Are you planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort with your young family and wondering where to start? In this post, I share how my own family spent a day at Universal’s Islands of Adventure (IOA) with two kids under eight years old. I prioritize non-scary, low-thrill attractions, while also including a few options for those ready for more excitement. Plus, download my free “Attraction Guide for Families with Young Kids,” a condensed outline of kid-friendly IOA attractions to print and take with you.
Universal Orlando Resort currently has three theme parks: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay (a water park). Epic Universe, a fourth park, is slated to open in May 2025. This post is about Islands of Adventure, a theme park offering a mix of big-thrill rides, family-friendly attractions, and interactive experiences across seven story-themed lands (or islands). The lands include the iconic Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, Seuss Landing, Jurassic Park, and more.
In February 2024, my husband and I took our 7-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter to Islands of Adventure for the first time. Our daughter does not tolerate any activities that are dark and/or loud. While our son still loves simple kids rides, he is starting to show an interest in more adventurous attractions. I’m going to share how we spent a day full of fun that worked for the whole family.
Quick Links
- Early Morning Thrills
- Seuss Landing
- Jurassic Park
- Lunch in Toon Lagoon
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
- Midday Break at Sapphire Falls Resort
- Marvel Super Hero Island
- Dinner at Mythos Restaurant
- Free “Attraction Guide for Families with Young Kids”
- But wait, there’s more!
Early Morning Thrills
My husband and 7-year-old son took advantage of early park admission in order to ride some beginner roller coasters before the long lines formed. Early admission privileges came with our stay at a resort hotel and enabled us to enter the park one hour prior to general admission (early admission begins at 8am).
They entered Islands of Adventure at 8:10 am and went straight to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, located at the back of the park. Here they waited about 15 minutes to ride the Flight of the Hippogriff, a family-friendly coaster designed to resemble a magical creature training flight. It features gentle twists, turns, and small drops as you weave your way through a pumpkin patch and past Hagrid’s hut. Riders can also look for the animatronic hippogriff, Buckbeak. Both my husband and son really enjoyed this ride. The height requirement is 36”.
Next, they headed to the Jurassic Park area to ride Pteranodon Flyers and learned that this area didn’t open until 9am. It took about 15 minutes to gain entrance to the area and get to the front of the line at the attraction. My son especially loved Pteranodon Flyers. Designed for kids, it offers a gentle, soaring experience as guests glide above the trees, feet dangling, in a suspended seat. This attraction accommodates two riders per pteranodon. Individuals over 56” tall must be paired with someone 36-56” in height.
If you are ready for something even more thrilling, you can also add Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade to your early morning agenda. This moderately intense coaster is one of the park’s most sought-after attractions, making early admission the best time to get in line. Riders board motorbikes and race through the Forbidden Forest, encountering magical creatures and surprises along the way. It features immersive storytelling, speeds up to 50 mph, and sudden drops. The height requirement is 48”.
Seuss Landing
Beginning a counterclockwise trek through the park, my 4-year-old daughter and I joined my husband and son at Seuss Landing around 9:30 am. This area perfectly captures the whimsical charm of Dr. Seuss, with vibrant colors, playful imagery, and beloved characters. It truly feels like you’ve stepped into a classic Seuss storybook. For families with young kids, Seuss Landing is an absolute must-visit.
We started with The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, a sweet, slow-paced ride that offers panoramic views of Seuss Landing. It has two elevated tracks, one telling the story of the Sneetches and the second featuring the ABCs of other favorite Seuss characters. We only waited about 10 minutes to ride this one. The height requirement is 36”.
Next we headed to the Caro-Seuss-El, a carousel with a Seussian twist. The wait was only about 5 minutes. Riders can choose to ride elephant birds from Horton Hatches the Egg or cowfish from McElligot’s Pool, among others. My daughter loved this attraction, especially when she realized she could make her creature’s eyes blink by moving the reins up and down. Riders can also try pulling the reins or pushing a lever on their creature’s neck to make ears wiggle and heads turn. There is no height requirement.
We then went to check out The Cat in the Hat. This is a dark, indoor ride, and my daughter decided she didn’t want to try it. So, my son and I continued and were seated almost immediately. This ride features spinning couch cars and a journey through animatronic scenes, following the antics of the Cat, Thing 1, and Thing 2. My son was fascinated with this attraction, as it really brings the story to life. Note that it is loud and chaotic at times, in addition to being dark, and may frighten some children. The height requirement is 36”.
