Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [132]
List of Maps
Jurassic Park
9 Camp Jurassic | 11 Discovery Center | 10 River Adventure | 8 Pteranodon Flyers
The Lost Continent
15 The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad | 16 Poseidon's Fury
Marvel Super Hero Island
4 The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man | 3 Dr. Doom's Fearfall | 1 The Incredible Hulk Coaster | 2 Storm Force Acceleration
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
12 Dragon Challenge | 13 Flight of the Hippogriff | 14 Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Seuss Landing
19 Caro-Seuss-el | 21 The Cat in the Hat | 17 High in the Sky Seuss Trolley | 18 If I Ran the Zoo | 20 One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Toon Lagoon
5 Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls | 7 Me Ship, the Olive | 6 Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges
Islands of Adventure (IOA) is all about rides: full sensory-immersion 3-D experiences, state-of-the-art coasters, watery descents that’ll leave you dripping, and kiddie rides so cleverly designed that even the most cynical adults totally get into the spirit. And, during the last two years, it’s been all about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, an island so popular that it’s allowed Universal to significantly raise the ticket prices and still draw unprecedented crowds.
For information on tickets and multiday passes see Chapter 14 and note the financial advantages of buying online. Check for any price changes by calling 407/363–8000 or visiting www.universalorlando.com.
Money-Saving Tip
Are you a member of AAA? If so, you’ll get a 10% price break on food and shopping throughout Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. This can be quite a boon, especially in posh restaurants.
Getting Around Islands of Adventure
The layout of Islands of Adventure is shaped like a big lollipop, and you enter through the stick—the Port of Entry, which has shops, restaurants, and service areas. Port of Entry ends at the lagoon, and around the water are clustered the six islands of the theme park: Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Lost Continent, and Seuss Landing.
Because of IOA’s essentially circular design, it’s an easy park to tour. The sidewalks naturally lead you from one attraction to the next, with no crossroads or choices, and bridges connect each of the islands. The moods of the separate lands are quite distinct. As you walk into the mysterious and mythic Lost Continent, for example, you’re greeted by the gentle tinkling of wind chimes; and to enter Jurassic Park, you walk through an enormous stone gate flanked with torches. Below your feet you’ll see fossil prints in the sidewalk; and if you listen closely, you’ll hear the rumbles and calls of dinos in the bushes.
We advise an early morning lap of the park to ride the big-deal attractions; an afternoon lap to check out the shows, play areas, water rides, and minor attractions; then a final circle in early evening to ride anything you missed—or revisit favorites. Sounds like a lot of walking, but in this user-friendly theme park, touring is a snap.
How Scary Is “Scary”?
As Dr. Seuss Would Say, “Very!”
Ten of the 12 major attractions at Islands of Adventure have height restrictions—your first clue that this park is loaded with physically wild rides. Measure your kids before you leave home; there’s no point in promising your kindergarten-age muggle a ride on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey if he’s less than 48 inches tall. Here are the specific height restrictions:
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
40 inches
Dr. Doom’s Fearfall
52 inches
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
44 inches
Dragon Challenge
54 inches
Flight of the Hippogriff
36 inches
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
48 inches
Jurassic Park River Adventure
42 inches
The Incredible Hulk Coaster
54 inches
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
42 inches
Pteranodon Flyers
36 inches
In addition, a couple of the shows are atmospherically scary; Poseidon’s Fury and the Eighth Voyage of Sindbad have frightened some preschoolers.
The bottom line? Read