One Day Islands of Adventure Itinerary for Your First Visit

Of all the parks at Universal Orlando Resort, Islands of Adventure is the one I remember most from when I was a kid. It’s one of the first places I fell in love with rollercoasters when I rode on the Hulk! But still, I hadn’t been in decades, so I wasn’t 100% sure how to tackle it with my family as an adult.

After lots of research thought, I put together a great Islands of Adventure itinerary and I want to share everything we did with you! We had Express Pass for Islands of Adventure (which I was very thankful for!), but I also have suggestions for a one day itinerary if you don’t have Express Pass.

AND I’ve got lots of suggestions and lessons learned for what I’d do differently on our trip next time (namely, some shoe ponchos for the water rides!).

What’s At Islands of Adventure?

First, let’s talk about what Islands of Adventure is and what you’ll find there!

Islands of Adventure is the second theme park at Universal Orlando Resort. It sits next to Universal Studios, and it’s known for it’s big coasters and thrill rides!

You’ll find everything from Jurassic Park to Marvel Superheroes to Harry Potter here. The Harry Potter area is Hogsmeade, and it’s the first Harry Potter land Universal built. But it also has my favorite Harry Potter ride: Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure.

There are also a lot of water rides here where you can get absolutely soaked, so plan to either wear sandals, have shoe coverings, or have wet feet!

A tall, cylindrical stone lighthouse tower rises above surrounding trees against a clear blue sky. The warm-toned stone structure features a small observation deck and lantern room at the top, highlighted by soft sunlight. — This tower marks the entrance to Islands of Adventure.

Know Before You Go

Before your day at Islands of Adventure, her are some things you need to know:

Buy your tickets in advance. I love to buy tickets through Undercover Tourist to save money!
Download the Universal Orlando app before you go and start to study the map so you know where things are. Also, link your reservations to the app.
Bring a portable phone charger, a poncho, and a water bottle. If you get Express Pass, you may also want a lanyard to easily scan into your rides.
Consider Express Pass, which lets you access shorter lines. This is an even better value now that Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure has been added to Express Pass!
Arrive early, ideally 30 minutes to 1 hour before your park entrance time.

The front section of Islands of Adventure. — The front section of Islands of Adventure – Port of Entry. (I took this uncrowded picture through the gate before the park was open.)

One Day Islands of Adventure Itinerary With Express Pass

First, here’s what our day looked like with Express Pass! Remember to be flexible because you never know what rides might be broken down.

We had to use that flexibility first thing in the morning when our plan to go on either Hagrid’s or VelociCoaster was thrown for a loop when both of them were in a delayed start!

Morning: Hogsmeade & Jurassic Park

Islands of Adventure opened for Early Park Admission for Resort guests at 8:00 am on the day we were there, and we were in line to get into the park by 7:30.

Our plan had been to go straight to Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure or VelociCoaster first thing, but BOTH were in a delayed start. Which just goes to show that you have to keep your plans flexible!

Instead, we decided to go on Forbidden Journey (which we had already been on when we hopped to Islands on our Universal Studios day) because it was our kiddo’s absolute favorite ride.

Then at 8:30 we hopped in line for Flight of the Hippogriff. It’s a kiddie coaster and it’s fun to see Hagrid’s hut in the queue, but it’s also definitely not worth a long wait. Honestly, the 20 minutes we waited with our Express Pass didn’t really seem worth it.

A small stone cottage with a pointed slate roof sits nestled among trees and greenery. In front of the wooden door, a wheelbarrow holds three large bright orange pumpkins, adding a whimsical touch to the rustic, storybook setting. — Hagrid’s Hut in the line for Flight of the Hippogriff

By that time, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure had finally opened, so we went on it with our Express Pass at 8:52. And gosh, what a fun ride!

I think this is definitely the best ride at all of Universal Studios Resort! It’s a family-friendly coaster. It goes plenty fast, but also doesn’t have any big drops or inversions that may scare younger kids. (Although there is a surprise track drop at one point where you get lowered onto a different track.)

At 9:30 we headed back to the front of the park and had breakfast at Croissant Moon Bakery in Port of Entry. Honestly, I thought this spot was really good and the service was so friendly! They have pastries and croissant sandwiches.

By the time we were done it was about 10:20, and VelociCoaster had FINALLY opened! So we headed straight there and rode with our Express Pass and were off the ride by 10:45. Our 11-year-old didn’t want to go with us, so we all waited in line together and then they let her pass through the train and wait on the other side of the load/unload area for us to go on the coaster.

