The Best Guide to Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure is the second theme park that makes up the Universal Studios Orlando Resort. Its situated right next to Universal Studios Florida, and is even connected to that park internally courtesy of the Hogwarts Express. Opened in 1999, Universal’s Islands of Adventure is filled with an abundance of exciting thrill rides based on smash hit pictures. Ranging from Harry Potter to Jurassic Park, to the Superheroes of Marvel’s comic books and everything in between, there’s such a variety of attractions here that you can easily dedicate a whole day to this park alone.

Islands of Adventure is my personal favourite when it comes to the two Universal parks in Florida. While it is possible to combine a visit with Universal Studios Florida within one day, I recommend spending two days across both so that you can experience everything they have to offer. In this post, I’ll be showing you what you can see and do at Islands of Adventure.

• If you’re wanting to read about all the theme parks (and more) in Orlando, check out my overview HERE.
• Want to know what there is to do in Universal Studios Florida? You can read my post on that park HERE.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure – The Basics

• Where: 6000 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida
• When: Islands of Adventure is open daily, however park hours differ depending on the season. Check the official website before your visit, though generally the park is open from 9.00am – 7.00pm, with longer hours in summer and on holidays.
• How much? Admission tickets to Islands of Adventure vary in price depending on the season, but generally a day pass will start at $109.00 USD for adults. A one day park hopper, including admission into both parks on the same day, starts at around $164.00 USD. Express passes are also available for an additional cost, and you can check the official website for further details.
• How to get there: Unless your hotel has a decent shuttle service, I recommend using Uber or Lyft to get to Universal Studios. Its about a 15 minute ride from International Drive.
• Website: https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/theme-parks/islands-of-adventure

Things to Know Before Going to Islands of Adventure

Make sure you buy your tickets online well in advance of your visit to Universal’s Islands of Adventure. While it is possible to queue up at the park entrance to buy your tickets, I can’t think of a greater waste of time when it comes to starting your day. Note that you will have to pick up Express Passes at Will Call, so factor in a little time there (it will pay off though!). Assuming you’re not eligible for early entry, you should aim to get to the park roughly 30 – 45 minutes before official opening. This will ensure you can walk right onto your first ride of the day and do some of the park’s best attractions early with minimal waits.

I’m a huge fan of the Universal Studios park hopper pass – its the only way you can ride the Hogwarts Express, and it will let you do attractions from both Universal parks on the same day. I also highly recommend the Express Pass, which lets you skip the line at all but two attractions (at the time of writing) in Islands of Adventure. I especially recommend the Express Pass to first time visitors who only have a limited amount of time at the parks.

If you’re staying at a Universal Studios hotel, you’ll likely be eligible for early entry on certain days of the week. This gets you into the park before other guests, giving you the chance to experience select attractions at Islands of Adventure before everyone else. If you’re planning to make the most of early entry, get to the park 2 hours before regular opening time.

• On a recent trip, I tackled both Universal Studios parks on a single day. You can read how in my post HERE.

The Layout of Islands of Adventure

Universal’s Islands of Adventure is comprised of a number of themed “islands” surrounding a large lagoon, each filled with distinct attractions matching the theme of that island. Its very easy to navigate, and you can always work out where you are simply by looking out towards the lagoon that fills the park’s interior. You enter Islands of Adventure (through the main entrance) at the Port of Entry. From there, you can venture around the islands in either direction and you’ll eventually get back to where you started. If you’ve been to Universal Studios Singapore, its essentially the same idea as that park’s layout (though much bigger!). In this post, I’ll be taking you on a clockwise trip around the park from the entrance, showcasing all it has to offer.

Port of Entry

The Port of Entry is where you’ll start your day at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Its a basic area without any attractions that is really just about bringing into the park and branching you out to the surrounding lands. Amongst the Middle Eastern and Asian theming, you’ll find a number of shops and restaurants, along with the park’s Pharos Lighthouse landmark. Overall, you won’t be spending much time in the Port of Entry. Its literally just a place to pass through on the way to greater adventures, while setting an ambience of discovery in the process.

