Best Photo Spots at Islands of Adventure

Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure is one of my all-time favorite parks. There’s so many unique and incredibly themed lands, treats, and attractions to experience. If nothing else, it’s one of the most immersive parks to just walk around and take in the ambiance of. Just like the rest of its offerings, Islands of Adventure has some incredible photo spots for capturing vacation memories and creating amazing content. Some locations are more hidden than others, so let’s head around the park and find them all!

The Center of the Main Lagoon, Port of Entry

Right when you walk in, you can see a huge lagoon and hallmarks of almost all the lands and attractions. If you keep heading straight back, you’ll find a pretty big landing and it makes for some amazing pictures. Standing in the center of the higher part will give you a great view of the entire lagoon, but if you move along the fence you’ll be able to get some pretty cool backdrops, like the skyline of the Incredible Hulk coaster, or some cool props, like an old motorbike that looks very familiar (hi, Hagrid). 

Sneetch Beach, Seuss Landing

Most people only see Sneetch Beach from the High-in-the-Sky Trolley ride, but you can actually walk down to the area and it’s always so quiet! If you follow the path behind the Green Egg & Ham restaurant or beyond the bathrooms closer to the Lost Continent, you’ll find a cute and colorful little area with tons of different photo angles. If you go down close to the water, you’ll even get some little sneetches in your pictures!

Mythos Landing, The Lost Continent

Okay, I have to admit that I don’t actually know what this area is called, but right at the entrance to The Lost Continent (from the Seuss Landing side) there’s a kind of hidden rock arch just before the Mythos Restaurant. There, you’ll find a path with gorgeous rock work and another beautiful view of the main lagoon. Some of my favorite Universal pictures have come from this area, and there usually aren’t many other people around.

Hogwarts, Hogsmeade – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Hogwarts is such an icon that you can’t not take pictures there. I usually take most of my pictures on the bridge; it’s usually pretty busy though since almost everyone takes their pictures there. Honestly, the angle just can’t be beat.

However, I stumbled across this one hidden corner when watching the castle lights show a few years ago. At the corner where the main Hogsmeade path forks and you can go towards Jurassic Park or Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, there’s an incredible hidden angle. I know it sounds weird, but there are two trees that are separated just enough to get a clear and gorgeous view of the castle and you’ll never have any other people in the background. Obscure? Yes. Worth it? Definitely.

If you ever have the luck of being in Hogsmeade when it’s not super busy, also try to get pictures in front of the storefronts and the Butterbeer cart. I’m usually there in peak season since that’s when my school breaks are so they aren’t always possible, but when they are, they’re so unique and magical.

Dinosaurs, Jurassic Park

This probably sounds like the most generic way to describe a photo spot, but it makes a lot of sense. There are a ton of dinosaurs hiding in the foliage of Isla Nublar that are perfectly posed for pictures. Some even have Jeeps with them! I’ve been taking pictures with these dinosaurs since I’ve been a baby. I did cry since I hated them when I was only a few months old. Now, with some creative angles and almost always a smile on my face, they make for some great pictures.

A lot of Jurassic Park is currently under construction as Islands of Adventure gets ready to welcome the Velocicoaster (which I’m so excited for), so the construction walls have some fun Dinos on them. I’m super excited to see what the land will look like after the construction is over and what new photo spots will be available!

There are so many more incredible photo locations at Islands of Adventure, but these just happen to be the favorites that I find myself drawn to trip after trip. I’d love to see your best IOA photos, even if they’re not from these locations, so be sure to share them with me on Instagram and Pinterest (@pinkdaysblog)!

Have a terrific day,