Entrance to the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando, framed by tall palm trees and lush landscaping. Guests walk toward the dark, industrial-style tunnel entrance as roller coaster tracks twist overhead, adding to the thrilling theme park atmosphere. — Finally heading into VelociCoaster!

And y’all! VelociCoaster is SO fun! The inversions are a blast. I was even a little worried about the big drop, but honestly it wasn’t too bad. I appreciate that you get going a bit first and go up and down pretty fast instead of a slow incline where you dread what’s coming.

After VelociCoaster we explored the rest of the Jurassic Park area. We watched the River Adventure drop come down a few times and walked through Camp Jurassic (honestly a really fun little area!).

Then at 11:08 we hopped in line for Skull Island: Reign of Kong with our Express Pass. This is a similar ride concept to the Fast & Furious ride that I hate so much at Studios, but this one is MUCH better done so I actually enjoyed it.

Lunch & Early Afternoon: Seuss Landing and Marvel Super Hero Island

We had a lunch reservation for lunch at Mythos at 11:45, so that was next up for us. We had a great meal here, and I had a view of the Hulk coaster launch which was fun to watch. I have heard Mythos is going to be closing and being rethemed at some point soon, but we don’t have a lot of details on that yet.

After lunch we headed into Suess Landing to do the things we hadn’t done on our hop over the Islands a previous night, like the Caro-Seuss-al and One Fish, Two Fish, Red, Fish, Blue Fish.

It’s a cute land for sure, but definitely not one we wanted to spend a ton of time here. The lines were also pretty short for everything, so we went through things pretty quickly, and we could have re-ridden the other rides if we wanted to (like the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley and Cat in the Hat).

Colorful, whimsical buildings in a Dr. Seuss–themed area at a theme park, with pastel towers, curving architecture, and an elevated ride track overhead. Guests walk along the lively pathway under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. — Walking into Suess Landing and you can immediately see how whimsy the area is!

If you are visiting with super young kids, Seuss Landing is a land you’ll want to spend a lot of time in though because all the rides are geared toward the preschool set.

At 1:20 we headed into Marvel Super Hero Island and rode The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. I thought this was a really fun ride! It’s a dark ride with some motion simulation elements. Plus it had some of the best air conditioning of the day!

Entrance to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, featuring a giant 3D figure of Spider-Man leaping from the Daily Bugle building facade. The bold, comic-style signage is surrounded by skyscraper theming and web graphics for an action-packed superhero vibe. — Entrance to the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman

Gerrit and E rode Dr. Doom’s Fearfall at 1:40 (I’m always out on drop rides). Then we did Hulk with our Express Pass and Storm Force Accelerator (which is like a more intense version of the Tea Cups at Disney).

Mid to Late Afternoon: Water Rides

Around 3:00 was the hottest part of the day, so we decided to knock out all the water rides at once. And y’all….Islands of Adventure water rides do not mess around! We got SOAKED!

Next time I am for sure buying these shoe ponchos or these reusable shoe covers. Because as much fun as the rides were, I did not enjoy wringing my socks out on the park bench.

First up was Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges at 2:45. It’s a super fun raft ride, but water pretty much pours on your here. So again, shoe ponchos and regular ponchos are a must.

Sunny view of Toon Lagoon’s cartoon-style lumber camp area at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, featuring the entrance to Me Ship, The Olive and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. The playful, hand-drawn aesthetic includes wooden signs, colorful buildings, and whimsical props inspired by classic comic strip characters. — Walking toward Bilge Rat Barges in Toon Lagoon.

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls was closed for refurbishment while we were there, so we skipped right back to Jurassic Park River Adventure at 3:10. This is a pretty calm ride though some beautiful dinosaur areas, until things go wrong inside the building and then there is a big drop at the end.

Then at 3:45 we went back into Toon Lagoon for some ice cream at Cathy’s Ice Cream.

A hand holds a tall swirl of chocolate soft-serve ice cream covered in bright rainbow sprinkles, served in a paper cone wrapper. In the background, colorful outdoor tables and umbrellas create a playful, theme park–style setting. — E’s ice cream cone from Cathy’s Ice Cream in Toon Lagoon

Evening: Repeat Rides and Hogsmeade Again

Late in the afternoon we tried to ride Hagrid’s again through the single ride line, but it was closed.

