Water Ride Guide - Universal Orlando - Mini Episode

Episode 18 of the Orlando Holiday Planning podcast, hosted by Orlando Insider Travel Agents, titled "Water Ride Guide - Universal Orlando - Mini Episode" was published on January 19, 2024 and runs 15 minutes.

January 19, 2024 ·15m · Orlando Holiday Planning

Summary

00:00:00:01 - 00:00:03:01 Universal's Islands of Adventure has free brilliant water 00:00:03:01 - 00:00:06:02 rides to help you cool off in the Orlando sun. 00:00:06:09 - 00:00:08:12 And sometimes you might get a little bit splashed 00:00:08:12 - 00:00:10:23 Sometimes you get dredged, basically. 00:00:10:23 - 00:00:11:23 So we're going to talk you 00:00:11:23 - 00:00:15:28 through the 3 rides you can do at Universal's Islands of Adventure, 00:00:16:00 - 00:00:20:06 these exciting rides on the Jurassic Park River Adventure. 00:00:20:08 - 00:00:22:29 Popeye and Pluto's bilge rat barges. 00:00:22:29 - 00:00:25:17 Try saying that when you're drunk 00:00:25:17 - 00:00:28:16 and Dudley Do-right ripsaw falls 00:00:28:21 - 00:00:32:05 Join me as we go through all of these rides to work out the 00:00:32:05 - 00:00:35:26 splash factor, how wet you’re going to get and what that actually involve. 00:00:35:28 - 00:00:40:18 Okay, let's get our feet a little bit wet by going on the first of our attractions. 00:00:40:18 - 00:00:44:08 And they set you one of my favorite rides at Universal's Islands of Adventure, 00:00:44:13 - 00:00:47:14 and that is the Jurassic Park River Adventure. 00:00:47:15 - 00:00:49:10 It's one of the opening day attractions. 00:00:49:10 - 00:00:54:16 And even though it was opened in 1999, it's still a brilliant ride. 00:00:54:16 - 00:00:55:08 And instead something 00:00:55:08 - 00:00:59:25 that I have to go on every single time I went back in December 00:00:59:28 - 00:01:03:21 and the weather was fine, it was kind of quite nice, but 00:01:03:23 - 00:01:06:09 no, wasn't quite boiling hot 00:01:06:09 - 00:01:09:10 The good thing about this ride is that the splash factor 00:01:09:14 - 00:01:14:07 is probably a one or two out of five, so you do not get drenched, 00:01:14:08 - 00:01:18:06 not going to come off, usually sort of drenched. 00:01:18:08 - 00:01:21:02 They can adjust the water kind of level with that. 00:01:21:02 - 00:01:23:13 So depending on the kind of the weather. 00:01:23:13 - 00:01:27:02 So when we when last time 00:01:27:04 - 00:01:28:26 it was probably about 00:01:28:26 - 00:01:31:05 about 20, 22 degrees just like that. 00:01:31:05 - 00:01:34:05 So it was warm, but not to the boiling hot. 00:01:34:06 - 00:01:38:12 So we probably didn’t get as splashed as  00:01:38:17 - 00:01:42:10 if we were going in July and August when it is a lot hotter. 00:01:42:17 - 00:01:45:25 set the scene for you for this one. 00:01:45:28 - 00:01:47:03 You're going to get into a boat 00:01:47:03 - 00:01:50:06 and you're going to go and live your own Jurassic Park adventure. 00:01:50:09 - 00:01:52:06 So this is based on the original trilogy. 00:01:52:06 - 00:01:54:08 Films were actually based on the original film 00:01:54:08 - 00:01:57:28 because obviously after the first Jurassic Park, it closed down. 00:01:58:02 - 00:02:03:00 So it actually happens before the film is set. 00:02:03:02 - 00:02:08:08 So you get on your boat 00:02:08:11 - 00:02:09:20 the boat rides that you 00:02:09:20 - 00:02:14:05 get in Disney, for example, there's no lap bars 00:02:14:07 - 00:02:17:00 so on Pirates of the Caribbean  00:02:17:00 - 00:02:20:00 No lap bars 00:02:20:00 - 00:02:23:03 And speaking to some of the team members at work, there's a