jelly-beans
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2001
Day 4 and Final Thoughts
Arrived at IOA about 10 am. It was bright and sunny in the morning. We went to Marvel Island and rode Hulk and Spidey two times each plus Dr. Doom once. After one more Spidey we decided to hit Dr. Doom again. For some reason I left my glasses hooked on my shirt instead of inside my purse. Well off they came when we were shot up. After the ride I asked the attendant to fetch them for me but he said they couldnt until after the park closes. Needless to say I was a bit upset (they are prescription and very expensive) but the fault is mine. We rode Dr. Doom one last time to see if we could catch a glimpse of my glasses from high up near the ride but it was useless. It is now May 3 (8 days later) and Universal has not found them so I have lost hope. After Marvel Island we went through Seuss landing to Lost Continent where we rode Fire and Ice before taking in the Sinbad show. I enjoyed the Sinbad show, pretty funny with some good effects. It is a nice break but probably only worth sitting through one time per vacation. If you like the Indian Jones show at MGM I think you will also like Sinbad. It is particularly entertaining for children as the characters will interact with the audience a bit. After Sinbad we made our way to JP for two more JPRA rides (I really love this ride). The drop is not as fast as Ripsaw Falls but seems like a lot more fun. We then drenched ourselves at Toon Lagoon on Popeye and Ripsaw before returning to Lost Continent for Fire and Ice one last time. I hate to repeat myself but I would emphasize that the front row on both Fire and Ice is worth the wait. Don't worry FOTL fans the express line merges with the regular line before you choose if you want to wait it out for the front row so the wait is not too long. We ate at Mythos. I wont go into detail on Mythos but I will say that all the good reviews they have received on this board are accurate. After eating we walked to Marvel Island for one last go on Hulk and Spidey before leaving the park around 4 pm. We hung around the pool for about an hour but it was overcast by now so we walked over to PBH for a quick look. [Side note: I checked out Camp lilrock at the request of another poster. There were about 10 children inside, mostly between 5 and 8. They looked like they were enjoying themselves but they were all strangely quiet. There are several computers set up and games. I asked about prices and it is $7/hour plus extra for meals.] PBH is very nice but seemed almost deserted compared to HRH. I did not get to go inside any rooms so I can not compare them fully but for location and atmosphere, I think HRH is better for me. After a cappuccino and gelato at the café at PBH we returned to HRH, showered changed and headed for Citywalk. We went to see Josie and the Pussycats at the theater. Not a very good movie but I love the stadium seating at the Cineplex. Since we both ate popcorn and had large cokes we were not very hungry so we had a coupla margaritas at Margaritaville before heading back to HRH around 11:30 pm. We had an early flight Thursday morning so we went to bed early. Just as well, I was exhausted and truly ready to go home.
Final thoughts:
IOA really lived up to its billing. FOTL is worth every penny you pay staying on-site. I also loved US, particularly MIB. HRH is a wonderful hotel and should get better with time. The thing I loved most about IOA is the layout. Not once did I need to consult my map. Whenever I visit Disney I never know where I am going without the map but at IOA you simply walk along from Island to Island. There is no central area from which all Islands are reached instead there is a circular structure that enables you to avoid much of the backtracking and retracing of steps I tend to do at Disney parks. This enables you to save time, walk less and be less irritable as you will not get lost. The thing I loved most about US is the uniqueness of the attractions. There is only one place you can go to ride the movies and that is US. Also, MIB is outstanding and should not be missed. HRH is fabulous and you can not beat the convenience. The are only a few negatives. The employees are nice but not as well trained as they could be. My first day at IOA I asked an employee what time the park closed and he said 10 pm. Even though I was not sure what time the park closed I was quite sure it was before 10 pm so I asked another employee who said 9 pm. I asked a third that said 7 pm and a fourth said 8 pm. Four different employees and four different closing times. Also, the ride attendants at DD, Hulk and Spidey should do a better job filling empty seats. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to sit in a long line only to watch several cars pass by with many empty seats (including whole rows and many two consecutive seats). As I had FOTL this did not impede my fun but it wouldnt take much effort for the attendant to call out Anyone with two or something like that when there are two seats available like they do at Disney. Finally, the thing I disliked most about US and IOA was that they closed at 7 pm. I know it is only the end of April but it would be nice if they were open a little later. I could then enjoy the pool at HRH a little more as a break between morning and evening trips to the park. Alas, no park is perfect but IOA comes close. I will return and definitely stay on-site. I hope all that visit will enjoy themselves as much as I did.
