Not to miss rides for thrill seekers?

[donmil723]

My DD, age 19, and I will be ending our spring break vacation with one day at IOA/US. We will be staying onsite at RPH. We both love roller coasters and thrill rides. Having only been to US once several years ago, we are looking for suggestions for the rides you think we'd like the best and touring tips about which park to go to first and which rides/attractions to do first at each park, and which ones we should probably skip. We thought IOA would be best to start with since we have never been there. I remember liking ET, Jaws, and BTTF rides from our last visit to US.

Thanks for your help.

Donna

 

[robvia]

You go to IOA first, and get there at 8am, even if you are staying onsite. You stand at the front of a turnstile, that way, you're first into the park when it opens.
The first ride at IOA is Hulk, to your left. You'll get a front seat ride with no wait. That's why you go early, even if staying onsite. FOTL doesn't get you the front row, getting there at 8am does. Spiderman, Dr. Doom, then continue going clockwise around the park doing the water rides. You'll finish your lap at IOA around noon, then you can head over to USF.

 

[damo]

You will have plenty of time to ride everything. Just start at one side and work your way around. I suggest that since you are staying onsite for one night, that you check in as early as possible (in the morning), leave your luggage with the bellhops and head over to the parks. You get two full days of FOTL access so you won't be standing in line for long. Will you have any time at all on the second day?

 

[donmil723]

damo-we will have most of the day on Saturday but we'd really like to spend time at the resort pool, weather permitting. Besides we usually go to WDW 2-3 times each year so I know we'll be back to use the remaining day on our passes.

robvia-we are planning on checking in between 7:30-8:00 a.m. I'm a IOA/US newbie, so forgive me for asking but why is it important to be on the front seat of Hulk? If I understand you correctly, head to the left upon entering IOA and just go clockwise around the park. Any suggestions for US?

Thanks!

 

[the Dark Marauder]

The front seat is cooler because there are no heads in front of you, just the track.

 

[damo]

I agree. Front row is the best on Hulk as well as on any coaster, IMO.

 

[BarryHom]

I like the back row of the Hulk the best.

 

[robvia]

The front row of hulk is cool because you can see everything.
For starters, you look up the launch tube, and see the opening at the end. After the launch and the cobra roll, you dive under a bridge, that has fog. It's exciting to get the mist in the face. You feel the wind rushing past, you see everything. If you can't get the front, ask for row 2 and that's close enough.

Same for Deuling Dragons. You need to ride each coaster in the front. Maybe you can do this on your 2nd morning, going there first before checking out. When you ride Ice in the front, you come within feet of a wall, plus you have the head on run where the other train comes within feet of you.

 

[donmil723]

Thanks for the tips! Dueling Dragons sound really cool!

Donna

 

[gschmerl]

If you head right over to Dueling Dragons after your ride on the front row of the Hulk, you should have no problem riding the front rows of both Fire and Ice. Crowds don't seem to make their way back to the Lost Continent until a little later. The front row of the Dueling Dragons is a MUST. The last row of Fire is really cool too.