Thanks for tuning in, folks! It's been a blast celebrating this special park's anniversary together. ✨ I really do appreciate everyone for being here. I mean, if you're reading this, you at least clicked on the video, and even that's awesome, so thank you. But if you want to help support more content like this in the future, please drop a like and subscribe. It's definitely the easiest way to help the channel. For anyone interested, I do have some IOA bonus content coming soon on Patreon. You'll also get early access and whatnot there. But anyway, thanks so much, and WOOOO go Islands of Adventure! www.patreon.com/StorybookAmusement

I love the commitment to only using original footage from when the park first opened when discussing the park attractions. Could have easily used modern HD footage but that detail really adds a nice touch of immersion into your narration. Excellent job on this one, loved every second of it salute emoji

@StorybookAmusement

27 күн бұрын

Thank you! I was hoping people would notice that. I tried to use era-specific footage when possible! It's always fun talking about IOA.

@shanehofman2949

21 күн бұрын

I second this! Great job!

This Park is so incredibly well designed

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

They understood the assignment and RAN with it

The story will continue, the adventure lives on, and the legends will never die. Goddamn, what a fantastic park.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

It's an unbelievable place that holds so many memories!

my parents took me to this park in 1999 and ive been so blessed to be able to be a UOAP along with my two oldest kids for the past few years. we've shared so many great memories here. cant wait for 25 more years.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Oh that's so special. I love that!

Such a love letter to the greatest theme park that ever lived.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

The adventure lives on!

Happy 25th anniversary to Universal Islands of Adventure!

Islands of Adventure is a world class theme park. I can’t wait to see how it will evolve in the future, and I’m super excited for Universal’s next park!

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

There are clearly some changes coming to IOA in due time, and I'm so excited for what's to come!

Beautiful tribute to the world’s best theme park 🤩 I’m always so fascinating by how this park was developed and conceived, and you covered it exceptionally well.

@StorybookAmusement

19 күн бұрын

Why thank you! It's such an interesting place through and through.

This will always be my favorite theme park. I can cite IOA as the place where young me truly understood magic for the first time. It helped cultivate my fascination and passion for fantasy, adventure, storytelling, mythology, and of course how immersive themed entertainment can really be. While not THE catalyst of these interests, for sure, the importance this park had to my young mind cannot be understated. I feel so privileged to have been able to experience this wonderful place time and time and time again. Thanks for this video and here's to 25 more years of living the adventure!

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Nicely said! This park has that type of effect on people. Absolutely!

This was the first theme park I ever visited and cemented my lifelong love of them. RIP Dueling Dragons and Poseidon's Fury.

@StorybookAmusement

10 күн бұрын

Gone but never forgotten!

You've done justice to share the history of this brilliant park

@StorybookAmusement

12 күн бұрын

I appreciate it!

Toon Lagoon and Harry Potter are my favorite islands there!

The Seuss’s were neighbors of my family in San Diego… lived in La Jolla, Ca. So that was sweet to see Audrey Geisel smiling when she finally visited Universal and was impressed! A very nice lady! ♥️

Beautiful video of my favourite place on earth. You put it together and told the story so well. Loved every minute of this!

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

You're a legend. Thank you!

The fact that Islands of Adventure was supposedly going to have Tiny Toon Adventures stuff in it reminds me… In March 2023, I had this idea of a Tiny Toons 4D ride where they go to space.

@StorybookAmusement

14 күн бұрын

I like it!

I never get tired hearing about the building of Universal, but you’ve got a really hefty amount of things I’d never heard about or seen! Great work as always 💙

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Thank you! Ah the random IOA tidbits never ever end. There's so much!

Great video! John Rust actually talks about the Zax in his interview with us! They were the first theming placed, but were placed to do a stop motion video of them wandering the construction site until they met in their final places

@StorybookAmusement

27 күн бұрын

Thank you! Ah I see. That's still such a fun detail though! It's been a busy busy day, but I'm looking forward to all the episodes soon!

Great video, nice to see the history, many thanks

@StorybookAmusement

24 күн бұрын

Thanks! It's always fun to revisit its wonderful history

Have to respect so much change in a park that can't expand in size.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Great point!