Marvel Super Hero Island

While the Marvel Super Hero Universe may now come under the wider Disney umbrella, Universal still owns the rights to theme park attractions based on certain original comic characters (in the state of Florida). As a result, the first land that you find to the left as you leave the Port of Entry takes on a comic book setting. While younger adventurers will definitely be drawn towards their comic book heroes, this is one of the main sections of the park filled with high thrill rides (including some of the best attractions in all of Universal’s Islands of Adventure). It gets busy here, so take that into account when touring. All up, the land is home to four attractions.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

One of my favourite attractions at Islands of Adventure, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is a motion simulator experience that utilises much of the same technology as the Transformers 3-D attraction next door. The idea here is that you’re working for the Daily Bugle and are sent to capture footage of Spider-Man as he does battle against the Sinister Syndicate, comprised of well known villains such as Doctor Octopus, the Hobgoblin and Electro. Meanwhile the fate of the Statue of Liberty literally hangs in the balance. Along the way you’ll be amazed by a combination of 3-D technology and actual sets. I prefer it to the Transformers ride (although that may be due to how many versions exist around the world of that attraction), so that’s high praise already. Its filled with Spidey humour and even a token Stan Lee cameo. Don’t miss this one Spider Fans.

Doctor Doom’s Fearfall

Doctor Doom’s Fearfall is your typical tower launch and drop ride. Basically you’re strapped into your seat on the side of a 200 foot tall tower and blasted up the side before plummeting back down. Rinse and repeat a few times and that’s really the whole attraction. Its honestly not as scary as it looks – the worst part is the anticipation as you wait for the initial launch. Once you’re on your way up, the views of the rest of the theme park and Orlando in general (depending which side of the tower you’re on) are great, albeit short lived. Keep in mind that this ride does tend to take a long time to load up, so its not one you’ll want to get on when the line is visibly massive. Try to ride relatively early if you don’t have Universal Express.

The Incredible Hulk Coaster

You won’t get far into Island’s of Adventure without seeing the iconic green tracks of the Incredible Hulk Coaster. If you’re a rollercoaster fan like me, this is one ride that you must do. Its one of the best rollercoasters I’ve ever been on. Many share that view and the queue here will be swamped from very early in the day. Despite the high speeds and multiple inversions, the Incredible Hulk Coaster is a very smooth ride, owing to the recent update to the track in 2016. The ride begins with a launch from 0 to 40 miles per hour and from there you’re careening through loops, rolls and drops for an action packed two minutes. You go upside down a total of seven times on this one. Get on it early and be ready to scream your lungs out.

Storm Force Accelatron

If there’s one ride to skip at Marvel Super Hero Island, its this one. I actually don’t think I’ve ever been on the Accelatron. Basically, its a cup and saucers spinner themed around Storm of the X-Men. Less adventurous riders might like to do this attraction while others are braving the Hulk or Doctor Doom, but watch out if you’re prone to motion sickness!

Toon Lagoon

Toon Lagoon is a rather interesting section of the park, as its colourful theming is centred around the characters of King Features Syndicate and Jay Ward Comics. If those names don’t sound familiar to you, don’t worry. Basically its old cartoons like Popeye the Sailor and Dudley Do-Right that take the stage here. While the theming may go over the heads of many, Toon Lagoon is a great place to stop by on a hot Florida afternoon – this is where you come to get drenched at Islands of Adventure. The land contains two excellent water rides, as a well as Me Ship, The Olive, an interactive playground for children.

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is a classic log flume. Featuring characters from the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons, the adventure here sees Dudley Do-Right on a boating expedition to rescue Nell from the dastardly Snidely Whiplash. You don’t need to follow the plot to enjoy this one though, its all about the drops and splashdowns. The climax is a 75 foot drop into a tunnel that is bound to see you soaked (especially if you’re sitting in the front of the boat). Its not going to be the most memorable ride of the day, but if you need to cool down, this is one of the best ways to achieve that on a visit to Islands of Adventure. Before drying off, follow a ride on Ripsaw Falls with the next attraction.

Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges

The Bilge-Rat Barges is a river rapid ride where you are again going to get soaked (even more so than on Ripsaw Falls!). If you’ve been on one of these rides before, you know what to expect – you’ll board a circular raft and be sent down a man-made canyon of whitewater rapids, being thrown around by gushing waterfalls, twists and turns along the way. Its a lot of fun, and probably the best ride of its kind in Florida. Again, the storyline here leaves something to be desired, but this is another of those rides where you can put that aside while still having lots of fun. Its a surprisingly underrated attraction (though lines still build when it gets hot). Be ready to dry off afterwards (and keep your feet up if you don’t want to be walking around with wet shoes for the rest of the day).

Skull Island

Skull Island is a small section of the park specifically built to house the King Kong Ride at Universal’s Island’s of Adventure. The theming here is a significant shift from the colourful Toon Lagoon, setting the scene for the more adventurous lands ahead.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

Added to Islands of Adventure in 2016, Reign of Kong was inspired by the King Kong segment of the Studio Tour at Universal’s Hollywood park. Drawing from the King Kong remakes of the past decades rather than the original feature film, the ride takes guests on board safari trucks for a tour of Skull Island with the Eighth Wonder Exploration Company. The spookiness begins before you even get on board, as the spectacularly creepy queue is filled with actual “scare actors” ready to startle unwary guests.

