Universal's Islands of Adventure, Orlando

Universal Orlando does an amazing job with both parks. Islands of Adventure is much larger then Universal Studios and offers more varied options for all different levels of enjoyment. Many thrill rides are 3D cart rides but tend to hold up very well. This park does not have as much shade as Universal studios so keep this in mind in the summer. My party visited over the Memorial Day weekend and used our time wisely and started with the popular rides first, ensuring shorter wait times for us. Overall we found there wasn't horrible wait times except for the one or two extremely popular rides. All of the staff that we encountered were very intuitive and kept the magic going. One security guard asked me to put any cellphones, money etc in the x-ray machine. When he noticed I had my wand with me, he quickly amended the list to "and any magic casting items". One major critique for Universal in general is their locker system. If you go over your free time you must pay before your locker will open, but you had to put your money/ cards in the locker to get on the ride. In addition, we were told that the card readers on the lockers would not take chip and pin cards. Overall an amazing experience and would highly recommend a visit with the park hopper pass so you can ride the Hogwarts express.

I'm not much of an amusement park guy (don't ride rides), but this park was great. The park is immaculate, the attention to detail in some of the areas (like the Harry Potter section) is incredible. For people like me that don't really ride the rides there is still plenty to do. Park staff are very friendly and helpful. My wife and kids had the express pass and said that it was well worth the added cost (at least for the rides where it could be used). We ate at a handful of places within the park (can't remember their names) and it was all actually very good. Surprisingly good, actually. All in all it was a great experience and I'd recommend it even for those who don't do the whole thrill ride thing.

I love theme parks and roller coasters a lot so if your planning on coming here you should like exciting rides. If so you're in for a great day! The cost is high and I recommend getting a quick pass if you're able to buy that pushes the price up even higher but if you can it's worth it. The only negative is the high price but that's what it costs to build such an amazing park.

Universal's Islands of Adventure is tons of fun to go to, especially for those who are seeking thrill rides. Each section is done to perfection and there's lots to do. If you're not interested in going on rides, some shopping, exploring, and dining can easily be done in the authentic sections of the park. It would be advisable to dress comfortably when coming to this park, as you'll be doing lots of walking. Also, during summer the lines get insanely long. Fast Passes might be in your best interest, if you're interested in doing more in a single day.

We had such a wonderful time at Universal. The Harry Potter world truly brings the magic alive! The skull island and the hulk roller coaster are very worth the long lines. The staff are very polite and keep the magic going. The food options are limited and are far from magical. Our food was too salty to be edible. If you're vegetarian or have dieteray restrictions, be sure to carry some snacks.