I love videos like this. I've been to Islands of Adventure several times throughout the years and as recently as last October and it was nice to take this trip down memory lane.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Oh nice! Glad you enjoyed

This video was great, I loved the vintage footage used. It reminds me of visiting my cousins in Florida and living through these lands. I went last year as an adult and yeah some things might seem a tad bigger as a child, but the magic is still definetly there. Thanks!

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

Thanks! A lot of great memories there

What's your favorite opening-day Islands of Adventure attraction?

@Jace-qp8ej

27 күн бұрын

The amazing adventure of spider man

@jaedonogaming9565

27 күн бұрын

Hulk definitely! Wish I experienced the Dragons though.

@StorybookAmusement

27 күн бұрын

@@Jace-qp8ej So ahead of its time!

@StorybookAmusement

27 күн бұрын

@@jaedonogaming9565 RAAAHHHHHH! ☢

@jaedonogaming9565

27 күн бұрын

🤣

love this video 🥹 subscribed and excited for the future of this channel!

@StorybookAmusement

19 күн бұрын

Thanks so much!

Fantastic video. Still the best theme park in North America

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Y'know what, who am I to disagree? That's right

Oh wow what a fantastic celebration of this park! I remember cutting out pictures of IoA from travel brochures when I was a youngen to make my own collages hahah Congratulations on this masterpiece Matt, you can tell IoA has a special place in your heart. Hopefully I can visit someday!

@StorybookAmusement

19 күн бұрын

You are a legend for that. Hopefully I'm there when you visit!

Great video - thanks for your meticulous research and work on it!

@StorybookAmusement

18 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Awesome work as always Matt!

@StorybookAmusement

7 күн бұрын

Thank you!

Happy 25th islands of adventure 🎉

You did a fantastic job with this

@StorybookAmusement

19 күн бұрын

Thank you!

Fantastic video! Loved the segments on Marvel Superhero Island and especially the Hulk coaster. Really well done, Matt! 👏👏

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

Thank you! I knew you'd like that part 😅

Absolutely incredible video!! Well done!!

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

Thanks so much!

This is my favourite theme park. I would have loved the dragons because B&M inverts are my favourite coasters but I visited in 2019.

@StorybookAmusement

17 күн бұрын

Oh nooooo! So close

Great program.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Thanks!

Amazing Video!

@StorybookAmusement

21 күн бұрын

Thanks!

Great video! Really enjoyed it. My favorite Universal park, at least for now.

@StorybookAmusement

21 күн бұрын

Same! We'll have to wait and see 👀

Phenomenal video!

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

Thanks!

_I went there just last week (friday to monday) andi loved it. This place is a great park in a great area._

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed!

43:02 heeyyyyyyyy shout-out Tim Tracker!!! I'd know that iconic mustache anywhere!

@StorybookAmusement

22 күн бұрын

I knew it was a matter of time before someone commented this 😅 Thanks for watching!

The Marvel deal with Universal has an in-perpetuity clause, i.e. Universal can keep Marvel island open for as long as they want. So basically as long as there's interest in the 90's style Marvel characters, and thanks to X-Men 97' that's likely gonna be a long while from now if ever.

Great video!

@StorybookAmusement

18 күн бұрын

I appreciate ya!

@AkiDave

18 күн бұрын

@@StorybookAmusement likewise!

It's weird that The Mummy (1999) wasn't represented or expanded at Islands of Adventure despite a reference was on early promotional art (but then I remember that the Revenge of the Mummy coaster was built over in USF 😂) It makes me wonder if the Mummy land at (I think) Universal Studios Singapore being a land segment for Islands of Adventure that ultimately wasn't built. I do hope whatever land is planned to replace the Lost Continent, be it an iteration of Hyrule from the Legend of Zelda franchise or something else, I hope the new land succeeds. Happy 25th Birthday, Islands of Adventure!

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

That's a great point! It would've fit well in the park. I know they wanted to boost the Studios park after IOA opened, so it would make sense to save that investment for USF.

