IOA touring patterns

[MickiMouth]

We've never been to IOA but it looks really cool so we might give it a try. My question is what is the best way to go when starting your day to avoid the crowd? Do most people head for Super Hero Island or Seuss Landing? I'd like to go the opposite of the crowds if possible.
TIA

 

[jtimmons]

Most people would tell you to go...

Hulk
Spiderman
Dr. Doom
Dudley Do Right(If you want to get wet)
Bilge Rat Barges (Again, if you want to get wet)
Jurrasic Park
Dueling Dragons
Flying Unicorn
Sinbad
Poseidon
Cat in the Hat
Suess Trolley
Caroseusel
One Fish, Two Fish
Dudley Do Right & Bilge Rat Barges (If you didn't ride earlier in the day)

Yes, most people will be hitting Hulk and Spidey first, but if you wait to do it, you will end up waiting in a longer line.

 

[robvia]

There's a couple attack plans, one that involves only the thrill rides. But since you've never been, just do all the rides in order going clockwise.

The parking garage opens at 8am, try to be there at that time. Walk to the gate of IOA and get in line. If you are first in the park, you can take a lap of walk on rides with no wait. This is the biggest tip I can give you. At 11am, the crowds arrive and the park is packed. If you are in the park when it opens, you'll be ahead of the crowd for one lap.

Hulk (Front row, then back row)
Spiderman
Dr. Doom
Continue clockwise. If you don't care about getting wet, ride Rip Saw Falls and Popeye now, otherwise you come back later, but the lines will be longer. You can ride JPRA in the back and only get a little splash.

Leave a change of cloths in the car or a $5 locker up front. On Popeye, put your shoes in the middle compartment and keep your feet up. It's the socks you want to keep dry. If you don't want to get wet then you skip Popeye and Rip Saw Falls, but they are great rides.

 

[MickiMouth]

Thanks for the advice.
Should I buy the express passes? There are 4 of us and I'd rather spend the extra money then wait in really long lines.

 

[phamton]

Thanks for the advice.
Should I buy the express passes? There are 4 of us and I'd rather spend the extra money then wait in really long lines.

It depends on when you are going. If it's not peak season and is on a weekday not a weekend, you won't need express.

 

[MickiMouth]

We will be going either Tues. 8-22 or Thrus. 8-24. I don't know what season that is.

 

[robvia]

Right, you'll have to tell us when you are visiting. If it's in February, or September, crowds are very light and you don't need express passes.

If you show up early, you can take a lap of walk on rides no matter when you visit. The thing is, some people don't like to wake up early because they are on vacation. They show up around 10-11am. That's too late.

 

[Amity 3]

We will be going either Tues. 8-22 or Thrus. 8-24. I don't know what season that is.

an early weekday in late August is a nice time to go. the majority of people are back from vacation getting their kids in school. I doubt you'll need EP's. on the off chance that you do, I highly doubt they're going to sell out, and you can buy them later into the day and get some re-rides in.

 

[Runey]

That's awesome advice guys My wife and I will be there in the last week of August

Does anyone have any similar advice for Universal Studios? Maybe for a Sunday, or would that not be advisable?

Thanks

 

[MickiMouth]

an early weekday in late August is a nice time to go. the majority of people are back from vacation getting their kids in school. I doubt you'll need EP's. on the off chance that you do, I highly doubt they're going to sell out, and you can buy them later into the day and get some re-rides in.

I was wondering if you could enter the parks then later in the day decide you need EP. Thanks for the info.

 

[robvia]

You won't need EPs in late August, the place will be a ghost town.

School starts earlier and earlier.
We live in South Florida and Broward starts on August 14th.
Osceola county (Orlando) starts August 7th.

Everyone will be back in school by the 22nd, you have nothing to worry about. In the afternoon the crowd level will pick up a little, but I think the longest wait will be 20 minutes for Spiderman. If you go first thing in the morning, you can ride it a few times with no wait.

 

[MickiMouth]

Thanks for all the advice.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Late August/September is a very slow -- but way hot -- time to go.

We've never needed EPs when we've gone during that time. Longest waits are maybe 20 minutes.

As for a touring plan, heck, you can pretty much do whatever you want at that time of year. We never arrive early, like to sleep in a little on vacations, get to the parks after breakfast at around 10 or 10:30 or so. DH & I will pretty much walk on Spidey first, then I'll have smokes while he walks on the single rider lane on Hulk. Then we'll shop/eat around Confisco's at the Port of Entry, make our way over to the Beer in the Tree place in front of Dragons, head over to JP world, then the comics area, then back to Spidey.

I've found weekdays are extremely light crowds.

Have fun!!!

 

[marconat]

I will be at Universal and IOA on Jan 2nd and the 3rd, should I buy the passes, since the kids will not be in school yet? I've never been there, so I have no clue what to expect.... but I did go to US in California

 

[judykay53]

Subscribing so that I can go back and keep looking at the thread! We will be there the Sunday before Thanksgiving. There will bre 8 of us so the additional cost of express pass is not an option. I will definitely use this advice.

 

[Operamom]

I hear Weekends in September are still busy. What are the lines like then? We will be there Sept 21 - 25. Thanks alot!