Islands of Adventure

Like Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Islands of Adventure is divided into themed lands -- in this case, "islands": Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park, The Lost Continent, Seuss Landing and Marvel Super Hero Island. Unlike the sugarcoated Magic Kingdom, IOA features edgy, high-octane, to-the-limits attractions. While its coasters have great themeing, they don't skimp on the thrills. Its river raft ride won't just get you wet; you'll get completely drenched. And Spiderman is so utterly amazing, you'll be scraping your jaw off the ground wondering how in the world they did that. IOA is state-of-the-art (and then some) fun.

Highlights

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man roving motion base 3-D simulator ride
• The Incredible Hulk launched coaster
• The Cat in the Hat dark ride
• Poseidon's Fury presentation
• Dueling Dragons inverted racing coaster
• Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges river raft ride
• Jurassic Park River Adventure themed splashdown ride

Dining

• Mythos- Among the best in-park dining experience anywhere
• Confisco Grill- Good full-service restaurant, some interesting choices

Tips

• On-property hotel guests can skip to the front of most lines by simply showing their room card.
• Guests not staying at a Universal Hotel can still skip the lines by paying a premium price for a V.I.P. Guided Tour. Reservations recommended.
• Coaster lovers may want to spend the extra time waiting in the front car lines at Dueling Dragons. The near collisions between the two trains are much more spectacular.
• You WILL get soaked on IOA's three water rides. Store your belongings in the provided lockers. Wear sandals. Forget socks. You may want to bring a change of clothes -- unless you don't mind walking around in squishy underwear.

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