Universal's Islands of Adventure: Movie Magic Comes to Us at the Theme Park

Disney has always monopolized the theme park market with their attractions. Disney parks are all over the place, From Japan, Europe, California, but in Florida they have a great competitor. Universal's first theme park was nice. It had some rides that were good and innovative at the time, but now a true rival to the Disney throne has emerged. Universal's Islands of Adventure.

The aim of this park is geared more towards a teenage or adult crowd. The rides are intense, the shows are thrilling and even the scenery is amazing. As soon as you enter the park you're greeted with a huge display of what the park has to offer. Shops of all kinds line the cobblestone streets as you make your way into the actual park. Then you get a true taste of what you're in for.

The Hulk rollercoaster is a mina attraction of the park. Innovative in many ways this particular coaster has the ability to propel it's riders out of a tunnel at 60+ mph. Then your stomach barley has time to recover from the constant loops and pitfalls that abound on this ride. They have a camera stationed near the end of the ride to catch your terror stricken face in all its glory.

However if your not really into rollercoaster's you can take a short walk through Marvel Comics island. Along the way you'll see depictions of nearly every comic book superhero Stan Lee ever dreamed up. Each shop or restaurant has its own comic book theme, but please take care not to interrupt the parade of Superheroes, and villains that runs through the streets every so often.

Now the Hulk is intense, that's for sure, but a ride that may be less of a scare, but leaves no thrill behind takes place at the one and only Daily Planet. Here you can enjoy a ride through the streets of New York with everyone's friendly neighborhood Spiderman. The ride is in 3D and the car's your in move to the theme of the ride. Effects are awesome. Fire erupts, you feel it, water splashes, you get wet, the maniac hurtles a brick at your face... well just be glad Spidy is there to save the day.

After you leave the comics behind, you can enter Toon Lagoon. Here you can visit the locations from many of your favorite childhood cartoons. Dudly Dooright and Popeye are only a few. The rides here are less intense, but then again it's aimed at a younger audience. However, that said, Dudly Doorights Ripsaw Falls gave me a scare, the humor throughout the ride cracked me up, and the major drops were heart pounding. They combine the best parts of comedy with adrenalin on this one.

Next on your tour you'll enter my personal favorite island, Jurassic Park. As soon as you enter the place you'll fell as if you walked onto the set from the famed movie. Plants adorn most of the scenery, and dinosaurs hide around every corner. The kids will love Camp Jurassic, a huge playground with caves, rope nets, water guns and a ton of other tuff. Let me tell you, the kids may not be the only people playing. The only ride here is a boat ride through a calming river where a guide takes you for a leisurely tour of the Jurassic world... until things go horribly wrong!

Only two islands left, and now we enter The Lost Continent. Here we combine Ancient Roman, Greek and Medieval concepts into a place where your imagination can wander. Shows here deserve an audience. The Voyages of Sinbad is absolutely astounding and the Poseidon Adventure is interactive in many aspects. The monuments and buildings that seem to be carved into the sides of stone are a wonder in themselves. Here we will also find the other great coaster in the park, Dueling Dragons.

Two Dragons, fire and Ice collide in battle on this ride, and you choose your own fate. The ride is fast and furious, as well as scary at times. The cars are floorless and at times the two different cars seems as though there going to collide. Even the wait in line is great because of all there is to see. Knights burned into the walls, or frozen to the ceiling. Merlin reads from a mystic old book, this ride has it all.

Finally we arrive in Seuss Landing, an entire island based on the famed Dr.'s characters. Here you'll find the Star belly sneeches, the Lifted Lorax, Grinch and of course a ride based on that darn Cat in the Hat. In this ride, the story from the classic book unfolds around you as a car carries you through the pages. Very cute for children and whimsical for anyone who enjoyed the book as a child. The whole place actually looks like something Dr. Seuss would have dreamed up. There are no right angles, and the colors are mind-blowing. I would suggest you stop bye if for nothing more then to take in the scenes.

A theme park geared towards a more mature audience, but still has many family friendly rides. The waits are never all that long and I promise that you and your family will never be board. Something is always going on, there's plenty to see and do, and did I mention City Walk? After you leave the Park City Walk offers an extreme variety of shops, restaurants and entertainment. The place comes to life at night. So for your next vacation, if you want something miles away from the mundane, the ordinary, the average, Islands of Adventure is sure to fit your bill.