Theme parks are a blast but long wait times are not, and 6 of the worst theme park lines are in Florida.
I love going to theme parks. We’re so lucky living in Fort Myers that we’re just a few hours away from so many. Busch Gardens in Tampa is the spot for thrill seekers, Disney is fun for kids and adults who are kids at heart. SeaWorld offers a mix of shows and coasters, Gatorland is great for animal lovers and Universal brings all your favorite movies and characters to life. But let’s face it, as much fun as these theme parks are, waiting in line is such a drag. Standing in line at a theme park is like entering a time warp. Minutes turn into hours and your patience goes on vacation. You start off optimistic, telling yourself there’s no way it’ll take as long as it says. But as you shuffle forward at a pace slower than a sloth, you wonder if you’ll ever get there.
Hawaiian Islands has released their list of the wait times people complain the most about. To put together their list, they first looked at the 100 most popular tourist attractions. Then, on TripAdvisor, looked at how many reviews had mentions of long lines. Not surprisingly, based on the number of theme parks we have in Florida, 6 of the worst theme park lines are right here. The top 3 in the U.S. are the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock in New York City and Cable Cars in San Francisco. You can see the full list here. Below we’ll look at where theme parks in Florida fell in the top 20.
6 Of The Worst Theme Park Lines Are In Florida
4. Universal’s Islands of Adventure- Orlando
There are 860 mentions of long lines at Islands of Adventure. Some of the lines I consistently see as being the longest at the park include the VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
6. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter- Orlando
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has 687 mentions of long lines. It gets congested in there at times, but it’s so worth it. That part of the park is my favorite.
(Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
9. Busch Gardens- Tampa Bay
There are 304 mentions of long lines at Busch Gardens. Some lines that seem to have the longest wait times include the Iron Gwazi and Falcon’s Fury.
(Photo by Aimee Jeansonne Becka/Busch Gardens Tampa Bay via Getty Images)
13. Discovery Cove- Orlando
I’ve never been to Discovery Cove, but it’s on my list. There are 166 mentions of long lines, but I’m not sure exactly for what. Most experiences there need to be reserved, so maybe for food and drinks?
(Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
14. NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex- Merritt Island
To see something as unique as the NASA Kennedy Space Center, don’t let the wait times deter you. There’s only 164 mentions of long lines.
(Photo by Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via Getty Images)
19. Epcot World Showcase- Orlando
I’ve gotten pretty lucky on my trips to EPCOT that lines for rides haven’t been too bad. There are a few that you know you have to wait for though including Frozen Ever After and Guardians of the Galaxy.
(Photo by Matt Stroshane/Disney Parks via Getty Images)