@cyclicmusings2661

21 күн бұрын

They made the right decision to open the Florida version of Revenge of the Mummy at USF instead of IOA as USF desperately needed thrill rides, and arguably still does to this day. Also the museum facade to the entrance thematically fits with the "New York" area of that park. I also hope that Legend of Zelda replaces the largely abandoned Lost Continent/Sinbad area of IOA, it's a worthy fantasy-themed replacement that can make nods to its predecessor: the Merlinwood tree could be symbolically resurrected as The Great Deku Tree, Sinbad's Bazaar could easily be rethemed into Gerudo Town, and the water theming of the Lost Continent could be reimagined as Zora's Domain. Mythos could be changed to a Goron-themed area. Not sure if they could squeeze in a little area for the Rito too (maybe in the transition from Seuss Landing?) And of course, a Hyrule Castle would have to fit somewhere in the middle of it all too!

@kirkvandewalker3574

21 күн бұрын

@@cyclicmusings2661 Oh I know about the exterior theming for the Mummy coaster being better suited at USF and USF still needing thrill rides to attract visitors when Islands of Adventure opened. It's just a hypothetical what if scenario of a mummy land at IOA which has easily have seen with Universal Studios Singapore's Mummy land. If Universal if wanted to duplicate Islands of Adventure instead of another studios park in some other country, I could easily see them building the Mummy land from Universal Studios Singapore. As for Legend of Zelda, there's several different iterations of Hyrule from the games to choose from. The world of Wind Waker would definitely work as a transition to Seuss Landing. Castle Town replacing Sinbad's market with either the Garudo Valley or Zora temple replacing Poseidon's Fury. Mythos' replacement could easily any number of restaurant establishments from the games (heck, even the horse stalls from Breath of the Wild.)

Never knew islands of adventure had a back story in theme

It was not Cineplex Odeon corporation that partnered with MCA. It was the Rank organization. The Rank organization owned England’s famed Pinewood Studios, Cineplex Odeon Hard Rock Cafe, Rank-Xerox, and Color by Deluxe film processing.

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

You're right. Thank you. In fairness, they were partners when the park was announced, which is when they were mentioned in the video. Cineplex was a part of the project in 1986 but dropped out by 1989.

@michaelgreenslade7260

25 күн бұрын

This explains the Legacy Hard Rock Cafes and Hard Rock Hotel at Universal parks.

Geez! Disney and Universal really are at each other’s throats, aren’t they?

@StorybookAmusement

19 күн бұрын

When the competition is this good, the fans always win!

@erikm8372

Күн бұрын

Yeah, with MGM versus Universal Studios, it’s as if Michael Eisner was literally like, "Who can open the more boring theme park, and quicker?! We can!" Meh. Islands of Adventure all the way.

A bit to late but I have some unreleased concept art for the original "Cartoon World" park I can share it with ya if you'd like

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Oh awesome! I'm always open to it! My email is in the description.

@Universal_soundtrack

26 күн бұрын

@@StorybookAmusement Hiya! I just checked and there doesn't appear to be an email. I see your socials and websites though

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

@@Universal_soundtrack It's listed under my website, above the logo credit. But it's just the name of the channel @gmail.com! Sorry for any confusion. Just trying to avoid spam by dropping it in the comments too.

@Universal_soundtrack

26 күн бұрын

@@StorybookAmusement Alrighty! Thanks I'll hit ya up as soon as I can

43:01 is that the tim tracker

@StorybookAmusement

15 күн бұрын

It certainly is

They should just bring all the old stuff back the old stuff look better than the stuff that we have now😊

@StorybookAmusement

25 күн бұрын

VelociCoaster and Hagrid's ain't so shabby!

I wish they had given some nod to dueling dragons in the new starfall racers at epic universe. At the very least a hidden dragon in a star consolation in the que.

@StorybookAmusement

21 күн бұрын

They might 👀 are we sure they haven't? There's always the raptor statues at VelociCoaster and the Dueling Club in Hagrid's.

