"Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress adventure."
-Albus Dumbledore
-Albus Dumbledore
Before you read this post, if you haven't read part one, Universal Studios, take a look at that below!
Out of the two parks, I much preferred Islands of Adventure. What I love most is how there are 6 distinct "Islands" within the park. With each new Island you are in, you feel like you are in a whole new park. Universal just felt like you were in one place where Islands of Adventure made you feel like you were going to several different parks within one park. This park also opened in 1999, where Universal opened 25 years ago, so Islands has a newer, cleaner feel. For this post, I will touch on each Island and what each has to offer.
When you first enter the Universal Studios Resort, you will walk through CityWalk. Once you reach the fork in the road, you will go right to Universal Studios, and left to Islands of Adventure. The iconic Islands of Adventure lighthouse is the quickest way for you to see which direction to head in. As you enter the park you immediately get a completely different feel from Universal Studios. You feel as if you have stepped into a different world. There are shops and restaurants as you first enter the park. There's a Christmas shop, candy store, Islands of Adventure souvenir store, photo shop, and a few snack stops including the Croissant Moon Bakery (I'm sorry but the name of this place just cracked me up- so precious), Starbucks, Confisco Grille, and Cinnabon (YUM!). The feel of the buildings and the look of this part of the park transports you in time. It's truly incredible.
Marvel Super Hero Island: After you walk out of the initial entry of the park and turn to the left, you will find yourself in Marvel Super Hero Island. Islands of Adventure does an incredible job making you feel as if you are actually in a different world. It's not just how the area looks, but the sounds as well. Each island plays it's own music that really sets the stage of the island you are in. As you walk through this comic book island you feel as if you are in the pages of a Marvel comic book. The first major ride you come to in the park is The Incredible Hulk Coaster. Unfortunately, this ride has been completely taken down and is being renovated! It will reopen in the summer of 2016. The next ride in Marvel is Storm Force Accelatron. This is basically a fancy name for a Marvel inspired teacups ride. You enter a small car and there is a silver table in the center. The more you turn yourself with this table the faster you spin around. As you continue through Marvel the next ride you encounter is Doctor Doom's Fearful. I am not a fan of rides with big drops, so when I saw this video from The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon I knew I would not be riding this! This ride shoots your 185 feet up into the air and then you plummet back down. NO THANKS! However, if you love thrills and BIG drops- this is your kind of ride! The final ride in Marvel is The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. This is a 3D simulation ride where Spider-Man must face villains who have stolen the Statue of Liberty. After being simulated out at Universal the day before, I did not want to wait the almost 2 hours to ride another simulation ride. After some research I found out that they refurbished this ride back in 2012 with a high resolution film and better projectors.
Some other shops and places to eat in Marvel include:
Two of the three big water rides are located in Toon Lagoon. Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges. I LOVE this type of ride- they've always been my favorite! This is a "white water rapids" type ride. You enter into a huge 10 person raft. In the center of the raft is a rail for you to hold on to, and within the center of that rail is a compartment for you to store bags, shoes, or whatever you don't want to get wet. I will tell you that just sitting in this ride will make you wet. There is about a 50/50 chance that you will just get a little wet or you will get absolutely soaked. This raft rotates as it floats along this LONG (seriously the ride is so long! It's definitely worth the wait!) winding river. There are dips, varying speeds, waterfalls, sprays, and splashes! As you go along the ride you will see your favorite Popeye characters.
The second water ride is Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls. I like to describe this ride as a log flume on steroids. You can see this ride a mile away- it's HUGE! This is another ride that tells a story as you ride in your little log. There are inclines and two small drops before the giant plummet at the end! What's cool about this ride is that as you are in the big drop it levels out and drops again. When you pass under the observation bridge, there are squirt guns that passerby's can pay to spray you with- and you thought the ride was over! Every single person that I saw exit this ride was SOAKED to the bone! I suggest riding this dead last because you will be absolutely drenched!
There is a third attraction across from Bilge-Rat Barges called Me Ship, The Olive. This is a Popeye themed ship that is a play area for small children. There's slides, nets, and other fun little things for the tots. Outside of Ripsaw Falls is a small splash pad for the kiddos as well.