couple of reasons 00:02:23:03 - 00:02:23:26 why you have a lap. 00:02:23:26 - 00:02:27:25 A one is a really steep drop. 00:02:27:27 - 00:02:30:27 You actually need it for it. 00:02:31:03 - 00:02:36:05 What it does do is that it stops people from jumping out 00:02:36:07 - 00:02:39:04 because you might get a little bit scared and you might decide to try 00:02:39:04 - 00:02:42:06 and jump out of the boat as it's sort of you from doing that. 00:02:42:10 - 00:02:46:11 Plus, also, if you have a safety harness, there is that psychological feeling of 00:02:46:17 - 00:02:51:04 this is going to be a pretty big thrill ride because they've got a safety harness. 00:02:51:04 - 00:02:52:19 There is no safety bar. 00:02:52:19 - 00:02:55:19 It is literally just a ball that goes across the entire row 00:02:55:26 - 00:02:57:11 because the lifting is very steep. 00:02:57:11 - 00:03:02:15 It will lean back onto the person who's the biggest 00:03:02:17 - 00:03:06:01 and they'll will take the brunt of the force of it. 00:03:06:08 - 00:03:10:22 And I was in a row my out and I had this entire bar kind of leaning towards me, 00:03:10:25 - 00:03:12:19 push it up and hold it up. 00:03:12:19 - 00:03:16:05 So it starts off nice and gentle and slow. 00:03:16:09 - 00:03:20:09 Not to to spoilers for these attractions, but we'll kind of walk you through 00:03:20:11 - 00:03:21:07 the basics of that. 00:03:21:07 - 00:03:24:27 So, so, so nice and slow, so that you go through this 00:03:24:29 - 00:03:29:06 gentle river gates, the Jurassic Park open, 00:03:29:08 - 00:03:29:20 and then 00:03:29:20 - 00:03:32:19 you see some of the most tamer dinosaurs. 00:03:32:22 - 00:03:36:04 So the herbivores,  no danger to us 00:03:36:04 - 00:03:37:29 That is really nice. 00:03:37:29 - 00:03:40:28 It's really relaxing out in the Florida sun. 00:03:41:06 - 00:03:45:26 And these are dinosaurs, big dinosaurs and then you go round the corner 00:03:45:26 - 00:03:47:25 there's a few little splashes that kind of come up. 00:03:47:25 - 00:03:51:20 So if you're sat on the left hand side, there's a 00:03:51:23 - 00:03:54:05 sort of waterfall 00:03:54:05 - 00:03:58:01 And then they have like big splashes that go up and then you might get 00:03:58:01 - 00:04:04:16 a little bit of a splash off of that, but nothing too wet to start with. 00:04:04:19 - 00:04:06:24 Oh one thing to talk about is lockers 00:04:06:24 - 00:04:10:05 on these attractions with the Jurassic Park adventure. 00:04:10:11 - 00:04:12:06 They do have lockers, but they're paid for 00:04:12:06 - 00:04:16:01 because a splash factor rating is only 1 to 2 out of five. 00:04:16:04 - 00:04:19:01 You don't actually need to put your belongings in there. 00:04:19:01 - 00:04:20:29 They do you have lockers that are paid 00:04:20:29 - 00:04:25:06 My little trick is to I just walk down to Hagrid's 00:04:25:09 - 00:04:28:00 in next door in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 00:04:28:00 - 00:04:31:08 Put my stuff in there because it has a really long wait time. 00:04:31:08 - 00:04:34:00 So you're going to have, you know, at least an hour, an hour and a half, 00:04:34:00 - 00:04:39:06 a couple of hours of free locker time 00:04:39:12 - 00:04:41:09 Of course, you can leave stuff with a non rider. 00:04:41:09 - 00:04:43:11 It won’t get too wet 00:04:43:11 - 00:04:46:04 I went on with my bag and it was absolutely fine. 00:04:46:04 - 00:04:49:05 You go in through Jurassic Park 00:04:49:07 - 00:04:51:23 and then like it does in the film. 00:04:51:23 - 00:04:55:03 Something happens and we get knocked off course 00:04:55:09 - 00:04:59:29 and then take you into the Rapture enclosure and like a good kind of suspense 00:04:59:29 - 00:05:03:09 film, don't actually see the Raptors straight away, 00:05:03:10 - 00:05:07:03 but you'll see signs, you'll see things moving around as well. 00:05:07:03 - 00:05:08:16 builds tension. 