Once you board your vehicle, you’ll embark on a trip through the jungle, encountering (through the power of projection screens and effects) bats, bugs, dinosaurs and finally King Kong himself. The ride culminates in a battle between Kong and a pack of carnivorous dinosaurs, during which you’re of course thumped around before being taken to safety and given a view of an impressive Kong animatronic.

Reign of Kong is an example of expanding a Studio Tour segment into a full blown ride done well (unlike say, Fast & Furious Supercharged). Make sure you ride Kong, even if you’ve come across him in Hollywood.

Jurassic Park

Naturally, this next section of the park is based on the Jurassic Park films. Its an immersive area filled with deep jungle and vegetation designed to be explored by guests. The iconic Jurassic Park Discovery Center, housed inside the visitor’s centre from the original film is a prominent icon of the land and inside you can watch “scientists” hatching baby dinosaurs, whilst also learning about their real life extinct counterparts.

Kids can also blow off steam at the Camp Jurassic playground or take a ride on the Pteranodon Flyers junior suspended coaster (unlike most rides, adults can’t do this one without accompanying a child that meets the height requirement). You’ll also be able to interact with and get your photo taken with an amazingly realistic velociraptor puppet at the Raptor Encounter.

Jurassic Park River Adventure

The River Adventure Ride is an opening day attraction for Islands of Adventure and is identical to the old Jurassic Park ride in Hollywood before that one was re-themed to the Jurassic World sequel films (it wouldn’t surprise me if this one followed suit eventually).

Even though it hasn’t changed since 1999, the ride remains a classic and one of my favourite Universal attractions. Basically, you board a boat for a tour of the dinosaur theme park, however things go wrong when the carnivores escape and you’re diverted into the raptor enclosure. From there, you ascend numerous floors in your boat before taking an 85 foot drop to escape the jaws of an impressive T-Rex animatronic. Of course, that ends with a splash down, although you won’t get as wet as you will on the Toon Lagoon attractions. Ride this one while its in its current form (although if the re-theme makes its way to Islands of Adventure, it will be great as well).

Velocicoaster

The Jurassic World Velocicoaster is the newest addition to the Universal Studios parks in Florida and is a super intense rollercoaster. Guest board a 24 passenger train and careen along the track, which includes not one but two high speed launches! There’s an assortment of dinosaur sculptures around the track, though you won’t have much time to admire the view on the two minutes you’re hurling around the Jurassic skies. Along with Hagrid’s Magical Creatures, the Velocicoaster is one of only two rides at Universal Studios that currently doesn’t participate in the Express Pass, meaning you’re in for a long wait here. Its not as popular as Hagrid’s, but the Velocicoaster still draws big crowds. You can get in line at the start or end of the day, or you can check if the single rider line is operating when you’re passing through.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade

This is the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the immersive realm that catapulted Universal Studios to a whole new level. This spectacular section of the park transports guests to the village of Hogsmeade, and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry itself, the main setting of the Harry Potter films and books. Due to the popularity of the Potter franchise, this area is always swamped from park opening, especially now that a new attraction has been added to its line up.

Before we get into the attractions though, any Potter fan will love exploring the various details of the Wizarding World, with Hogsmeade staples such as the Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head Tavern open for business (drink Butterbeer!). There’s plenty of shopping opportunities in the magical village as well – don’t miss Dervish and Banges and the Hogsmeade version of Ollivanders, just to name a few.

Hogsmeade is also full of entertainment, with the Frog Choir and Triwizard Spirit Rally providing numerous performances throughout the course of the day. As the sun sets, there is also often a projection show on the Hogwarts castle, starring the Sorting Hat as it speaks about the four houses of the school.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is one of the best theme park rides I’ve ever been on. Its the exact same Harry Potter headliner that you’ll find at Universal Studios Hollywood, but is the kind of attraction that you’ll want to experience over and over again. Housed inside the Hogwarts castle, the queue takes you on a tour of key settings, ranging from Dumbledore’s office, to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. You’ll also see artefacts from the saga, including the Mirror of Erised and the Sorting Hat (and of course, the talking portraits). Along the way, you’ll meet Harry, Ron and Hermione, and they’ll prep you for a trip around the castle and surrounding grounds after meeting up at the Room of Requirement.

