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Universal's Islands of Adventure
By Wendy Maxey

Back on the roller coaster, I ready myself for the downhill plunge. Eyes open, arms up, anxiety peaked. I don’t want to miss the thrill. Sometimes I don’t scream because it diverts my attention from the rush. I don’t know how I lucked out this time, but I’m sitting in the front row on the Dueling Dragons, a dual-track, near-collision coaster (the first of its kind), and one of the hottest thrill rides at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

[Rollercoaster] Next up, The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, possibly the most highly regarded (and clever) attraction at Islands of Adventure (you can guess this from the ever-present long line). In this action-packed, 3-D adventure, our Web-spinning friend is out to rescue the Statue of Liberty from evil villains. You just happen to get caught in the middle. Before it’s all said and done, your vehicle will be torched, sprayed, and dropped (head on) from one of Manhattan’s tallest skyscrapers, only to be caught by Spiderman’s web, which will sling you back up and on your way. And, as always, “Spidey” saves the day.

While you’re on Marvel Super Hero Island (one of the park’s four corners of the globe and home to the Spiderman ride), follow the screams to the Incredible Hulk Coaster. Hang on tight as soon as you’re strapped in because the thrill of this coaster is not so much in the plummet as it is in the initial launch. You’ll be blasted from zero to 40 in two seconds by a force equally as powerful as an F-16 fighter jet. The remainder of the ride will have you dropping 105 feet and hurling at speeds of 60 mph. I suggest you ride a second time; it only gets better the more you ride it.

Ready for a 200-foot free fall? Dr. Doom is. Doctor Doom’s Fear Fall, also on the Marvel Super Hero Island, is the tallest attraction in the park. Sneak a peak at the towering structure and you’ll shudder at the gut-wrenching terror the riders must be experiencing as they’re plunged to the ground. My first inclination was to leave this ride for the pros, but eventually I decided to test my courage. The scariest part of this ride is not knowing when the crazed doctor is going to send you soaring. White-knuckling the safety harness, I held on for dear life. The blood drains from your face and your stomach is completely lost when the doctor finally catapults you 200 feet in the air, only to let you drop as quickly as you went up.

Things are a little tamer over at Toon Lagoon, a world of animated favorites such as Beetle Bailey, Popeye and Hagar the Horrible. At Toon Lagoon, you'll find yourself on a comic-strip-lined street filled with restaurants, shows and actual characters.

You might think the thrill rides are over. But, once you cross over into the Jurassic Park area of Islands of Adventure, you'll feel like you stepped right into the movie. Thrill buffs, there’s still more. On the Jurassic Park River Adventure, you’ll come face to face with terrifying T-Rexes and other Pre-historic creatures, not to mention an 85-foot plunge in the dark.

Once you’ve jostled your brain, peaked on adrenalin and reached the point of complete exhaustion, head back to the hotel for a little R&R. I recommend the Summerfield Suites Lake Buena Vista . It’s not too expensive and it’s right in the middle of the action, complete with shuttles to the parks. (For more information on Orlando hotels, click here. It’ll take a couple of days to wind down. And if you’re a little off balance, don’t worry, you’ll settle down.

On to Orlando's Discovery Cove.

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