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This has got to be the most heavily themed park that we’ve been to. You really feel like you’ve been transported to another world. There are 5 themed areas in all and each of them offers a completely different experience. My wife was most impressed with Seuss Landing, she’s always been a huge Seuss fan so it made sense and attractions in this area really were exquisite. I was a big fan of the Lost Continent. This area featured the park’s dueling inverted roller coasters and the area surrounding the ride was really cool. The ride station and que area were absolutely unreal, this is a giant castle that just kept going and going. There are bones in the floor, armor on the walls, lighting effects and sounds effects that all make you feel like you’re back in the middle ages. I’ll tell you more about the actual ride later. The other areas include, Marvel Super Hero Island, Toon Lagoon, and Jurassic Park. Each of these are pretty much self explanatory and each offered it’s own unique theme. Marvel Super Hero Island and Toon Lagoon didn’t push my buttons like some of the other areas but they had more of a kid feel to them and that’s not usually what I’m interested in (even though I claim to be an oversized kid).
The park was extremely clean and the park staff was very professional, helpful and able to stay in character. The food was another thumbs up. We ate at the Captain America Diner on Marvel Super Hero Island and the cheese burger meals were among the best of any theme park that we’ve been to. We also grabbed some cookies and fudge from a small shop in Seuss Landing but we can’t remember the name, either way it was excellent.
We went to the park on a Tuesday expecting small crowds and that’s exactly what we got. This might have also been attributed to the fact that it was raining most of the day. We’re always prepared for these types of situation and spent most of the visit wearing our ponchos. Always take a poncho when rain is in the forecast!
Here’s a look at the coasters that Islands of Adventure has to offer.
Dueling Dragons: 9 out of 10
If these were stand alone coasters they wouldn’t be rated this high. Together they offer an awesome dueling experience that puts the two trains in close proximity to one another. This is one of the few coasters that the front is preferred over the back and this is due to the close encounters with the opposite train. As you head into the loop you truly get to look the other trains riders right in the eye and right before you run into them you’re up into a loop. I favored the Ice side but I think that everyone else in our group preferred Fire. As I mentioned the earlier, the station and que add quite a bit to this ride.
Incredible Hulk: 8 out of 10
This ride offers a unique launching system that takes you from 0-40 mph in just 2 seconds. This launch is up hill and in a tunnel so it feels like your going a lot faster. Once you clear the tunnel the real intensity begins. You flip through a zero-g roll and drive down towards the water and then up into an extremely large cobra roll. Through all of this you are dealing with a lot of positive g-forces that never seem to let up. There are a lot of close calls with the lake, walkways and other sections of track, which adds a little something extra to the whole experience. This is another ride where the front might be more desirable, since the back is ultra intense. The front also allows you a better view of the surroundings and in this park that’s an important trait. Non-coaster rides and how they match up with other Non-coaster rides across the country.
The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman: 10 out of 10
I haven’t ever been on a ride like this and that sucks because this ride rules. Riders are places into a small car and they follow Spiderman on a 3D adventure. I don’t think that the car actually goes up or down much but it does spin and the 3D visual effects make you feel like you falling, flying and blowing up. As you travel the streets with Spiderman you run into a lot of villains and each one poses a different threat to the car and each one eventually gets taken down by Spiderman. The whole family should enjoy this one.
Dudley Do-Right’s Rip Saw Falls: 9 out of 10
I love log rides and this one is extra special. You follow a story line that of course has Dudley attempting to save the day and of course looking like a fool in the process. This ride is both indoor and outdoor and it offers great visual effects and sound effects. It has a great drop at the end but watch out because for 50 cents onlookers can pay to spray you with water when you least expect it. You will get wet so if you have your ponchos you may want to use them.
Jurassic Park River Adventure: 7 out of 10
I’ve been on the same ride at Universal Studios Hollywood and I don’t think that the two rides differ in many ways. I knew what to expect and when to expect it. Even with this knowledge it was a fun ride with a great drop at the end. Follow the link to see a full review of this ride: http://www.coastercommunity.com/content/view/22/39/
Dr. Doom’s Freefall: 6 out of 10
This is your standard space shot ride with a lot of theming attached to it. It’s not very forceful and it’s not very tall but it’s worth a ride. Join us in our forums for more information.
http://coastercommunity.com/smf_forum/index.php
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