“To the Hulk!” cried Cary Glines, 16, pointing toward the 128-foot-high, green roller coaster based on the Incredible Hulk TV character.
“Oh my gawd, it looks so cooool,” said a passing teen as she dashed for the queue.
“It’s awesome,” said Seth Payne, 16, of Orlando, as he tottered off after the 2-minute 15-second blast around the track. “The G-force is amazing.”
Cary emerged from the Hulk grinning like the Cheshire cat. “It was really cool.”
At Universal’s new Islands of Adventure theme park, slated to open this month, cool rules. And it doesn’t stop with scream-inducing coasters and thrill-ride simulators for terror-loving teens. The 100-plus-acre park is filled with cool shops, cool sets, cool attractions and play areas for small children — even rides and fountains that squirt visitors with a literal kind of cool.
The idea here, say Universal executives, is an “edgy” park (as in “cutting edge”) that appeals to hip children, teens and adults who live in a high-tech age of interactive games, extreme sports and instant communications. The $1 billion park is part of a $2.8 billion expansion that includes CityWalk, a dining and entertainment complex, and Portofino Bay, a luxury hotel slated to open this fall. Universal is calling the campus Universal Studios Escape; in future years it will include additional hotels. Judging from a recent visit, parkgoers will give Islands of Adventure high marks. For the limited number of visitors allowed in during this pre-opening test period, the hip quotient is undeniable. While some scenes and attractions may remind visitors of other parks, most features incorporate new twists — a blast at the beginning of a coaster ride, the mix of 3-D with motion simulation and actual movement. And the combination of five entirely different themes spanning time and space is highly appealing.
Guests arrive at the Port of Entry, marked by a replica of Pharaoh’s Lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Lilting notes of gamelan and folk tunes create a festive feeling as guests enter a Mediterranean-style village of sun-bleached buildings and cheerful shops. Bright jeepneys from Jamaica serve as resting spots and refreshment wagons. A giant mechanical monkey hangs from the edge of one building; a windmill pumps water into a stucco fountain. Villagers and fortune tellers wander the streets. A rickshaw rumbles by, offering rides.
Beyond, five distinct “lands” are set around a 25-acre lagoon: Marvel Super Hero Island, a magnet for teens and thrill-riders; Toon Lagoon, where Dudley Do-Right and Betty Boop are regulars; The Lost Continent, a medieval fantasy and home to both Merlin the Magician and the Dueling Dragons roller coaster; Seuss Landing, an enchanting diversion into the beloved stories of Dr. Seuss; and Jurassic Park, the only island here based on a movie. As at Universal Studios, all attractions are based on a story line.
The project has taken nine years from concept to finish. A creative team of 370 oversaw the work of 6,000 on-site construction workers. In Switzerland, roller-coaster experts designed gravity coordination sensors to compensate for weight differences on the Dueling Dragons roller coasters. Washingtonian palms bent by Hurricane Andrew were brought from Homestead to create a cock-eyed background for Seuss Landing. NASA experts were brought in to work on the robotics technology for the Triceratops Encounter at Jurassic Park. The animals for the Seuss carousel were destroyed in a fire at the California manufacturer; luckily the molds were saved, and work began anew. Landscaping required more than 300,000 plants — topiaries, calla lilies, bougainvillea, bromeliads and some 10,000 trees.
The result is a carefully designed, highly detailed park likely to satisfy those seeking adventure — if only for a day.
“It’s more interactive than other parks,” said Adam Franklin, 14, of Ft. Myers, Fla.
Rosie Hoare of London, traveling with her own teens and another family, gave it a rating of “fantastic.”
“We’ve been to every park. This is very different. It’s intelligent.”
Cool.
CITYWALK OFFERS A VARIETY OF SOUNDS, THEMES AND EATS
CityWalk, a dining and entertainment complex, is Universal’s answer to Downtown Disney. Here you’ll find jazz and Motown sounds, Latin sounds and laid-back Buffet tunes, fine dining served up by chef Emeril Lagasse, restaurants themed to NASCAR racing or the NBA, and shopping.
CityWalk is also the nexus of the Universal universe. Whether you’re heading from the parking lot to either Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, between the two theme parks or over to the Hard Rock Live performance stage, you’ll be passing through CityWalk.
