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Islands of Adventure (IOA) is the perfect of Universal Orlando’s three theme parks, particularly for adults and older youngsters.
It’s dwelling to essentially the most thrilling curler coasters, wettest water rides, and the magical Hogsmeade village in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Here we share our picks for the perfect rides at Islands of Adventure plus different should do experiences and suggestions for benefiting from your go to and avoiding lengthy strains.
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Tips for Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Stay Onsite For Early Entry
If you’ll be able to afford it, I extremely suggest staying onsite at a Universal Orlando Hotel.
Not solely will you be near the parks, however you’ll additionally achieve entry to Islands of Adventure one hour sooner than different friends.
The accessible sights throughout Early Park Admission are all these in Hogsmeade plus the VelociCoaster.
As this consists of the 2 hottest Islands of Adventure sights, this can be a big bonus.
I like to recommend arriving half-hour earlier than Early Park Admission begins as they allow us to in quarter-hour early. Make certain to move straight to Hagrid’s Motorbike!
We stayed on the Portofino Bay Hotel, which is a 15-minute stroll from IOA or a brief boat journey.
We beloved the Italian theme and three swimming pools, and it was handy having a number of eating places onsite.
Portofino is without doubt one of the three Premier resorts that provide one other wonderful perk—a free Unlimited Express Pass (extra on that under).
The different Premier resorts are the Hard Rock Hotel and the Royal Pacific.
Consider Purchasing an Express Pass
At busy occasions of the yr, you would possibly think about buying an Express Pass which lets you skip the strains on most IOA sights (as soon as per journey).
There’s additionally a costlier Unlimited Express Pass, which lets you skip the strains as usually as you want on every journey.
Our Unlimited Express Pass was included with our keep at Portofino Bay.
It actually made our go to stress-free as we by no means needed to fear about wait occasions or the optimum time to journey. With our move, we by no means waited greater than 10 minutes and it was often a walk-on.
The main exception that isn’t included with Express Pass is Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. We rode this throughout Early Park Admission as an alternative.
With our move, we managed to journey 9 IOA sights throughout one morning (4 hours together with quick meals breaks), so if you wish to go to each Universal Orlando theme parks in someday (IOA and Universal Studios Florida), an Express Pass can be one of the best ways to do it (be sure you buy a Park-to-Park ticket).
Ideally, you’ll spend two days on the two parks for a extra relaxed expertise.
Utilise Single Rider Lines
If you don’t buy an Express Pass and contours are lengthy, think about becoming a member of the Single Rider strains, that are a lot shorter, however you received’t be seated subsequent to your companion.
Many rides at Islands of Adventure have Single Rider strains, however they won’t be used throughout quieter occasions of yr.
The most helpful are VelociCoaster, Hulk Coaster, and Forbidden Journey. Hagrid may have one nevertheless it doesn’t at all times function.
Get a Paper Ticket
Many rides at IOA limit what you’ll be able to tackle with you. Free lockers are supplied in the event you can’t tackle baggage or in some instances, telephones and different free gadgets. I’ve famous if that is required for every journey under.
Make certain you’ve a paper model of your park ticket, not simply an e-ticket in your cellphone. On Hulk Coaster and VelociCoaster, you’ll want to depart your cellphone in a locker and also you want your park ticket to entry the lockers.
If you might be staying in a Premium Universal Hotel, your resort keycard doubles as your Express Pass. You’ll must preserve that with you in addition to your paper entrance ticket.
We ended up shopping for a lanyard because it was extra handy for fast scanning of the move and ticket.
Download the Universal App
Before your journey, obtain the Universal Orlando Resort App. This is beneficial to verify journey wait occasions and present occasions, place meals orders, discover the closest restroom and extra.
You can even activate notifications to provide you with a warning when a journey that’s down reopens.
Most Popular Rides at Universal Islands of Adventure
These are the Universal Islands of Adventure rides which have the longest strains with their common wait occasions over a yr:
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – 97 minutes
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster – 51 minutes
- Flight of the Hippogriff – 43 minutes
- Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls – 41 minutes
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong – 40 minutes
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – 38 minutes
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster – 38 minutes
These will differ over the yr with waits for water rides like Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls dropping through the winter months.
