rides between the shops and themed street decorations. The first ride, Me Ship, The Olive is one that will appeal to younger visitors, although it is not so much a ride as a huge boat construction that you can wander round and play interactive games like shooting water canons and the like. The second ride is Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges and involves getting wet. Very wet in fact. To be honest I thought it was pretty lame and it just seemed to involve going round a series of very tame flumes and getting water dumped on you. It is good for younger visitors who like just a little bit of a thrill though it does have an over 42 inch height restriction. The last ride was undoubtedly the best and is called Dudley Do Right’s Ripsaw Falls. There was almost always a queue for this ride, even though we visited in the quiet time of October, but it is absolutely worth waiting for. You’ll get soaked (this seems to be the theme in this part of the park), but it is quite a long log flume type ride that has a couple of little dips and one big one. We thoroughly enjoyed this one.

===The Lost Continent===

This is a really small area and seems to be nothing more than a bit of a filler in the park to be honest. I’m afraid that I can’t really say much about the two attractions in this area because we didn’t go in them. Mainly because they never seemed to be open when we were passing through. The Eight Voyage of Sinbad Stunt show only takes places three times a day (at least it did at the time we visited, it may open more in summer) and Poseidon’s Fury is a guided special effects tour that we didn’t really fancy. We did though enjoy The Mystic Fountain which was a fountain in the centre that cracks jokes at passers by and squirts water at them – it was quite amusing to watch really.

===Seuss Landing===

Is the one area of the park that is entirely aimed at young visitors and features characters like The Cat In The Hat. There is a little merry-go-round which is (rather cleverly, I thought) Caro-Seuss-El and features a selection of Dr Seuss’ most popular characters. There’s a trolley ride that passes, very slowly, over the park and a couple of interactive play areas.

We didn’t go on any of the rides here but we did enjoy wandering round because it was a fun place to be and the shops all included a lot of bright souvenirs that seemed to delight the children that were in here.
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From journal Universal's Islands Of Adventure

Marvel Superhero Island

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 19, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo When you enter the park, if you walk in a clockwise direction, this is the first area you come to. The first thing I noticed about this island is that it is loud, which sort of goes with the theme of superhero and everything seemed supersized as ...Read more When you enter the park, if you walk in a clockwise direction, this is the first area you come to. The first thing I noticed about this island is that it is loud, which sort of goes with the theme of superhero and everything seemed supersized as well. I’m not a big superhero fan but I recognised enough of the characters to appreciate the theme. There are characters wandering around area during the day who are happy to pose for photographs and sign autograph books, which seemed to delight guests both young and old (to be honest I think most of the older guests were looking to pose with Storm rather than any of the male characters!).

The attractions in this area were good, although they are more geared towards older guests. There is a roller coaster on which riders seem to spend more time upside down than the right way up. I didn’t go on it (I’m a total wimp) but my husband loved it and went on it more than once. He said that it was just scary enough to feel the adrenaline rush but not so much that it wasn’t fun. There was a ride called Storm Force Acceleration that sounds a lot better than it was because it was essentially just a spinning teacup ride, we did appreciate the tongue in cheek way that the ride announcer declared it to be ‘the best ride in the world’! Doctor Doom’s Fearfall was one of those rides that it a huge upright construction where you are thrown up and down, so that it feels like you are driving too fast over one of those little humped bridges. The final ride here, and my favourite by far, was The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. It is a 3-D ride and you have to wear glasses, but they are the cheap card ones that fall off, which is good because you do get a little bit thrown about in the ride. There is a height restriction of 40 inches, but it isn’t scary and I thing younger fans will enjoy it as much as older ones. The ride is very clever and the 3-D thing is impressive and works well. Most importantly, it lasts a couple of minutes, so it does feel like you are getting valued even if you have had to queue for a while.

