WE'RE GETTING A DAY AT UNIVERSAL!

We were at Universal last month. IMO Universal Studios has more interesting attractions, but Islands of Adventure has Harry Potterville (until next year, at any rate, when both parks will have it). If you're a big Potter fan you might just want to go there with a little time elsewhere in IOA and completely skip US.

I won't bother giving you tips on other attractions. I have motion sickness issues that seriously limit me at both Universal parks, so I can't really tell you about half the major attractions.

I say get to Islands of Adventure early (as soon as it opens) and head straight to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Its gets crowded fast. So the earlier you get there the better! I'm a super fan too, and it was everything I hoped it would be. I actually teared up a few times.

I agree, I would focus mostly on WWoHP as most of the other parts of the park were a let down for me. I would DEFINITELY avoid the "magic" show in one of the shops over by Poiseden's Fury as it is less of a magic show and more of a 15 min long commercial for all of the magic shops products. Are you doing a park hopper or just staying in IOA? If you're doing both then the Beetlejuice show, Mummy's Revenge, and the Rip Ride Rockit. At IOA, Bilge Rat Barges and Dudley Do Rights Ripsaw Falls are fun on a hot day. The Forbidden Journey inside Hogwarts is hands down the best ride between both parks, IMO, though so I would just ride that over and over again if I were given the choice.

you wanted tips and what to avoid, I would say the WWoHP in total! I am not a fan and absolutely dislike it. Too crowded, too ugh! And fancying renaming my lovely duelling dragons humph!

Seriously though, go early, avoid the gift shop way too crowded and not very well laid out, try frozen Butter beer if you like cream soda. Oh and the lockers are a total nightmare! You have to put everything into it but then if you go over the allocated time (like we did because the queue was so long) they expect you to pay except you cannot because your money is in the blooming locker!! The CM was horrible and rude and just didn't want to open it and argued with us but after pointing out the obvious flaw in the lockers backed down!

It's not even really the TRUE Dueling Dragons anymore since they no longer set them off at the same time

I know sob. I heard it was due to a false leg coming off and hitting someone in the other dragon? I hope this is just an urban myth though!

I had heard that something had flew off of one and hit someone on the other, however I hadn't heard that it was a leg. OMG, that would have been horrible!

Loved Harry Land! The ride inside of Hogwarts is absolutely my family's favorite all time ride out of all the theme parks we've been to and we've been to a lot! Be there when the park opens and RACE to the back!!!! Have fun!!!!