IOA "Touring Plans"

[GetGlowing]

DH and I are planning our very first visit to Islands of Adventure next month
The plan is to buy the 1-day/1-park ticket online and get five days admission just in case one day isn't enough for us.

I've found WDW "touring plans" online and I LOVE the idea of them! Is there a similar website offering touring plans for IOA? If not, what tips should we use to get the most out of our visit? We will be in the park sometime between May 20-25, realizing that with each May day that passes, more and more kids will be out of school and in the park.

We already plan to be at the park when it opens to hopefully grab multiple rides early in the day. We do not plan to purchase the dining plan, as we hardly ever eat big meals in a park. What else do we need to know?

TIA -- looking forward to your expertise!

 

[wilma-bride]

I'm not aware of any touring plans for US/IOA online. However, this is the general plan we use for touring IOA (bear in mind, we head for the headliners first and then ride the smaller rides later on depending on queues)

Arrive just before opening.

When through the gates, head straight to Hulk, deposit things in free lockers.

Ride Hulk at least twice.

Head round to Dr Doom's fearfall and ride.

Ride Spiderman (normally twice).

Walk back through Marvel Super Hero land to Seuss Landing, pass straight through and head for Duelling Dragons. Ride both Fire and Ice (we normally do front and back on both).

Continue round to Toon Lagoon, riding Jurassic Park River Adventure on the way.

Ride Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls and Bluto and Popeye's Bilge-Rat barges.

Then we usually have a slow walk back round and ride anything else we want, taking in Poseidon's Fury (and sometimes Sinbad) on the way.

Hope this helps some We love IOA - it's our favourite park.

 

[robvia]

Touring plans are subjective, and become outdated as new rides come onlne and rules change.

I made a touring plan, but haven't bothered to update it. A year ago, the big deal was going to Shrek 4d first because it always had huge lines, but that's changed since they added the 2nd theater. I don't know what the big deal with Shrek was, but for some reason everyone wanted to see it.

You can read my page from 2005, but it's already outdated because the express pass machines are gone. But there are some tips in there you can use.

http://www.nogodforme.com/AttackPlan.htm

 

[GetGlowing]

Thanks to you both!

Robvia, I recognize you from rrc -- I'm a big ole lurker there.

 

[KramerDSP]

On a Tuesday in late June, two of my friends and I will be driving down to Universal. We already have our multi-park tickets and express plus passes for both parks for each of us. I appreciate the "touring plans" that some of you suggested, and since it will be my first time at the park, I want to make full use of my day there.

We plan to be at least an hour early and be waiting at the gates when they open to IOA first. I'm thinking Hulk front row, Hulk back row, Spiderman, then circling back through Suess Landing straight to DD, riding both of them front row. From there, circle the park counterclockwise until we're done with everything, and then I assume it would be around 11:30 am, possibly 12:00 PM. Getting lunch from there, then going to Universal Studios and using our express passes for all of the rides there (unless Mummy has a relatively short line), getting done by 4 PM or so. Eating dinner, then heading back to IOA using express plus passes for all the rides left and call it a night from there.

Any suggestions regarding Universal Studios as of currently regarding ride order ? Mummy first, and then going around the park? what about changes to the above IOA plan ?

Also, where is the best place to stand (gate-wise) waiting for the park to open if you want to ride Hulk first thing?

 

[robvia]

Welcome aboard Kramer.
The IOA plan sounds perfect. The only other option is if you want to ride Pteranondon Flyers. For that you do Hulk, Spiderman, Dr. Doom, and hi tail it to PF before the kid rule. From there you continue to Deuling Dragons for front seat rides on each side. As you exit DD, there is a return to ride door that is usually open in the morning. Then you turn around and come back for the water rides. If you're heading over to USF in the same day, you may want to skip Popeye and Rip Saw Falls. Your upper shirt gets soaked on Rip Saw Falls, and on Popeye you can be drenched like being in a shower. You can ride JPRA in the back and you'll only get a little splash.

When you walk up to the gate, there are two sides, right and left. There will probably be a few people standing in line already. You'll figure out what side is going to open. Stand in front of an empty turnstyle, because most of the time, every turnstyle on a side opens.

As for USF, just head to the Mummy first and check the wait times. If the Standby line is long, try the single rider line. The Standby line moves quickly, and the queue is worth going thru the first time, so even if the wait is long, it's not that bad. MIB also has a single rider line. Jaws and ET will have waits, you'll have to tuff it out on those.