It does seem like they should have a better system for knowing whether the single rider line is open or not, because we had to walk through the queue to the part where the single rider line is to find this out. (It would be nice if they could communicate with the ride entrance so the team members there know if it’s open or not.)

So instead, we went back and rode Velocicoaster in the Single Rider Line around 5:00. The ride went down while we were in line, but we decided to stick it out and were off the ride just before 6:00.

Then we headed back into Hogsmeade for the evening. We did Forbidden Journey (twice) because it almost never has much of a wait and our kiddo was begging for it one more time.

Forbidden Journey is inside the Hogwarts Castle.

Then we had dinner at Three Broomsticks. The food was fine, but nothing amazing. I had the Rotisserie Smoked Chicken, but they also have Fish and Chips, Sherpherd’s Pie, and ribs.

Then we decided we would end our night with a ride on Hagrid’s even with the long wait.

The park closed at 8:00, and we jumped in line for Hagrid’s a little after 7:00. Our total wait was an hour and twenty minutes, but honestly it wasn’t too bad! We chatted with the people in line around us and made our way through.

And can I be honest? It was worth it! Rarely do I ever feel like a wait that long is worth it, but riding Hagrid’s at night was such a different experience than during the day and it was so fun! I mean…when we came out of the ride building with the motorcycles rumbling and the full moon was over the tracks? So magical!

And then we strolled out of the closed park soaking in the views!

The Incredible Hulk Coaster glows bright green at night at Universal Orlando, its looping track towering over the water. CityWalk buildings and lights shine in the background, reflecting in the calm lagoon below. — I love how the Hulk Coaster is lit up at night!

One Day Islands of Adventure Itinerary Without Express Pass

Now, let’s talk about how to do Islands of Adventure without Express Pass!

The biggest key here is going to be knocking out the two biggest rides first thing in the morning: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster.

If you don’t have Express Pass, it’s especially important that you get to the park extra early so you can be early in one of these lines! And if you don’t have Early Park Admission, might I suggest you get Express Pass? I will say it’s going to be pretty hard to get on all these rides without super long wait times if you don’t have Express Pass OR Early Park Admission.

I also recommend either eating breakfast before you head to the park or bringing some breakfast snacks, because you’ll want to knock out a decent amount of rides before it’s time to get real breakfast.

Morning: Big Ticket Rides & Marvel Super Hero Island

Lines are going to shortest first thing in the morning, so head back to Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure first. If you’re party doesn’t mind splitting up, you can also take advantage of the Single Riders Line for a shorter wait time (although it’s not always open).

Then, in quick succession, head to Flight of the Hippogriff followed by Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. If either of these has a long wait time already though, skip it. You can come back later. Or honestly, in the case of the Flight of the Hippogriff, just skip it altogether. It’s really not that great.

Bustling street scene in Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, with snow-covered rooftops, chimneys, and medieval-style shops like Honeydukes lining the walkway. A red Butterbeer cart stands among the crowd of park guests exploring the enchanting Harry Potter-themed village. — Walking through Hogsmeade!

As soon as you are done with the rides in Hogsmeade, head straight to VelociCoaster. We’ll come back to Hogsmeade later to enjoy the atmosphere, but for now you want to head to VelociCoaster while the wait time is still relatively low in the morning. There’s also a Single Rider line here, and if your party doesn’t mind being split up, you can have an even shorter wait with this.

After this, head to the front of the park and ride The Incredible Hulk Coaster, grab some breakfast, and ride the rest of the rides in Marvel Super Hero Island.

The Incredible Hulk Coaster’s bright green loops rise high against a blue sky at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Guests walk through the park below, with trees, small kiosks, and colorful buildings in the foreground. — The Incredible Hulk Coaster

Start with The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man (this tends to get the longest wait after Hulk), and then do Dr. Doom’s Fearfall and Storm Force Accelatron. Spend some time just enjoying the atmosphere here too, there are often characters our for special meet & greets. (Check for the times in your app.)

Then, if you still have time before lunch, head back to the Jurassic Park area and just enjoy it! Explore Camp Jurassic and watch the boats coming down with a huge splash from Jurassic Park River Adventure. Or do a meet and greet with one of the Jurassic Park dinosaurs.

And if you have a kiddo who is the right height, you can ride Pteranodon Flyers. Adults can only ride it with kids, and those kids have to be between 36 and 56 inches in height. (Our kiddo was too tall, so we missed out on this ride.)

