Island of Adventure or Universal Studios

[xJess1993x]

Hopefully when we visit Disney in Aug/Sept, we will hopefully do Universal

But there is a problem, due to money issues we are more likely do buy a 1 day base ticket from Undercover Tourist with no hopper option.

So therefore we have the problem of Island of Adventure or Universal Studios. Personally, I would love to do Harry Potter which is at Island of Adventure, I believe, but will Island of Adventure be more suitable for a one park ticket or is Universal Studios better. Or do I just stuff it and buy the 2 park ticket, or will that be a waste just for one day.

So what does everyone think.

Thanksss.

 

[queendisney]

Hopefully when we visit Disney in Aug/Sept, we will hopefully do Universal

But there is a problem, due to money issues we are more likely do buy a 1 day base ticket from Undercover Tourist with no hopper option.

So therefore we have the problem of Island of Adventure or Universal Studios. Personally, I would love to do Harry Potter which is at Island of Adventure, I believe, but will Island of Adventure be more suitable for a one park ticket or is Universal Studios better. Or do I just stuff it and buy the 2 park ticket, or will that be a waste just for one day.

So what does everyone think.

Thanksss.

Personally if you can I would take the plunge and go for both parks. You can easily do both parks in one day. Get to Harry Potter when it opens (along with everybody else) then you will be able to do both parks. If I HAD to chose between them I would do Universal, if you do this you will find its very empty first thing and you be able to wizz around it. Also end Aug begin Sept its a quiet time of the year. IOA has more rides but I love the feel of Universal.

 

[bazzanoid]

Personally if you can I would take the plunge and go for both parks. You can easily do both parks in one day. Get to Harry Potter when it opens (along with everybody else) then you will be able to do both parks. If I HAD to chose between them I would do Universal, if you do this you will find its very empty first thing and you be able to wizz around it. Also end Aug begin Sept its a quiet time of the year. IOA has more rides but I love the feel of Universal.

Spoken by a true WDW fan....

Universal is designed as a Studios experience much like DHS but with Universal's catalogue of titles instead of Disneys.

IOA is very well themed, and is a multi-land destination like MK but with a focus on the attractions. They only have one land for the young ones (Dr Seuss Landing), but for the 10+ and big kids like me it's perfect

You can definitely do both in one day, as vanda says get there when it opens for the Potterverse, hit the rest of the rides there then walk over to Universal and do that!

 

[Mr Stoat]

If it only has to be one then IOA. If you want a realy nice lunch in superb surroundings try the Mythos restaurant.

 

[wayneg]

You say money issues, we can't know how tight money is for you.
Undercover Tourist are charging £57 for the 1 day 1 park ticket.
1 day Park to Park = £79.
Do you only have 1 day spare? Expedia do a 14 day unlimited ticket for £97.64 less 12% Quidco = £85.93

 

[flortlebap]

I would say try to hop or do two days. I can't imagine just not going!

Of the two, I prefer IoA, though.

 

[ben1993]

I'd always do both over 2 days, ticket wise it's more economical too with the value for money. However, IOA is easily the best non-Disney theme park in the world! It's incredible.

 

[madmumof2]

I couldn't do only one, you'll miss so much!

I love Universal and IOA! If I had to choose one I would go for IOA purely because I haven't yet done WWOHP and I'm a massive HP fan.

But I really couldn't do just one, I love Universal Orlando as much as Disney, so much so we're in the HRH for a night so we can get early entry and FOL pass so we can get 2 hours extra in the parks, and be first to WWOHP!

 

[queendisney]

We did Harry Potter Feb last year and as a potter fan I thought it was fab but was also surprised of how small the place was, as long as you do get there first you'll be fine. IOA has more rides and is a fun place but US has good stuff too like Terminator, MIB, The Mummy but sadly no JAWS anymore..
They are both so different from each other that its a shame not todo both. I think IOA is more like a traditional theme park, while US is more themed..like them both but don't love either..we aren't going this year. We tend to go every other time we are there.

 

[tinkerpea]

When we went a few years ago we was based at Disney and our kids was very young Dh and I did both parks in 1 day as thats all we wanted to leave our boys for,
Next time we went we did 2 days both parks and its great to be ablt to take a bit more time.
However if you truelly only can do 1 park My choose would be IOA if you like fast thrill rides,water rides or Universal if you prefer more slowed down type rides I would look on youtube at ride videos and see what type of things you would enjoy! They only have a couple of fast ride style rides in Universal saying that I loved the park when it was ONLY Universal I just love it more now they have IOA

 

[laura_<3]

We've done both parks in 1 day (and will be doing this again this year). I couldn't do one and not the other. If you can, do both

 

[StarWarsJez]

IMO it would be crazy to NOT do both parks - although you need 2 days to do them. Seriously, if you're going all that way put an extra day aside and do them both.

As others have said they're a class apart from almost anything else in the entire (non-Disney) world

 

[ford family]

We are not huge fans of Universal, once every five years or so does it for us.
If you only have the resources for one park I would do the Universal Studios one where there are some great rides such as The Mummy and shows like Terminator. Offhand I can't think of any "must do" rides at IOA.

ford family