How to Visit Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Purchase your Universal Orlando tickets online (or over the phone) before visiting the park

   This will save you time when you arrive at the park
   - you won't have to wait in any queues at the ticket offices!
2. 2

   Step 2: particularly if you are visiting from outside the US.

   Try previewing each ride on YouTube, or take a peek at the ride through photos from others.
   
   Learn from what others see.
   
   This can help decide which rides and attractions will take priority during your visit. , Food is expensive to buy in the parks, and a simple snack like a granola bar could fit into even the smallest of backpacks. , You are usually allowed in through the barriers before opening, but you won't have access to most rides unless you are staying at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel. (Guests staying at Universal Resort hotels have Early Park Admission privileges at different times throughout the year.) Getting through the barriers early will give you time to pick up a park map and plan your route to the first ride of the day. , Discuss some of your other options that exist for the other nearby Universal Resort area.
   
   Those options include Universal Studios and CityWalk.
   
   With all three of these within a short walk of each other from the walking path and even from the moving walkway in the parking garage, these can be easily accessed without too much additional walking I you later choose to go to these instead.
   
   If you'd like, you can also visit Walt Disney World.
   
   Its four parks or local attractions are in the area, and they include "Epcot, the Disney (Hollywood/MGM) Studios, the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom.
   
   There's also SeaWorld Orlando in the area, as well as the Aquatica water park. , The address to the parking lot for Universal Orlando is located at 6000 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL
   32819.
   
   The cost to park your car at this park will run you about $17 for cars, and upwards from there (depending on the complexity of your vehicle).. ,, Although this park is shaped in a circular pattern with seven different lands, the inside of each of these lands will give you a different viewpoint, as each ride is sporadically placed behind the world-famous entrance of the Islands of Adventure lighthouse.
   
   These lands include Port of Entry, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade, Lost Continent and Seuss Landing. , You'll know you've reached the turnstile areas when you see a great big, brightly-colored overhang hanging above you as you enter. , With the exception of two to three small take-out restaurants and other eateries, no real attractions exist here. , This roller coaster will leave your heart pounding for about an hour or more, and will definitely psych most people up. , This ride is Islands of Adventures and Universal Resorts one and only teacup-like ride that exists.
   
   Do this if you want the more laid-back version of the roller coaster you did moments ago. , This ride can be fun, and has plenty of possibilities for many people to ride in/with. , This ride is especially good just after lunch when stomachs need to settle before letting the heart race again.
   
   In addition, this can be a good ride to take in for any Spiderman fan. , This attraction is recommended if you have kids who love playing without too much supervision.
   
   This whimsical playland will keep your kids entertained for a little while, while you wait nearby and watch. , However, if water isn't your thing, you may want to skip this ride.
   
   People tend to comment that this ride will get everybody soaked to a "point of no return"., Much less watery than it's competition nearby is this log flume that will get you less drenched but can still get your hopes up to get other people nearby just as wet as the boat vehicle exits the flume building at a quick pace. , You will notice that it looks like a replica of the one from the movies in the Jurassic Park series.
   
   Marvel in the glory of seeing this one close-up at least once or twice. , These swings will swing you back and forth from one place to another, and back to the entrance gate on a track higher in the air than most other swinging rides.
   
   But don't loose your grip.
   
   Most people report that the popularity of this ride seems to be well closer to the historical mark, but the reason that Universal still offers this ride as a Express pass is questionable to most who ride it to this day.
   
   Be aware that you do need to ride this ride with a child who is between 36 and 56 inches if you are over that height range. ,, Do this if you love the movie version of Jurassic Park and if ultimate log flumes are your enjoyment of a park experience.
   
   If you've ever been on Journey to Atlantis, you'll love this ride. , You will feel like you've entered the museum portion in this completely-walking exhibit from the movie Jurassic Park. , However, be aware that these can be a bit pricey. , While this ride is very short, it often has very long waits, so this one may be a good attraction to do first thing, or at the very end of your day. , Follow a journey that portrays 'Harry Potter's one ride in Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
   
   This ride too can often have long waits, and the express pass cannot be used, so if you are more of a thrill seeker, then this may be the ride to do first for your group. , This ride is recommended if you love thrill rides.
   
   With the double helix spins that will turn you around a second time before you even exit the first spin at one point, this one is definitely a keeper for some. , Look out the rather-fake looking windows to watch the Harry Potter journey, or watch out the entryway door as you see people gather and talk about your journey. ,, If other people aren't around it when you reach the area where it lives/hides, he should return something of interest to you that will be on cue with what you said; so ask it a question or answer it's own questions and you can be assured you'll have something that's worthwhile to watch in real-time.
   