In between all of the rides, there are the expected shops and restaurants where you can buy all manner of marvel themed souvenirs of your visit.
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From journal Universal's Islands Of Adventure

General Information

by dkm1981

Blackburn, England, United Kingdom

October 19, 2012

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Best of IgoUgo Universal Islands of Adventure is one of two theme parks in the Universal area of Orlando in Florida and it is the better of the two in my opinion. My husband and I have just come back from a week’s holiday in the theme park capital of the world and ...Read more Universal Islands of Adventure is one of two theme parks in the Universal area of Orlando in Florida and it is the better of the two in my opinion. My husband and I have just come back from a week’s holiday in the theme park capital of the world and we had a fabulous time in Islands of Adventure which is the home, amongst other things, of the brand new Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There are six different ‘islands’ in the theme park and they are all completely different, which makes exploring them a whole lot of fun . . .

There umpteen places where you can get something to eat throughout the park and it caters for all kinds of things from snacks and quick bites to full blown meals. I didn’t think the prices were that bad to be honest – certainly much less than I thought they were going to be. We got a couple of (huge) slices of pizza and a (huge) soda for the equivalent of about £8. You are free to bring in your own food though if your budget doesn’t extend to theme park prices, although expect to have your bag checked when you enter the park and to have to wait in line to do so.

Lots of the rides (especially the ones that do loops and the like) don’t allow you to take loose items onto them, but all of these have free lockers that you can use at the ride entrance. It is an idea though to find one away from a ride entrance and leave your things there until you need them because the queues for lockers can be quite long.

The park is, for the most part, a smoke free zone although there are designated smoking areas throughout the park that can be found on the map and are clearly sign posted when you get to them. It is definitely worth getting a map as you enter because they are invaluable for planning your day to get the most out of it and to find out when the character meet and greets are.

If you are celebrating a special occasion – everything from your first visit to your honeymoon, then make sure you mention it to the front gate staff because they’ll give you a funky little badge to wear. This is particularly good for those celebrating a birthday because all of the staff throughout the park will make a point of saying happy birthday and making you feel extra special.

In terms of ticket prices for getting in to the parks, it is an absolute minefield depending on what you want. You can get tickets for just Islands of Adventure, which are about £50 for one day, although the daily price does go down the more days that you book. The best value if you are staying for a week or more is to get a pass that allows you unlimited entries into a number of parks. We paid about £150 each for a fortnight long ticket that got us into Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios and Wet n’ Wild water park. There are also untold numbers of places you can get tickets from but I would add that it tends to be cheaper if you buy them in advance.

For any more information, the Universal website is excellent; www.universalorlando.co.uk
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From journal Universal's Islands Of Adventure

These islands are full of fun and adventure!

by RLB2

Scarborough, England, United Kingdom

November 22, 2011

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Best of IgoUgo Once upon a time the only park that Universal had was just Universal Studios, now they have a whole other park called Islands of Adventue. The beauty of Universal is that both parks are on the same site, so if you only have one day you can hop ...Read more Once upon a time the only park that Universal had was just Universal Studios, now they have a whole other park called Islands of Adventue. The beauty of Universal is that both parks are on the same site, so if you only have one day you can hop between the two just by walking around a lake. Having said that you won't be able to do everything in each park in one day and you might feel a bit rushed. However, if you take advantage of the single rider lines and just pick your favourite rides, it is totally possible to get a good feel of the two parks.

As you enter Islands of Adventure, you'll find yourself in a market place with lots of shops and food stands. If you're interested in watching any of the shows that this park has then check out the times here at the entrance . Then walk on towards the lake, which the park is set around (plenty of photo opportunities here) and decide which way you're going to go. If you have kids then I would recommend heading right towards the land of Dr Seuss. This is a crazy adaptation of the many very popular Dr Seuss books, so if you're kids have read them then they will love this part of the park, if they haven't it's a fantastic way to introduce them to these fab books.

