Hayden and Célia's Web Site

The second of Universal's theme parks in Orlando - Islands of Adventure, was our next stop. This is definitely the better of the 2 parks, so if you do want to make a Universal stop on your visit then choose this one. A word of warning though, Universal has this interesting attitude to its rides - they don't seem to think they actually need to work....

The Hulk rollercoaster ride. We can't even begin to tell you how sick Célia felt just watching people ride this, so obviously she didn't go on this. Obviously, Hayden did.

Another shot of Hulk. Unfortunatly we did not get a shot of the best ride in Islands of Adventure (and possibly Orlando) which was the Spiderman ride, just wow.

Entrance to the Duelling Dragons rollercoaster ride. This is actually a very unusual ride consisting of two rides - fire and ice - which cross and almost meet at certain points throughout. Hayden did both and yup, you guessed it, Célia did none.

You can just about see the 2 carriages riding along together up to this point, where they split apart - one going to the left and the other right.

Difficult shot to get, but this shows one of the points where the two rides almost touch.

Interesting shots taken around the park - this one of the entrance to the Eighth voyage of Sinbad show.

More interesting buildings.

A show shut while we were there - Pseidon's Fury, Escape from the Lost City.

Seuss Landing, one of the zones in the park. The tracks you see running in and out of buildings looks like good fun - unfortunately in the 5 years since the park has been open the ride (Sylvester McMonkey McBean's wonderful flying machine) has never actually been open! Great decor at least...

Another shot of Seuss Landing.

Eighth voyage of Sinbad show. Yet another thing where the first show of the day had been cancelled due to 'technical difficulties' - luckily this, the second, managed to get all the way through.

Oh no - it's a dinosaur!

Entrance to the Jurassic Park zone. These are the actual gates used in the movie.

Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw falls, and in case you're wondering, you WILL get wet! The most unusual thing about this ride is that you think when you drop from the very top that's the end of it, but you actually drop a little way, then go up again in the dark before dropping back down again where you see the log flume in the picture. Universal have an interesting view to water rides, seeing the purpose to make sure you are absolutely soaked - which we were. Yet another ride which earlier in the day was shut due to 'technical difficulties'. Luckily we caught it just as it reopened and didn't have to queue to get on. Even luckier, it was early enough that we had the rest of the day to dry off!

Some of the interesting decor in Comic Strip lane, part of Toon Lagoon.

Talk about a big burger!

Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges ride - a definite must. The reason we aren't actually on this in the shot is because there's no way the camera would survive. Unlike the Kali River Rapids ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom, the main purpose of this ride is to get wet. A lot of fun though.

Entrance to the ride.

What can we say - Hayden was hungry!

Mythos Restaurant, apparently voted best theme park restaurant the 3 years in a row - though it does shut at 3pm.

And a better view of the Hulk rollercoaster. Be honest, you feel sick just seeing this!

It's Popeye the sailor man!

Célia with her glamorous friend, Betty Boop.

Some more shots of Seuss Landing - and yes, this too was shut, so we never got to taste the famous green eggs and ham.

These are the couches you ride in on the 'Cat in the Hat' ride in Seuss Landing. Do not attempt this if you are even slightly prone to motion sickness, as Célia found out the hard way!

This is the main entrance into the park, taken just before we left. Looks lovely and rustic.

And after all that adventure, what better way to relax than on an island style chair with a cocktail while waiting for a table at Margaritaville.

You can just about see the volcano exploding with the margarita mix, which flows into the big green glass you see in the bottom right hand corner of the picture. In case you're wondering, Hayden didn't have the nachos...

After dinner we needed to work off some of all that food, so headed to the second of Disney's mini golf courses - Fantasia Gardens. As with Winter Summerland, there are two courses, but here only one is fun and silly, the other is a sensible, 'serious' mini golf course. Which do you think we chose? Fun off course!

Here's hole number one...let the games begin

A really fun hole. You hit the ball from the right hand side, up the piano, down the steps and into the hole. The ball even makes music as it hits the chimes and bounces down the stairs!

Another great hole. Here you hit the ball up the ramp at just the right time so the mushroom in the middle takes the ball down to the level below.

Knock the ball to the left and into one of the channesls to stand a chance of getting it near the hole. Knock it to the right and you don't stand a chance!

A great little hole, requiring you to knock the ball through the pillars and into the hole. But look out, if you walk towards the end on the left rather than the right you get a really scary sound and think something's about to spray water on you!

A simple little hole, but when your ball gets near the hole the statue starts playing music.

Look out for the spills! A fairly difficult hole, but Célia was delighted when she got a hole in one.

Célia's favourite - the hippo with the tutu, this time delicately balanced on an alligator. Knock the ball through the alligator's mouth and into the hole - looks easy but it isn't.

Another graceful little hippo.

A cute little hole.

And here we have those naughty little brooms from Fantasia again. There's still as naughty as ever - these spray water at random. Believe us, we tried to see whether there is a footplate trigger, and there isn't. Luckily we managed to avoid getting wet though.

Mickey the maestro.....knock the ball up the ramp, and around. But be careful, get it down the wrong channel and you set off the water behind Mickey off.

The daddy - hole number 18. As you knock the ball in little lights appear, and then water gushes! Oh, and Célia got her revenge by winning this one.