Early Afternoon: Lunch & Suess Landing

Head to a sit-down lunch at Mythos (make a reservation ahead of time), or enjoy a Quick Service lunch at a spot like Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kebab House or Fire Eater’s Grill.

Then head into Suess Landing. Early afternoon tends to be when wait times peak, but Suess Landing wait times tend to stay relatively low throughout the day so this is a great time for those rides. Do The Cat in the Hat, One Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, and the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride.

Whimsical entrance to the Cat in the Hat ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, marked by a giant red and white striped hat structure. Guests in ponchos walk along the colorful, cartoon-style path surrounded by Seussian architecture and bright pastel buildings. — Entrance to The Cat in the Hat in Suess Landing

Again, if any of these are a super long wait time though, skip them. None of these rides are worth waits longer than 20 to 30 minutes.

However, if you are traveling with really little kids, you might want to spend more time here because this area of the park was really designed for them. (In that case, you’ll probably be skipping some of the bigger rides.)

Afternoon Break Tip: If you’re traveling with younger kids, you’ll probably also want to afternoon break. My advice: Skip some of the bigger rides to do Suess Landing earlier in the day. Then do the water rides below right after lunch. Then take your afternoon rest to coincide with also changing into dry clothes!

Late Afternoon: Skull Island + Water Rides

We’re going to hit the water rides in the hottest part of the day, but first, head to Skull Island: Reign of Kong to ride this.

Then, it’s time to get soaked. Start with Jurassic Park River Adventure. This is mostly gentle ride aside from the big drop at the end.

Then head into Toon Lagoon and ride Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge Rate Barges and Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls.

Ripsaw Falls tends to have the longest wait out of any of the water rides, so do keep an eye on the wait time and try to head there when it’s relatively low (like around 30 minutes).

Toon Lagoon is also a great place for an afternoon ice cream treat!

Evening: Dinner, Hogsmeade, and Repeat Rides!

Hopefully by now, you’ve been able to get on most of the rides at Islands of Adventure. If not, evening is a great time to head to those! Or spend some time repeating rides you loved earlier.

Have dinner at Three Broomsticks and then spend some time just enjoying Hogsmeade in the evening! Hogwarts is especially pretty when it’s lit up at night, and some nights they have a short fireworks show at the castle.

Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and VelociCoaster: If you weren’t able to get on either of these rides earlier in the day (or if you want to repeat one of them!) plan to hop in line just before the park closes! If you are in line after park close, they will still let you ride. And then you can stroll out through an empty park!

A realistic velociraptor head is secured in a mechanical restraint inside a dimly lit, industrial-style room. The dinosaur’s eye glows under dramatic blue and red lighting, creating a tense, Jurassic World–themed atmosphere. — You get to see these Velociraptors in line for VelociCoaster!

Final Tips + What I’d Do Differently Next Time

So what would I do differently next time I go to Islands of Adventure?

Here are a few lessons I learned:

I’d bring shoe ponchos. My shoes got absolutely soaked on the water rides, especially Bilge Rat Barges. So I will definitely be putting shoe ponchos on my feet next time.
I’d skip Flight of the Hippogriff. It’s really not that great of a ride and the wait time is always pretty high! It’s definitely not worth it to me! Other rides in the running for skip potential: Storm Force Accelatron, and all the rides in Suess Landing.

Here’s a few more things you should probably know too:

LOTS rides in Islands of Adventure have Single Rider lines: The Amazing Adventures or Spider-Man, Doctor Doom’s Fearfall, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Skull Island: Reign of Kong, Jurassic Park River Adventure, VelociCoaster, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure, and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Depending on the ride though, the Single Ride line may not always be open. On rides like Hagrid’s and VelociCoaster, it can reach capacity and close pretty frequently.
If you have a kid who doesn’t want to ride something, use the family waiting area and child swap. The rides at Universal Resort all have designated family waiting areas. The whole family can get a ticket for child swap and then all wait in line together. Then, the first parent can go on the ride while the second parent waits in the waiting area with the kid(s). Then they can swap places without the second parent having to wait in line. Just ask a team member about using this when you enter the line and they can help you.
If you have Express Pass, get a lanyard. If you have express pass you’ll be scanning your paper Express Pass all the time, so get a lanyard to both protect it and make it easy to scan into rides.