I'll be headed to Orlando for a vacation come December and hopefully someone could justify a decision I have to make.

In total we have 4 days to tour the theme parks in Orlando. 3 days are set for visiting the parks in Disneyworld. The last day we're still struggling with. With a 10 year old and 11 year old in tow, is it worth visiting Islands of Adventure? The only reason I see for our entire family to actually go is for Spider-Man. I've never been so it's hard to say if it'd be worth going or just spending another day at Disneyworld.

Any advice?

Hi Joe!

First, please understand this comes not from someone who has been there before with kids, but from someone who has a 7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. We will be in Orlando for 2 weeks in about 34 days and will be spending 3 of those 14 days at Universal. Here's why we decided to do it:

At Universal Studios Florida, which my wife and I have been to - but before IOA opened, the kids are really looking forward to Men In Black, Back to the Future, ET, and probably most of all - Nickolodeon Studios! They want to be slimed SOOOO badly! (Go figure...I don't get it myself...the cleaning bill I get, the fun of it I don't....) We also believe they will get a kick out of Terminator 3-D and Twister. (Barney is off limits! And I'm very relieved to learn they think he's too babyish for them anyway now. Whew!)

At IOA, Spiderman is a BIG draw, as is all of Seuss Landing. My daughter isn't tall enough for the coasters, but my son is - and he's just about convinced himself to do it. So it'll be him and me hitting Hulk and Fire & Ice at Deuling Dragons. I'm hoping he'll be hooked on coasters (like his old man is) and will kid-swap to take his mom back on. She likes them as well, but would skip them if it meant our daughter couldn't go.

So how did I get them SO wound up about the studios? Two things: The Travel Channel and The Internet. The Travel Channel has had the Behind The Scenes at Universal Studios on many times, and the kids keep watching it over and over! I also hit sites like www.universalstudios.com and www.ioacentral.com alot, as well as several about Orlando, as they all seem to have great info about the parks AND many have streaming videos of the attractions. They love it when they can look over Dad's shoulder at the PC and see these rides!

There's also a great online guide at www.theotherorlando.com/contents/index.html ! Check it out!

I would think that you'd be able to easily fill a day with fun for your two without even trying! Spend a half-day at USF, and then head over to IOA (which generally stays open one hour longer than USF).

And let us all know how it goes! :)

Yes, yes, yes.

Suess Landing is lots of fun, worth the visit even for kids 10 and 11. They will love Poseidon's Adventure - it is terrific. there are several coasters of varying intensity there which are all worthwhile. There are rapids rides and water rides galore - wear clothes that can get wet and prepare to buy a towel or take dry things.

You can easily spend a full day at USF if you check everything out, and you will still have some resort/pool time. If you are staying onsite at Universal or you buy into the Express acccess system, or make extensive use of the Express access on the fly, you can do Islands of Adventure in one day, but you would need more time to really see and do all there is to do there. It isn't a half-day park by any means!

Trust me on this one... it is worth the visit and your kids will love it.

Please note... many of the attractions at IOA were originally designed by Disney Imagineers and were supposed to be in the "Unicorn" imaginary creature land section of Disney's Animal Kingdom Park. When that part of the development got canned by the accounting penny-pinchers, the imagineers jumped to Universal, redid the rides just enough, and made it spectacular.

what they said and more.

we took our kids last oct. thier first our second. we will be back again this year. even if your kids don't like the rollercoasters there is still plenty to do. the only sad part is you don't have more time to take in both parks. two days is a minimum IMHO
they only thing is your kids, like mine may end up loving it as much as WDW

Now, see what you all have done? I got so nostalgic for Universal/IOA that I just went and booked a room at the USF Hard Rock Hotel for 3 nights in February, before we move over to WDW for 4 nights. :D

We went for the first time last November, and we promised ourselves we would go back and spend more time. My kids will be 10 and 12 when we are there again.

Thank you all for the feedback.

Knowing that there are more than a few people who can back up my decision is relieving.

To tell the truth, I was actually running on the rationale that not matter how bad the park Spider-Man alone would be worth the admission. The opinions I read on internet sites and message boards keep praising it as the best invention since the wheel. Does it live up to that hype?

And just out of curiousity....could anyone bring up some of IOA's weaker points? Anything I should avoid like the plague when I visit? haha, the only thing I can think of is the repulsive-looking (but probably edible) green eggs & ham :D

Originally posted by JoeCanadian
...Spider-Man alone would be worth the admission. The opinions I read on internet sites and message boards keep praising it as the best invention since the wheel. Does it live up to that hype?

Yes, and then some. It is awesome.


And just out of curiousity....could anyone bring up some of IOA's weaker points?

As usual, theme park and resort food prices are very high. Lines are long during busy season, and you will want to make extensive use of the Express system which is alot like FastPass. Make reservations early if you want to eat at Mythos, because it is enormously popular for good reason. The service isn't always "Disney" at the park and resort and there is more of an edge to the place.