00:05:08:16 - 00:05:10:28 Stephen Spielberg was the creative director 00:05:10:28 - 00:05:14:17 for Islands of Adventure, so he knows how to build up suspense. 00:05:14:24 - 00:05:18:01 He did the Jaws Films and obviously directed these films as well. 00:05:18:07 - 00:05:20:05 So he knows how to kind of build up suspense. 00:05:20:05 - 00:05:23:19 Then we're going to go up the Lift Hill 00:05:23:20 - 00:05:27:00 As I said, if you are the biggest person in that, 00:05:27:03 - 00:05:29:28 it’s going to lean back on you 00:05:29:28 - 00:05:31:03 and you go up and I’m not going to spoil the 00:05:31:03 - 00:05:36:09 surprises for you, But there are a few surprises along the way. 00:05:36:11 - 00:05:38:00 And then you're going to go at the top 00:05:38:00 - 00:05:42:10 and then that is where you're going to go down the big drop. 00:05:42:10 - 00:05:45:04 That's the one that you can see when you go to Thunder Terrace Falls 00:05:45:04 - 00:05:50:19 you can see the big splash  00:05:50:22 - 00:05:52:17 That's basically where you get to get wet. 00:05:52:17 - 00:05:55:24 As I say, it depends on the day as to how wet you’ll get 00:05:56:01 - 00:05:59:18 They can sort of adjust that the sort of the level of water, that kind of stuff. 00:05:59:18 - 00:06:05:07 So but even on the hottest days is still one or two on the splash rating 00:06:05:07 - 00:06:07:26 And so you will get a bit wet. 00:06:07:26 - 00:06:11:15 And again, it depends on where you sat in the raft as well. 00:06:11:15 - 00:06:14:20 So if you are sat of in the middle of the middle row, 00:06:14:20 - 00:06:18:22 you're not going to get as well as someone who sat the front row or the side 00:06:18:22 - 00:06:20:22 So that's one thing to think about. 00:06:20:22 - 00:06:24:13 Try and be strategic of where you sit and maybe put the rest of your family 00:06:24:15 - 00:06:25:11 off to the sides. 00:06:25:11 - 00:06:28:01 So I personally think this is a fantastic ride 00:06:28:01 - 00:06:29:28 to have Velocicoaster next door as well. 00:06:29:28 - 00:06:33:25 It really makes the whole area, this massive Jurassic Park, Jurassic 00:06:33:25 - 00:06:37:16 World area, and it's brilliant. 00:06:37:19 - 00:06:39:11 Let's move on to the log flume. 00:06:39:11 - 00:06:41:12 This is based on Dudley Do-Right 00:06:41:12 - 00:06:43:10 Which is something we don't really have in the UK. 00:06:43:10 - 00:06:45:16 It's a cartoon. 00:06:45:16 - 00:06:46:19 It's a Canadian mountie 00:06:46:19 - 00:06:49:22 It is a normal log flume ride 00:06:49:22 - 00:06:54:10 But it's a highly themed one and also a very, very wet will. 00:06:54:10 - 00:06:57:10 This one, you are going to get wet. 00:06:57:11 - 00:07:01:02 So you start off, you get to go from this kind of a story. 00:07:01:05 - 00:07:06:03 Basically, a girl gets kidnaped and Dudley Do-Right has to go and save the girl. 00:07:06:06 - 00:07:09:12 And as she kind of jokes and that kind of stuff from the outside, you can 00:07:09:14 - 00:07:11:15 you see the mountain. You can certainly see the one drop. 00:07:11:15 - 00:07:15:03 But inside the mountain there are a couple of drops as well  00:07:15:03 - 00:07:19:08 and you will get a little bit splashed in there. 00:07:19:08 - 00:07:21:07 And then you got to come up to the big drop. 00:07:21:07 - 00:07:23:06 And this is the one that you could see from the outside. 