US vs IOA for a 10, 11 and 12 yr old?

[MsPeggySue911]

We are coming to Orlando to go to Disney in late October early November and plan on spending one day at Universal. However when I started checking into Universal I realized that there is Island of Adventure AND Universal Studios.

Here is my dilemma. I want to go to the actual US park. But when my kids found out that the Harry Potter park is not in US but actually at IOA they are now ding donging me to go there.

If I am not mistaken when I looked into the parks it seemed to me that IOA is full of major rides and big coasters that might be a bit intense for my kids. They like small coasters but not big jerky flip you upside down coasters.

If you had to pick just one park, knowing you can probably never come back to see the other one, which park would you choose?

Is the Harry Potter area just the fake town/buildings and castle or is it rides too?

Can you actually see both parks in one day or is it too much to even try?

Sorry for all the questions. I was told to come to this part of the Disboards because y'all specialize in US/IOA.

Is the Harry Potter part so jammed crammed full of ppl that you have to get there at opening and run for that area? I won't be staying on US property and we aren't paying for the express pass thing. So any advice on touring strategy would be appreciated.

 

[Planogirl]

Wide World of Harry Potter is a castle with the ride Forbidden Journey inside, Ollivanders where you might be chosen to let a wand choose you, A large double coaster, a small coaster, a counter serve restaurant named the Three Broomsticks, a handful of shops and butterbeer! You can tour the castle if you don't want to ride and there are great effects and things to see throughout the whole area.

You could get a two park pass and tour the Harry Potter area and then head over to the Studios. I do agree that the Studios offer more in the way of less intense rides but I would recommend at the very least riding Spiderman and seeing the Dr Seuss area in IOA. Can they handle drops like in Splash Mountain? I would ride the Jurassic Park River Adventure too.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

The more and more I think about it I think we should probably do both parks. One park per day two days in a row. SO I can see US and the kids can do Harry Potter. But to do that we are going to have to give up our Animal Kingdom day at Disney. But the kids probably wouldn't have cared much for AK. They aren't much into zoos here at home.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[proud_canadian]

I would totally choose US or IOA over AK!!!!!

We went to AK last year and it was ok, but definitly our least favorite of the 4 parks!

 

[skylock]

I went to AK in 2001. I just returned to the area last Thanksgiving and thought surely AK had to improve in ten years.

In my opinion, it can be skipped and you will miss nothing.

To be perfectly honest, it is a good thing it was the last park we did because the disappointment of that place changed my whole opinion of Disney and where they are going. I mean ten years and that is what they have made of the park.

Ten years ago I thought, well it s new. Can't use that excuse now.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

I'm glad to hear I am making the right decision giving up Animal Kingdom to go to IOA. I am convinced now that the kids will love US and IOA more than AK. I described AK to the kids and they both said "NO, Harry Potter over AK"

 

[Planogirl]

Animal Kingdom has some nice attractions but for us it's a half-day park if we even go at all. Of course some people go for two days and love it but I don't get that.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

I think the only thing I will miss by not going to Ak is getting to see Festival of the Lion King show. I really wanted to see it in person, but I did watch it on YouTube. I don't want to spend a whole day there just to see that one show.

 

[dd50]

I would totally choose US or IOA over AK!!!!!

We went to AK last year and it was ok, but definitly our least favorite of the 4 parks!

I agree!