OPINION: Islands of Adventure now in top 5
Oct. 1—I read an article the other day that said my husband's favorite amusement park — Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio — is no longer at the top of the heap for roller coaster fans. In fact, it's no longer in the top five.
Recently I learned they are taking out their premier coaster, Top Thrill Dragster, a stratocaster that went from zero to 125 mph in seconds. There is no question this ride is extremely popular, but it did seriously injure a woman last year when a piece of metal fell off the coaster and hit her while she was standing in line. No one even knows her condition, or whether she is even alive. But the incident was enough to force the park to dismantle the ride.
The same article that announced Cedar Point's modest fall from grace included Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure in the top five. This came as no surprise. That park now boasts three coasters in the top 10 in the country, as far as I'm concerned. And it also has the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a segment of the park devoted exclusively wizards and witches, chocolate frogs, wand waving, Butter Beer, and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. In other words, Islands of Adventure — and its sister park, Universal — are about more than just coasters. And it seems like many people these days are no longer satisfied with the need for speed.
For the past couple of years, Universal has offered the Freedom pass for military, active or retired. A pass for an adult costs $200, for unlimited visits all year long. I don't know if they will offer it for 2023, but anybody who is eligible could buy this year, go three or four days, and more than get their money's worth.
Before you go, here are a few don't-miss attractions at Islands and the nearby Universal Studios.
1. The latest coaster — aptly named Velocicoaster, since it's in the Jurassic Park area of Islands of Adventure — takes the prehistoric cake. The concept is a race with four raptors. Before the ride, you pass through a room where some of the raptors are caged, faces in metal masks, snarling and rolling their eyes. Once on the ride, you see two of the raptors on either side of your train, stomping around, until they are released. All four take off, and then the train does, launching from zero to 50 in two seconds. A swing to the left and a dive loop follow, then an overbanked turn and some air time. A couple of S-bends and turns take you to another launch to 40 mph, and then the train arcs into a 155-foot top hat with huge air time, and falls into a 140-foot drop at an 80-degree angle, only to turn and hit a 100-foot zero-G stall. A 125-degree overbanked turn is followed by more air time with a 113-degree overbanked turn and a speed hill. A heartline roll takes you to 53 mph, seemingly inches above the water, before you roll back into the paddock.
2. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure offers a unique set of twists and turns, seven burst-of-speed launches, and a shocking track-drop in a cave where lurks the "Devil's Snare." Riders zoom past a Blast-Ended Skrewt; blaze by a Centaur in the Forbidden Forest; take a quick look at Fluffy, the three-headed dog; spot a few Cornish pixies buzzing about the Weasley's Flying Ford Anglia; and finally, roll around a corner where stands a lovely unicorn — "And look, she's a mum," Hagrid says. This ride only hits a top speed of about 50 mph, although it seems more like 70. But the track is fairly low to the ground, so it's OK for a starter coaster.
3. The original "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" is part of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and that portion of the Islands park is one you might spend several hours browsing. The ride swoops you through the forest, the Quidditch pitch and the outer realms of Hogwarts Castle on a "flying bench." There you'll see a dragon, dementors, spitting spiders — and of course, the characters of Harry and Ron, whom you'll follow on brooms; Hermione, who casts spells to help you along the way; and Hagrid, who wants to know whether you've seen a dragon that got loose. Even small children will enjoy this ride, in the original Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure.
4. The Incredible Hulk Roller Coaster. This is still one of the best-configured coasters in the country. The train blasts out of a tube and immediately takes a barrel roll into a cobra roll, then plummets into a loop. It's starting to get a bit rough around the edges, so we always have to ride in one of the front two cars, but this steel wonder can't be missed.
5. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. Another dark ride, but this one's in 3D, featuring all the villains jousting for the privilege of killing off our webbed friend. You start in your "Scoop" vehicle at the Daily Bugle, and then twist, turn and bump your way through a series of special effects, including a few wild spins.
6. Men in Black Alien Attack. This is my husband's favorite, bar none. It's an interactive dark ride where everyone gets to shoot at alien targets, which are worth a wide range of points. My husband knows where all the targets are, and will only share them in the vaguest manner. Riders will recognize scenes from the first MIB movie, as well as Zed and Agent J.
7. The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is a coaster that takes the train straight up before plunging it down and into a series of loops and turns at 65 mph. The hook here is that before you take off, you get to choose the music you listen to during the ride. Once you select your genre (classic rock, hip-hop, techno, etc.), you get a choice of five tunes. Or you can let the virtual ride operator choose for you. Note: I know a secret code that will give you access to considerably more music options, and if interested, drop me a line.
8. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. For a fan of the Steve Carrell movies, no explanation is needed. For others, it's enough to say that this ride offers benches that shake and shimmy, but it's a giant auditorium in a simulator, wherein Gru and "the gorls" turn you into Minions and take you through some training.
And there's more. Maybe I'll get to that next week.