00:07:23:06 - 00:07:27:05 And it goes down, back up again 00:07:27:07 - 00:07:30:01 over water and then back down again. 00:07:30:01 - 00:07:30:20 It's good. 00:07:30:20 - 00:07:34:16 Not only do you get soaked, you also get a massive thrill as well 00:07:34:16 - 00:07:35:26 because you get that big drop 00:07:35:26 - 00:07:39:02 back up again and then back down again and then you splash out. 00:07:39:09 - 00:07:43:25 And even in December, which can like a cooler time of the year, 00:07:43:27 - 00:07:46:27 check out all guides to the best time of the year to go 00:07:47:00 - 00:07:48:06 weather-wise 00:07:48:06 - 00:07:51:18 You can check out the videos and podcasts 00:07:51:18 - 00:07:52:23 on the website as well. 00:07:52:23 - 00:07:55:16 Even in December, which is a cooler time of the year, 00:07:55:16 - 00:08:00:12 people will coming off  drenched, 00:08:00:14 - 00:08:01:21 soaking, soaking wet. 00:08:01:21 - 00:08:04:24 This is a 4 sometimes 00:08:04:24 - 00:08:08:21 five out of five on the splash ratinng 00:08:08:23 - 00:08:14:01 So just be careful now with the wet rides they do had those dryers. 00:08:14:03 - 00:08:16:24 Is it basically these 00:08:16:24 - 00:08:21:13 big heaters you can stand in side of you pay for them 00:08:21:16 - 00:08:24:13 and all the shops are next door to these attractions. 00:08:24:13 - 00:08:27:02 You can buy towels and you buy clothes. 00:08:27:02 - 00:08:27:27 00:08:27:27 - 00:08:31:04 I’ll make some suggestions towards the end of the video 00:08:31:07 - 00:08:35:18 Next move on to Popeye and Pluto's bilge rat barges. 00:08:35:20 - 00:08:39:02 This is a white water rafting attraction. 00:08:39:02 - 00:08:42:06 So it's kind of similar kind of one that we're going to get in most parks. 00:08:42:06 - 00:08:46:11 It's just that this one is highly themed and highly wet as well. 00:08:46:14 - 00:08:49:25 The ones in the UK at Alton Towers 00:08:49:25 - 00:08:51:25 you might off a little bit damp 00:08:51:25 - 00:08:53:24 You're going to get absolutely soaked, especially depending 00:08:53:24 - 00:08:55:24 on where you sat and obviously rotates in turn. 00:08:55:24 - 00:08:58:07 So there is no guarantee as to where you sit. 00:08:58:07 - 00:09:03:15 If you'd done the Kali River Rapids ride over in Animal Kingdom 00:09:03:18 - 00:09:06:20 that is nowhere near as wet as this one. 00:09:06:23 - 00:09:09:26 So start us off to the normal whitewater rafting ride. 00:09:10:00 - 00:09:12:06 So you go down  00:09:12:06 - 00:09:15:24 it’s a bit choppy 00:09:15:26 - 00:09:19:01 Then there are just things, see, which is just designed to get you. 00:09:19:01 - 00:09:19:15 Absolutely soaked 00:09:19:15 - 00:09:23:21 So there are things where you basically just go under 00:09:23:23 - 00:09:25:29 the fountains of water 00:09:25:29 - 00:09:29:27 waterfalls where it doesn't really matter 00:09:29:27 - 00:09:33:21 where you are on the raft, you are going to come off wet 00:09:33:23 - 00:09:38:01 And now again, they can kind of lower down things at depending on the temperatures. 00:09:38:03 - 00:09:41:17 But it is a ride that is designed to get you 00:09:41:17 - 00:09:44:27 wet and you will come off absolutely soaked. 00:09:44:27 - 00:09:46:22 I mean, you 00:09:46:22 - 00:09:49:08 there's not much difference between just jumping in the water. 00:09:49:08 - 00:09:54:00 So we'll go for some tips a bit later on about how you can then dry off afterwards. 