Islands of Adventure

[RainK]

We've never been to Islands of Adventure before and our last trip to Universal was 7 years ago.
We have 1 spare day and are traveling with DH, DS8, DD 10 and DM70.
Is Islands of Adventure duable in 1 day?
Worth it?

 

[sympatico]

Yes it's doable in one day. Is it worth it ? If you like roller coasters and Harry Potter then it's definitely worth it.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

We love IOA. We have AP's to Universal and IOA. I mainly love it for the Harry potter area and rides but there are tons of other stuff in the park. They have a very cute Dr Seuss land with several rides and shops. They have the Poseidon's Fury show in the Sinbad area and also the Sinbad SHOW. Right near the Sinbad theater there is a talking water fountain that interacts with kids and tries to squirt them.
There is the Jurassic Park area and the Marvel area where one of our favorite rides Spiderman is. It has The Hulk roller coaster which is too intense for me. It loops you upside down about 6 or 7 times. i can't handle that. I would be dizzy for 4 hours if I rode that.
It has one of the best counter service lunch places in my opinion. Three broomsticks back in the harry potter section. They serve amazing table service quality food for counter service prices. They start serving around 10:30 or 11 I think. We just ate there last week.
You can do IOA in one day but if you really are interested in doing all the Harry potter rides and seeing the castle I would go in and head straight back to that section and do it first thing in the morning when the crowds are lowest.

 

[Kellydelly]

Yes! It isn't a huge park, definitely can be done in one day. I love that park !

 

[Ametista]

IOA is my DS17's favorite park and definitely in my top 3. I am not sure your mom would like it though...lots of walking and not much for older people (I am thinking attractions like Mickey's Philharminc, IASW, Pirates, etc). Your kids are the perfect ages for it and I think they would have a blast.

 

[HopperFan]

I agree that there might not be much Grandma might enjoy. My Mom is pretty youthful and I don't think she enjoy it. I think it boils down are your kids into comic strips and superheros and Harry Potter with thrill rides. That is the bulk of the park. We enjoy it, I am just looking at your age group.

 

[ukool]

We did it all in one day, helped that thier were low crowds but i would defo go. Its a really easy to do park, you pick left or right and it circles round so no back and forth between areas ( if you want to do it in order )

 

[islandtimect]

Yes its doable in 1 day. Is your family into wild roller coasters and Harry Potter? If not I would pick someone place else.

 

[Detailor]

My youngest daughter was 8 the first time she went to Islands - I think they'd been open for less than a year at the time so not quite as many attractions as today. I'd always been a bit afraid of most thrills rides and I wanted her to be braver than me so I insisted that our first ride of the day would be the Jurassic Park ride, telling her that it was similar to Splash Mountain at MK. She was dubious but we did it and that was our first stop in Islands until the Harry Potter section opened. Now at 22, she's still ready to hit that ride first when we go.
But Islands isn't all Harry Potter and thrills rides.
While we continue to do several of the more thrilling rides, my daughter and I always find time to do the Cat in the Hat ride once or twice on every visit - when will we grow up? We have also enjoyed Poseidon's Fury and Jurassic Park Center as a bit of departure from all the action. And Harry Potter's Hogsmeade and Hogwarts Castle are incredible to take in even if you don't go on the fantastic Forbidden Journey ride.
Though this grandfather isn't 70 (yet), I am a lot closer to 70 than I am to the ages of typical parents of pre-teens and I find lots to do and see at Islands. If the PP's mother is moderately adventurous she'll have a great time there.

Dick Taylor

 

[Metro West]

Please come join us on the Universal section of the DIS:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=30

We would love to assist with your plans.

 

[2012wdw]

Yes, only one day needed for IOA.