Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure – Which Park Is Best?
There are four parks at the Universal Orlando Resort:
- Universal Studios Florida
- Islands of Adventure
- Epic Universe
- Volcano Bay (water park)
Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are the two oldest parks. They are located next to each other and connected by the Hogwarts Express and the CityWalk entertainment complex.
Pro Tip: You can walk between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure or take the Hogwarts Express. However, to visit both parks in one day you’ll need a park-to-park ticket.
These two theme parks are fundamentally the same. They both have different “lands” featuring rides and attractions. However, the “lands”, rides, and attractions inside each park differ.
Universal Studios has long been a Hollywood movie and TV-show focused theme park. However, the park has moved away from this idea in recent years. The lands inside Universal Studios currently include:
- Minion Land (Production Central)
- New York
- San Francisco
- Hollywood
- World Expo
- Springfield: Home of The Simpsons
- Diagon Alley (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
- DreamWorks Land
On the other hand, Islands of Adventure focuses more on fantasy-themed areas. The lands, rides and attractions inside this theme park also reflect that and include:
- Port of Entry
- Marvel Super Hero Island
- Toon Lagoon
- Skull Island
- Jurassic Park
- Hogsmeade (The Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
- The Lost Continent
- Seuss Landing
With Minion Land opening in 2023 and DreamWorks Land in 2024, Universal Studios has more recent characters and themes. Islands of Adventure looks dated in comparison (although I suspect upgrades are coming now that Epic Universe has opened).
Islands of Adventure is best for thrill rides despite its more dated areas. Some of the most popular rides in this park include:
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster
Meanwhile, Universal Studios Florida is best for nostalgic movie and TV show experiences. This park often hosts a Universal Mega Movie Parade in the afternoon and has popular rides such as:
- The Mummy
- E.T. Adventure
- The Simpsons Ride
- Transformers 3D
Both theme parks are great if you’re travelling to Universal Orlando with little kids. Universal Studios just opened DreamWorks Land and Minion Land. However, Islands of Adventure has more rides with no height requirement.
