I'm back at the Islands of Adventure, Florida

This trip actually happened in September.  Wow, that was a while ago.  But I wanted to go through all of my travels from 2012 in the order that they actually happened.  So here we are in March recapping September. I'll get back to the actual date sooner or later!

The first day I was there was with Rachel.  After starting at Universal Studios park we ventured over to Islands of Adventure.  I had visited the park with my mom in February but only had a day.  This time I had a 3 day park hopper so I got on everything.
After entering the park the first land to the right is Seuss Landing.  All of the rides inside are geared towards children more than adults.   The Cat in the Hat is a classic dark ride with the addition of whiplash.  One Fish Two Fish is Dumbo with the threat of getting wet.  The strangest ride is the Seuss Trolley Train.  It looks like fun but the soundtrack is very disconnected from the themeing of the ride.  Should be fun but it really isn't.

Off to the next land of the Lost Continent.  No rides in this land but two shows.  Poseidon’s Fury is a special effects show that was good fun.  The first three scenes were great but the final one seems a bit dated.  The other attraction is Sinbad's stunt show.  Entertaining to see once, don't really need to see it again.

Ahhh Harry Potter, the real reason to visit.  I'll spend a couple more posts on this land so I'll pass for now.

It was a pretty nice day so Rachel and I hit all the water rides in one day.  We started with the one that we thought we would get the most wet on.  That totally didn't happen.  We got soaked more and more on each ride we went on.  Jurassic Park was the first.  We barely got wet.  I went again on another day and only got hit by one water droplet.

The other ride in Jurassic Park is one that you must be a child or be riding with a child so that one was a no go for us.  Pteranodon Flyers is for kids, but what about kids at heart!?

Toon Lagoon is aptly named.  It is home to the other two water rides.  Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is a log flume ride where it looks like you would get completely soaked.  We got moderately soaked.  I just wish I could remember more from the cartoons that I watched as a kid.
The other ride in the area is Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges.  This was the last one we hit and it hit us with tons of water.  Wow we were soaked.  Now I know why Universal has people dryers.

We followed the circle around to Marvel Super Hero Island.  Now owned by Disney but featured in Universal.  Rachel and I went on everything in the area.  Spiderman is a fantastic 3-D motion simulator ride.  You take on a job at the Daily Beagle and run into Spiderman along the way with villains there to thwart him.  I've been told it's similar to Transformers in Universal Hollywood which is also being built in Orlando.  Very cool ride.

Dr. Doom is a detonator/maliboomer style ride which the only difference that you load underground.  The Hulk is a great roller coaster with a surprise start, and Storm Force Accelatron are the fastest tea cups known to man kind.  

I just happened to be there on another day when all of the meet and greet Super Heroes came out on motorcycles.  Of course I met all of them.  With the exception of Spiderman who I ran across at the top of a merchandise display in the entry shop.

I suspect that over the years the park will get even better.  Jurassic Park will have a smaller footprint in the future, Marvel will leave the park, Toon Lagoon gets news comics and rethemed rides?  Who knows what will happen next.

All and all I really enjoyed my adventures in Islands of Adventure.  Of course Harry Potter is the biggest draw but there is a lot to do in the parks.