Once you’re strapped into the ride vehicle, the idea is that you’ve been magically charmed to fly around the grounds and meet the gang on the Quidditch pitch. Without spoiling too much, your journey will include encounters with a dragon, giant spiders, Dementors and the Whomping Willow, just to name a few. Guests that are prone to motion sickness might struggle a bit on this one – even though you don’t go upside, it definitely feels like you do at some points. With that said, the ride is wonderful and you have to experience it at least once (preferably multiple times) in your life.

Flight of the Hippogriff

On the much less intense scale, Flight of the Hippogriff is a family friendly rollercoaster designed for children that can’t experience the more adult Potter rides. Here you’ll board a Hippogriff by Hagrid’s Hut and take a brief soar through the castle grounds. Its very tame, and the whole experience only lasts around a minute, with at least half of that time taken up by the initial ascent. Unless you’ve got children with you, this is probably an attraction you can skip, although the queue area does contain a really cool Buckbeak animatronic.

Hogwarts Express

I’ve covered the Hogwarts Express in my previous post about Universal Studios Florida, but you can board the train at Hogsmeade Station to take a ride to Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Florida. Its worth doing, even if you’ve already come the other way, as you’ll see different scenes on your journey away from Hogwarts (Weasley fireworks included). Note that you’ll need a park hopper ticket to board the Hogwarts Express (since you end up in a different park).

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

A new attraction at Universal Orlando Resort, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures has received high praise from guests and is one of the best rides across both parks. Essentially, this is a “story driven rollercoaster” where your motorcycle vehicle will join Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest and come across countless magical beasts, including a giant fire crab. Along the way, you’ll reach speeds of up to 50 miles an hour, travel forwards and backwards, and even take a plunge through Devil’s Snare. I won’t say more without spoiling the attraction, but this ride uses some of the most impressive technology I’ve seen at Universal Studios, with the bar already set so high in the Wizarding World.

Note that like the Velocicoaster, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures does not participate in the Express Pass at the time of writing (though it does sometimes use a single rider line, which cuts wait times immensely!). Try to ride this one first thing in the day if you can be in the first wave of guests on board.

The Lost Continent

The Lost Continent is the one section of Islands of Adventure that has become somewhat lost (pardon the pun) to time. Themed around legends of Arabian and Greek mythology, this was once the largest area of the park, however it gave up a significant amount of its land when the Wizarding World was constructed. With Harry Potter’s immense appeal to theme park goers, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Wizarding World eventually expanded even further, encroaching into the remnants of this land.

As far as the Lost Continent goes today, its very light on attractions – the only major experience here is a high tech walk through theatre show. Aside from that, the Lost Continent is where you’ll find the Mystic Fountain, which offers great photo opportunities and interactions, as well as Mythos, perhaps the best restaurant on Universal property.

Poseidon’s Fury

The sole remaining attraction in the Lost Continent, Poseidon’s Fury is a special effects show. Guests enter the elaborate theatre facade and are guided through a series of chambers by a live actor, culminating in a battle between the water god Poseidon, and the evil sorcerer Lord Darkenon. Fire and water effects ensue over the course of the showdown. In the past I’ve skipped this attraction, with many feeling that its not worth the time it takes to go through the experience. On my most recent trip to Islands of Adventure, I did Poseidon’s Fury and actually enjoyed it. Sure, its not going to be on the top of your list of priorities when you visit, but I think its a decent choice for that time of day when lines are long and the sun is hot outside.

Seuss Landing

Known for not containing a single straight line, Seuss Landing is the kid’s area of Islands of Adventure, themed around the colourful stories of Dr Seuss. Even if you don’t plan on riding the attractions here, pass through just to appreciate the whimsically styled buildings and streets that take up this area of the park. There’s plenty for younger guests to do, with variations of midway style rides including the Caro-Seuss-el (carousel of Dr Seuss characters) and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (a Dumbo spinner ride with a splash). The If I Ran the Zoo playground gives kids a chance to blow off some steam, while Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear! is a fun sing along show for younger audiences.

If you’re wanting a better view of the land, take a ride aboard The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, a train that circles the land on elevated tracks, winding between the various buildings. The highlight of Seuss Landing however is the Cat in the Hat dark ride that brings the story of the classic book to life through sets and animatronic characters.

That’s the end of the loop, as you’ll be right back at the Port of Entry where it all started. Universal’s Islands of Adventure is an incredible theme park. There’s so much to do and see, and that only increases when you also factor in everything at Universal Studios Florida next door. A first time trip to the park can be overwhelming, so hopefully this post has helped provide an overview of Islands of Adventure’s attractions and where everything is located to assist with your planning needs. What’s your favourite area of Islands of Adventure? Have you done all the thrilling rides on offer?