When you’re just looking at attractions, leaving the theme and nostalgia aside, Islands of Adventure is one of the best Orlando theme parks today. You will probably be able to fit the entire park in one day. This is possible if you knock out Harry Potter rides in the morning before the crowds and lines get overwhelming. However, if you’re short on time or trying to squeeze both Universal parks into one day, here are the top 5 rides in Universal’s Islands of Adventure for all ages!
In my opinion, these are the best rides to experience at the Universal Islands of Adventure. You could do it on a day in January or September that is considered LOW season due to low attendance.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
A ride on water rapids with a Popeye the Sailor theme is a popular character from the 1930s comic strips. The most fun is that it is very likely that you will get wet. Bilge-Rat Barges can accommodate 10 people at a time on a circular raft in a man-made canyon of rapid torrents, waterfalls, twists, turns, and jumps.
Some of the landscapes are visually interesting like the 18-foot octopus piled up in a super small cave, but the accessories located on the sides of the walk are of minimal movement; they do not make an immersive experience. Among the top 10 attractions in Universal’s Islands of Adventure!
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
The incredible adventures of Spider-Man sends you a mission with the Web launcher while trying to save the city. He was hired by J. Jonah Jameson as an intern at the Daily Bugle to test his new automated information gathering vehicle, the SCOOP. But of course, the news and “everything is terribly wrong”, and you will soon be touring the city as a collection of villains torment you with fireballs, floods and even a fall of 100 stories.
Caro-Seuss-el
The Caro-Seuss-El is a traditional carousel that incorporates non-traditional music and montages to give it a Seussian feel.
Amazing characters include One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish camels, the cowfish from McElligot’s Pool, and the elephant birds from Horton Hatches the Egg, just to name a few. This carousel is one of the first to have interactive characters.
Visitors can use levers and reins to make some of the characters move, blink, and more. The carousel is soft and gentle for young riders, and Seuss’s lively music contributes to the experience. You can not miss among this list of best rides in Universal’s Islands of Adventure!
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Known as one of the scariest rides on the islands of adventure, this ride is one you can’t afford to miss. During the trip, the riders meet friends and enemies, including a fire-breathing dragon, before running the glove through a cave and ending the trip with a warm “thank you” from the students. But here’s the best part: you can immediately jump back and go as many times as you want without queuing up.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Ride
It looks like Universal Orlando will be the place the Potterheads should be in June 2019. The theme park announced the official opening date for a new exciting Harry Potter journey that will arrive at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Islands of Adventure Park, and it’s all about Hagrid.
What Should I Not Miss At Islands Of Adventure?
Besides the fantastic rides on the islands of adventure, there are still some things you shouldn’t miss during your time there. We’ll be listing a few of the places you shouldn’t miss at Islands of Adventure.
Our first recommendation for this area is Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls attraction. Here you board a canoe and ride for 4-5 minutes before having a great fall that simulates a waterfall.
Of course, you will need to get ready because you will be soaked. Many travelers decide to do it in the middle of the day to cool off, others prefer to leave it for last and use the park’s dryers (which have an extra cost, about 5USD).
Also, the Jurassic Park River Adventure is another great place you shouldn’t miss visiting. This fun-packed adventure will surely give you a good shout out. Aboard a raft, you are welcomed into a sophisticated laboratory in Jurassic Park, but oh surprise, the dinosaurs will invade it, forcing you to get out as fast as possible.
What Rides To Do First At Islands Of Adventure?
In this section, we’ll be sharing some of the first rides you should try out on your visit to the islands of adventure.
First on this list is the Incredible Hulk Coaster. It is one of the most popular roller coasters in the entire complex, as it is very unique. You can ride this awesome roller coaster as many times as you can. You can even ride it more if you have a pass to skip all the lines.
If you aren’t into roller coasters or love Harry Potter, head to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ASAP. This is one of the best rides I’ve been on because not only is it an adventure and thrill, but it also has great visuals.
Which Is Better, Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure
Are you having a hard time choosing which of these amazing parks you want to visit? Well, this review can help make your choice a lot easier. However, you can decide to visit both parks since they are both connected.
Universal Studios Florida is the original park and is decorated like a movie set. There you will find one of the Harry Potter areas (the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley) and the attractions of the Simpsons, Transformers, the Minions, and many others.
Islands of Adventure were added later and are home to comics and superheroes like Spiderman or Hulk, in addition to the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. There is the other Harry Potter area, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade.
You can decide to visit both parks if you have the time to enjoy them in one day. However, you should keep in mind that the entrance is more expensive than if you only visit one.
Activities you can enjoy in both parks
Jurassic Park (Islands of Adventure)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Are you a fan of Harry Potter, and you are dying to move to his universe? The bad news is that the Harry Potter amusement park (the Wizarding World of Harry Potter ) is divided between both parks.
The Hogwarts Express train connects the two areas. To visit all the attractions and get on the wizard train, you will have to buy a ticket for both parks.
