OI Priority List: Islands of Adventure

If you are unsure how to use this list, please review the information presented after the list of attractions. Also, remember that this list includes summary information for the attractions. To learn more about each theme park and its roster of experiences, and to view thousands of full-screen images and hours of HD video, visit our library of information on Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

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#1 – Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Restrictions and access: 48 inches; has a single-rider line. Summary: a thrilling, perfectly immersive outdoor roller coaster that takes you through the Forbidden Forest. Wait times: 30 to 120 minutes, depending upon how long the ride is operational for the day and what season you visit in.

#2 – Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Restrictions and access: 48 inches; loose articles must be stowed in the free lockers inside Hogwarts Castle; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: the first part is a tour of Hogwarts Castle’s most iconic rooms. The second part is a revolutionary flight simulator. Wait times: 10 to 60 minutes, but may climb as high as 90 minutes during peak periods.

#3 – Pteranodon Flyers
Jurassic Park. Restrictions and access: 36 inches; no Express Pass access; guests taller than 56 inches must be accompanied by a guest between 36 and 56 inches. Summary: meandering, outdoor, gondola-style ride designed for kids. Wait times: can easily climb to as high as 60 minutes (and, remember, the ride experience is only 80 seconds!).

#4 – The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
Marvel. Restrictions and access: 40 inches; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: combining 3D film, ride movement, and special effects for a completely convincing simulator ride experience. Wait times: lines are usually around 30 to 60 minutes on moderate to busy days. During really busy times, you might see that number climb above 60 – if so, don’t forget that there’s a single-rider line!

#5 – Skull Island: Reign of Kong
Skull Island. Restrictions and access: 34 inches; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: climb aboard a large expedition truck and travel deep into Skull Island to search for King Kong. Wait times: lines are usually around 60 to 90 minutes on moderate to busy days. During really busy times, you might see that number climb to 120.

#6 – The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Marvel. Restrictions and access: 54 inches; loose articles must be stowed in free lockers; has Express Pass access; also has a front-row line. Summary: possibly the best high-speed, outdoor roller coaster in Orlando. Wait times: unlikely to be longer than 60 minutes.

#7 – Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
Toon Lagoon. Restrictions and access: 44 inches; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line; there are lockers nearby for convenience. Summary: flume ride on steroids – you will get soaked. Wait times: as high as 90 minutes on really warm days; on other days, usually not longer than 20.

#8 – Jurassic Park: River Adventure
Jurassic Park. Restrictions and access: 42 inches; has Express Pass access. Summary: boat ride that ends with a plunge – will get you wet depending on where you sit. Wait times: as high as 75 minutes or longer on really warm days; on other days, generally not longer than 20 minutes.

#9 – Ollivander’s Wand Shop
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Restrictions and access: none; does not have Express Pass access. Summary: meticulously-themed boutique where the wand chooses the wizard. Wait times: since the opening of Diagon Alley, which also features an Ollivander’s Wand Shop, wait times have dropped dramatically to less than 20 minutes, even on busy days.

#10 – Flight of the Hippogriff
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. Restrictions and access: 36 inches; has Express Pass access. Summary: outdoor kiddie coaster that offers fantastic views of Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade Village. Wait times: it is rare to see wait times longer than 40 minutes.

#11 – Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges
Toon Lagoon. Restrictions and access: 42 inches. Summary: traditional raft ride – you will get soaked. Wait times: often not longer than 20 minutes, but may climb considerably higher in the middle of hot, sunny days.

#12 – Dr. Doom’s Fearfall
Marvel. Restrictions and access: 52 inches; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: sit back and enjoy as you are thrust up a 200-foot-tall tower. Wait times: you will rarely see wait times here much longer than 20 minutes.

#13 – Poseidon’s Fury
The Lost Continent. Restrictions and access: none; has Express Pass access. Summary: indoor walk-through attraction, mixing live action with tons of special effects. Wait times: during Universal’s busiest times, this attraction may have a wait time as long as 45 minutes.

#14 – The Cat in the Hat
Seuss Landing. Restrictions and access: 36 inches; has Express pass access. Summary: dark ride that proves to be a delight for all ages. Wait times: generally, wait times do not climb above 20 minutes.

#15 – One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Seuss Landing. Restrictions and access: none; has Express Pass access. Summary: Universal’s answer to Dumbo at Magic Kingdom, this ride lifts guests up and down and circles them ’round – with the extra element of water being thrown in. Wait times: high visibility and a catchy tune attract the guests, increasing wait times to 30 minutes or more in the busy seasons.

#16 – The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
Seuss Landing. Restrictions and access: 40 inches; has Express Pass access. Summary: take a leisurely ride around Seuss Landing as you are entertained by fanciful sounds and effects. Wait times: can get wait times as high as 60 minutes (although we wouldn’t recommend waiting longer than 20 minutes).

#17 – Caro-Seuss-el
Seuss Landing. Restrictions and access: none; has Express Pass access. Summary: a traditional merry-go-round dressed up with Dr. Seuss characters. Wait times: usually five minutes, rarely ever more than 20 minutes.

#18 – Storm Force Accelatron
Marvel. Restrictions and access: none (children under 48 inches must be accompanied by an adult); has Express Pass access. Summary: a Marvel spin on the classic egg-beater carnival ride. Wait times: 10 minutes.

Shows at Islands of Adventure

Triwizard Spirit Rally and the Frog Choir (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade) – no Express Pass access; two 10-minute shows performed in the outdoor area near Hogwarts.

Stuff for the kids at Islands of Adventure

The main hub of entertainment for young ones can be found at Seuss Landing. It includes four rides, a live show, character meet-and-greets, and an interactive play area. Fun spots for kids can also be found in Jurassic Park (Camp Jurassic and the Jurassic Park Discovery Center), at Toon Lagoon’s Me Ship, the Olive, and at Lost Continent’s talking Mystic Fountain. On less busy days, young Potter fans will also strolling through Hogsmeade, looking in shops, trying the treats in Honeydukes (Cauldron Cakes!), and exploring the interactive spell-casting locations.

Check out our complete guide to visiting IOA with kids to learn more.

Full-service dining

Mythos (The Lost Continent) and Confisco Grille (Port of Entry).

The Hogwarts Express

We have not included the Hogwarts Express in the main section of our priority list because of its unique feature: it’s a mode of transportation between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure as well as a themed riding experience. (Remember, park-to-park admission is required; tickets can be upgraded at the train stations.) In any case, the Express does have Express Pass access, but wait times generally aren’t longer than 20 minutes in either direction, anyway – although times do peak in mid-afternoon, possibly going up to 45 minutes on busier days.

How to use the OI Priority List

Theme parks are always busiest in the middle of the day, generally from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. This means, if you want to minimize your wait times, you will want to visit the popular attractions at the very beginning or the very end of the day. Then, save the middle of the day to either check out the less-popular attractions, see the live shows (which usually do not have wait times longer than waiting until the next performance), or head back to your hotel for some rest.

When scheduling your visits to the most popular attractions, such as Forbidden Journey, visit them at the beginning of the day, if possible, and not the end of the day. This is important because you never know when an attraction may be closed for mechanical reasons. If you visit an attraction at the end of the day and it is closed, you simply are out of luck; however, if you visit first thing in the morning and it is temporarily closed, at least you will have the opportunity to try again later on.

Is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter your top priority?

If so, please review the information on our how to ensure your trip to the Wizarding World is a success! page.