After my son and I rode The Cat in the Hat several more times, we caught up with my husband and daughter at If I Ran the Zoo. Both of my kids enjoyed this outdoor play space, especially making squishy noises on the Stomp-A-La-Wump, exploring the cave in Kartoom, and sitting on the huge Seussian beasts. The area also features colorful jungle gyms, splash zones, and lots of delightful oddities that Seuss fans are sure to appreciate. Note that this attraction is maze-like in some places, so you may want to follow along with your little ones.
Our last stop in Seuss Landing was the Mulberry Street Store. There are so many fun shops throughout the park, and this was certainly no exception. We bought my daughter a “What Pet Should I Get” Seuss-style plush dog at this store. It was adorable, and she carried it around for the rest of our visit.
When we came out of the store, we saw Thing 1 and Thing 2 in front of All the Books You Can Read. We headed over and waited only a few minutes to meet them and take a picture. Later in our trip, we walked through this spot again and met The Grinch and Sam-I-Am. We also watched a live pop-up show featuring Sam-I-Am and other Green Eggs and Ham characters. The character meet-and-greets were one of my kids’ favorite parts of Universal Orlando!
If you’re willing to get wet, you may also want to try One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. This Dumbo-style ride has fish located around the perimeter that shoot water at passing riders in time to the music. Listen carefully and you might be able to avoid getting wet by moving your vehicle up and down. There is no minimum height requirement.
I also recommend taking a look inside Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, even if you won’t be dining there. Designed as a massive tent with Seuss characters suspended from the ceiling, this circus-themed cafe is really quite a sight.
Jurassic Park
Next, we went to Jurassic Park, an area that transports visitors into the world of the film franchise. Lush jungle landscapes, towering gates, and dinosaur-themed attractions await for dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages. Even if your child scares easily, you can still happily enjoy some of the attractions here.
We began with Camp Jurassic, a dinosaur-themed playground featuring jungle trails, rope bridges, caves, and interactive elements like water cannons and amber mines. This attraction was best suited to our seven-year-old. He loved running, climbing, and exploring. Our four-year-old enjoyed it as well, but the dark caves and crowds caused her to be a little more cautious. We stuck together as a family in order to help our daughter and make sure we didn’t get separated.
After that, we headed to the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. This is an indoor, educational exhibit that feels a lot like a natural history museum. Our favorite activity here was the pre-emergent nursery scanner, with which you x-ray eggs and determine what kinds of baby dinosaurs are inside. We also looked at huge Tyrannosaurus and Stegosaurus models and tried the neutrino data scanner to find fossils.
In addition to riding Pteranodon Flyers earlier, Camp Jurassic and Jurassic Park Discovery Center were the only other attractions we visited in this area. But, if you are looking for some more excitement, you may want to visit the Raptor Encounter. This offers an up-close experience with a spirited, lifelike Velociraptor named Blue. Set in a jungle environment, guests can interact with and pose for photos alongside the raptor while a trainer keeps it “under control.” You may even get to meet the raptor hatchlings, Sierra and Tango.
For families craving a truly thrilling Jurassic experience, you can try the Jurassic Park River Adventure. A peaceful boat tour turns into an exciting escape as riders encounter a T. rex and plunge down an 85-foot drop. Obviously, this will be frightening for many young children. The minimum height is 42”.
Lunch in Toon Lagoon
As you might imagine, we were tired and ready for a break after a morning packed full of excitement. We headed to Toon Lagoon, a vibrant, comic-strip-themed area featuring characters from classic cartoons like Popeye and Dudley Do-Right.
My husband and I placed a pick-up order through the Universal mobile app at Blondie’s: Home of the Dagwood. We brought lunches for the kids in a small lunchbox. I’m so glad Universal allows outside food, as this really helped us keep our picky eaters fed and happy. Our sandwiches from Blondie’s were okay and about average for a counter-service meal at a big park like this.
We found a table in front of Blondie’s and sat down to eat our respective meals. The fire-hydrant fountain, in which several comic dogs play in the water, was located nearby. My kids really enjoyed the fountain, but the incessant barking began to wear on me after a while! As we finished our meal, we spotted Popeye in front of the Comic Strip Cafe and ran over to meet him and snap a picture.
Our plan was to play at Me Ship, The Olive after lunch, but it was closed for renovations. This three-floor play structure has since reopened and features places to climb, slide, steer the ship, and play a piano. It even has water cannons that can be used to squirt passengers floating by on Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. A separate play area called Swee’Pea’s Playpen is also available for smaller children.