Toon Town is home to many more restaurants and shops:
Jurassic Park: I LOVED Jurassic Park! I felt like I was IN the movie! The soundtrack plays in the background as you walk through the park. I was waiting for a Velociraptor to jump out at any minute and eat me! BUT WAIT! You CAN come face to face with a Raptor at Raptor Encounter! You will learn all sorts of facts about this dinosaur and if you are brave enough, take a photo- EEK!!! Camp Jurassic is located within this island and it offers lots of fun activities for kids. Included is a ride called Pteranodon Flyers. Guests over 56" have to be accompanied by a child that is at least 36". I personally think this is totally unfair because this "child's" ride is actually pretty dang cool. As I have mentioned in a previous post, my husband is a little person. He stands at 48" tall therefore we were able to ride this ride! This ride reminds me of a single seater ski lift. There are two seats per Pteranodon: one in front and one in back. You go up a slight incline and then you glide through on a track that is smooth as butter. The seats actually do a little tilt action and it does pick up some decent speed. Why I wish it was available for everyone is because you get some awesome views of the park. If you have kids, make them ride it so you can!
THE ride in this island is Jurassic Park River Adventure. WHAT a ride. The experience is so cool. You board a giant boat that has roughly 5-6 rows that holds about 5-6 people per row. You go up a slight incline and then you splash (tiny splash) into the river. The music swells. It's the score from the movie and there are the two giant doors with the sign that says Jurassic Park and omg...am I in the movie because it sure feels like it!! Dinosaurs are all around for you to see and then you notice some signs that something is wrong. Raptors are on the loose! If you sit on the far left side of the raft, at one of the Raptor cages, there's a shirt of a Jurassic Park employee. What's funny is that there is an Islands of Adventure name tag on it (I think the name was Brad?!). You eventually enter inside this building where sparks are flying and dinosaurs are loose! The HUGE incline begins. Talk about STRESS! Just when you think you are going to be eaten by a GIANT Raptor the boat tips and you are falling for a solid 5-7 seconds which feels like an ETERNITY! There's a big splash at the end and a bigger sense of relief. You will pretty much stay dry if you sit in the middle and towards the back of the boat.
The final Jurassic Park attraction is the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. This is basically like a museum with some hands on activities for kids. But lets be real...I was there on Christmas Break so I wasn't really in the mood to get my education on. I can say I don't have much insight on this part of the park!
More shops and food places are in the fabulous Jurassic Park, like:
Ahh back to Harry Potter- round 2! The day that we were at Islands of Adventure, it was SO busy that we were given "come back passes" for Hogsmeade. It was so crowded the we just couldn't enjoy this part of the park like we had hoped to. You were literally shoulder to shoulder trying to walk- reminded me of the NC State Fair!
The architecture of Hogsmeade is breathtaking. The snow on top of the buildings looked so real. The Hogwarts castle is astonishing. Seriously, I know I keep saying it but holy cow it looks like you are IN THE MOVIE. It's incredible! Unfortunately we were unable to ride two of the three rides in Hogsmeade due to height requirements or non-dwarf friendly seating. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was one of the rides we could not ride. We were totally bummed because this ride takes you through the Hogwarts castle. You walk through all the different hallways and rooms made popular in the books and movies as you wait to board the ride. This is a simulation ride with some incredible special effects. After researching this ride I REALLY hate that we weren't able to ride it. I don't want to spoil too much so you'll just have to go and experience it!
Flight of the Hippogriff is the "junior rollercoaster" that we were able to ride. This tiny rollercoaster packs a ton of speed and thrill into a 20 second ride. Even though it is classified as a junior coaster, ride it! It's SO much fun! The final rollercoaster in Hogsmeade is Dragon Challenge. This coaster features two tracks. This coaster was formally known as Dueling Dragons. The cars would release at the same time and have several "close calls" with each other throughout the ride. After a couple of injuries occurred while it was Dueling Dragons, Universal made the decision that the ride would no longer release at the same time. This is a thrilling ride with loops, turns, and drops. If you are a thrill-seeker (and a Harry Potter fan), you'll LOVE this ride!
Hogsmeade is full of shops and places to eat. Here's a list:
The Lost Continent
I'll be honest. If there is any part of the park to skip, it's this. There are no rides in this area of the park but they do offer some shows...which we did not go see. I will list out what they have to offer but since we literally just walked through it to get to the next island, I don't feel as if I have very much to offer.