The high two IOA rides are at all times Hagrid and VelociCoaster, and unsurprisingly these high our Islands of Adventure rides checklist.
Despite its recognition, Flight of the Hippogriff didn’t make our checklist because it’s a brief, mild kiddie coaster that just about at all times has an extended wait and doubtless isn’t value it for many adults.
10 Best Rides at Islands of Adventure Orlando
These are the Islands of Adventure should do rides that you simply received’t wish to miss ranked in our order of desire.
1) Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride
Minimum Height: 48 inches (122cm)
Express Pass: No
Locker Required: Yes for baggage (free)
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is without doubt one of the finest rides at Universal Islands of Adventure.
It’s additionally by far the most well-liked and our private favorite—don’t miss it regardless of the lengthy strains!
This is a lot greater than an everyday curler coaster—Universal name it a narrative coaster.
The immersive expertise begins on the sting of the Forbidden Forest in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with an in depth queue that takes you thru the darkish, dungeon-like corridors of the ruins that Hagrid has been utilizing for sophistication prep.
You see his workspace (take a look at the enormous gloves!) and even dragon eggs ready to hatch.
The journey itself is a motorcycle journey by the forest for Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class. You both journey straddling the motorcycle (clearly the good) or within the sidecar, however each are enjoyable.
Along the best way, you notice cool creatures from the Harry Potter tales together with Fluffy (the three-headed canine), Blast-Ended Skrewts, a centaur, unicorn and extra.
The Hagrid animatronic is remarkably lifelike and his voice narrates the journey.
Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure is a reasonably easy and delicate coaster in comparison with Universal’s different thrill rides, however there are some enjoyable and distinctive surprises.
It’s the longest curler coaster in Florida at 5,053 toes (practically a mile) with seven launches.
We completely beloved it and wished we may have ridden it once more. We solely waited 20 minutes throughout Early Park Admission, however the line shortly turned very lengthy.
2) Jurassic World VelociCoaster
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride with Inversions
Minimum Height: 51 inches (130cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage and all free gadgets together with telephones (free)
Location: Jurassic Park
The different of the 2 high rides at Islands of Adventure is Jurassic World VelociCoaster, a spotlight for thrill seekers.
It’s Florida’s quickest and highest coaster and it’s intense! You are flung the wrong way up and spun round in a number of twists and turns, a few of them proper above the park’s lagoon, as you velocity by a raptor paddock.
There are incredible views of the park—in the event you handle to maintain your eyes open!
While that is an undeniably scary journey, I discovered it smoother and fewer jarring than the older coasters like Hulk.
Express Pass is accepted or journey this one early. We solely waited 5 minutes throughout Early Admission (using straight after Hagrid).
3) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride, 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 48 inches (122cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage (free)
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one other Islands of Adventure should do for me (and all Potter followers).
This splendidly immersive expertise takes place contained in the unimaginable Hogwarts Castle.
The queue is as wonderful because the journey itself as you see highlights from the films like Dumbledore’s workplace (he even speaks to you), the portrait of the Fat Lady, Gryffindor frequent room, and numerous lecture rooms.
The journey is a mixture of darkish journey and 3D movement simulator. You journey by after which fly over the citadel following Harry Potter on his adventures and even participating in a Quidditch recreation.
The identical journey at Universal Studios Japan triggered my movement illness, however I didn’t have an issue with this model. I did take Dramamine earlier than visiting the park as Universal options plenty of 3D rides that trigger illness.
Don’t miss this distinctive and exhilarating journey! Luckily, wait occasions aren’t too dangerous lately.
4) Hogwarts Express
Type of Ride: Family
Minimum Height: None however any kids below 48 inches (122cm) should be accompanied by an grownup
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Hogwarts Express is each a journey and transport between Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure and King’s Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida.
A Park-to-Park ticket is required to journey, and also you’ll wish to journey it each methods for various experiences.
The practice options interactive video screens within the home windows and doorways so you are feeling you might be actually using the Hogwarts Express together with Harry, Hermione, and Ron.
5) The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride with Inversions
Minimum Height: 54 inches (138cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: Yes for baggage and all free gadgets together with telephones (free)
Location: Marvel Super Hero Island
Island of Adventure’s second main thrill coaster is The Incredible Hulk Coaster.