However, on our visit we didn't have any children with us, just big kids, so we headed left at the lake towards the Marvel section. We love the Marvel movies and so this part of the park is perfect for us. If you're feeling brave first thing, then I would hop onto the Hulk rollercoaster, which you will have walked underneath. If you get on this early you will miss the inevitable huge lines that will develop here as the day goes on. Be warned though this is a crazy coaster and rather than being gently tugged to the top as you start, you get fired out at around 60mph.....expect to scream! If you don't fancy the Hulk, then why not try the Spiderman 3D action simulator ride, without doubt the best ride in ths section. Again queues will develop as the day progresses, so either take advantage of the single rider option or get there early. Just to round off the adrenaline rush in this section then get yourself on Doctor Doom's Fearfall, a huge tower of a ride that drops you down....lots of fun.

After all that then I reckon you'll need a coffee and sit down, which you can do and wait and see if the X-Men show up (which they do quite frequently) and get some photos taken with them. Another thing that we really liked about this section was the Marvel shop, where as you can imagine you can get all of your Marvel memorabilia.

The next section round (if you're going anti-clockwise) is a cartoon section that will get you wet. The absolute best bit of advice I can give you for this section is do it in the middle of the day when the sun is out, so that you can dry off and not get cold. I also would recommend not wearing denim jeans if you want to go on these rides, because you will get wet, no matter how many waterproofs you put on. The two wet rides here are Dudley Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls and Popeye & Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges, both of which are loads of fun. There is a Popeye play park for smaller kids here so you can always take it in turns to sit with them and go on the rides.

From here you enter Jurassic Park, even going through a replica of the gates from the first movie. Everything is dinosaur based, there's a great play park for kids and a couple of places to eat. It'll probably be lunchtime when you get here so these provide a good option for a chill out section. With smaller kids you can go on the Pteranodon Fliers, that swoop over the play park, but for big kids is another wet ride...the Jurassic Park iver Adventure. I'm not going to spoil this....but it is epic and worth the wait if there is a big queue. Further round is the Jurassic Park Discovery Centre, a great place for kids to play.

The next place round is new, it was being built when we visited in 2009, but we have friends who have been since it was opened and they thought it was fantastic. The area that I'm talking about is Harry Potter Land, a complete replica of the world of Harry Potter.

The next thing that we went on is called the Duelling Dragons and seems now to be part of Harry Potter World....this is a foot dangling rip roaring coaster that sees two separate tracks and dragons coasters zip around at the same time and almost seem to collide. A brilliant rollercoaster, but definitely not one for the faint hearted!

And then to take it down just a notch there is the Sinbad Stunt Show, somewhere out of the sun to enjoy some live action entertainment. And if you like that then head straight round to the Poseidon Fury Ride, also live action and epically good fun. As you can probably tell I really liked this park and think that because it's new it is much better than the original Universal Studios, but I wouldn't pass up the original to just go here. All I can say to end this review is if you want a day of crazy rides and rollercoasters that relive your favourite movies then this is the place for you!!

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From journal Fun & Games in Orlando

Better than the D-word

by samanthagc

Newnan, Georgia

May 5, 2011

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We went for winter break and really had a ball. The new Harry Potter section is amazing.

Increible!

by victorpunto

Bs.As., Argentina

November 9, 2009

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Choose your dragon — Fire or Ice — as these roller coaster serpents perform loops and rolls across the sky.It is the most incrdible and dangerous roller coaster in Orlando. You can compare all roller coaster in Orland, from Disney parks or Universal ...Read more

The Island of Adventures

by jaygami1986

London, United Kingdom

October 29, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Where is the Park and How to get there?The island of adventures is located in Orlando Florida, and most the tax and bus operators will be able to take you there. The park is located on Universal Boulevard, which is about 15 minutes drive away from ...Read more