Diagon Alley and Gringotts (Universal Studios)
At Universal Studios is the Diagon Alley area, guarded by a huge dragon.
Buy your wand at the Ollivander store, grab a bite in The Leaky Cauldron, stroll down the famous street of the wizards, and descend to the depths of Gringotts Bank at the Escape from Gringotts attraction.
Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure)
In Islands of Adventure is the little town of Hogsmeade, where you will find another Ollivanders store and you can succumb to the craving for sweets in Honeydukes. There are more attractions in this park: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, a roller coaster for the kids, the Flight of the Hippogriff, and Forbidden Journey, a fast-paced broomstick flight inside Hogwarts Castle.
You can take the Hogwarts Express train to get from one area to another as long as you have entrance to both parks. And be careful because perhaps the Dementors will visit you on board.
What Is the Scariest Ride at Universal Studios
Universal incorporates so many innovations into its unique dark coaster/roller coaster that it coined a new label for Revenge of the Mummy: psychological thrill. With its dark darkness, creepy beetles, and other quirky inductors, the journey plays a winning hand in mind games.
But Universal is never ashamed to offer face fun; it also unleashes physical emotions, including a surprisingly powerful mountain experience. This will produce a wild, kinetic, and frantic attraction that will leave you screaming for your mom.
The Revenge of the Mummy
This Mummy ride is one of the 12 best rides in Universal Orlando. The Revenge of the Mummy part of the roller coaster has no reversal, does not rise to nose-bleeding heights, and reaches a relatively moderate top speed of 45 mph. Universal considers it a “family” attraction (though the designation may be expanding the definition), and it’s decidedly less intense than major thrill machines like the Islands of Adventure Hulk roller coaster. But it includes high-speed throws, offers some amazing drops and airtime out of your seat, and feels a lot more out of control because you’re in the dark.
If you can drive the Rock ‘N Roller roller coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can handle the mummy. But get ready for a more aggressive trip. On the “psychological” side of the emotion equation, I think almost everyone except the very impressionable young children will find the motif of the mummy more fascinating than unpleasant.
If you’re on the line, I advise you to hold it, hold tight to the rider next to you (hopefully someone you know), and give it a spin. Revenge of the Mummy is among the best theme park attractions, and you owe it to yourself to try it at least once. Even if you find the trip too disturbing, you can still feel comfortable in its short duration. The entire experience takes about three minutes, and the roller coaster portion takes less than half that time.
When the attraction debuted, Universal touted the Mummy as the next evolution of a theme park ride. Like a dark journey, it is extraordinary. But other attractions like Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts have a higher rank. Like a roller coaster, the Mummy is wild. But it’s not about playing the best steel thrill machine, Superman the Ride in Six Flags New England. Together, however, the elements of the dark ride and the roller coaster break categories and offer a fun, exciting, and all-new way to immerse guests in the alternate Mummy universe.
Review of all rides (height and a few words of what it’s like)
The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Height: 54 inches
It is one of the most popular roller coasters in the entire complex, it is truly unique. Upload as many times as you can! (More if you have a pass to skip all the lines).
Doctor Doom’s Fearfall
Height: 52 inches
An adrenaline rush and several meters! You will have an incredible view of the complex.
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
Height: 44 inches
This ride is ideal for those who go with the family, as up to 12 people enter the same raft.
Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls attraction
Height: All Height
Here you board a canoe and ride for 4-5 minutes before having a great fall that simulates a waterfall. Of course, get ready because you will be soaked and excited.
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Height: 42 inches
This ride will give you a good shout out. Aboard a raft, you are welcomed into a sophisticated laboratory in Jurassic Park which is invaded by dinosaurs. Now, you must get out as fast as possible!
Hogwarts Express at Universal Orlando Resort Park
Height: All Height
Traveling on this train is a spectacular immersive experience between King’s Cross Station and Hogsmeade. However, if you want to take it you must have a Park-to-Park entrance. In passing you will get to know Platform 9 ¾.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Height: 48 inches
Walk through the halls of Hogwarts Castle as you arrive at this attraction. You will accompany Harry and his friends in an unforgettable adventure, where you will be able to face magical creatures, including the Dementors. I would not recommend this attraction for younger children; they can scare them. This is the darkest attraction of all the Harry Potter-inspired ones.
Flight of the Hippogriff
Height: 36 Inches
Do you remember Buckbeak? This attraction is inspired by the famous Hippogriff of the third installment of the saga. You can feel what it’s like to fly as one on this outdoor roller coaster. It is an excellent option if you go with children.
Poseidon’s Fury
Height: All Height
You will enter the temple of Poseidon to live a battle between mythical beings, a show that includes fireballs, laser lights, clear, and eruptions of water.
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! Seuss Landing
Height: 36 inches
It has a train! Don’t forget to get on and enjoy the views of the area.
Caro-Seuss-el
Height: All Height
What child does not want to get on a carousel? None! Except for this one, it has decorations, music, and lights in a real toy world.