Seuss Landing: A teacher's dream come true! Talk about stepping into a Dr. Seuss book! So many colors, so many details! If you were ever a fan of Dr. Seuss you will LOVE this final island! I felt like a little kid walking through this incredible island.
There are several rides for kids and kids at heart! The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! was SO CUTE! You will board one of two tracks and get a high rise view of not only this island but the park as well. So many fun things to look at while you travel sky high! There's also a fun story that goes along with the ride. Caro-Seuss-el is a unique carousel sporting characters from the famous Doctor's books. If I Ran the Zoo is a play area for the little ones! They will have a blast exploring this playground! One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is similar to Dumbo at Disney. You board your giant fish and control flying low or high as you spin around. The Cat in the Hat is a super fun ride that puts you inside the book! As you ride in your 6 seater couch (similar to the MiB Ride at Universal) you will go throughout the house as be a part of the most famous Seuss story. Not only will you see and hear the familiar story, at one part you will be able to smell it as well (I'll give you a hint, it's a salty snack!).
Plenty of places to snack and shop in this precious little island:
I hope that these two posts were informative and not too overwhelming! I can guarantee that you will have an absolute blast at both parks!
Stay tuned in March for a blog post about Minnesota's famous Mall of America! We have a trip planned for late February- can't WAIT to post about it! Until then, safe travels!
-Cassie
Out of the two parks, I much preferred Islands of Adventure. What I love most is how there are 6 distinct "Islands" within the park. With each new Island you are in, you feel like you are in a whole new park. Universal just felt like you were in one place where Islands of Adventure made you feel like you were going to several different parks within one park. This park also opened in 1999, where Universal opened 25 years ago, so Islands has a newer, cleaner feel. For this post, I will touch on each Island and what each has to offer.
When you first enter the Universal Studios Resort, you will walk through CityWalk. Once you reach the fork in the road, you will go right to Universal Studios, and left to Islands of Adventure. The iconic Islands of Adventure lighthouse is the quickest way for you to see which direction to head in. As you enter the park you immediately get a completely different feel from Universal Studios. You feel as if you have stepped into a different world. There are shops and restaurants as you first enter the park. There's a Christmas shop, candy store, Islands of Adventure souvenir store, photo shop, and a few snack stops including the Croissant Moon Bakery (I'm sorry but the name of this place just cracked me up- so precious), Starbucks, Confisco Grille, and Cinnabon (YUM!). The feel of the buildings and the look of this part of the park transports you in time. It's truly incredible.
Marvel Super Hero Island: After you walk out of the initial entry of the park and turn to the left, you will find yourself in Marvel Super Hero Island. Islands of Adventure does an incredible job making you feel as if you are actually in a different world. It's not just how the area looks, but the sounds as well. Each island plays it's own music that really sets the stage of the island you are in. As you walk through this comic book island you feel as if you are in the pages of a Marvel comic book. The first major ride you come to in the park is The Incredible Hulk Coaster. Unfortunately, this ride has been completely taken down and is being renovated! It will reopen in the summer of 2016. The next ride in Marvel is Storm Force Accelatron. This is basically a fancy name for a Marvel inspired teacups ride. You enter a small car and there is a silver table in the center. The more you turn yourself with this table the faster you spin around. As you continue through Marvel the next ride you encounter is Doctor Doom's Fearful. I am not a fan of rides with big drops, so when I saw this video from The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon I knew I would not be riding this! This ride shoots your 185 feet up into the air and then you plummet back down. NO THANKS! However, if you love thrills and BIG drops- this is your kind of ride! The final ride in Marvel is The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. This is a 3D simulation ride where Spider-Man must face villains who have stolen the Statue of Liberty. After being simulated out at Universal the day before, I did not want to wait the almost 2 hours to ride another simulation ride. After some research I found out that they refurbished this ride back in 2012 with a high resolution film and better projectors.
Some other shops and places to eat in Marvel include:
- Cafe 4: an Italian quick serve
- Captain America Diner: all-American diner
- Kingpin Arcade
- Marvel Alterniverse Store: one stop shop for all your Marvel character souvenirs
- Spider-Man Shop
- Oakley
- Comic Book Shop: where you can buy comic books, posters, and more of your favorite Marvel super heroes.
