Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure Overview

Universal’s Islands of Adventure, located in Orlando, Florida, is part of the Universal Orlando Resort and serves as the sister park to Universal Studios Florida. Since its opening in 1999, Islands of Adventure has captivated visitors with its immersive environments and thrilling attractions. The park is divided into several uniquely themed islands, each offering its own adventures, characters, and experiences.

Designed to ignite the spirit of adventure, Islands of Adventure features a diverse array of attractions ranging from heart-pounding roller coasters to interactive 3D rides and kid-friendly experiences. Notable areas include Marvel Super Hero Island, where guests can encounter their favorite comic book heroes; The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, a meticulously detailed recreation of the magical world from J.K. Rowling’s beloved series; and Jurassic Park, where the wonders and dangers of the dinosaur age come to life. With its blend of cutting-edge technology, detailed theming, and beloved stories, Islands of Adventure offers an unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages.

Islands of Adventure Attractions

The Incredible Hulk Coaster – A high-speed roller coaster with intense twists, turns, and inversions.
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man: A 3D dark ride that combines motion simulation and special effects.
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall: A drop tower ride offering thrilling views and sudden drops.
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls: A log flume ride with a mix of humor and thrilling drops.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges: A white-water rafting adventure with plenty of splashes.
Skull Island: Reign of Kong: A dark ride featuring animatronics and 3D screens, immersing guests in King Kong’s jungle.
Jurassic Park River Adventure: A boat ride through Jurassic Park, culminating in a dramatic T-Rex encounter and drop.
Jurassic World VelociCoaster: A high-speed roller coaster with inversions and near-misses with velociraptors.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey: A groundbreaking dark ride that takes guests through iconic scenes from the Harry Potter series.
Flight of the Hippogriff: A family-friendly roller coaster themed around the magical creature Hippogriff.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure: A motorbike coaster that journeys through the Forbidden Forest, featuring animatronics and storytelling.
The Cat in the Hat: A dark ride through the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss’s beloved book.
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride: An elevated train ride providing a unique view of Seuss Landing.

Islands of Adventure Shows

Unfortunately, Islands of Adventure doesn’t have many shows. The only major show is a retelling of The Grinch, but that is seasonal. Other shows include a nighttime show on Hogwarts Castle, and Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear! in Seuss Landing.

Dining at Islands of Adventure

Restaurants and Quick Service

Confisco Grille (Table Service) – Located in Port of Entry, offering a diverse menu featuring global cuisine.
Mythos Restaurant (Table Service) – Located in The Lost Continent, serving an award-winning menu with Mediterranean, Asian, and American cuisine.
Captain America Diner – Located in Marvel Super Hero Island, serving burgers, chicken sandwiches, and salads.
Cafe 4 – Located in Marvel Super Hero Island, offering pizza, pasta, and salads.
Blondie’s – Located in Toon Lagoon, famous for its Dagwood sandwiches.
Comic Strip Cafe – Located in Toon Lagoon, offering burgers, pizza, Chinese food, and fish and chips.
Thunder Falls Terrace – Located in Jurassic Park, serving rotisserie chicken, ribs, and salads.
The Burger Digs – Located in Jurassic Park, offering burgers, chicken sandwiches, and salads.
Pizza Predattoria – Located in Jurassic Park, serving pizza, salads, and snacks.
Three Broomsticks – Located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, offering British fare like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and roasted chicken.
Fire-Eater’s Grill – Located in The Lost Continent, serving gyros, kebabs, and other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.
Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous – Located in Seuss Landing, serving fried chicken, pasta, and pizza.
Green Eggs and Ham Cafe – Located in Seuss Landing, offering green eggs and ham, tater tots, and Who Hash.

Snacks and Treats

Peacock Bar – Located in Skull Island: Reign of Kong, offering beverages and snacks.
Croissant Moon Bakery – Located in Port of Entry, offering pastries, sandwiches, and coffee.
Hog’s Head – Located in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, offering beverages including Butterbeer, pumpkin juice, and alcoholic drinks.

