Islands of Adventure

Guests who wish to see everything there is to offer at the Islands of Adventure will need an entire day. This is particularly true because the many different thrill rides often have very long lines. Guests who stay at a Universal resort hotel, who arrive in the parking lot 45 minutes before it officially opens, and who use Universal Express ticketing will not have to wait as long.

A Universal Express ticket allows guests to check in at a ride entrance and receive an assigned time to come back to the ride. Upon return, guests with the Universal Express ticket can bypass the rest of the line. For a little extra, guests can purchase an Universal Express Plus pass, which allows them to go to the front of the line without waiting or making an appointment. Guests staying in a Universal resort only need to show their key room key to get to the front of the line.

The Port of Entry is the start of the adventure. From here you can choose to visit 5 different islands: Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Lost Continent, and Seuss Landing. Seeing all of the attractions in the most timely fashion can actually mean bouncing around between the islands rather than completing one at a time.

The Itinerary

If arriving at the park first thing in the morning, guests should first ride the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. Afterward, they should go to the Incredible Hulk Coaster, then to the Jurassic Park River Adventure, then to the Dueling Dragons. By now, it should be time to take in the Eighth Voyage of Sinbad. Afterward, head back to Toon Lagoon, but stop off at Camp Jurassic and the Jurassic Park Discovery Center along the way.

Once in Toon Lagoon, guests should first enjoy Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, then Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. Now is time to go to Seuss Landing. The first ride to go on is the Cat in the Hat, then to One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Even if guests are not ready to eat, they should be sure to also visit the Green Eggs and Ham Café to see green eggs get made. Afterward, go to Caro-Seuss-el then walk through If I Ran the Zoo.

These are the main attractions. If there is still time left in the day, Doctor Doom’s Fearfall should be the next stop, then Storm Force Accelatron. Triceratops Trail and Pteranadon Flyers in Jurassic Park should be next, followed by The Flying Unicorn and Poseidon’s Fury on the Lost Continent.

Best Times to Go

With the exception of Christmas week, the park is generally less crowded on rainy days. The park, however, is in full operation. Of course, guests will get very wet, but there won’t be as long of a wait to get on rides. If there is a thunderstorm, the coasters do shut down.

Summer vacation, spring break, and holidays are the busiest times of the year. Otherwise, the size of the crowd depends on the season, the day, and the weather. Crowds tend to be larger Monday through Wednesday and smaller Thursday and Friday. Crowds get larger once again on Saturday and Sunday.

Having a Smooth Visit

Guests should write down where they parked before going to the park. It’s also a good idea to set up a rendezvous point inside the park, just in case they become separated. The point selected should be an area that does not tend to be crowded, such as a small restaurant or a bridge connecting two of the islands.

Meals should be planned around normal meal times. It’s a good idea to have a snack at around 10:30, then have lunch after 2:00 and dinner after 8:00. Alternatively, lunch can be eaten early and dinner can be eaten at around 5:00. Either way, it is a good idea to make reservations ahead of time for dinner at someplace like Mythos or Thunder Falls Terrace.

It’s also a good idea to wear shoes, not sandals or flip-flops, if planning to ride the Incredible Hulk Coaster or the Dueling Dragons. Also, glasses should be stored in a pocket while on these rides, or held snuggly to the head with a sport strap. Loose change should be stored in one of the lockers, which are provided temporarily for free.