Marvel Super Hero Island recreates the city streets and alleys where most of Marvel's superheros live. Two of Orlando's best thrill rides - The Incredible Hulk Coaster and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-man - are in Marvel Superhero Island.

The architecture, which some fault as “flat,” seeks to recreate the pop-art look of comic backgrounds; some buildings have “Chrome-Illusion” paint that changes colors depending on the angle of sunlight. Between the Hulk's roar and the bass beats surrounding the Spider-Man building, Superhero Island is also one of the loudest sections of the park; find refuge along the water behind Captain America Diner. Look for the “meteor impact” sculpture covered in hundres of Marvel characters, and communication booths delivering messages from SHIELD.

Several times a day on a published schedule, Marvel heroes parade in on ATVs and take over the streets greeting guests. The interactions are very fun and extremely campy, but the activity can make it tough to navigate through the area.

In case you were curious: yes, Disney now owns Marvel Comics, but Universal locked up the theme park rights to certain character groups – the Avengers, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and X-Men – in perpetuity on the East Coast. You may see Iron Man and Captain America in Disneyland or Mickey's international parks, but they are exclusive to Islands of Adventure in Orlando for the indefinite future.