While in Toon Lagoon, you may also want to check out Toon Lagoon Games, pay-to-play midway games set along the main walkway. There are also two water rides: Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. Ripsaw Falls features several moderate drops and a major 75-foot drop at the end. Bilge-Rat Barges is a whitewater raft-style ride with rapids, waterfalls, and dips. The height requirements are 44” and 42” respectively.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
After lunch, we decided to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade. This immersive area is modeled after the magical village from Harry Potter, complete with snow-covered rooftops, shops like Honeydukes and Ollivanders, and iconic attractions. I want to say up front that I am only going to skim the surface of all of the things this area has to offer. You may want to spend more time exploring here than we did.
Our main purpose was to find a “Harry Potter owl” to purchase for our son, and we found it at the Owl Post. This interactive snowy owl toy sits on your shoulder with the help of a magnetic shoulder pad. It is sound activated, so it chirps, turns its head, and flaps its wings when you talk to it. My son was completely enamored with this Hedwig lookalike and wore it on his shoulder for the rest of our trip. My feedback is that it is tricky to get the shoulder pad to fit correctly, but otherwise it’s a lot of fun.
It was our plan to take a midday break away from the park, and we did that next. But first I want to reiterate that there is so much more you can do and see in Hogsmeade. You may want to take some time to wander through Honeydukes and other shops or simply look in the storefront windows to find entertaining special effects. You can eat at the Three Broomsticks, try Butterbeer, and ride Flight of the Hippogriff or Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (as previously mentioned).
We tried the Ollivanders Wand Shop Experience in Universal Studios’ Diagon Alley on a different day of our trip, and you can do this at the Ollivanders in Hogsmeade as well. It takes place in a small, dimly-lit room, where an old wizard chooses one person to select a wand for. My daughter was a little nervous and asked a lot of questions, but overall she did okay. Afterwards, the kids picked out their own wands and tried out some magic stations. There is a station where you can wave your wand to make water jump out of a fountain, for example.
We also rode the Hogwarts Express on a different day of our trip. You must have park-to-park passes to ride, as this is a one-way trip from Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios (or vice versa). We rode from Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios. Our wait was about 25 minutes, during which we wound our way through the cavernous station. The train itself is sectioned into small rooms. We shared ours with one other family. The window in the room is a video screen on which images of London streets and countryside roll by with appearances by Harry Potter characters. There are images of Dementors, but they came and went before my daughter had time to be scared.
Midday Break at Sapphire Falls
We headed back to our onsite hotel, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, to rest and swim. Sapphire Falls has an enormous pool that our kids loved. It was shallow in most places and had a great waterslide, too. Our kids also enjoyed riding the water taxi that runs between the park and Sapphire Falls. It was about a 10-minute ride, and it was so easy. The proximity to the parks and the amenities were exactly what we hoped for, and we were really happy with our decision to stay there.
Marvel Super Hero Island
We returned to the park around 4 pm and headed to Marvel Super Hero Island, a colorful, comic-inspired world. While this area doesn’t have many attractions suited for young kids, there are still some fun ways for little ones to enjoy a superhero experience.
The only attraction we tried was Storm Force Accelatron, a tea cup-style ride themed around Storm, the X-Men heroine. This version of the midway ride features a simulated thunderstorm, flashing lights, and loud music in addition to the spinning vehicles. We found this ride to be a bit jarring and not all that enjoyable. I recommend watching other riders first to see if it might be a good fit for your family. There is no minimum height requirement.
If you’d like to meet Spider-Man, Captain America, and other Marvel superheroes, plan your visit around their scheduled appearances on the streets of Marvel Super Hero Island. A few times each day, the heroes arrive on all-terrain vehicles and stop to greet guests. You can check the Universal Orlando Resort smartphone app for daily showtimes.
For a more personal experience, you can try the Marvel Character Dinner at Cafe 4. Just as it sounds, Marvel heroes visit while you are dining with your family to chat and pose for pictures. Advanced reservations are required. Tickets cost $56.99 for guests ages 10 and under and $31.99 for guests 3-9 years old.
Families ready for a more intense adventure may want to ride The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, one of Universal Orlando’s biggest headline attractions. This indoor experience combines 3D/4D motion simulation with special effects like fog, water, and fire. Riders join Spider-Man on a thrilling adventure through the streets of New York, battling villains like the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. It features a 400-foot freefall. The minimum height requirement is 40”.
