Which ticket to buy: 1-day/2park, 2-day/2 park?

[Kren]

Hi all -- we're going to Florida at the end of March.

Kids are Harry Potter fans. Gotta see that. This means Islands of Adventure, which I normally wouldn't visit with them because of all the other stuff I believe they are too young to do in IofA (they're 6 and 9).

So this means buying a two-park ticket just so we can go to the other park with all the stuff they can do.

I'm thinking I have to go for the two-day park ticket, not the one-day/two-park ticket. Right?

If that seems right, then, through a work discount, I can get the two-day base ticket for $114 adult, $101 child. That's cheaper than undercover tourist, the much-touted discounter. Should I pull the trigger on that price? Or could there be a better deal out there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mesaboy2]

I say go for the 2-day, but then it's not my money and time, is it?

As for other possible attractions for kids at IoA, there are:
Cat in the Hat
Seuss High-in-the-Sky Trolley Train Ride
One Fish Two Fish
Caro-Seuss-El
Pteranadon Flyers
Dudley Do Right Ripsaw Falls
Jurassic Park River Adventure (possibly too scary for a 6yo)
Storm Force Acceletron
Flight of the Hippogriff
Forbidden Journey (possibly too scary for a 6yo)
Spiderman (possibly too scary for a 6yo)

The 6yo may be tall enough for most if not all of these rides. If brave enough, the 9yo may also be tall enough for Hulk and Dragon Challenge.

 

[Kren]

I say go for the 2-day, but then it's not my money and time, is it?

As for other possible attractions for kids at IoA, there are:
Cat in the Hat
Seuss High-in-the-Sky Trolley Train Ride
One Fish Two Fish
Caro-Seuss-El
Pteranadon Flyers
Dudley Do Right Ripsaw Falls
Jurassic Park River Adventure (possibly too scary for a 6yo)
Storm Force Acceletron
Flight of the Hippogriff
Forbidden Journey (possibly too scary for a 6yo)
Spiderman (possibly too scary for a 6yo)

The 6yo may be tall enough for most if not all of these rides. If brave enough, the 9yo may also be tall enough for Hulk and Dragon Challenge.

Thanks for your reply -- yes, that's my worry -- the Dr. Seuss stuff will be viewed by both as too young -- "lame" is the word they will use! -- and most of the other stuff (excepting HP stuff) will be too scary or he won't meet the height requirements.

Here's my other concern: I'm alone with the kids this trip. I need to measure the 6YO but I'm really worried he's too short to go on FJ, in which case, we're screwed - I can't see putting 9YO on the ride by herself, nor can I leave 6YO by himself. If that's the case, I may as well not spend all the $$, right?

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for your reply -- yes, that's my worry -- the Dr. Seuss stuff will be viewed by both as too young -- "lame" is the word they will use! -- and most of the other stuff (excepting HP stuff) will be too scary or he won't meet the height requirements.

Here's my other concern: I'm alone with the kids this trip. I need to measure the 6YO but I'm really worried he's too short to go on FJ, in which case, we're screwed - I can't see putting 9YO on the ride by herself, nor can I leave 6YO by himself. If that's the case, I may as well not spend all the $$, right?

You have good points. FJ has a 48" height requirement, and our near-DD7 is borderline on both height and courage. You may want to wait even, but that's up to you.

 

[Kren]

You have good points. FJ has a 48" height requirement, and our near-DD7 is borderline on both height and courage. You may want to wait even, but that's up to you.

Thank you. You've given me considerable pause about this whole plan. Now wondering whether I can persuade them to go for Hollywood Studios ... they're big on Star Wars !!!

 

[mesaboy2]

I certainly don't want to talk you out of going at all, but I do want to give you the information you ask as best I can.

Of the rides I listed, DD6 loves all 4 of the Seuss rides, Storm Force Acceletron, Pteranadon Flyers, and loves loves loves Flight of the Hippogriff. Over at the Studios, she loves ET, Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster (another kiddie coaster ala Hippogriff and the now-under-refurb Goofy's Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom), Shrek, and Men in Black. She'll be 7 soon, and we love that she still loves rides that might be "beneath" her. I totally get that is not the case for all little ones.

If you will be the only adult with two of them, you of course don't want to separate them and that may severely limit your options. In that case, you might want to either return in six months or a year so that the younger one can be assured of being tall enough to ride their favorites or just find another adult to go with you.

I don't know when you're going, but Star Tours at HS has been under refurb for a while now and is scheduled to reopen as Star Tours 2.0, around May 22-ish or so. That weekend and the following few weekends will be Star Wars Weekends, which draw good crowds and for a reason. By coincidence we happened to be at HS on one of these weekends a couple years ago and it looked pretty cool. We didn't attend any SW events, but I do remember the 3 or 4 stormtroopers on the roof above the entry gates as the throngs poured in. They were chattering amongst themselves as if they were scanning the crowds for rebel scum or something.

 

[Kren]

I certainly don't want to talk you out of going at all, but I do want to give you the information you ask as best I can.

Of the rides I listed, DD6 loves all 4 of the Seuss rides, Storm Force Acceletron, Pteranadon Flyers, and loves loves loves Flight of the Hippogriff. Over at the Studios, she loves ET, Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster (another kiddie coaster ala Hippogriff and the now-under-refurb Goofy's Barnstormer at Magic Kingdom), Shrek, and Men in Black. She'll be 7 soon, and we love that she still loves rides that might be "beneath" her. I totally get that is not the case for all little ones.

If you will be the only adult with two of them, you of course don't want to separate them and that may severely limit your options. In that case, you might want to either return in six months or a year so that the younger one can be assured of being tall enough to ride their favorites or just find another adult to go with you.

I don't know when you're going, but Star Tours at HS has been under refurb for a while now and is scheduled to reopen as Star Tours 2.0, around May 22-ish or so. That weekend and the following few weekends will be Star Wars Weekends, which draw good crowds and for a reason. By coincidence we happened to be at HS on one of these weekends a couple years ago and it looked pretty cool. We didn't attend any SW events, but I do remember the 3 or 4 stormtroopers on the roof above the entry gates as the throngs poured in. They were chattering amongst themselves as if they were scanning the crowds for rebel scum or something.

Thanks so much for your rundown - most of those would certainly please my son - my DD is beginning her too-cool-for-mom phase and I may or may not be able to coax the sweet girl out of her for the day

You're right, there are still lots that I think they'd enjoy.

Returning in six months isn't an option (we live in Pa. and this is my only vacation time ) and we'll be there March 21-31, so will miss the Star Tours reopening.

Thanks again for all your thoughts - you've given me lots more to consider!