Skip to main content

Favorites in the Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando

Island of Adventure in Universal Orlando is the place of superheroes

Special Cookies Not to Missed in Islands of Adventure

Revised 4/2021

Everyone loves a good cookie and when on vacation, why not seek out the best.  Here I share with you the very best cookies I found during my most recent visit to Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure.

Note: Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.

Pity the Villains who Dare to Enter the Marvel Superhero Island

When I first entered Marvel Superhero Island, I wasn’t a fan.  Loud music and superhero posters lining the streets didn’t impress me.  My view completely changed on this recent visit.  Walking down the street in this area of the park is like being in a superhero comic book.  Only here, all the superheroes and villains are alive.  

 

Besides the Green Goblin sightings – which are always fun, as he pulls pranks on guests – the golden “cookie” here shows up at the top of the hour.  Near the top of most hours (check the schedule) guests are alerted, via loudspeaker, that Dr. Doom and the Green Goblin is causing havoc and the Superheroes will be on the scene soon.  Line up along the street to watch them arrive on motorbikes.  Super Cool.  Stick around to get your picture taken with your Superhero of choice.

Green Goblin poses with park guests.

Beware the Gates of Kong!  Better known as “Skull Island”

 (Official Universal Orlando Announcement Video)

Even if you are not a ride person, peek through the fence of this new attraction to check out the intricate detail of Skull Island.  It is amazingly similar to the movies.   BTW I loved this ride!  I rode it four times and would have ridden more if time allowed.  It was amazing. 



To my knowledge, this is not like any other ride in the park.  Guests pile into a large jeep-like vehicle that feels as if it is driving.  It is a “trackless” vehicle.  I am not quite positive about the mechanics of the ride, but we do move—forward and side to side.  It is a 3D experience without motion sickness.  It’s as if we are inside the most recent Kong movie. 

Tip: Sit in the 10th row—first or the last seat.  Awesome!  Also, do ride more than once, as there are five different drivers and experiences. 

Note: Due to Covid, things change daily.  To stay up to date with ride closures, etc., download the official Universal Orlando Resort App.

Strolling Through the Jurassic Era

I love some rides, but not those that could hurt me.  An 85-foot drop?  Well, that would leave a mark.  Nevertheless, this area of the park is great for the sights alone.  It is as if Jurassic Park actually exists.  Check out the Jurassic Park Discovery Center.  Here, one can name a newly hatched dino. 

Note: Due to Covid, things change daily.  To stay up to date with ride closures, etc., download the official Universal Orlando Resort App.

There’s No Prince in this Castle

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Hogsmeade looks exactly like the books, right down to Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks.  What really stands out, though, is Hogwarts.  It is amazing!  Even if not interested in the ride, tour the castle slowly taking all of it in.  The detail will excite all Potter Heads.  

Honeydukes 


Madam Puddifoot's


The Three Broomsticks

Get Lost in The Lost Continent


Mythos Restaurant in Universal Orlando

Shopping bazaars and exotic eateries await guest directly outside Hogsmeade in The Lost Continent, which is undergoing changes.  When we visited, I found a beautiful pair of earrings and necklace at the “Treasures of Poseidon”.

However, the “Mythos Restaurant” is the real find here.  Carved images embedded into gigantic rock formations surrounded by waterfalls and pools of water hide one of the most unique restaurants I have ever seen.  Stop in to tour the restaurant and grab a cool drink of flavored water which is always available on the reception desk.

Note: Free flavored water for guests.

Near The Mystic Fountain at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

Things, Cat in the Hat and “Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear”


Walking through Seuss Landing is like walking through pages of Dr. Seuss’s books.  Turn around in one direction to find Cat in the Hat and the other to find, one of my favorites, “The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!”  It’s great fun to ride over other guests and through buildings.  However, the real cookie here is watching children enjoy listening to Dr. Seuss stories being read to them outside while they watch their reader engaged by one of the characters of the book.  I find it enchanting. 

What are your experiences?

Please Read

Exploring Diagon Alley Universal Orlando

Theme Park: Universal Orlando The Forbidden Journey

Restaurant Reviews: Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Diagon Alley

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Kauai Vacation: Room Review

The Room Over The Power Plant Revised 4/2021 The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas offers guests beautiful rooms, which include kitchens or kitchenettes, outdoor grills, and a number of pools.  Most often, it includes an excellent restaurant, poolside bar, and small store.  A large grocery store is within walking distance as well.  Thus, the theory is that guests will not have to leave the property once they cross the big pond to reach it. Great theory, but that’s not necessarily true when the only on-site restaurant is closed.  Add to that the incredibly loud room...well, let’s just say I needed a break from the property at times.   Note : Follow Hawaii and CDC guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. May we just see the room we should have had? After an exceptionally long journey that included a broken plane and a rushed connection—not to mention airport security—we were surprised to find that our hotel had our room ready an hour early.

Look Closer at the Hilton Garden Inn, Waikiki

  Why We Might Not Return: Hilton Garden Inn, Waikiki My dear polite travelers, Imagine waiting three years to revisit a pleasant memory.  You’d probably be thrilled to be on that journey.  Right?  Well, I am, and ...well, I’m lukewarm to some aspects of it, especially our room: #1537.  But the Ocean is Right There! In our room, #1537, we have the ocean view and the fresh breezes associated with it.  Still, due to the central, otherwise excellent location, it’s noisy—very noisy.  Thus, those breezes remain outside all night.  Darn.  The pleasant sweet-ocean-air-in-our-room-memory I dream of often eluded us on this trip.  Now, it’s just sad. The Good & the Weird Beyond the noise, it is a comfortable room—especially the shower—but there’s not enough counter space.  Instead of a long counter or desk, the hotel designer thought a long built-in seat would be a clever idea??  Hint.  It’s not.  We can only use it to store our suitcases and bulky items.   The only place to us

Sonoma, California: DoubleTree Sonoma

Updated 4/2021 Our Stay in the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Sonoma Wine Country in California As over-worked small business owners, we decided to play hooky traveling through Sonoma County for a couple of days.  Since we recently experience excellent service on our last stay in a DoubleTree, we booked a room at their Sonoma Wine Country property in Rohnert Park. Our Journey Through Sonoma County Our drive from our home in Davis pleasant with light traffic.  We chose a slightly longer route through Sonoma so we could take in the beauty of the Glen Ellen area vineyards.  The vineyards here are quite beautiful with green rolling hills as a backdrop.  Arriving at the DoubleTree As we arrived, I mentioned to my husband that since this trip would focus on cheese tasting, it would be perfect if we were given a free upgrade to a room with a refrigerator.  The hotel appeared fully booked, so I assumed that was impossible.   Astonishingly, when we asked about an upgrade, the polite rec