Dinner at Mythos Restaurant
We made advanced dinner reservations at Mythos Restaurant in the Lost Continent. This Mediterranean-inspired dining spot, known for its rock-carved exterior and waterfront views, offers a diverse menu with options like seafood, pasta, and steaks. Although it feels upscale, Mythos is still very family friendly and offers a kids menu. Our favorite dish was a starter, the delicious Spanakopita Dip. We all enjoyed eating here, and it was a nice change of pace from the counter-service restaurants.
By the time we were done eating, it was getting dark and we began making our way back to the hotel. As we trekked back through Seuss Landing, my kids rode the Caro-Seuss-El and ran through If I Ran the Zoo one more time. They thought it was enormously fun to do these things in the dark. It was a great way to end our day.
Free Attraction Guide for Families with Young Kids
As a working mom with two young kids, I know how overwhelming it can be to get organized and make a plan for a big theme-park vacation. That’s why I created this free, downloadable “Attraction Guide for Families with Young Kids – Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando Resort.” This two-page document lists all of the kid-friendly attractions I outline here in this post in a condensed format, complete with scare factor ratings, height requirements, and long wait alerts. Print it and take it with you as a guide. I hope it makes your planning less stressful and your vacation a lot more fun!
But Wait, There’s More!
I’ve covered a lot in this post, but there is SO much more. Here are a few additional tips for navigating Universal Studios with young kids:
- Even More Activities
- Parades and shows. I can’t write about a theme park without mentioning parades and shows! There was a Mardi Gras parade when we visited in February, and Universal offers other parades throughout the year as well. You can also find live music and other types of street performances throughout Islands of Adventure. These include the Frog Choir in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade or Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear in Seuss Landing. Check the Universal Orlando Resort smartphone app for daily performance schedules.
- Universal CityWalk, the Epicenter of Awesome. CityWalk is an entertainment area that spans along the canal and between the entrances of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You can find lots of dining options here: sit-down dining, like Hard Rock Cafe, The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, and Margaritaville, as well as counter-service restaurants, like Panda Express, Burger King, and Voodoo Doughnuts. CityWalk also has Universal-themed shops and activities, including mini golf and a movie theater. You do not need park tickets to enter CityWalk.
- Park Tickets: Park-to-Park and Universal Express
- We purchased 2-park, park-to-park tickets, which enable you to move between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure during a single day. Park-to-park passes are also required to ride the Hogwarts Express. Park-to-park tickets start at $174 per person per day. The single-park ticket starts at $119 per person per day. Learn more about tickets here.
- We did not purchase Universal Express passes, which allow you to skip the regular lines at many (but not all) of the park attractions. There are two types of Express passes: The Express pass ranges from $89.99-$289.99 per person per day. It allows you to skip the regular line one time per participating ride. The Express Unlimited pass allows you to skip the line at participating attractions an unlimited number of times. It ranges from $124.99-$319.99 per person per day. And, yes, you must also purchase regular park admission tickets.
- Wait Times for Park Admission and Attractions
- Park admission wait times. Take advantage of early park admission if you are staying onsite and looking to ride the more popular rides and coasters. You should still get in line well before early admission begins, though, as the line forms quickly. For example, my husband and son got in line at Islands of Adventure on the Friday of Presidents’ Day weekend at 7:50am, and it took over 20 minutes to get admitted to the park (early admission began at 8am). My daughter and I got in the same line at 8:50am, and we waited for 40 minutes (regular admission began at 9am).
- Attraction wait times. We saw some wait times reach over 60 minutes soon after the park opened, and they only got longer as the day went on. This applied mainly to rides geared toward older kids and adults, such as The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and VelociCoaster. However, we also saw wait times for kid-friendly rides, like Hogwarts Express and Flight of the Hippogriff, reach 45 minutes or longer.
- When You Go Matters
- We visited Universal Studios during the week leading up to Presidents’ Day weekend in February 2024, and we had good luck with crowds and wait times. I think it’s important to note that your experience may differ from what I describe here, depending on when you go. For example, we experienced longer wait times and larger crowds on the Friday leading into Presidents’ Day weekend than we did earlier in the week. Holidays, school breaks (including summer), and weekends will result in bigger crowds and longer lines.
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Download a condensed list of kid-friendly attractions at Universal Orlando Resort, complete with scare factor ratings, height requirements, and long wait alerts.
About the Blog
Have you ever wished you “knew someone who’s been there?”. Yes, me too! I started this blog to be that person for families wanting a sneak peek at theme parks, resorts, and other kid-friendly destinations. My reviews are based on firsthand experiences, and my opinions are always my own.
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