   The fountain will quite potentially have something witty to tell you about, if it can understand what you have said.
   
   Strike up a conversation with this fountain. , This interesting exhibit compares to nothing else worldwide except to learn a little more about Poseidon.
   
   This is entirely walking though, so this may not be the attraction for you if your feet are tired from walking a lot during the day. ,, Learn about Dr.
   
   Seuss through some of his excellent ideas that were never truly written down.
   
   Just after leaving the train's entrance gate (into the first building), look down at the restaurant called Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous.
   
   It's interesting to watch people from the train, and see what other weird things happen when the train goes past.
   
   If you're in the restaurant much later, watch upwards into that corner to see the train as it rolls past to see what stuff you can observe. , This whimsical carousel will entertain you for a little while. , This ride is recommended if Dumbo, Flying Carpets of Aladdin and a few others at Disney World along with Kang & Kodos Twirl n' Hurl in Universal Studios Orlando next door wasn't enough thrill for your little one.
   
   You may also even get a little wet. ,,
3. 3

   Step 3: Preview the attractions in the park before your visit.

4. 4

   Step 4: Pack water

5. 5

   Step 5: snacks

6. 6

   Step 6: money and (most importantly) your park tickets before you leave for the park on your visiting day!

7. 7

   Step 7: Plan to arrive at the park before it opens.

8. 8

   Step 8: Decide if you truly want to visit the Islands of Adventure.

9. 9

   Step 9: Drive and park at the parking garage located on the property of Universal Orlando.

10. 10

    Step 10: Take the moving walkway towards Islands of Adventure (as opposed to either Universal Studios or CityWalk).

11. 11

    Step 11: Recognize the setup of the park.

12. 12

    Step 12: Enter through the turnstiles and into the first portion of the park called "Port of Entry".

13. 13

    Step 13: Recognize that this area is more of a meet-and-greet area for all of your party to gather at or near the entrance.

14. 14

    Step 14: Head towards the Incredible Hulk Coaster in "Marvel Super Hero Island" if you love roller coasters and ride this coaster.

15. 15

    Step 15: Take in the "Storm Force Accelatron" ride.

16. 16

    Step 16: Drop along from the top of the free fall area on Doctor Doom's Fearfall" attraction.

17. 17

    Step 17: Take a ride with Spiderman on the ride called The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man.

18. 18

    Step 18: Walk through some of the exhibits on Me Ship

19. 19

    Step 19: The Olive.

20. 20

    Step 20: Take the one ripwater falls flume ride in this area called Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges.

21. 21

    Step 21: Take in Islands of Adventure and Universal Orlando 's one sole true log flume ride in Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls.

22. 22

    Step 22: Look at the entrance gate to this land.

23. 23

    Step 23: Make yourself feel like you are flying on Pterandon Flyers.

24. 24

    Step 24: Search the maze of steps and other mysterious alleyways in Camp Jurassic to see what other things you can mysteriously find without too much help.

25. 25

    Step 25: Head right for Jurassic Park River Adventure upon the rope drop at the beginning of the day.

26. 26

    Step 26: Discover a wealth of dinosaur-inspired trivia inside the Jurassic Park Discovery Center.

27. 27

    Step 27: Walk through and purchase a wand from the wizard at the Islands of Adventure version of the Ollivander's (Wand Shop).

28. 28

    Step 28: Ride the less-energy enthralled voyage on the wooden roller coaster called Flight of the Hippogriff.

29. 29

    Step 29: Take a ride through the castle.

30. 30

    Step 30: Come back out from the castle and walk past Ollivander's shop to take on the metal roller coaster called Dragon Challenge.

31. 31

    Step 31: Ride the train at the Hogwart's Express station at the Hogsmeade Station location (if you have the proper authority on your park ticket to cross into the other park).

32. 32

    Step 32: Watch the Eighth Voyage of Sinbad Stunt Show to see Sinbad's action take place in real-time.

33. 33

    Step 33: Talk to the Mystic Fountain to see what he replies back to you.

34. 34

    Step 34: Walk through the water vortex tunnel called Poseidon's Fury.

35. 35

    Step 35: Look to take in some of these whimsical rides/locations until the very end of your day

36. 36

    Step 36: and make sure the kids are there to ride all of these rides with you.

37. 37

    Step 37: Ride the trolley train ride at the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride exhibit.

38. 38

    Step 38: Ride the Caro Seuss - el if you love to ride carousels.

39. 39

    Step 39: Ride the One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish ride.

40. 40

    Step 40: Learn a little more about the Cat in the Hat's story on the ride by the same name (The Cat in the Hat).

41. 41

    Step 41: Play with your kids in the walkaround exhibit called If I Ran the Zoo.

Detailed Guide

About the Author