Two of the three big water rides are located in Toon Lagoon. Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges. I LOVE this type of ride- they've always been my favorite! This is a "white water rapids" type ride. You enter into a huge 10 person raft. In the center of the raft is a rail for you to hold on to, and within the center of that rail is a compartment for you to store bags, shoes, or whatever you don't want to get wet. I will tell you that just sitting in this ride will make you wet. There is about a 50/50 chance that you will just get a little wet or you will get absolutely soaked. This raft rotates as it floats along this LONG (seriously the ride is so long! It's definitely worth the wait!) winding river. There are dips, varying speeds, waterfalls, sprays, and splashes! As you go along the ride you will see your favorite Popeye characters.
The second water ride is Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls. I like to describe this ride as a log flume on steroids. You can see this ride a mile away- it's HUGE! This is another ride that tells a story as you ride in your little log. There are inclines and two small drops before the giant plummet at the end! What's cool about this ride is that as you are in the big drop it levels out and drops again. When you pass under the observation bridge, there are squirt guns that passerby's can pay to spray you with- and you thought the ride was over! Every single person that I saw exit this ride was SOAKED to the bone! I suggest riding this dead last because you will be absolutely drenched!
There is a third attraction across from Bilge-Rat Barges called Me Ship, The Olive. This is a Popeye themed ship that is a play area for small children. There's slides, nets, and other fun little things for the tots. Outside of Ripsaw Falls is a small splash pad for the kiddos as well.
Toon Town is home to many more restaurants and shops:
- Comic Strip Cafe: American, Asian, and Italian dishes!
- Cathy's Ice Cream: My main men are featured here: Ben & Jerry
- Blondie's: Home of the Dagwood: Sandwiches...duh
- Wimpy's: Burgers! However, I wanted to get a picture of the sign to send to my dad because he's a cheeseburger FREAK and when we found the building it looked a little abandoned. I'm not sure if they closed temporarily or maybe it's gone for good, I honestly couldn't tell!
- NOT featured on the Universal app are all the little Icee and churro stands that float around this whole park! I got a good sized Coke Icee at a kiosk right over the Ripsaw Falls observation bridge for a mere $4. It was REFRESHING!
- Toon Extra: find your favorite cartoon character toys and more here
- Betty Boop Store: no explanation needed!
- Gasoline Alley: No, not the famous Rod Stewart song (I know I was disappointed too...) but it's a hot spot to buy your summer (or just Florida) items: towels, sandals, etc.!
- Wossamotta U: CHARGING STATION, I REPEAT CHARGING STATION! If your beloved electronic device has lost a charge, head on over to Wossamotta U for a charge and park souvenirs.
Jurassic Park: I LOVED Jurassic Park! I felt like I was IN the movie! The soundtrack plays in the background as you walk through the park. I was waiting for a Velociraptor to jump out at any minute and eat me! BUT WAIT! You CAN come face to face with a Raptor at Raptor Encounter! You will learn all sorts of facts about this dinosaur and if you are brave enough, take a photo- EEK!!! Camp Jurassic is located within this island and it offers lots of fun activities for kids. Included is a ride called Pteranodon Flyers. Guests over 56" have to be accompanied by a child that is at least 36". I personally think this is totally unfair because this "child's" ride is actually pretty dang cool. As I have mentioned in a previous post, my husband is a little person. He stands at 48" tall therefore we were able to ride this ride! This ride reminds me of a single seater ski lift. There are two seats per Pteranodon: one in front and one in back. You go up a slight incline and then you glide through on a track that is smooth as butter. The seats actually do a little tilt action and it does pick up some decent speed. Why I wish it was available for everyone is because you get some awesome views of the park. If you have kids, make them ride it so you can!
THE ride in this island is Jurassic Park River Adventure. WHAT a ride. The experience is so cool. You board a giant boat that has roughly 5-6 rows that holds about 5-6 people per row. You go up a slight incline and then you splash (tiny splash) into the river. The music swells. It's the score from the movie and there are the two giant doors with the sign that says Jurassic Park and omg...am I in the movie because it sure feels like it!! Dinosaurs are all around for you to see and then you notice some signs that something is wrong. Raptors are on the loose! If you sit on the far left side of the raft, at one of the Raptor cages, there's a shirt of a Jurassic Park employee. What's funny is that there is an Islands of Adventure name tag on it (I think the name was Brad?!). You eventually enter inside this building where sparks are flying and dinosaurs are loose! The HUGE incline begins. Talk about STRESS! Just when you think you are going to be eaten by a GIANT Raptor the boat tips and you are falling for a solid 5-7 seconds which feels like an ETERNITY! There's a big splash at the end and a bigger sense of relief. You will pretty much stay dry if you sit in the middle and towards the back of the boat.
