Universal Adventures

Yesterday we got up bright and early to get some great time in at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. We got lucky with a beautiful day and had an incredible tour guide named Branden Colton. We have been so excited to share everything we saw, so here it is!


We first got to the park and had a little bit of time before our tour started. So we headed on foot to check out a couple of the hotels on the grounds. We started at the big globe in front of Universal Studios and walked along the winding path towards the Hard Rock Hotel. What a beautiful walk! By the time you get through the gardens, high trees and incredible scenery, it is hard to believe you are still on the same grounds when you reach the hotel.

The Hard Rock Hotel claims to be the perfect mix of funk and fun and they could not have said it better! From the moment you step inside the lobby, you become completely caught up in the energy and excitement. We left the Hard Rock and headed to the Portofino Bay Hotel, just a short distance away. This hotel is flooded with charm and character and if let your mind go for just a minute, you could definitely believe you were in the middle of beautiful Italy.

We hopped on a rickshaw to get back to the globe, and really enjoyed the nice relaxing ride. The rickshaw rides are free of charge but be sure to tip your driver for all his hard work. What a great way to get around!

We met for our tour and headed to Islands of Adventure. The first ride of the morning was The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. We even got to meet Spider-Man himself on our way in! The ride was completely spectacular and something we could have done over and over. The ride combines a 3-D adventure with a great story, and in the end you get a fantastic result. This is a must-ride attraction and, being the most expensive ride ever put into a theme park, no trip would be complete without it.

We stayed on Marvel Super Hero Island and headed straight to Doctor Doom's Fearfall for a thrilling view of the entire park! With legs dangling, we shot up to the top of the tower and enjoyed every second. What an incredible rush and what a ride!

From there it was on to the Incredible Hulk Coaster. From the moment you launch off from zero to 40 mph, you know you are in for quite a ride! If you love roller coasters....then this is the one for you! You will twist and flip and turn and, before you know it, you will come to the end and find yourself running back to the end of the line for more.

On our way to the next ride, we made our way through Suess Landing! What an incredible place for children...of all ages :) There are no right angles in Suess Landing and the bright colors and curves will surely bring a smile to everyone's face. The music plays out of speakers which are all 4 feet off the ground, making this area very kid friendly.

Next, we were off to conquer the Dueling Dragons, both Fire and Ice. We rode Fire Dragon first and sat in the back row for an incredible experience as we watched the entire ride through our feet, as our tour guide suggested. It was amazing to see the two coasters intertwine from a completely new perspective. We learned that this ride is the only duel coaster attraction in the world where the two sides do not mirror each other. After Fire...we were off to Ice Dragon. For this side we sat in the front row and enjoyed a thrilling ride where we came face to face with Fire several times. We thought it was completely worthwhile to check out both sides of this fierce ride...such a thrill :)

It was getting hot, so for our last ride in Islands of Adventure we headed to Jurassic Park River Adventure for a little relief from the heat. We had a great ride and especially enjoyed the big cooling drop at the end. If you are looking to get wet...the front row is definitely the place for you! If staying a little more dry is something you would prefer, be sure to stick to the back and the middle seats would definitely be the best place for you.

We got to walk by the construction of an exciting new part of the park coming in 2010...The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! From what we could see, everything is looking great and being a very secret project, our guide Branden could only promise that it will be amazing when completed!



We left Islands of Adventure and walked under the new roller coaster coming to Universal Studios later in 2009 called Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. This new attraction looks like it is going to be a fabulous addition to the park! The ride will not go upside down and each person will be able to pick their own soundtrack for the journey. We know everyone can't wait for this new adventure to open!

Once in Universal Studios, our first stop was to Revenge of the Mummy. This was a unique roller coaster ride in the dark that quickly became one of our favorites! The story and effects were great and we would definitely recommend making it a priority when visiting this park.

Then we were off to JAWS, an old favorite. We rode along as our skipper navigated us through our face to face interaction with giant teeth and a mean smile. Luckily we made it through safely and we are sure all visitors would enjoy this classic adventure.


We navigated through the park and visited MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack next. This giant video game of a ride allows you to shoot alients as your car turns and moves and swivels. The more aliens you shoot, the higher your score goes! If you can rack up a score of 150,000 points, you will be promoted from a trainee to a full-fledged agent. We enjoyed the ride and hope you will too!

Our final stop of the day was The Simpsons Ride which was voted Best New Theme Park Ride in 2008 worldwide. What an experience! Your senses will be overloaded as you follow the Simpson family on their adventure. This ride is completely worth the wait and will be a fun spectacle for everyone...whether you are a big Simpsons fan or not.

We wrapped up our day at the parks with a huge THANK YOU to our incredible tour guide Branden. He was a wealth of knowledge and had so many great hints for every attraction. Our day would not have been half as great without him and if you have a chance to take a guided tour of these parks, there would be no one better to request as your guide!



Our KEYS to having fun at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure:

• Be SURE to wear comfortable shoes because you will do a LOT of walking!
• Don't forget your sunscreen if you are visiting in the summertime...be sure to re-apply!
• On The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man keep an eye out for a movie billboard on your left with a phone number. Remember the number and dial it when you get out of the ride, using a 407 area code, for a special message from Spider Man!
• Lift your arms and legs straight out in front of you on Doctor Doom's Fearfall for about 2 seconds of zero gravity at the top of the ride!
• BE READY for the zero to forty take off on the Incredible Hulk Coaster!
• The Dueling Dragons provide two very different rides. On Fire Dragon be sure to watch through your feet for the ride and on Ice Dragon, waiting to sit in the front row will be completely worthwhile!
• Make sure you hold onto your belongings on Revenge of the Mummy...it is quite a ride!
• If you are looking for a place to stop and eat...check out Mythos in Islands of Adventure! It has been voted Best Theme Park Restaurant for 6 straight years!