00:09:54:07 - 00:09:56:19 I really like this ride, but there are only certain 00:09:56:19 - 00:09:59:20 times of the day that I do it and also with the weather as well. 00:09:59:20 - 00:10:03:20 So last time when they were in December, the weather wasn't hot enough 00:10:03:23 - 00:10:05:21 for me to go get absolutely drenched. 00:10:05:21 - 00:10:08:21 So this is a ride that I decided not to go on. 00:10:08:21 - 00:10:12:27 So and judging by the amount of empty rafts 00:10:13:01 - 00:10:16:02 a lot of other people decided not to go on. 00:10:16:02 - 00:10:19:10 This one is a really great attraction. 00:10:19:10 - 00:10:22:08 And if you're going to go when it is warm and hot, 00:10:22:08 - 00:10:24:27 definitely go on to this attraction. 00:10:24:27 - 00:10:27:27 But you will get absolutely soaked. 00:10:28:03 - 00:10:29:23 So here are some tips for splashing. 00:10:29:23 - 00:10:32:15 Good time at Universal Islands of Adventure. 00:10:32:15 - 00:10:35:12 Firstly, where appropriate, clothing. 00:10:35:12 - 00:10:39:07 So for example, if you have trainers 00:10:39:10 - 00:10:44:08 that kind of like quite fabric and hold in water when they get wet. 00:10:44:12 - 00:10:47:10 So running trainers, these are not necessarily 00:10:47:10 - 00:10:51:11 the greatest things to be wearing for this attraction. 00:10:51:13 - 00:10:54:20 Last time I went I had similar boots. 00:10:54:24 - 00:10:56:00 They were waterproof. 00:10:56:00 - 00:10:59:01 These are great to wear on these kind of attraction. 00:10:59:01 - 00:11:02:16 Some people wear flip flops, 00:11:02:16 - 00:11:05:15 Crocs seem to be incredibly popular. 00:11:05:21 - 00:11:08:27 Not my personal fashions or choice, but a lot of people do seem to be 00:11:08:27 - 00:11:13:02 like wearing crocs and if you're happy to wear them, fantastic. 00:11:13:05 - 00:11:16:04 And wear those, but wear appropriate clothing. 00:11:16:04 - 00:11:16:21 So whatever. 00:11:16:21 - 00:11:20:29 You don't want to get wet, don't wear it on the ride, put it in the lockers. 00:11:21:01 - 00:11:23:17 So either put it for Jurassic Park 00:11:23:17 - 00:11:26:17 Use the lockers down in Hagrid's 00:11:26:21 - 00:11:28:21 or for the other two wet rides. 00:11:28:21 - 00:11:31:29 They actually had their own lockers, so you can go and use those if you want to. 00:11:31:29 - 00:11:32:11 Or of course 00:11:32:11 - 00:11:36:15 Leave with a non rider as well as probably there’s someone who doesn’t want to ride 00:11:36:17 - 00:11:39:29 Don't wear anything long 00:11:40:02 - 00:11:42:27 because it can take longer to dry, 00:11:42:27 - 00:11:47:26 you basically want to go in to the attraction wearing as little as possible. 00:11:47:26 - 00:11:51:13 Now some people will wear swimwear 00:11:51:16 - 00:11:54:14 but you need to still be wearing a T-shirt 00:11:54:14 - 00:11:56:16 and things as they might change their shorts 00:11:56:16 - 00:11:59:16 from the normal shorts to the swimming shorts. 00:11:59:22 - 00:12:02:11 And that's absolutely fine to go and do that. 00:12:02:11 - 00:12:04:02 when you go into the toilets 00:12:04:02 - 00:12:06:16 afterwards, the toilets are soaking wet on the floor 00:12:06:16 - 00:12:09:23 because people are changing in and out of clothes 00:12:09:27 - 00:12:13:03 and then obviously leave your stuff 00:12:13:05 - 00:12:15:28 in the lockers that you don't want to get wet. 00:12:15:28 - 00:12:19:12 Staying onsite, go and do the water rides 00:12:19:15 - 00:12:23:13 You come off absolutely drenched and then head back to the hotel, 00:12:23:16 - 00:12:26:13 go get a change of clothes, maybe a coffee, 00:12:26:13 - 00:12:30:03 warm up, that kind of stuff, and then come and hit the parks a bit later on. 00:12:30:03 - 00:12:31:19 Or maybe go for a swim.  00:12:31:19 - 00:12:33:01 Because you’re already soaking wet. 00:12:33:01 - 00:12:35:25 Make the most of it. 00:12:35:25 - 00:12:39:17 If you do have any kind of clothes, a quick drying or waterproofs. 