A Kid Rates the Rides at Islands of Adventure

If you’re going to go to the Islands of Adventure theme park in Florida, let me give you some advice: Get some sleep before you go. You won’t want to sleep once you’re there. When my dad told me we were going to Universal’s Islands of Adventure, I couldn’t sleep for many, many nights. Now I know why.

The place is awesome. I’ve been to Disney World, but Islands of Adventure has some rides and other things I’ve never seen before. I’ve come up with a rating system. Five stars is the best a ride can be. One is the worst. There weren’t too many ones.

***** The Incredible Hulk roller coaster in the Marvel Super Hero Island was definitely a five. It blasts you off in one shot while you’re strapped in a chair. You get pushed up a tunnel and then popped out, like a cannonball. There are many sharp turns and ups and downs. It was very fun and exciting.

***** Dr. Doom’s Fearfall is also a five. You go up a tower slowly and come down fast, while your stomach is in the air. This ride is great.

***** The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is also very realistic and very fun. You feel like you’re going up 100 stories and then down 100 stories, but it’s all part of a 3-D effect.

***** The Lost Continent was fun and filled with shows and merchandise. The ride there, Dueling Dragons, is the world’s first “dueling” roller coaster. The ride was a little scary because the cars almost collided with each another. But I gave it a five for the fun and excitement.

**** The Toon Lagoon island was interesting because it had lots of things I sometimes used to watch when I was a kid. The ride called Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges was fun because one day it was about 95 degrees outside and I was wilting (hot), so I got soaked and happy. But I gave this ride a four because I got so soaked.

**** The Jurassic Park island is good for explorers, and older ones too. At the beginning of the Jurassic Park River Adventure, everything is calm. But toward the end, it gets . . . well, I don’t want to give too much away, but I liked this one so much I went on it five times. At the Jurassic Park Discovery Center, you can sample your DNA, scan your brain and see what you might have looked like as a dinosaur. I give this all a solid four.

*** At Seuss Landing I went on the Cat in the Hat, a ride that takes you through this ever-so-famous children’s book. I gave this ride a 3 for good ol’ memories.

My final average for this whole park is 4.43 stars. I advise everyone to come. And also, bring bathing suits.