Taking the wife and 8 year old to Orlando 28-31 August and instead of doing DW going to do SeaWorld 1 day and either IOA or US. Never been to either, so which park would you choose. My 8 year old is a daredevil and love high-thrill rides (tower of terror is her fav), so looking for a little help. Could we do both parks in 1 day? Any place to buy cheaper 1 day ticket? Staying at the Renissance Outside SeaWorld.
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Islands of Adventure or Studios
- Thread starter jimmyjam1973
- Start date
nepalostparks
Well-Known Member
If you're only going to do one park, and thrill rides are the draw, then definitely Islands of Adventure when comparing the two. More thrill rides and roller coasters there, plus Potter.
Can you do both parks in one day? Not completely. You absolutely can hit highlights of both parks in one day. If you've never been before and are looking to get a taste, it's not a bad way to do it. But just know you won't see everything.
Can you do both parks in one day? Not completely. You absolutely can hit highlights of both parks in one day. If you've never been before and are looking to get a taste, it's not a bad way to do it. But just know you won't see everything.
DDuckFan130
Well-Known Member
You could feasibly do both in one day if you stick to the best rides. At that time many districts in Florida will be back at school so the crowds shouldn't be too bad.
You need to check the height requirements though for both parks. I'm pretty sure the height requirement for ToT is lower than the big coasters and HP at USO.
Have a great time! Love IoA and need to revisit USF now
You need to check the height requirements though for both parks. I'm pretty sure the height requirement for ToT is lower than the big coasters and HP at USO.
Have a great time! Love IoA and need to revisit USF now
I checked and height requirements are 54" and she is just about there.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Universal Studios Florida will likely close early most, if not all, of those days for Halloween Horror Nights, not that many of the parks are open too late that time of year.
RyenDeckard
Well-Known Member
Yeah, if the OP asks this question next year, the answer will either be USF or too close to call.
To be fair, if you don't want to do water rides, USF will easily be the option next year. Mummy, ET, MIB, Simpsons, Transformers, Gringotts compared to Spiderman, Hulk, Dragon Challenge, HPatFJ, CITH.
I'm skipping a lot of rides for the sake of having a short post, but if you don't like rollercoasters USF is the park for you (next year). My mother refuses to go on any coaster, but she loves the mummy.
be aware universal studios and island of adventure cover 400 acres. lot of walking to do both parks, but it can be done.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
Its not impossible to do both parks in one day but its dependent on when the parks close. If you get there when before they open and its a late closing evening - you can do the major attractions in one day at both. By far arrive is IOA before opening and head straight to Potter then complete all of Potterland. After that, do the major attractions at IOA that you like then head over to USF.
RyenDeckard
Well-Known Member
Actually it can go two ways. You either want to hit up the Wizarding World as soon as the parks open (or before if you stay on site), or make the Wizarding World one of the last things you do.
Everybody goes there within an hour of the park opening, so it's busiest in the morning. My preferred method of doing IOA is to start at Marvel in the morning, while everybody rushes to potter. Do Hulk, Spiderman, possibly Doom, then move on to Toon Lagoon if I plan to do water rides that day, if not grab lunch and go on jurassic park (even if you get soaked, you'll be dry in about a half hour, really refreshing in the summer). Then potter, usually skip seuss or go to mythos afterwards.
Around then it when I hop over to USF. This is my own personal plan, it works pretty well most of the time though.
Regarding the water rides (Jurassic Park in Doo-Right mainly) do you get soaked or like at WDW splash mountain just get somewhat wet. I don't mind getting a little wet but don't want to get soaked. Also how aggressive are the coasters there compared to WDW Rock-n-Rollercoaster?
DDuckFan130
Well-Known Member
Jurassic park is more like splash mountain. However, you get SOAKED on Dudley Do Right and Popeye. Popeye is a raft ride like Kali River Rapids.
In regards to the coasters I guess the ones at Universal are rougher mainly because they're bigger and last longer. But RnRC is one of those that gives me a headache from all the jerking around. The Hulk does the same thing to me as does Kumba at Busch Gardens lol go figure.
BryceM
Well-Known Member
Well, both Dudley and Popeye will SOAK you. Like, you just jumped in a pool. They are very fun though, and Popeye is generally considered to be the best rapids ride in the world. With that being said, Jurassic Park is very iffy if you get wet or not. Sometimes I'll walk off completely dry, but other times I'll have a wet shirt and wet hair.
DDuckFan130
Well-Known Member
You pretty much said what I said, but I totally agree on the Popeye being one of the best. I definitely have more fun on that ride than the rest of the rapid rides. It's exceptionally well-themed!
BryceM
Well-Known Member
Love Popeye!You pretty much said what I said, but I totally agree on the Popeye being one of the best. I definitely have more fun on that ride than the rest of the rapid rides. It's exceptionally well-themed!
thanks for the insight. Really looking forward to going. Hopefully I can get the wife on Jurassic park since she's not a fan of water rides and got a little scared at DW Dinosaurs at the end. I guess I'll watch a couple of youtube videos.
He said August, not September.
For an 8 year old, I'd say USF. Plenty of thrilling stuff at both, but I dunno if an 8-year old will go for Hulk/Dragons; there's a pretty wide gulf between ToT and those. On the other hand, she'll miss out on Potter if you don't go to IOA. I'd say get the 2-park pass and hit Spidey, Potter, and JP (and Ripsaw Falls/Popeye if jumping in a pool is acceptable) before heading to USF.