00:12:39:18 - 00:12:42:12 those are the things to wear. 00:12:42:12 - 00:12:44:20 Those people dryers are available 00:12:44:20 - 00:12:46:14 You do see a lot of people using them. 00:12:46:14 - 00:12:47:15 00:12:47:15 - 00:12:50:24 I saw it as a family of five inside. 00:12:50:24 - 00:12:55:01 One of them last time I was there and they were pretty wet, to be fair. 00:12:55:04 - 00:12:56:17 So you stand inside one of them 00:12:56:17 - 00:13:00:08 It’s not going to get you bone dry, 00:13:00:14 - 00:13:05:18 It's more about if you were wearing long sleeve stuff or sort of heavier stuff. 00:13:05:21 - 00:13:06:22 That's what you do. 00:13:06:22 - 00:13:08:01 Once you wearing on the attraction 00:13:08:01 - 00:13:11:17 you want to wear in lighter stuff because that's going to dry out a lot quicker. 00:13:11:24 - 00:13:16:10 If you want a back to back or the attractions, check the wait times 00:13:16:12 - 00:13:20:04 and do the one that's got the longest wait time first. 00:13:20:06 - 00:13:24:13 Because what you don't want to do is, for example, if Dudley Do-Right has 00:13:24:14 - 00:13:28:13 got an hour long queue, but the other ones have got a 20 minute queue 00:13:28:15 - 00:13:32:03 You don't want to go onto the other ones and then wait 00:13:32:05 - 00:13:34:19 for an hour to go on to that attraction. 00:13:34:19 - 00:13:37:15 You might be starting to dry off 00:13:37:15 - 00:13:39:26 A lot of the queue is in the shade, 00:13:39:26 - 00:13:41:24 so you're not going to get the Orlando Sun warming. 00:13:41:24 - 00:13:48:07 You always do the attraction that has the shortest wait time last. 00:13:48:10 - 00:13:48:24 If you going 00:13:48:24 - 00:13:52:12 off season then they are all going to walk ons 00:13:52:18 - 00:13:55:07 going in December, for example, you're pretty much 00:13:55:07 - 00:13:57:25 just going to walk straight onto all of these attractions again. 00:13:57:25 - 00:14:01:29 Check out our guide to the best time of the year to go to. 00:14:02:02 - 00:14:05:20 If it's already raining, then why not? 00:14:05:23 - 00:14:08:23 If it is already torrential rain, like sometimes you're going to get in Orlando, 00:14:08:27 - 00:14:10:15 then why not go on the water rides? 00:14:10:15 - 00:14:12:13 you’re going to get wet anyway 00:14:12:13 - 00:14:14:07 And if you're already wet, you might as well 00:14:14:07 - 00:14:18:00 go onto these attractions, embrace the wetness and have a blast. 00:14:18:06 - 00:14:21:19 These rides are designed to get you wet, also designed to have 00:14:21:23 - 00:14:26:12 loads of fun as well, so make sure you have tons of fun, get wet. 00:14:26:12 - 00:14:27:14 Enjoy yourself. 00:14:27:14 - 00:14:29:17 At Universal's Islands of Adventure. 00:14:29:17 - 00:14:33:16 If you found this useful, please hit the subscribe button 00:14:33:19 - 00:14:35:03 if you can leave us a comment, 00:14:35:03 - 00:14:38:28 a rating review, a thumbs up or whatever it be absolutely fantastic. 00:14:38:28 - 00:14:39:25 Thank you much. 00:14:39:25 - 00:14:43:17 If you want us to come and help you, book your holiday to Orlando, please get in touch at 00:14:43:17 - 00:14:48:28 orlandoinsider.co.uk 00:14:49:00 - 00:14:53:29 orlandoinsider.co.uk and one of our Orlando gurus will be more than happy 00:14:53:29 - 00:14:57:15 to help you put together your perfect, awesome Orlando adventure.

Episode Description