It’s extremely intense with a brilliant quick uphill launch, seven inversions, and a 115 toes drop.
I discovered it extra rattly than VelociCoaster and felt dizzy afterwards. Simon loves it and rode it a number of occasions.
6) Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
Type of Ride: Water Ride
Minimum Height: 42 inches (107cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No, Paid lockers accessible (baggage will get moist)
Location: Toon Lagoon
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges is one among three water rides at Islands of Adventure and Simon’s favorite. You get moist on all of them, so we rode them one after the opposite.
On this journey, you go white-water rafting in a round raft right into a canyon with enjoyable drops and waterfalls. You will get completely drenched on this one (together with your toes).
7) The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Type of Ride: 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 40 inches (102cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: Marvel Super Hero Island
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is a mixture of darkish journey and movement simulator as you journey in shifting autos amongst bodily units and 3D projections.
Spider-Man even rides in your automobile with you as you be part of him in a struggle in opposition to the villains who’ve stolen the Statue of Liberty.
It’s immersive and chaotic and among the best 3D rides at Islands of Adventure.
Motion illness will be a difficulty however my Dramamine labored properly right here.
8) Jurassic Park River Adventure
Type of Ride: Water Ride
Minimum Height: 42 inches (107cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No, Paid lockers accessible (baggage will get moist)
Location: Jurassic Park
My favorite water journey at Islands of Adventure is Jurassic Park River Adventure as I believe it has essentially the most fascinating theming.
Seated in a forward-facing raft, it begins off as a delicate boat journey previous herbivorous dinosaurs, however one thing goes fallacious and the tour takes a detour.
You find yourself contained in the raptor enclosure the place the reptiles have escaped. You come nose to nose with a roaring T-Rex earlier than plunging 85 toes into the river under.
The scary dinosaurs and large drop could possibly be fairly terrifying for small youngsters.
While we did get moist, we weren’t soaked like on the opposite water rides.
9) Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Type of Ride: Thrill Ride, 3D Motion Simulator
Minimum Height: 36 inches (92cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No
Location: Skull Island: Reign of Kong
On Skull Island: Reign of Kong you journey in an enormous safari truck beneath 3D screens to expertise the treacherous jungle ending with an in depth encounter with King Kong himself.
The immersive, fairly creepy line is taken into account among the best within the park and a few guests want it to the journey.
10) Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Type of Ride: Water Ride
Minimum Height: 44 inches (112cm)
Express Pass: Yes
Locker Required: No, Paid lockers accessible (baggage will get moist)
Location: Toon Lagoon
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is by far the most well-liked water journey at IOA, maybe as a result of the large, steep drop is definitely considered strolling across the park.
While the drop is enjoyable, the remainder of this log flume journey is somewhat boring and the theming isn’t nice.
You will get moist, particularly your toes and any baggage on the ground, as you sit single file in logs together with your legs stretched out in entrance.
Lines peak within the afternoon on sizzling days, so journey it within the morning in the event you don’t have Express.
Other Top Things to Do at Islands of Adventure
Some of our favorite issues to do at Islands of Adventure usually are not rides in any respect. Make certain to permit time to wander and take in the ambiance of the park.
11) Wander Hogsmeade
The absolute best-themed space of the park is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade.
The recreation of the wizarding village from the books and films is so properly carried out.
Stroll the cobbled streets beneath snow-capped stone buildings, store in Honeydukes for sweets or Filch’s Emporium for Hogwarts attire, and mail letters with a Hogsmeade postmark in The Owl Post.
After an early morning journey on Hagrid’s, we like a heat blueberry scone from the Neeps stall.
You can even get pleasure from avenue leisure from the Frog Choir and Triwizard Spirit Rally (verify the app for occasions).
Hogsmeade is finest skilled firstly or finish of the day when it’s quieter—do each if potential because it’s further magical at sundown and after darkish.
On choose nights, Hogwarts Castle is lit up with a particular mild show.
12) Watch the Wand Ceremony at Ollivanders
One of the highlights of Hogsmeade is Ollivanders Wand Shop. The darkish room feels so genuine with its towering piles of wand packing containers on dusty cabinets.
Don’t miss the wand ceremony the place one individual is chosen from the room to be paired with their excellent wand. Ollivander has them do spells to check the wand and discover the suitable match.