Therein lies the problem. Because Downtown Disney is located away from the theme parks, parking is free and relatively close to shops and restaurants. Visitors to CityWalk must park in the parking deck used by guests to Studios and Islands — and have to pay the $6 parking fee. (There’s no CityWalk admission fee; some clubs carry a cover charge.)
The plus: CityWalk is designed to keep all shops and entertainment within easy walking distance. Think of a town plaza with fountain, lagoon and futuristic signage.
– Now open: Hard Rock Cafe and Hard Rock Live, the chain’s largest cafe plus a live concert hall that presents the likes of Elton John and B.B. King; Margaritaville, a Jimmy Buffet-owned eatery and hangout; the NASCAR Cafe; Pasta More, an Italian deli; A Tribute to Bob Marley; CityJazz, a jazz entertainment and dining venue; Emeril’s; and the Fossil shop.
– Yet to come: Motown Cafe, the Latin Quarter (entertainment and food from various Hispanic nations), 20-screen movie theater, most shops and the NBA Cafe.
HOW ONE TEEN RATES THE ATTRACTIONS
Cary Glines, 16, a junior at Palmetto High in Miami and theme park connoisseur, filed this report on the attractions at the new park:
The park is great for all ages. It has rides to fit everyone, whether they be roller coasters to get the adrenaline pumping or a carousel to bring out the child in you.
In an overall rating of this park from 1-10, I’d give it a 10.
Other ratings:
– Incredible Hulk roller coaster: 10. It shoots up really fast, and stays fast. And it’s long.
– Doctor Doom’s Freefall: Lame. (Less than 5). You don’t fall fast enough. (The ride was running at half speed during our visit.)
– Spider-Man: 9.5 “It’s not just a sit-down 3-D thing.” (Said Annette Whitman, 18, of Tampa: “It’s the neatest thing I’ve ever done.”)
– Pteranodon Flyers: 5, and not worth the wait. The ride will run with twice the cars when the park opens.)
– Jurassic Park River Adventure: 8. Cool, but not long enough. (Pete McDaniel, 7, of Richmond, Va., loved it so much he wanted to go again; brother David, 4, was less enthusiastic.)
– Jurassic Park Discovery Center: 8.
– Dueling Dragons: 10. It’s cool how you come close together. It’s fast the whole time. (I liked Ice, the blue coaster, better than the red one, Fire.)
IF YOU GO
– THE DETAILS
Universal’s Islands of Adventure is scheduled to open later in May (date not yet announced). However, it is possible to visit before the official opening if you’re part of an organized group that calls ahead. Individuals who visit Universal Studios park can buy a ticket to Islands of Adventure during this pre-opening period for $24.95 ($19.95 for ages 3-9); the ticket allows entry one day in the next three days. The catch: Park officials decide which day you can go.
ENTRY COST: $42 plus tax for adults; $34 ages 3-9; under 3 free. Three-day, two-park tickets for Universal and partner parks Busch Gardens Tampa, Sea World and Wet ‘N’ Wild will be announced soon.
RIDE REQUIREMENTS: Children must be at least 52 inches tall to ride roller coasters and other high-speed rides. For rides in Seuss Landing, they must be at least 48 inches tall.
BEST FOR YOUNGER KIDS: Seuss Landing, Camp Jurassic play area at Jurassic Park, Discovery Center in Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon.
AVOIDING THE QUEUES: VIP tours, priced at $110 plus tax per person, give you five hours of guided tour, including front-of-the-line privileges. Exclusive VIP tour, $1,200 for up to 15 people, provides an eight-hour guided tour and front-of-the-line privileges.
TRAVEL PACKAGES: Travel packages including hotel, park entry, car rental and cruises can offer savings. Check with a travel agent or call Universal at 407-363-8000.
DINING: Surprisingly good and decently priced. The park features two sit-down restaurants and countless other options ranging from snack stands to cafeteria-style dining. A cheeseburger with fries costs $6.59; kids meals are available from $4.99. The park includes several bars for adult visitors.
STROLLERS AND WHEELCHAIRS: $6 for stroller, $12 for double strollers, $7 for wheelchairs (electric wheelchair is $30).
INFORMATION: 407-363-8000.
