Islands of Adventure, best theme park?

[BryceM]

Islands of Adventure has been voted and chosen as the best theme park in the country multiple times on ThemeParkInsider.com. Do you agree with this? I certainly do.

While many would argue that Magic Kingdom, Epcot or Disneyland are the best, I lean towards my all time favorite theme park, Islands of Adventure. This is probably the park I've visited the most in my 16 years of existence, and it continues to be my favorite theme park. From the moment you walk under "The Adventure Begins" and into the Port of Entry where you hear tranquil and exotic bells and chimes and the distinct roar of The Incredible Hulk Coaster in the distance, to the moment you've explored some of the greatest theming offered and you pass under "The Adventure Lives On", knowing you've had a full filling and true theme park experience.

I do agree that some things need work, such as the sketchy theming throughout Ripsaw Falls and the seemingly awkward transition between WWoHP to Jurassic Park where you can still see the huge, white show building for The Forbidden Journey. But these are minor flaws and don't restrain the park from being beautifully themed and of course, well maintained.

I know I'm probably in the minority here, being on WDWMagic.com, but does anyone else agree that IoA still holds that amazing impact that it had when it first opened in the late 90's? I do, and I think the park will only get better and better. That's why I think IoA is the best theme park in the United States. (or maybe even the world, but it does have to compete with DisneySea, hahaha)

(And please don't shoot me down violently for my opinion! )

 

[TalkingHead]

I think Disneyland's the best park in the country by a wide margin. The history, the attraction line-up, the variety of rides. It's got it all.

IOA is a great park, but relies too much on water rides IMO. And the attraction line-up is good, but it can't match DL -- the OG Pirates, Mansion, Indy, all the Mountains, Roger Rabbit and the dark rides.

Still, IOA's a great park to wander around, especially the little areas on the water in Toon Lagoon and Seuss. And Potter is outstanding.

Probably my favorite park in Orlando at the moment.

 

[captainkidd]

Great park and I love it, but can't touch the Magic Kingdom. Not nearly enough attractions or diversions.

 

[disney fan 13]

In O-town I would say it is 2nd at this moment, but replace toon lagoon with something high quality and it could move up to number 1.

 

[ZaneB]

IOA has the most potential for expansion right now, which could easily make it number one. Unfortunately, Universal are too busy with harry potter to do anything with the other areas. Seuss Landing has excellent theming, but could do with new areas and rides, maybe a 3D show? Lost Continent needs to go, it's pointless and only used as a path to HP. Turn it into another area! Jurassic Park needs a new ride, refurb the discovery center and hide the show building! Toon Lagoon is pretty great already, but a non water ride wouldn't hurt. Marvel Island needs a couple new rides also.

 

[JustInTime]

I disagree. I LOVE IOA but the only thing good theme-wise about the park is Potter and Spiderman. Amazing park but the other areas are lacking, IMO. I think it's Disneyland.

 

[HTF]

I think the answers are going to be a little biased here

 

[ParentsOf4]

Certainly there are some "A List" attractions at IOA. Spiderman and FJ are two of the best in the world while Hulk and Dragon's Challenge are top-of-the-line roller coasters. However, with 3 water rides, 2 of which have the potential to get you absolutely soaked, it's not a particularly good choice for the cooler months.

The layout of Port Of Entry is intriguing. However, the park suffers from a design that forces everyone to walk in one big loop. The nice thing about a park with multiple paths is that it can stay fresh longer; you are not always seeing the exact same sightlines each time you walk through the park. Visually, IOA is the exact same park each time. It gets stale after just a few visits.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Just speaking of central Florida, I think on most days I would prefer Disney's Animal Kingdom.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Just speaking of central Florida, I think on most days I would prefer Disney's Animal Kingdom.

This thread might come as a bit of a surprise to you:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/which-park-would-you-skip.846055/

DAK is an enjoyable park but it appears to be low on most people's list. Too bad. All of the major Orlando theme parks are fun in their own way.

 

[captainkidd]

I disagree. I LOVE IOA but the only thing good theme-wise about the park is Potter and Spiderman. Amazing park but the other areas are lacking, IMO. I think it's Disneyland.

Yeah - Jurassic Park and Seuss Landing aren't themed well.

