9 Islands of Adventure Tips That You Can't Miss
In this guide, we will cover our best Islands of Adventure tips to ensure that you arrive to the park extremely prepared, and know all of the 'hacks' to maximize your time and money.
Table of Contents
- Ride VelociCoaster First
- Don't Pay Full Price
- Know About the Express Pass
- Use a Single Rider Line
- Know the Best Day to Visit
- Prepare for Parking
- Bring a Poncho
- Rent a Locker
- Download the App
1. Ride VelociCoaster First
VelociCoaster is one of the most popular rides at the park, which you will have to wait in lines for no matter what time of the day it is.
However, the lines earlier in the day are much shorter than they will be by the afternoon when the park begins to fill up.
By starting your day with this ride and knocking it out, you will be able to use those saved-minutes on other experiences.
2. Don't Pay Full Price
Save Money and Receive your tickets Instantly.
When you purchase Islands of Adventure tickets with us, you can Save $28+ per ticket, and you'll also be able to skip the line by going straight to the gate.
You can learn more about our process and how we're able to do this through our Authorized Theme Park Ticket Reseller page.
3. Know About the Express Pass
A Universal Express pass allows you to skip the regular line, and access a faster line to quickly ride your favorite rides rather than waiting in a long line. It is an add-on, which is an additional cost to an admission ticket.
How to Skip the Line
After purchasing your pass, you will a separate pass which will give you access to the 'fast lane lines'.
All that you have to do is show your pass to the ride operator in the entrance of the ride, and they will scan it to ensure that it is valid prior to letting you on the ride.
4. Use a Single Rider Line
If you don't mind riding solo (or the rest of your party doesn't want to ride this particular ride), you'll want to consider using a single rider lines.
Single rider lines basically work as a fill-in option to rides.
Not all party sizes that are waiting in line are the same size, which will naturally leave room and gaps.
This is where single riders can come in and at times even skip the long lines to fill in.
These single rider spots can open and Close Throughout the Entire day depending on if it reaches capacity.
The following rides typically offer Single Rider spots:
- Incredible Hulk
- The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure
- The VelociCoaster.
5. Know the Best Day to Visit
The best days to visit Islands of Adventure are Tuesday through Thursday. Weekdays are typically much less crowded and visitors from all over the world plan their trips around the weekend.
Most guests plan their entire trip to the park around the weekend. Normally on the weekends, kids are out of school, and parents are off of work. This creates the perfect recipe for a packed park on the weekends.
By going during the weekday, there's a high chance that you'll deal with minimal crowds, less waits, and you'll be able to experience much more in a shorter period of time.
6. Prepare for Parking
When you pull up to the parking lot, you'll realize there are multiple options available when parking at Islands of Adventure.
General Parking will be $27 consistently every day of the year, for one car or motorcycle.
There are four other options available, which you can read up on our parking guide linked above.
7. Bring a Poncho
Florida is known for its afternoon showers (even when the sun is out) especially during the summer.
An umbrella can be a hassle to carry around and find somewhere to store throughout the day, and a poncho is lightweight and easy to store.
Having wet, heavy clothes, and having to air-dry can have a negative experience during your theme park visit. Avoid this by purchasing a poncho ahead of time.
8. Rent a Locker
Guests have unlimited access to these lockers during the course of the day. Lockers are available on a firstcome, first-served basis.
You should be aware that lockers are not free for water rides but are free for roller coasters.
9. Download the App
The Universal Orlando app is a must-have item for your visit.
You'll be able to plan your visit from the app, order food, get a virtual line return time, see the park hours, park map, see the showtimes, and even create a favorites list.
The app makes it a seamless experience for visitors prior to the park, and when they're at the actual park.