As They Say - You can never go back! Revisiting Islands of Adventure

Only 2 more park days left of our visit to Orlando and we accidentally saved what I expected to be the best - for almost last.  It was just the way the days played out that we did not get to Islands of Adventure until now.  And I have said for 15 years that this is/was my favourite park!

Looking back, it had to be the perfect park, but what I failed to realise was that there was no other way it could be.  We had special tickets in May 1999 that permitted us to visit before it actually opened a week or 2 later. These were not VIP tickets, they were open to the general public at that time, but in a limited number.

So my first and only impression of this park was with virtually no crowds, no queues, and not a lot of noise.  I think the constant background noise of our present day had not really been thought through then.  Ok, some of the attractions were not completed or not running that day due to glitches.  Like the Popeye Bilge Rat Barge.  When I first saw this ride on this trip, I decided it might have been under another name then, but it had not been open to the public that day.  There were just rafts going down it all day - testing.


I did wonder at how different it looked than I remembered......it was only yesterday I realised what I was looking at was Ripsaw Falls!  This was too steep for me anyway and I never considered I was looking at the wrong ride.

That might be the risk of going to someplace you think you remember.  I never looked farther than this ride and never noticed the Barge ride, which I would like to have done.  However, by the time we were almost on our way out of the park there was a notice that the queue for the ride I would have liked to do was down to a reasonable level.  I said I was too tired, but I was also thinking of the wrong ride.  So it looks like I will never have this experience.

Much of Islands of Adventure felt just the same only busier as could be expected!  The first "island" is Toon Lagoon and it feels as if you are walking inside a comic strip!  And it is slow going when you have an interesting and intelligent 5 year old travelling with you, taking everything in and also trying everything out!

Next is Marvel Super Hero Island, actually I think you walk through this first!  Boy do things get messed up, I don't think I could even have said exactly what we did in this park in any order. Alan and I were really getting tired at this point!

Once again, much of this was very familiar.   My favourite 3d ride of all time is still on the go - Terminator. Then there was the Spiderman ride. Too bad it malfunctioned a few times during this because it would have trumped the Transformers ride at Universal......We never actually saw any Super Heroes and I was a bit disappointed about that for Corbyn, but he didn't seem to mind.

 The Jurassic Park ride had not changed at all and thrilled my grandson the way it thrilled my son!  I  guess some things are just "universal"!

After spending most of the days at the parks and shopping centres telling Corbyn to stop climbing, we stumbled upon a climbing wall!  This was perfect for him and well worth the $5 it cost to entertain him for what seemed like quite a long time.  He also seems to be a natural at this sport, you never know what kids will do when they grow up, but maybe this is his sport!

He also got to share a kids only ride with his mother.  I did pity the person "guarding" the entrance and turning away lots of disappointed adults!  But how nice to limit this quiet and gentle ride to kids and only one adult?

Keeping with the Jurassic Park tradition, and one I did not remember, was the lab where they can investigate the guest's brains and DNA make up.  Of course this is all make believe, but I was surprised my daughter admitted to being very offended and upset when they took samples of her DNA!  The impression allows you to believe they have done this by using a hypodermic needle, but what really happens is a puff of air comes through a little hole onto your palm.  I had no idea this had upset my daughter, but it made me observe Corbyn's reaction. And, sure enough, he looked puzzled and unsure about what had just happened to him!

When we left Jurassic Park, we then arrived into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!  And this is so well done, I loved how it looked!  But that was about all I loved!  Oh, and the Butterbeer!  That was delicious!  However, we had made the decision NOT to be at Islands of Adventure the day Diagon Alley was going to open, so we were there the day before, in theory to avoid the massive crowds that were expected.  This part of the park is so popular that it was impossible to walk in a straight line without bashing shoulders with so many people.  Not my idea of fun.  The area is huge too, but at this point I was hot and tired and not ready to deal with crowds or queues!  I did go into the wand shop, but I had already discovered where you can purchase the same wands at a much calmer shop at the gates right before exiting Universal Studios. Not that I would pay that sort of money for a wand that does not actually have any magic powers!

Corbyn and I went into the sweet shop and they did have the magic flavoured jelly beans, but I let him get a pick and mix instead.  He had been such a good boy that I felt a jolt of sugar would not ruin the day. And I told him he could only get 4 pieces!  And he complied.  So the whole purchase was only $1.39 and did not ruin the day with too many chemicals or sugar!

Behind the train station, you can see bits of the original Duelling Dragons, now Dragon Challenge

At this point, I had lost my bearings and it was not until Alan drew my attention to the "new" Dragon Challenge roller coaster.  She told me this was the original Duelling Dragons I remembered so well.  Not that I ever rode it, but I did hold everything for my family as they enjoyed this.

Our next, and hopefully, last stop was another favourite of mine - Seuss Landing.  This part is very sad because Alan and I were so tired at this point, we just sat in a cafe and waited for everyone to go around this part of the park. And I love Dr Seuss and had been looking forward to being here with Corbyn all day.

But the batteries had been removed and we were done, how very sad.






After our little rest, we were ready for the next part of the day - dinner at the only Hard Rock Cafe I have ever experienced!

Apparently one aspect of eating at this Hard Rock Cafe is unique and I was not aware of that. But have been lucky enough to experience this both times eating here.  Once the video of YMCA starts, everything stops and all the servers dance and sing.  Then the customers will join in. It is a spectacle worth seeing but I can't find any pattern of when or why they do this.  I just believe we have been lucky to be 2 for 2 in our times being there.  Look on youtube for some of the dances, I doubt I could share them here and my video was too far away and not good enough quality to share!

My original plan was to eat at Margaritaville - my favourite Florida restaurant.  Yes, I know it is found in other places, but it feels like Florida to me and I have only eaten in Florida locations.

I did have a Margarita there a few days ago and was able to visit the gift shop, but am so glad I got to see the YMCA and enjoy a meal with my family at the Hard Rock Cafe.

"I am somewhat exhausted; I wonder how a battery feels when it pours electricity into a non-conductor?” 

― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventure of the Dying Detective