Islands of Adventure Special Events

Islands of Adventure does not have extravagant special events like Universal Studios, but they do celebrate certain holidays. For instance, many of the resort’s Christmas festivities take place at Islands of Adventure. Mardi Gras has also spilled over into Islands of Adventure in recent years with a couple of food booths.

Christmas at Islands of Adventure

Overview: Islands has a pretty small Christmas celebration in comparison to the festivities at Universal Studios. However, you will fined decorated lands, unique food, and some special holiday shows.

Attractions:

Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular – A live show featuring the Grinch and the Whos from Whoville, with singing, dancing, and a heartwarming holiday story.
Character Meet and Greets – Meet the Grinch and other Whoville characters for photos and autographs.
Holiday Performances – Enjoy holiday-themed performances by the Frog Choir in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade.
The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts – Finish your day with a nighttime show on Hogwarts Castle.

Islands of Adventure Strategy

Having a good plan is important if you want to get the most out of your day. There are a lot of major attractions at Islands of Adventure that can get long waits. Here is how you can get the most out of your day at Islands of Adventure:

Islands of Adventure opens for early park admission on most days, so it is very important to take advantage of this time if you have access. I try to arrive at the park at least 30 minutes before the official opening. The park usually opens about 10-15 minutes early, so be ready with you park ticket. Keep your hotel key out because employees will check it once you get into the park.
The only things open early are Velocicoaster and the Harry Potter rides. I always head straight for Hagrid, which will usually take about 30 minutes.
Next, I head to Velocicoaster. If you don’t want to go on, then head for Forbidden Journey.
The park should now be open for everyone (or close to it). I often get on the train and head to Universal. However, if you plan to stay the entire day in Islands of Adventure, then finish up in Hogsmeade while the crowds are still light.
After experiencing Hogsmeade, I typically head towards the front of the park. I recommend stopping at Skull Island to break up the walk.
Next, I continue on to Hulk. The coaster does get some long lines early, if it is long already use the single-rider line to save time.
To finish up in the Marvel area I ride Spider-Man. Don’t forget to also check out the character meet and greets throughout the day.
By now the water rides should start operating. If you don’t want to get drenched, then it’s best to skip them. It’s best to just go on these in order, so start with Popeye and Bluto before heading to Ripsaw Falls and Jurassic Park River Adventure.
After the water rides, you may want to take a break to dry off. This is also a good time to stop for lunch.
Finally, explore Seuss Landing later in the day. The rides usually have short waits and they are a nice break from the thrill rides.

Universal With Young Children

Islands of Adventure is not the best park for small children because so many attractions have height requirements. However, the park does have some excellent areas for kids to experience.

The Camp Jurassic area has a large play area for children to explore and is also home to a great flying attraction. Seuss Landing also has plenty of rides for kids to experience, though some of these also have height restrictions.

Islands of Adventure Map

We are working on adding maps soon. Until then, check out the official map on Universal’s website.

FAQs

Are Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida Connected?

Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida are connected in a couple of ways. Unlike Disney World down the road, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are adjacent to each other. The two parks are connected via the City Walk shopping and dining area. Additionally, guests with a park-to-park ticket have access to the Hogwarts Express that goes between Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure and London in Universal Studios.

Can you do Islands of Adventure in one day?

Islands of Adventure is easily doable in one day. In fact, some people spend only one day for both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. If you do plan to do both parks in one day, consider purchasing Express Pass to ensure you can get on everything.

Is it worth going to Islands of Adventure with young kids?

It probably isn’t worth going to Islands of Adventure with young kids, unless you want to ride thrill rides. Young children will not be tall enough for most rides, so it’s a good idea to measure them before going to the park. Unlike its sister park, Islands of Adventure has very few shows and attractions that will appeal to younger audiences.