The final Jurassic Park attraction is the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. This is basically like a museum with some hands on activities for kids. But lets be real...I was there on Christmas Break so I wasn't really in the mood to get my education on. I can say I don't have much insight on this part of the park!
More shops and food places are in the fabulous Jurassic Park, like:
- Thunder Falls Terrace: Ribs, rotisserie chicken, and turkey legs! NOM!
- Pizza Predattoria: This is where we had lunch! It was a great choice! The pizza was hot and delicious. Comes in cheese or pepperoni. There are also salad choices and a meatball sub. I believe the cheese pizza was a mere $7 or $8! Not too bad!
- The Burger Digs: The name's the game: burgers!
- The Watering Hole: Snacks and beverages: including beer, wine, and cocktails!
- Jurassic Outfitters: For all your (official) Jurassic Park gear!
- Dinostore: Dinosaur themed gifts for your future paleontologists!
Ahh back to Harry Potter- round 2! The day that we were at Islands of Adventure, it was SO busy that we were given "come back passes" for Hogsmeade. It was so crowded the we just couldn't enjoy this part of the park like we had hoped to. You were literally shoulder to shoulder trying to walk- reminded me of the NC State Fair!
The architecture of Hogsmeade is breathtaking. The snow on top of the buildings looked so real. The Hogwarts castle is astonishing. Seriously, I know I keep saying it but holy cow it looks like you are IN THE MOVIE. It's incredible! Unfortunately we were unable to ride two of the three rides in Hogsmeade due to height requirements or non-dwarf friendly seating. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was one of the rides we could not ride. We were totally bummed because this ride takes you through the Hogwarts castle. You walk through all the different hallways and rooms made popular in the books and movies as you wait to board the ride. This is a simulation ride with some incredible special effects. After researching this ride I REALLY hate that we weren't able to ride it. I don't want to spoil too much so you'll just have to go and experience it!
Flight of the Hippogriff is the "junior rollercoaster" that we were able to ride. This tiny rollercoaster packs a ton of speed and thrill into a 20 second ride. Even though it is classified as a junior coaster, ride it! It's SO much fun! The final rollercoaster in Hogsmeade is Dragon Challenge. This coaster features two tracks. This coaster was formally known as Dueling Dragons. The cars would release at the same time and have several "close calls" with each other throughout the ride. After a couple of injuries occurred while it was Dueling Dragons, Universal made the decision that the ride would no longer release at the same time. This is a thrilling ride with loops, turns, and drops. If you are a thrill-seeker (and a Harry Potter fan), you'll LOVE this ride!
Hogsmeade is full of shops and places to eat. Here's a list:
- Hog's Head: Beer, wine, mixed drinks, Butterbeer, and pumpkin juice served here!
- Three Broomsticks: British classic fare- Hog's Head is attached to this restaurant!
- Filch's Emporium of Confiscated Goods: All sorts of Harry Potter souvenirs can be found here!
- Ollivander's- Can't be a wizard without a wand!
- Dervish and Banges: All of your wizarding needs can be found here!
- Honeydukes: Sweet shop where you can get a Chocolate Frog or Bertie Bott's famous jelly beans!
The Lost Continent
I'll be honest. If there is any part of the park to skip, it's this. There are no rides in this area of the park but they do offer some shows...which we did not go see. I will list out what they have to offer but since we literally just walked through it to get to the next island, I don't feel as if I have very much to offer.
- Doc Sugrue's Desert Kebab House: Kebabs and Greek salads
- Fire Eater's Grill: Gyros and American-style food
- Mythos Restaurant: This is actually an award-winning restaurant that was awarded Best Theme Park Restaurant for 6 years in a row! Fancy!
- Shop of Wonders: We did stop in here to escape the Harry Potter crowd and get some air conditioning! It's a small, cool shop with local art. Local artists are present in the shop making their craft.