Island of Adventure is my favorite theme park, its roller coasters are the best, Velocicoaster, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure but the attraction that I enjoy the most is Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges, I love how you get completely wet, bathed, It's very funny. Greetings from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching! You never know what'll happen on Bilge-Rat Barges, for sure. Hagrid's is my favorite ride on property!

Sorry, I HAVE to point this out, as me being a SUPER FAN of this theme park CANNOT let this annoying detail pass.😅 Fastforwarding to 47:08, that is NOT part of Islands of Adventure. 😅😅😅😅😅 That belongs to Animal Kingdom's world of Pandora. Loved the narration, though, and how you put everything together to make this video. Fantastic job!!!🎉🎉🎉

@StorybookAmusement

13 күн бұрын

Thanks! And I know; I filmed that myself. That shot and the mention of the "theme park industry" imply that Pandora - The World of Avatar was built in response to the Wizarding World.

Islands is the best theme park in the world!

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

Truer words have never been spoken!

Flood from halo would be sick.

Ioa was so much more back then. Now you have 3 abandoned show rooms and basically the lost continent is exactly its namesake. Universal we know you can do better.

@StorybookAmusement

7 күн бұрын

There's a lot of potential still to come

I know kind of ab obscure question, but the clip at approximately 15:56....is that a video of someone making the music for the soundtrack? Source?

@StorybookAmusement

21 күн бұрын

Yes. That is for the Seuss Landing music specifically. It is from the Total Immersion TV special: kzread.info/dash/bejne/a2er28mMqZvNd7w.htmlsi=hFzIMZ0omfHbtUQO&t=2207 (timestamped link)

I feel like the scrapped Cartoon World and DC Land went to making Warner Bros Movie World here down under 🇦🇺….

@StorybookAmusement

21 күн бұрын

Could be!

What usa network show was that footage from ?!

@StorybookAmusement

3 күн бұрын

Total Immersion kzread.info/dash/bejne/a2er28mMqZvNd7w.html

I wish we got all that batman

@StorybookAmusement

19 күн бұрын

There's always Six Flags 😅

Disney trying to sabotage and cheat is why I'm glad they are getting their just desserts with Universal Studio opening the world of Harry Potter and Verlocicoaster

33:44 but on opening day nothing works

@Jace-qp8ej

27 күн бұрын

Wait I thought cat in the hat reduced spinning because company who made it shut down

@StorybookAmusement

27 күн бұрын

@@Jace-qp8ej MIB uses the same ride system and still spins pretty generously. I don't think anything is official, but it seems safety and a more accommodating experience are the most likely reasons.

You didn’t mention why they had to stop “dueling” the dragons. Some idiot kids would intentionally throw things at the other coaster and a girl was hit in the face and lost her eye. They stopped dueling after that and later closed for Hagrid.

@StorybookAmusement

26 күн бұрын

I mentioned it was for safety, but I made a video a few years ago about Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge going into more detail!

You didn’t talk about minion land or transformers or epic universe

@StorybookAmusement

3 күн бұрын

Epic Universe was mentioned briefly at the very beginning and end. This video was about Islands of Adventure's 25th anniversary, so I didn't get too much into Universal Studios Florida.

$300m over budget on MGM Studios… and still they created a park that is just as bland as Universal Studios, who they were trying to outdo! 😆 I mean, bland, as far as rides & interesting attractions. At least to me. Shows, food, shopping and immersive "experiences" don’t quite justify the high admission. Or even spending an entire day, at either park. Islands of Adventure is far more worth the price!

And now Universal is saddled with Rowling being a horrible human being. No matter how financially successful the parks are, they can't escape the stain of her bigotry. I'd like to think they wouldn't have made the deal with her if they knew who she really was, but we'll never know for sure because we didn't know until after the park was built.

@Gernam12

10 күн бұрын

Maybe if enough people dont visit the Harry potter sections those will cost Universal more money to stay open.

God Dueling dragons was sooo god. I hate that its gone =( I wish they rebuilt it in the new Park.

@StorybookAmusement

21 күн бұрын

We're getting a spiritual successor in Stardust Racers, but losing the dragons still hurts