Top five rides (overall, IMHO)
1. Hulk
2. Spiderman
3. MIB
4. JPRA
5. Deuling Drangons
jb
Arrived at IOA about 10 am. It was bright and sunny in the morning. We went to Marvel Island and rode Hulk and Spidey two times each plus Dr. Doom once. After one more Spidey we decided to hit Dr. Doom again. For some reason I left my glasses hooked on my shirt instead of inside my purse. Well off they came when we were shot up. After the ride I asked the attendant to fetch them for me but he said they couldnt until after the park closes. Needless to say I was a bit upset (they are prescription and very expensive) but the fault is mine. We rode Dr. Doom one last time to see if we could catch a glimpse of my glasses from high up near the ride but it was useless. It is now May 3 (8 days later) and Universal has not found them so I have lost hope. After Marvel Island we went through Seuss landing to Lost Continent where we rode Fire and Ice before taking in the Sinbad show. I enjoyed the Sinbad show, pretty funny with some good effects. It is a nice break but probably only worth sitting through one time per vacation. If you like the Indian Jones show at MGM I think you will also like Sinbad. It is particularly entertaining for children as the characters will interact with the audience a bit. After Sinbad we made our way to JP for two more JPRA rides (I really love this ride). The drop is not as fast as Ripsaw Falls but seems like a lot more fun. We then drenched ourselves at Toon Lagoon on Popeye and Ripsaw before returning to Lost Continent for Fire and Ice one last time. I hate to repeat myself but I would emphasize that the front row on both Fire and Ice is worth the wait. Don't worry FOTL fans the express line merges with the regular line before you choose if you want to wait it out for the front row so the wait is not too long. We ate at Mythos. I wont go into detail on Mythos but I will say that all the good reviews they have received on this board are accurate. After eating we walked to Marvel Island for one last go on Hulk and Spidey before leaving the park around 4 pm. We hung around the pool for about an hour but it was overcast by now so we walked over to PBH for a quick look. [Side note: I checked out Camp lilrock at the request of another poster. There were about 10 children inside, mostly between 5 and 8. They looked like they were enjoying themselves but they were all strangely quiet. There are several computers set up and games. I asked about prices and it is $7/hour plus extra for meals.] PBH is very nice but seemed almost deserted compared to HRH. I did not get to go inside any rooms so I can not compare them fully but for location and atmosphere, I think HRH is better for me. After a cappuccino and gelato at the café at PBH we returned to HRH, showered changed and headed for Citywalk. We went to see Josie and the Pussycats at the theater. Not a very good movie but I love the stadium seating at the Cineplex. Since we both ate popcorn and had large cokes we were not very hungry so we had a coupla margaritas at Margaritaville before heading back to HRH around 11:30 pm. We had an early flight Thursday morning so we went to bed early. Just as well, I was exhausted and truly ready to go home.
Final thoughts:
IOA really lived up to its billing. FOTL is worth every penny you pay staying on-site. I also loved US, particularly MIB. HRH is a wonderful hotel and should get better with time. The thing I loved most about IOA is the layout. Not once did I need to consult my map. Whenever I visit Disney I never know where I am going without the map but at IOA you simply walk along from Island to Island. There is no central area from which all Islands are reached instead there is a circular structure that enables you to avoid much of the backtracking and retracing of steps I tend to do at Disney parks. This enables you to save time, walk less and be less irritable as you will not get lost. The thing I loved most about US is the uniqueness of the attractions. There is only one place you can go to ride the movies and that is US. Also, MIB is outstanding and should not be missed. HRH is fabulous and you can not beat the convenience. The are only a few negatives. The employees are nice but not as well trained as they could be. My first day at IOA I asked an employee what time the park closed and he said 10 pm. Even though I was not sure what time the park closed I was quite sure it was before 10 pm so I asked another employee who said 9 pm. I asked a third that said 7 pm and a fourth said 8 pm. Four different employees and four different closing times. Also, the ride attendants at DD, Hulk and Spidey should do a better job filling empty seats. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to sit in a long line only to watch several cars pass by with many empty seats (including whole rows and many two consecutive seats). As I had FOTL this did not impede my fun but it wouldnt take much effort for the attendant to call out Anyone with two or something like that when there are two seats available like they do at Disney. Finally, the thing I disliked most about US and IOA was that they closed at 7 pm. I know it is only the end of April but it would be nice if they were open a little later. I could then enjoy the pool at HRH a little more as a break between morning and evening trips to the park. Alas, no park is perfect but IOA comes close. I will return and definitely stay on-site. I hope all that visit will enjoy themselves as much as I did.
Top five rides (overall, IMHO)
1. Hulk
2. Spiderman
3. MIB
4. JPRA
5. Deuling Drangons
jb
I'm sure others would too.
