Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [142]
In terms of drawing long lines, the Trolley is a bit like Pteranodon Flyers: There are few cars and they move slowly, so board only if you have time to kill or the kids absolutely insist.
If I Ran the Zoo
Map Location 18
IOA’s third interactive play area was designed with preschoolers in mind, although older kids enjoy it, too. You can jump, climb, and squirt, as well as play tic-tac-toe with a Gak. Trap your friends in a cage of water or wait for the scraggle-foot Mulligatawny to sneeze—there’s a silly surprise around every corner. A small water area gives younger kids a chance to cool off and splash around on a hot day.
The emphasis on the big-deal rides makes many families automatically assume that Islands of Adventure is only for older kids. But the three play areas, and the attention to detail in all of Seuss Landing, show that Islands of Adventure has plenty to offer younger siblings as well.
Afternoon Resting Places
Families who’ll be staying in the park all day need to build in afternoon rest stops to give everyone a chance to regroup. You basically have three options:
Restaurants. Consider making lunch your big meal of the day. A sit-down meal, either at Confisco Grille, Mythos, or CityWalk is a chance to get off your feet and relax.
Shows. The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad will give you a chance to sit down in a theater for a while. The Jurassic Park Discovery Center, although a museum-style attraction, is a quiet, calm, and cool place to catch your breath.
Play areas. Sometimes kids just need to burn off their pent-up energy. If you suspect they need to climb, run, and play for a half hour, head for one of the three play areas.
Meeting the Characters
The times and places for character meetings are well marked on your map.
The superheroes, including Spider-Man, appear in Marvel Super Hero Island; cartoon characters show up in Toon Lagoon; and the Seuss characters can be found, logically, in Seuss Landing. If you want to be guaranteed autographs and pictures without the elbow of some stranger from Michigan in each shot, make reservations for the character lunch at Confisco Grille.
Sometimes kids are overwhelmed by the characters, especially the Masked Marvels who show up on Marvel Super Hero Island, and the villains, such as Snidely Whiplash in Toon Lagoon and that nasty green Grinch in Seuss Landing. If your child appears nervous, don’t push her forward; let her watch other kids pose for pictures for a while and she may loosen up. Asking for an autograph is a great way to break the ice.
City Walk
CityWalk is the dining, shopping, and entertainment complex that links Universal Studios with Islands of Adventure. A fun destination in its own right, CityWalk also provides more dining options than what’s in the parks. If you’d like a break from touring, exit the park and head for lunch at CityWalk.
Dining during the dinner hour can sometimes be problematic, since crowds from both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure exit through CityWalk, creating bottlenecks. Reservations help. If you’re staying on-site, make CityWalk dining reservations through Guest Services at your hotel. If you’re staying off-site, you can make reservations at a well-marked booth as you enter CityWalk from the parking deck in the morning. CityWalk has shows and concerts every night, including a Blue Man Group production.
Good choices for family dining include:
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Shrimp … shrimp … and more shrimp in a casual, family-friendly environment. (Other types of seafood are on the menu as well, along with steaks and sandwiches.)
Money-Saving Tip
You can shop and dine at CityWalk without buying a ticket or paying a cover charge until around 8 PM when the club-hopping starts. And, once it does, if you want to visit several