Me Ship, The Olive: A Fun Water Wonderland

by Troobabiee7

Brooklyn, New York

October 28, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Popeye and Olive Oil are the most famous residents in the Toon Lagoon section of Islands of Adventure, and Me Ship, The Olive gives guests a chance to get even closer to these beloved characters. The attraction is a water wonderland - an H2O-soaked ...Read more Popeye and Olive Oil are the most famous residents in the Toon Lagoon section of Islands of Adventure, and Me Ship, The Olive gives guests a chance to get even closer to these beloved characters. The attraction is a water wonderland - an H2O-soaked playground full of fun surprises and unexpected adventures. It's mainly for kids who aren't yet tall enough to ride the main water rides in Toon Lagoon, but it's appropriate for guests of all ages who like to explore and want to enjoy a beautiful view out over the rest of Islands of Adventure.

Me Ship, The Olive is a water-filled playground. There are ropes to swing on, ladders to climb, and slides to ride down. It's perfect for kids who need to blow off a little steam, since they can run and play at their own pace, without having to wait in lines or walk around in the heat. Young kids will love the slides and giant sprinklers, while older kids will love climbing the ropes course and running under the hidden waterfalls. The playground is set up to look like an actual ship, with a giant bust of Olive Oil standing tall and proud at it's head. If you're lucky, Popeye and Olive Oil may even be around in their swimwear to take pictures with adoring fans.

One of the really cool things about Me Ship, The Olive is that it's enjoyable for adults as well. All children must be accompanied through the playground since things could get hectic and they could easily get lost, so there are a lot of fun gags and jokes around for adults to enjoy. When I went through the ship with my little cousin this past summer, I especially enjoyed the view out over the park. Since the ship is several stories tall you get a gorgeous view of Universal Orlando, as well as the surrounding area. My cousin's favorite part was the water cannons, where you can watch guests go by on the Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges ride below and drop buckets of water on them as they sail by. It makes for a very funny experience!

As is the case almost everywhere in Toon Lagoon, you will get wet here. You won't get as drenched as you will on the actual water rides, but you're sure to get at least a sprinkling as you make your way through the different parts of the boat. If you're in the mood for a soaking, though, it's definitely possible with all of the waterfalls, sprinklers and water canons that you can run and splash through for watery good times on a hot summer afternoon. Close

From journal Islands of Adventure: Toon Lagoon

Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges: A Soaking Good Time

by Troobabiee7

Brooklyn, New York

October 28, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges is one of the two major water rides in the Toon Lagoon section of Islands of Adventure. The main purpose of Toon Lagoon is to get visitor's very, very wet, and this ride does it's job. It's a traditional ...Read more Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges is one of the two major water rides in the Toon Lagoon section of Islands of Adventure. The main purpose of Toon Lagoon is to get visitor's very, very wet, and this ride does it's job. It's a traditional roaring-rapids style ride, where guests sit in a giant, circular car that winds it's way along a wild river. It's located just past the main entrance to Toon Lagoon, and is made unique by the cartoon-like atmosphere created by the theming. The ride makes you feel like you're in the middle of a madcap cartoon, which is definitely a unique feeling that you can only get at a theme park.

The line for Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges isn't anything special. It isn't themed or overly creative, but it does a good job of getting guests in the mood to get wet. The majority of my family's visits to Orlando are in the summer, so we always appreciate the water misters and giant fans that blow down on us as we wait on line. This is one of the most popular rides in the park (especially on a hot day) so be sure to visit early. This ride tends to have the longest line of all, so try to avoid it in the middle of the afternoon when crowds are at a peak.

The ride itself is wild and fun. Twelve guests fit in each car, making it the perfect ride for large families or groups hoping to experience a ride together. Be prepared to get absolutely soaked on this one! As wet as you get on the other water rides in the park, this ride takes the cake. Regardless of where you sit, every single person on the raft will come off the ride dripping wet and wringing water out of their clothes. This is due to the fact that the barge goes through a "barge wash" - a car-wash type of device that shoots water jets over the entire vehicle. The whole barge also goes under a series of waterfalls, and dips under rapids where giant splashes of water come rushing into the boat. It's the perfect ride for hot summer days!

