Islands of Adventure: The Lost Continent

Orlando, Florida: The Lost Continent is where the mythical legends and folklore of the past meet with the Universal Orlando of the present. The island is home to one of Islands of Adventure world class roller coaster, Dueling Dragons. It is also the site of the Mythos restaurant, a top runner for best theme park restaurant.

As you enter the island from Jurassic Park, you first encounter the Flying Unicorn. The family coaster is set inside an enchanted forest. As the story goes, a wizard found the horn of a unicorn and used it to create the ride. Riders then board the unicorn cars and take a ride around the track, reaching speeds of almost 30 miles per hour and hitting a height of 42 feet.

Then we have the major attraction of the islands, one of the parks major roller coasters, Dueling Dragons. The dueling inverted coasters take riders on a battle between the Fire & Ice Dragons as they come within inches of each other several times along the way. The dragons reach speeds of almost 60 miles per hour while featuring 5 inversions each. Neither track is the same, offering a unique experience on each train.

Next we approach one of the two live action shows on the island. The Eight Voyage on Sindbad is a stunt show follows Sindbad and his comical sidekick Kabob on a mission to rescue the princess. Along the way, they encounter battles with the evil sorceress Miseria and her evil accomplices. The show takes place inside a 1,750 person open air amphitheater and features great stunts and special effects.

The last attraction of the Lost Continent is another live action show, Poseidon’s Fury. Travel with your guide into the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. Deep inside the temple, you find yourself in the middle of a battle between Poseidon and Lord Darkenon. The two nemesis exchange fireballs and water explosions as you are stuck in the middle. At one point during the show, guest walk through water as Poseidon parts the water to create a tunnel for the guests to pass through.

In addition to the rides and shows, the Lost Continent is also home to Mythos. Mythos is one of two full service restaurants in Islands of Adventure. It serves a menu consisting of seafood, pasta, pizza and more. Mythos has been voted the World’s Best Theme Park Restaurant for the last six years in a row.

In addition to Mythos, the Lost Continent also features the following restaurants:
• Fire Eater’s Grill; gyros, chicken fingers, hot dogs and more.
• The Frozen Desert; ice cream and sundaes.

The Lost Continent also contains the following shops:
• The Coin Mart; hand made coins and medallions.
• Historic Families; research your family history and create a coat of arms.
• The Pearl Factory; select your oyster and get its pearl or purchase pearl jewelry.
• Star Souls; physic readings.
• Treasures of Poseidon; jewelry apparel, purses and more.

The Lost Continent began undergoing dramatic changes when Universal Orlando announced an expansion to the Islands of Adventure theme park. The new land, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” was announced and construction began in the Lost Continent area of the park. The new area will have a replica of Hogwarts Castle and many other attractions inspired by the series of novels. As part of the expansion, both the Dueling Dragons and Magical Unicorn will be rebranded to fit in with the Harry Potter theme. The expansion is projected to open in Spring 2010.

For more photos, click on the photo above or visit my Lost Continent photo gallery.