Universal Island of Adventure

Makayla Faulk, MVC writer and photographer
November 8, 2022

The Spider-Man ride at Universal Studios Florida is an interactive, 3D ride.
These buildings were in the jungle and Jurassic Park area of the park. The entire area was themed with an old, jungle-type vibe.
This building was also in the jungle and Jurassic area. Inside the building was a cute little shop with a whole bunch of little knickknacks.
The Hogwarts Express runs from Hogsmead in Universal’s Islands of Adventure to Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. Though to ride it visitors need a park-to-park pass.
Butterbeer is a nonalcoholic drink that many people recommend. It is a sweet, carbonated drink with a frothy mixture on top.
The Three Broomsticks Cafe serves food from the Harry Potter movie. The food was very unique and themed to match the books and movies.
These are wizard wands. A lot of people get them when they go to Universal Studios because there are many things to do with them. The wands are interactive and can unlock special displays in both of the Harry Potter parks.
The entrance to Hogsmead is very grand. Right inside the gate is a Butterbeer cart and on the left is the castle.
The interactive wand spots are all over the Harry Potter World. When people stand in front of the window and point their wand at it, the boxes open and start moving around.

Universal Studios Island of Adventure has several different themed areas including, Harry Potter: Hogsmead, Jurassic World, Dr. Seuss, and Marvel. People dress up like characters from many of these fan favorites when visiting the park, although the majority of people are in normal streetwear.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the most impressive. The castle is very notable, and the biggest feature of the park. The famous butterbeer is definitely worth trying. It comes in six different ways: hot, cold, frozen, fudge, potted cream, and ice cream. Both the frozen and cold versions are incredible. The Harry Potter portion of Islands of Adventure is tucked away in the back, and visitors must walk through many other sections of the park to get to it. Many visitors are dressed in wizard robes and have wands.

There are many areas in the Wizarding World that have interactive wand spots. This is where people stand in a certain place and point their wand at something, and the object will start moving or do something else, so it appears as if the holder has cast a spell. There are also several very interesting rides in the park. The Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride is a lot of fun. Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is another super fun ride. The wait for this one is typically very long, but definitely worth it.

The Marvel part of the park is super interesting as well. The Spider-Man ride is the most prominent for this section. It is a 3D ride that is a lot of fun. While on the cart, riders get splashed with water and feel the temperature changes from some of the villains’ weapons. While on the ride, watch for several appearances from Marvel comic creator, Stan Lee.

The Dr. Seuss-themed area is the kiddy part of the park. It has many children’s rides and stores. The whole area is in the classic Seuss pastel color scheme. There is a trolley ride, candy store, and book store.

The Jurassic-themed portion of the park is super impressive. There are many rides inside this area including the Jurassic Park River Adventure, the Pteranodon Flyers, the Jurassic World VelociCoaster, and the Skull Island: Reign of Kong. The VelociCoaster and the Kong rides are the most popular. The Kong ride is 3D and very realistic. Riders take a journey through a cave and get chased and tossed around by dinosaurs and King Kong.

There is not much need for the Express passes that allow people to skip the wait lines, because most of the rides did not have waits longer than 20 minutes when I went. The only ride with a wait that is typically over an hour and a half is the Harry Potter: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. It is definitely not worth the cost of the pass for just the one-ride wait. There are many fun attractions that have little to no wait such as the Spider-Man ride, the King Kong ride, and Doctor Doom’s Fearfall.

Universal Orlando is a great place for all ages, as there are a large array of activities for children, teens, and adults. The tickets are a little pricey, but once in the park, food is regular amusement park prices.