The 25-Year History of Universal Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure is Announced

All those lands, all those stories, all those characters—the park’s wide variety of themes properly earned it the name Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. Coincidentally, all the themes had connections to literature: comics, novels, legends, and storybooks.

“Because the elements were so disparate with Dr. Seuss and Jurassic Park, that’s where we got the concept of islands.”

– Dale Mason, director of creative development

Rumors about the new park were rumbling; confirmed details to this point were all behind closed doors. Islands of Adventure—developed under the creative direction of Mark Woodbury, Dale Mason, and many others—was inching closer toward a grand reveal.

In early 1997, Universal made it official to the public by announcing Islands of Adventure, opening in 1999. In two short years, the next-generation theme park would open its gates. But, it wasn’t ready yet.

“There’s a tremendous amount of creativity and innovation wrapped up in the new park…We will be redefining what it means to have fun.”

– Tom Williams, president of Universal Florida

Following the announcement, guests could get a sneak peek of the new park at Universal Studios Florida in the Islands of Adventure Preview Center. Anticipation was building. To tease the newly announced Islands of Adventure, the largest hourglass ever constructed welcomed guests as they passed through the parking garage hub.

Building an Escape

Universal Florida was undergoing a $2-plus-billion overhaul to turn the property into a resort. This shifted the entire property from a solo theme park with a simple parking lot out front to a complete vacation destination. Universal Florida added everything under the sun: a new theme park, hotels, an entertainment district, and a parking structure.

It was more than a face-lift; it was a whole new identity. Thus, the entire resort was rebranded to Universal Studios Escape.

“All I want is a level playing field…We’re going to gain market share.”

– Tom Williams, president of Universal Florida

Islands of Adventure was becoming more than concepts and blueprints; it was under construction—a world of fantasy becoming reality. The engineering and technical achievements were massive undertakings, but the themes and stories were front and center throughout construction. If the story is to be believed, the first piece installed at Islands of Adventure was an obscure piece that had no reason to be installed first except for theming. It was a pair of two Dr. Seuss characters, the Zax, who in the story refused to budge when they crossed paths; they stubbornly held their ground while civilizations were built all around them. True to their character, the Zax stood still while all of Islands of Adventure was built around them.

Theming was prioritized that much for this park. There was even a team dedicated to collecting props from around the world—like windmills from Holland, wagons from Mexico, a school bus turned taxi from India, and much much more. Every world-building detail mattered, all down to the multi-million-dollar soundtrack produced for the park.

The resort’s transformation took five years of planning and development. In compassion, Universal Studios Florida was launched in only three and a half years. Universal learned hard lessons after the problematic opening of Universal Studios Florida; however, for Islands of Adventure, the company was taking its time, spending eight careful years from concept to opening.

The park was eventually ready for a soft opening on March 27, 1999. This two-month preview period was a chance to get the park fully up to speed before opening to the public. During this time, the park held its press preview as Steven Spielberg made a dedication; the ceremony was a spectacle with giant inflatables and a sample of the park’s thrills. Also then, Rosie O’Donnell hosted a week’s worth of her daytime talk show from the park.

The technical rehearsal time was slightly extended as Universal pushed the park’s grand opening back a few weeks. Universal was making some finishing touches; the adventure was only just beginning.