Ever since watching a show on the Discovery Channel entitled, "The Making of Islands of Adventure", I've wanted to go there. The park seemed like the ultimate theme park experience. Others that had gone there did nothing but praise it. When I found out my parent's were planning a four day Floridian excursion during the winter, I urged them to consider spending a day at Islands of Adventure. They agreed. Yes.

We spent the night at the Hardrock Hotel and awakened at the early hour of 8:00am. By 9:00am, I had the whole family rushing down Universal City Walk so we could get a good seat on the Incredible Hulk Coaster. We scanned in our pre-purchased tickets and finally, after two years of anticipation, I was inside Islands of Adventure.

The music at the entrance is perfect. It sounds just like a "mystical adventure" theme should sound like. Of course, I was a bit too distracted by the Incredible Hulk looming right over there to pay too much attention to the music at this point.

I was hoping there would not be much of a line because it was still early in the day. Our wait time for the first lap? Two minutes. Yes, that's all it took -- two short minutes and I was on the Hulk. The launch -- wow. The ride -- so great. This is easily one of the greatest steel rollercoasters on the planet. Just look at the picture above. That inversion is right after the launch. The Incredible Hulk Coaster, just like the rest of Islands of Adventure, is incredibly unique and incredibly awesome.

Islands of Adventure is divided up into five main islands, each with its own distinct feel and theming. Pictured above is the entire "Marvel Superhero Island". This island carries the comic book feel to the extreme. Everything looks like it is actually out of a comic book. Even the insides of the bathrooms are painted and constructed in a such a way that the theming stays with you. The attention to detail is simply astounding.

One of the adjacent islands to Marvel is "Toon Lagoon". The emphasis here is on water rides. Popeye and Bluto are waiting to get you soaking wet and you are sure to get into some trouble on Dudley Doo-Right's Ripsaw Falls. Again, the attention to detail is so amazing. To give you another example, the entire side of one of the Lagoon's bathrooms is a comic strip that has been meticulously painted.

When IOA is taking a break from "wow-ing" you with its extreme rides, it's "wow-ing" you with its incredible scenery. I apologize for not including people in the photograph on the side. If I had, you would've been able to clearly discern this thing's height. Take a guess before reading the next sentence. It's about ten stories tall. That's one hundred feet. Wow... just wow.

This theming and attention to detail NEVER lets up. Not even once. Disney World does not have this level of theming. I was consistently floored by this park. Even when we stopped to eat for lunch at the "Enchanted Oaks" restuarant, I was amazed. You see, the Enchanted Oaks is situated inside of a giant tree. At the very top, the tree looks like it has a hole from the outside. I walked underneath the hole, looked up, and expected to see a black piece of plastic covering it. What did I see? A beautiful stain glass circles that exemplified the light rays coming down.

The "Jurassic Park" island could be considered the least original. Be that as it may, Jurassic Park was my favorite island. The epic John Williams theme boomed through the speakers as I made my way through the gate -- a near replica of the one used in the movie. Fog machines constantly cover the edges of the path in a nice mist. Randomly placed speakers inside the foliage give off dinosaur roars and grunts while you walk along. The structures look like they are right out of the movie. It is an experience.

With the "Jurassic Park River Adventure", Islands of Adventure has managed to put a unique twist on what is otherwise a rather bland ride. Instead of just going up, coming down, and getting soaked path of traditional Chute-the-chutes ride, JPRiver Adventure starts off on a much more subtle note. Here we are, taking a relaxing river tour of Jurassic Park. The dinosaurs are somewhat believable, although some are clearly better than others. All of a sudden, a water dinosaur knocks us off course and into the raptor compound! After nearly having a box crush us, we begin to move up a maintenance shaft. Uh oh... looks like a few of the dinosaurs have gotten loose!! At the end of the ride, a fullsize, very real-looking Tyrannosaurus Rex claws and roars at us before we plunge back down to safety.

Other rides, such as Dueling Dragons, are completely unique. Dragons is the only dueling, inverted rollercoaster on the planet. Again, I wish I couldv'e included some humans in the above picture. A human head would fit very nicely into the Dragon statues' mouths. That's how cool this park is. No fooling around, it is all out greatness. Dragons is the first ride on Earth that could consider its que to be a ride itself. The que winds back and forth [about a quarter mile!] inside of a dark castle. This ride is easily the most well-themed. The castle itself contains many very cool elements -- like a frozen room with ice-covered bones stuck the stone walls. It's really quite chilling.

But when all is said and done, when you compare every ride to every other, "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man" is simply the best. There is nothing like it on Earth. Nothing even comes close to being as immersive and thrilling as Spider-Man. It is the ultimate thrill ride. But, "What is it?", you ask.

You remember those simulators at Disney world? Ok... now imagine one with no top or front. Now pretend that our convertible simulator's entire base can move. Add the best 3D effects on the planet and you will have Spider-Man.

The perfect timing of the motion and 3D is really what makes Spider-Man excel. For example, at the beginning of the ride, Spider-Man is leaping along the side of a building. All of a sudden, he sees us and leaps right onto the front of our vehicle. Now this would be a nice little effect, but what makes it absolutely blow your mind is that the vehicle bounces accordingly. There is no 3D. That IS Spider-Man on the hood of our vehicle. Yes, this ride is just that good.

Islands of Adventure is exactly what a theme park should be. It has everything... and then some. From the excellent shows to the excellent rides to the excellent food to the excellence of the park itself, there is absolutely nothing lacking. True, it may only have four rollercoasters, but the other rides more than compensate for that fact. Spider-Man alone is worth all of the rollercoasters at most parks combined. Islands of Adventure is an amazing experience. From the moment you set foot inside the gate, you are transported to a different world. It is an exhilarating feeling that everyone needs to experience. Perfection is possible -- Islands of Adventure has proven it.

Coaster score: 10/10

Food score: 10/10

Atmosphere score: 10/10

Park score: 10/10