I remember one time me and my friend were walking through the main gift shop in port of entry and spider man was posing on top of a shirt displays. At first we just thought he was a statue, he gave my friend a pretty good scare. So yeah they use to give spidey more freedom to roam.

These videos are essential to preserve the history and corroborate the memories of older folk. Universal itself like Disney does very little to celebrate its past and fondly look back on its former attractions .other than anniversary merchandise. For the history and analysis we rely on amateurs like Vincent. Thanks. I had to look up a vid like this bc someone refused to believe there used to be a boat ride across the lagoon.

Dueling dragons will always have a place in my heart, the lost continent was my favorite land! Miss the big dragon statues

It was 2012, and I was in the main gift shop browsing. I wasn't really looking up, and when I did, Spider-Man was there and looked me dead in the eye and asked me something (forgot what) and scared the bejesus out of me. I finally said, "Thanks, Spider-Man!" In the hammiest way. I treasure that memory. I am pretty sure I have a picture of my friend and I with him perched on the display.

I had that same shirt growing up, you just unlocked a memory! 😮

I visited Islands of Adventure with my sister for the first time in 2005. We had planned to visit Universal Studios but did not know a second park had opened since our last visit as kids. When we purchased our tickets, we were offered to get access to Islands of Adventure for an extra $10. We were not sure what it was and assumed we would not have time for two parks in one day, so we declined the offer... Around 5 p.m., we were done riding what we wanted to ride at Universal, so we went back to the ticket booth and asked if it was too late to pay the extra $10 to check the other park out. They let us pay the extra ten bucks and off we went. I remember my jaw hitting the floor when we reached the other side. Night and day. SO - much - theming - everywhere!! I remember us speed walking around the whole park, trying to take it all in, and riding Spider-Man (which at the time felt very cutting edge) and I don't remember which other ride. Had we known... We would surely have divided our time between the two parks much differently. But I'm glad that promotion gave us the chance to at least spend a few hours in there.

Subscribed! Thanks for the great video format and information

This video made me emotional! Great to know there's other people out there that are in love with IOA and Universal Studios as much as I am. Ever since I was a kid.

IoA has always been "my" park out of my family, and I'll always have such a soft spot for it. This video in particular made me realize how many unused structures are available and I'm super curious if they do something with them. Of the rides that are now gone, Poseidon was neat but just okay, it was mostly just a nice change of pace from everything else and extremely refreshing on a hot day. Dueling Dragons though, good god I will miss that ride forever. As much as I miss the ride itself, I think I somehow actually miss the ride queue even more! Going through that queue made me realize how much can go into theme park design and I always loved walking through it.

The "origin story" according to another review of IOA across 25 years: a magical boy woke up in the "Lighthouse of Alexandria" at park entrance and went down to the IOA lagoon. There he skipped a stone on the water and it skipped five times causing the "birth" of each five Islands. Never heard it before. Also, it seemed to show a full sized man and woman getting on Pteranadon Flyers during 1999. So was the restriction of a child rider added in later years due to weight?

44 and going for my first time with my son at the end of the month for 5 days.. Staying at Lowes Sappphire..5day, park to park with express pass.. Super excited

Dragon challenge was still a dueling coaster until there was some separated incidents that happened, which made Universal stop the coasters from dueling not too long after

I have a photo of my cousin meeting Spiderman in Port of Entry! It's hanging on my office wall right now!

Not to mention deadpool & wolverine is coming out next month and hugh is in his og comic costume making that huge cutout of him on the buildings v relevant

Enchanted Oak Tavern/Hogswarts: Maynard the Magician’s Village Jurassic Park Gate: Harry the Giant’s Gate Mytho’s Restaurant: Waterfall Mountains Poseidon’s Fury: The Deserted Cities Port of Entry: The Kingdom

Thank you Vincent for another awesome video. Just love your enthusiasm and love for the parks. I always learn so much watching your videos. Keep up the great work!!😊

Great video. Keep on doing you!

I would really love to see Toon lagoon themed to SpongeBob. Turning ripsaw falls into SpongeBob's boating school would be so awesome. Turning the bilge rat barges into a ride where you could actually go jellyfishing while riding a raft would be so sick. When I was on the VIP tour I had so many questions about that abandoned theater in toon lagoon. It just doesn't make sense to have that much prime real estate sitting empty. Then again I feel the same way about the fear Factor theater. The parks both could really use some more indoor shows too!

I think a water playground would be a great replacement for the empty amphitheatre

I miss the dragons so much! And Poseidon's Fury! 😭😭 Love this video, also I want your shirt Vincent! I need more Dueling Dragons merch! 🐉🔥🐉❄️

I'm not sure if it's nostalgia, but for some reason, I remember the food at The Enchanted Oak tasted better than at The Three Broomsticks

I absolutely loved the pirate people, super fun

Lost continent was great. Dueling dragons and poseidons fury were so great. I still have a dragon claw with a colored marble necklace. My cousins and I use to run through the lines of dueling dragons yelling for our parents and just going past all the people in line in the early 2000s. We are in our 30s now. I forgot about the sin bad show until you brought it up. I visited May 23rd 2024. I hadn't been there in 10 years. Brought a bachelor party to both parks, 9 guys. All of them had a great time. I'm 35 now. I don't like how the Hulk theme had changed. I'd say leave soon lagoon alone. Those rides are fantastic. I've seen lots of content about SpongeBob becoming more involved. And that's a terrible idea imo. Great video. Thank you.

We came from the UK for our Honeymoon on opening week. At the time I had no idea that IOA was brand new ! We got married on May 29th 25 yrs ago and travelled to Orlando a couple of days later. I have amazing memories from that first trip to Orlando ❤️.

My mom brought me to IOA in March of 2000 🤗 I'll never forget it

99 logo for the win

I was fortunate enough to get to see Poseidon’s before it closed. Last year was my first time to Universal and what a great time we had.

What do y’all think Vincent’s villain name would be? I’ll go with Violent Vincent

The music is so good

Um so my main take away is I hope they do that jeep dark ride in place of skull island someday.

I love the this park sad to say I had to cancel my year pass, also sad I never got to ride the dueling suspended rides

I have no issues w the cartoon area w the water rides other then the empty theatre. If its not broken dont fix it

The superheroes do still do the show where they ride in, i was there a few weeks ago and it happened

Universal is sleeping on Vincent’s theme park coverage!

I'd bet the main pathways are too crowded now to clear them regularly for the themed vehicles of the weird band or the Marvel face characters. Plus with belt tightening, they don't have to pay the higher Equity hourly rate for so many performers.

When I was a kid in 2012 I went to spider man ride and outside was the green goblin now when I go I don’t even see spider man

😍

I still hope they overhaul the exteriors of Marvel Superhero Island

I’m likely going to be at Universal August 8 till August 12, if you see this and you see me, say “Where does the Narwhal bacon?”

I think it’s time that Disney and universal come together and end that contract… what Disney did with guardians of the galaxy cosmic rewind is amazing would love to see an X-men style ride like that at the Disney parks…and who does it benefit more doesn’t universal pay Disney to have marvel at IOA? If I was universal I would go after DC comics

watcha

Marvels Land is so much better than Avengers Campus. to think the better one was build in 1999 is crazy.

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it