- Star Soul-Psychic Reading: Curious about your future? Visit the psychic and have your reading done!
- The Pearl Factory: Choose an oyster and retrieve your very own pearl!
Seuss Landing: A teacher's dream come true! Talk about stepping into a Dr. Seuss book! So many colors, so many details! If you were ever a fan of Dr. Seuss you will LOVE this final island! I felt like a little kid walking through this incredible island.
There are several rides for kids and kids at heart! The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! was SO CUTE! You will board one of two tracks and get a high rise view of not only this island but the park as well. So many fun things to look at while you travel sky high! There's also a fun story that goes along with the ride. Caro-Seuss-el is a unique carousel sporting characters from the famous Doctor's books. If I Ran the Zoo is a play area for the little ones! They will have a blast exploring this playground! One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish is similar to Dumbo at Disney. You board your giant fish and control flying low or high as you spin around. The Cat in the Hat is a super fun ride that puts you inside the book! As you ride in your 6 seater couch (similar to the MiB Ride at Universal) you will go throughout the house as be a part of the most famous Seuss story. Not only will you see and hear the familiar story, at one part you will be able to smell it as well (I'll give you a hint, it's a salty snack!).
Plenty of places to snack and shop in this precious little island:
- Snookers and Snookers Sweet Candy Cookers: Not only is everything so cute in this island, everything has such cute names! So many candies to choose from in this shop, even cotton candy and caramel apples!
- Moose Juice, Goose Juice: Snacks include churros and pretzels and enjoy a frozen juice to go with it!
- Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop: No description needed!
- Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous: A variety of meals for your dining needs!
- Green Eggs and Ham Cafe: Green Eggs and Ham sandwiches (seriously!), burgers, and more! It's really easy to find this cafe...it's a giant green ham!
- Mulberry Street Store: Anything Seuss you will find! From clothes to books, you'll find it all! I got the cutest t-shirt here! Definitely a must stop shop!
- All the Books You Can Read: All the Seuss books you can get your hands on!
- Cats, Hats, and Things: All things Cat in the Hat, including Thing 1 and Thing 2!
- Save the water rides for LAST unless you prefer walking around wet all day.
- When exiting the water rides, if you plan to change clothes my tip is to go to the bathroom farthest away from the water rides. Completely exit Toon Lagoon and go to Marvel to change clothes. I can only imagine the bathrooms located right by these rides: stinky and wet! I would also suggest not going to Jurassic Park to change since that island is home to the other water ride in the park.
- A new island is currently under construction! Skull Island: Reign of Kong is in the works! It's pretty cool to see what is coming to Islands of Adventure. Check out the website here for more details!
- With The Hulk and Skull Island under construction, I would suggest visiting Islands of Adventure at the end of the summer, or fall of this year. Perhaps the least busy time will be January of 2017 when most of the hype has died down. I know I can't wait to get back!
- Download the Universal Studios App! It is a lifesaver! Not only does it provide a map of ALL Universal parks, it gives you wait times, height requirements, and more! It's free and easy to use! Download it a few days before your trip to get acquainted with it and it will definitely help you plan out your days in the parks!
- For those needing Handicap Assistance: one huge downfall of these parks was the fact that you have to transfer to a wheelchair from your power chair/scooters. The only exception are the Harry Potter rides where you can ride your personal scooter/chair in the elevator up to the boarding area. Having to transfer to a chair is a big hassle when you have to do it at almost every single ride. My suggestion is that before you get into the park, stop at guest services and pick up an Attractions Assistance Pass (AAP). This pass will allow you to go through the Express Pass lane if the wait is less than 30 minutes. If the wait exceeds 30 minutes, the attendant will write down the ride name and give you a time to come back. When you come back, you will then get to go through the Express Pass lane. The trick is that only one ride can be written on your pass at a time. For instance: if you arrive to the Spider-Man ride at 12:15 and there is a 1 hour wait time, they will write on your AAP, "Spider-Man: 1:15." When you come back at the time written down, you will be sent through the Express Lane.
I hope that these two posts were informative and not too overwhelming! I can guarantee that you will have an absolute blast at both parks!
Stay tuned in March for a blog post about Minnesota's famous Mall of America! We have a trip planned for late February- can't WAIT to post about it! Until then, safe travels!
-Cassie