If you wish to be chosen, carrying a Hogwarts gown may improve your possibilities of being picked (anecdotally). The chosen wizard can select to buy the wand within the store subsequent door, as can anybody.
13) Cast a Spell with a Wand
If you determine to purchase a wand in Ollivanders, make it an interactive one (from $63), so you’ll be able to forged spells round Hogsmeade (and in Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida).
We did this on our Universal Studios Japan go to and it was plenty of enjoyable!
Sometimes it takes observe to get the wand actions excellent to create magical results like setting off the spinning wheels within the Jonko’s joke store window or making flowers bloom in Dogweed and Deathcap.
Look out for the gold medallions on the ground that present you the place and forged a spell. Saying the spell out loud isn’t important to success, however in fact, it’s a part of the enjoyable.
14) Drink Butterbeer
Another Hogsmeade should do is having fun with a drink of Butterbeer. This candy, non-alcoholic beverage with a frothy head is out there sizzling, chilly or frozen.
You can purchase one from the road stand, however for essentially the most genuine expertise, order your drink at The Three Broomsticks, a country tavern serving hearty British fare like fish and chips and Shepherd’s Pie.
You can even drink within the neighbouring Hog’s Head pub.
I like to recommend sharing a drink in your first strive because the cream soda/butterscotch flavour isn’t to everybody’s style and it’s fairly sickly.
My favorite model is definitely Butterbeer ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour in Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida because it’s rather less candy.
15) Eat at Mythos
While Three Broomsticks is taken into account the perfect quick-service restaurant in Islands of Adventure, the perfect table-service restaurant is Mythos.
The setting is spectacular with a cave-like inside with waterfalls cascading down exterior the home windows.
The meals is a mixture of Mediterranean, Asian and American, with extra wholesome and vegan decisions than most Universal eating places.
We discovered the Pad Thai too candy however the Souvlaki Couscous Bowl with tofu was good.
You’ll possible must guide a desk prematurely.
16) Explore Seuss Landing
Seuss Landing is an space primarily aimed toward youngsters, however the vibrant land is value a glance.
The finest journey for adults is High within the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, a soothing journey by the world with nice views.
There’s additionally the Cat within the Hat darkish journey and some different rides for kids.
What to Pack for Universal
Universal differs from Disney in that having a backpack with you here’s a ache.
Many rides require you to place it in lockers (free) and we discovered it a lot simpler after we averted a bag on our second morning.
Waist baggage/ fanny packs are additionally a well-liked choice, however you’ll be able to’t take them on all rides.
When we did take a bag in, we have been glad for the water resistance of our Matador Beast 18 backpack, as we may take it on water rides and keep away from the paid lockers.
Here’s what else we discovered helpful:
- Lanyard – We needed to pay $20 for one within the park so purchase yours prematurely. It’s a lot simpler to point out your ticket and Express Pass on this.
- Dramamine – I took movement illness remedy the night time earlier than and the morning of my Universal visits as the numerous 3D rides make me unwell in any other case.
- Water bottle – One with a large opening is finest (we like this Klean Kanteen one) so you’ll be able to seize free cups of ice water from eating places and add the ice to your bottle to chill down the refills from water fountains.
- Quick dry garments – You will get soaked on the water rides however our garments dried shortly. I wore a costume from PrAna and Simon wore a Bluffworks t-shirt and shorts (all their garments are quick-dry and wrinkle-free). Alternatively, put on a poncho however we couldn’t face that within the warmth.
- Comfy sneakers – You’ll be strolling loads. We have been glad for our Teva mountain climbing sandals as they dried shortly after the water rides.
- Cooling towel – In the summer time warmth, you’ll admire this.
Is Islands of Adventure Worth Visiting?
Universal’s Islands of Adventure is certainly value visiting! It’s our favorite of the Universal Florida theme parks with the magical Harry Potter world, the perfect curler coasters (together with the distinctive Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure) and a few enjoyable water rides.
If you’ll be able to solely go to one Universal park, that is the one I’d select, nevertheless it’s value spending a full day at each parks in the event you can. Buy a Park-to-Park ticket so you’ll be able to journey by Hogwarts Express practice between the 2.
Other Universal and Disney Posts
Read our guides to different Universal Studios and Disney parks in Orlando and past.
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