Guests need to be 44-inches tall to ride, so it's perfect for family's with young children. As wild as the ride is, it isn't as thrilling or scary at the nearby Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls since it doesn't have any big drops or slides. The thrills here come from the rapids themselves, which dip, twist and turn the barge in all directions while soaking everyone inside. Since you do get so wet, free locker rentals are provided by Universal Orlando for an hour at a time so you don't ruin any of your belongings. Close

From journal Islands of Adventure: Toon Lagoon

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls: A Classic Flume Ride

by Troobabiee7

Brooklyn, New York

October 28, 2009

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Best of IgoUgo Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls is a fun ride located in the Toon Lagoon section of Islands of Adventure. It fits perfectly with the "water water everywhere" theme of the land since it's a traditional flume ride where guests all sit in a log that ...Read more Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls is a fun ride located in the Toon Lagoon section of Islands of Adventure. It fits perfectly with the "water water everywhere" theme of the land since it's a traditional flume ride where guests all sit in a log that follows a water-filled track. Themed after the Canadian Rockies that are Dudley Do-Right's home, the ride makes you feel as if you're actually riding the mountains, slipping and sliding down the tallest slopes on a thrilling and adventurous journey. The ride is located right at the entrance to the pavilion and is impossible to miss. The giant blue and green mountains that make up the bulk of the attraction can be seen from miles away, adding to the excitement as you enter the Universal Orlando resort.

The ride starts in a queue line that resembles a mining shaft. The line twists and turns through a series of corridors and hallways, filled with faux crystals, gemstones and other little surprises. If you're claustrophobic, you may want to skip this one. The ride's a lot of fun, but the line was hard for me to get through and I don't normally have trouble with tight spaces. The corridors are very small and closed-in, and when you're in there with hundreds of other people on a crowded, hot summer day, it can get overwhelming, especially since there aren't any windows. If you have trouble with these kinds of situations but are determined to enjoy the ride, you should talk to a ride attendant who can bring you to a waiting area near the loading platform to wait for the rest of your family to make it to the front of the line, where you'll join them.

This ride is a fun one! Unlike the elaborately themed flumes in the area (such as Splash Mountain at Disney's Magic Kingdom), the thrills here come from the ride itself. The theming mainly comes in the form of moving pictures of the Dudley Do-Right characters, without animatronics or special effects. This is one of the most thrilling flume ride's in Orlando though, with many drops and splashes taking riders by surprise. A big part of the fun here is not knowing what to expect since a lot of the big drops are hidden by fallen craters and craggy mountainsides so always be ready for a thrill around each corner!

The ride is good for family's since riders only need to be 44-inches tall. The 75-foot drop is pretty intense though, so make sure everyone's ready for it. My favorite part of the ride is the drop itself, where riders go under a walkway and through water jets. You get absolutely soaking-wet drenched on this one! You'll actually be ringing out your clothes when you get off the ride, so be sure to wear light-weight, comfortable clothing that will dry quickly. You have to put all your stuff in a locker to keep it from getting ruined, so Universal offers free hour-long locker rentals near the ride for this purpose. Close

From journal Islands of Adventure: Toon Lagoon

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Universal's Islands of Adventure

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Other Areas of the Park

Marvel Superhero Island

General Information

These islands are full of fun and adventure!

Better than the D-word

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The Island of Adventures

Me Ship, The Olive: A Fun Water Wonderland

Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges: A Soaking Good Time

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls: A Classic Flume Ride

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Universal's Islands of Adventure

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User Reviews

Other Areas of the Park

Marvel Superhero Island

General Information

These islands are full of fun and adventure!

Better than the D-word

Increible!

The Island of Adventures

Me Ship, The Olive: A Fun Water Wonderland

Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges: A Soaking Good Time

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls: A Classic Flume Ride

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