Universal Studio's Islands of Adventure is one of the latest and greatest parks to hit the Orlando scene. If you're not in the mood for the sweet and enchanting attractions of Walt Disney World, head to Islands of Adventure – rides here are hip, edgy and heart-stopping rather than heartwarming. U.S. News and World Report recently dubbed Islands of Adventure “America's hottest new theme park,” and visitors seem to agree – just about everyone ranks Islands of Adventure as one of the most fun attractions Orlando has to offer.
Islands of Adventure is divided into five themed lands: Jurassic Park , Toon Lagoon, The Lost Continent, Marvel Super Hero Island and Seuss Landing. Getting between them may seem self-explanatory, but it's useful to check out a map of the park before arriving. While big thrills are scattered all over Islands of Adventure, Jurassic Park , The Lost Continent and Marvel Super Hero Island are home to the park's most exciting rides. Toon Lagoon and Seuss Landing feature attractions loved by the young as well as the young-at-heart.
Roller coasters at Islands of Adventure are larger than life. The Incredible Hulk , in the heart of Marvel Super Hero Island , is a popular one. Its neon-green tracks can be seen from all over the park, as can the lines to get on the ride – make the Incredible Hulk one of the first stops on your visit to reduce waiting time. Once you board the coaster, you'll proceed slowly through a “gamma force accelerator” tube before launching uphill at 40 miles per hour. The ride only gets faster as you zoom through loops, tunnels, corkscrews and freefalls. Dueling Dragons , located on The Lost Continent, is another blockbuster attraction. Dueling Dragons combines two roller coasters into one unbelievable ride – a Fire Dragon and an Ice Dragon simultaneously spin, twist and careen passengers through the sky. You'll fly by fantastical forests and lakes as the dragons battle one another and almost butt heads. If you're a big fan of coasters, snagging a seat in the front car of either Dragon is worth the wait – you'll get an amazing view of the near-collision between the two beasts.
Over the whole of Marvel Super Hero Island looms the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man , the pride and joy of Islands of Adventure. Just about everyone who rides this super-coaster is wowed by its combination of moving cars, special effects, 3D film and simulator technology. You'll speed down city streets and swing over skyscrapers as you hear, see and feel, if only for a few minutes, what it's like to be Spider-Man. Whether you're a fan of the creepy-crawly superhero or not, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is a ride you must experience.
Pack a bathing suit if you're planning on going on the theme park's water rides – at Islands of Adventure, getting soaked isn't an option, it's a guarantee. The Jurassic Park River Adventure is the park's premier water ride. Take a seat in a raft and prepare for a journey millions of years in the making. You'll float past a replica of a primeval habitat before discovering that you've become lunch for a tremendous Tyrannosaurs Rex. The highlight of the ride comes when you plunge 85 feet down the steepest, longest and fastest water fall ever created. If you're in the mood for a tamer water adventure, head to Toon Lagoon for Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls , a flume ride that bumps and jolts you down a rushing waterfall to a gigantic splash at the bottom.
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