If you have special needs kids, their version of the special assistance pass is very restrictive and they are not always kind... we knew that ahead of time and were not surprised when we encountered it. We were prepared by staying onsite so we would have Express access automatically, so it was less of an issue. Other than that, all I remember is having lots of fun. I just told the kids, and they are psyched.

Originally posted by JoeCanadian
The opinions I read on internet sites and message boards keep praising it as the best invention since the wheel. Does it live up to that hype?

And just out of curiousity....could anyone bring up some of IOA's weaker points?

Okay, I'm going to get blasted but I'm willing to take the risk.

Is Spiderman up to the hype? No way! I was SO let down by that attraction I can't even find words to describe it. Maybe if you go in with lowered expectations you won't be as disappointed as I was. If you want specifics then I'll give 'em to ya, but for now I'll just say that it is NOT a great ride and does NOT make up for all the shortcomings of the rest of the park.

Which brings me to IOA's weaker points (and where do I begin?). IMO you are so much better off spending your extra day at any of the Disney parks than at IOA. The place is a half-day park at BEST, and as you've already identified your family won't get to do much of anything together. My biggest complaint is the lack of magic, from theming to employee courtesy. After that one day at Universal (if you go), you will appreciate Disney SO much more...

Iceman, out of curiosity, do you have children?

Nope.

Not yet, you mean. ;)

:)

My kids had a blast at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. I didn't think it was perfect, I didn't particularly like the resort (Portofino) or the ambience, or all of the rides, but we had a good time *as a family* there. If I were not with kids, I never would have checked out Seuss Landing, or gone on Cat in the Hat which is a better "dark" ride than some Disney classics. (Did I say that? :eek: ) Now, if it were me going alone or with other adults, I think a half-day would be about right. But the kids found something of interest around every bend. The biggest delight I had with rides like Spiderman was the incredible expressions on my kids' faces when they got off the rides.

You know, I think a lot of enjoyment people have at parks like WDW and USF/IOA is directly proportionate to their "BS" quotient.

Hmmm. I guess I should define what I mean by "BS" - in this case, it's "Belief Suspension."

For example, I have a very high BS Quotient (Teri don't you say a word! ;)) I enjoy most movies - even the bad ones. I even liked Battlefield Earth! A movie has to be REALLY BAD to lose my interest (Kung-Pao would have to be one of the few on this short list - what a stinker. But I digress...)

When I get in/on/through an attraction, it is very easy for me to put myself in the moment, and really believe we are flying over London, or on a runaway train in the old west, or really in a Haunted Mansion (one of the first attractions I can remember going on...and freaking out on...as a little kid. Remind me to tell that story someday. But I digress again...)

I find most children are the same. They haven't become jaded yet. They're still innocent, and believe in - as the song goes - "faith, trust, and pixie dust." They also believe the large Mouse in front of them is real and can zip across the park as quickly as they can. They believe they're really launching into outer space on a rocket, and that the spray they feel on them really is a dog's sneeze. It's not easy for Kermit to be green, and Eeyore is always blue. Spiderman will save them from Doc Oc and those Velociraptors are definitely going to get them...whaddya mean wait for the T-Rex?!?!?! You're kidding Dad, right?!?! Dad??? DAD?!?!?

Some people just can't suspend belief. They go for the sense of speed, or technical appreciation, or some even just to pick it apart. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I just think, when we consider this threads topic - "IOA and Wee Ones", we consider their BS Quotient and realize it's going to be pretty high. And if you can enjoy what they enjoy, either for the same reason or just to watch them enjoy it, then you'll enjoy it even more!

So enjoy! ...and that's no BS... :)

Applause to Mark !

I am coming to IOA, USF, WDW etc, and my partner (who is a programmer) voices the following concerns:

"The animatronics aren't going to be like the small world ones, are they, I mean - they look real, don't they?"

I am working on his SOB quotient (Suspension Of Belief) and I think I am succeding a litle by giving him background reading on the making of disneyworld etc... but he needs to realise that, Yes, the animatronics in any of these parks *are* going to look like meachanical figures if you believe that's all they are. (Although they've come a long way in recent years)

I still like to immerse myself in the magic (and shriek in terror as that T-Rex comes lunging at our frail little boat).

Looking forward to meeting Spiderman, and especially the Cat in the hat (and Yes, I AM 36 !)

Cheers, Islandeers !
Rob :D

Originally posted by Lashbear
Applause to Mark !

Aw, shucks.... :)

You and your partner should have an AWESOME time. Even the grumpiest can have fun if you throw enough BS at them (Belief Suspension, folks!)

(Slightly off topic)

So how are things down under? I was only there once, about two years ago, in Melbourne. I mentioned a restaurant in a different post there that I absolutely love - I believe it's called the Tepanyaki Inn, in downtown Melbourne. Reminds me very much of the Tepanyaki Restaurant in Japan in Epcot. Although the Melbourne one has a much darker atmosphere.

Well, have a great time when you get over here! :)

NP Mark !

I just wish we could suspend our disbelief that they are STILL not considering Australia for a Disney or even a Universal park :(

PS: we'll have to get to that restaurant one day - although we're in Sydney, so it might take a while ! ;)

Cheers,
Rob :D