 

[BryceM]

IOA has the most potential for expansion right now, which could easily make it number one. Unfortunately, Universal are too busy with harry potter to do anything with the other areas. Seuss Landing has excellent theming, but could do with new areas and rides, maybe a 3D show? Lost Continent needs to go, it's pointless and only used as a path to HP. Turn it into another area! Jurassic Park needs a new ride, refurb the discovery center and hide the show building! Toon Lagoon is pretty great already, but a non water ride wouldn't hurt. Marvel Island needs a couple new rides also.

I agree about The Lost Continent. I love how it's an original land not based off a franchise but with Potter taking away all of Merlinwood which had Dueling Dragons, The Flying Unicorn and The Enchanted Oak Tavern, The Lost Continent has only two minor attractions to offer and has become a shell of it's former self.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This thread might come as a bit of a surprise to you:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/which-park-would-you-skip.846055/

DAK is an enjoyable park but it appears to be low on most people's list. Too bad. All of the major Orlando theme parks are fun in their own way.

Not a surprise at all. The park is very much the opposite of what many here like. It is not something that can be planned out. The park works best one explores and discovers. It's not about the individual rides or the dining, its about the park itself and I am so happy the park so well retains that character.

 

[BryceM]

Not a surprise at all. The park is very much the opposite of what many here like. It is not something that can be planned out. The park works best one explores and discovers. It's not about the individual rides or the dining, its about the park itself and I am so happy the park so well retains that character.

I agree. I believe DAK has some of the most beautiful theming and landscaping out of any Disney park and is quite fun to walk around and explore and a ride a few (top-notch) attractions.

 

[AndyMagic]

Not a surprise at all. The park is very much the opposite of what many here like. It is not something that can be planned out. The park works best one explores and discovers. It's not about the individual rides or the dining, its about the park itself and I am so happy the park so well retains that character.

Agreed. Animal Kingdom is the one park in Orlando where not having a ton to do doesn't prevent it from being an amazing theme park. It has a luxury that DHS doesn't have since it is such a pleasure to walk around in and experience. However, I would still rank IOA as the best "all around" theme park in Orlando. Disneyland in Cali would rank slightly higher for me on a national level but just barely.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Not a surprise at all. The park is very much the opposite of what many here like. It is not something that can be planned out. The park works best one explores and discovers. It's not about the individual rides or the dining, its about the park itself and I am so happy the park so well retains that character.

DAK is an underrated park. It might be because some of its most endearing aspects are subtle; it takes a few trips to recognize them. Many guests visit Orlando infrequently and WDW offers so many experiences that it's difficult to slow down, something I think is necessary to fully appreciate DAK, more so than the other theme parks.

IOA's appeal is obvious, big headliner attractions and a configuration that makes it easy for the infrequent guest to walk past nearly everything IOA has to offer.

 

[kap91]

DAK is great, Disneyland is still probably the best theme park out there (except maybe DisneySea but I haven't personally been there). IOA is nice, with a couple superb attractions, but the park itself is fairly ugly and at best on par with day 1 California Adventure. (Let's face it Marvel island and toon lagoon are awful looking and suessland while creative isn't the most attractive thing either). It has too many spaces with nothing to do except play carnival games and frankly while it has more rides in number than DHS it seems largely like there's less to do (Before potter I could finish the park by 10:30 - specifically because there's so much of a reliance on water rides that soak you and I tend not to ride - my fault I guess.) Additionally one ride only kids can ride and the land its in - also largely limited to kids - takes up a huge chunk of real estate. Plus its hard to call it a themed park with large unthemed or barely themed coasters and show buildings (FJ, Posiden, and Jurassic Park are dramatically obvious). I will give credit to Dragon's queue though. In short while the Universal parks are way more themed than a Six Flags or Knots, they hardly approach any of the Disney parks -Wizarding World excepted. But one great land does not make a great theme park. Obviously I'm in the minority though since it has won that distinction.

 

[GLaDOS]

Best park in Orlando by a mile.

Not as much to do as the MK? That's fine, 1/2 of MK is slop I wouldn't waste my time with. Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, and Space Mountain, and then I'm out of the MK.

Ugly? Hardly. Marvel, Seuss, Lost Continent, Jurassic Park, and Potter are all fantastically themed with a lot of hidden details and places to explore.

Plus, a killer attraction lineup.

 

[kap91]

Like I said, we'll have to agree to disagree. It has places and attractions in the park I like, but as a whole I'd take the MK any day (even though my itinerary there is largely what you've outlined).

EDIT: except for butterbeer - god please bring that to every restaurant on earth including the MK.

 

[wiigirl]

I think the answers are going to be a little biased here

lol....no...