The end has been long overdue for Lost Continent, one of the original themed lands at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park. Indeed, when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter branched out into it in 2010, it felt natural for Hogsmeade to continue penetrating its mythical realm.
Instead, Universal Orlando opened Potter Part 2 next to Universal Studios in Florida in 2014, but Lost Continent has been a bit of a mess ever since, with temporary closures, construction walls, an unlikely connection to the Jurassic Park area, a Halloween Horror Nights shop, and other mysterious merchandise.
We’ve persevered through the years, but rumors have slowly built up as Universal confirmed that they would be gradually dismantling and re-theming the land. If the internet is to be believed, Mystic Fountain might be gone before I can type “Mystic Fountain.”
It sparked nostalgia and I took a trip to IOA so I could squint and see the OG LC without turning on the 1999 time machine.
water world
Located near the arched entrance to the “The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad” show, the Mystic Fountain is truly an attraction for all ages. No one is made to feel sick, scared, spun, drenched or put on stage. And who doesn’t love a sneaky plumbing job?
The structure interacts with passersby by speaking to them or spraying them with water if they feel like it. In 1999, the park’s opening year, the Orlando Sentinel reported that the story behind the fountain was that a 1,000-year-old soul was trapped inside, trying to escape.
Early on, it was fun to watch Fountain’s interactions, especially when Fountain’s voice said something specific to that moment, and definitely not a pre-recorded pattern. The adults looked around, trying to locate the body behind the disembodied voice. The kids doubled up on the teasing to the fountain and got a little wet with their troubles.
Myths off the menu
I’m not that sentimental about the Mythos restaurant, but that’s true of most sit-down restaurants in theme parks. I like to keep moving. My memories of Mythos are strange. My friend hit his head on a fake stalactite, and that stalactite went on to be voted best restaurant by Theme Park Insider readers.
The architecture is fascinating, with deities etched into the design, including a waterfall emerging from the mouth of a daffodil.
Behind it appears to be hiding a towering sculpture of Atlas that supports the roof. It’s a shame that there isn’t much more to do on the island platform facing the lagoon, or at least less shade in some way.
Mythos is scheduled to close in 2027. The park’s Thunder Falls Terrace will close this summer and reopen as a full-service restaurant.
Dwayne Bevill, Orlando Sentinel
Visitors linger after a performance of “The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad” in 2018. This set is called “Cave of Lost Souls”. (Dwayne Bevill/Orlando Sentinel)
That’s showbiz
Looking back, it’s hard to explain why the “Sinbad” show wasn’t a huge hit. There was so much to see: stunts, comedy, false danger, good and evil, and 1,700 covered seats. It was engaging enough that I always forgot about the big boom/waking the dead sound effect near the end.
The stages were divided into multiple levels, ship-themed, and elaborate. Last summer, when IOA used a corner of the theater as a cool-off zone, much of it was still in place. The show ended in 2018.
Meanwhile, the adjacent Poseidon’s Fury attraction featured three memorable special effects moments, including a low-tech reveal of a hidden message, a water tunnel walkthrough, and a digital yet watery grand finale.
The exterior features a trident raised impressively among the rubble of the temple, now felt symbolically behind the construction wall. Poseidon’s Fury remained on closed watch for years, but was finally closed for good in 2023.
griffin door
I’ve long admired the statue at the entrance to the Lost Continent, but never wondered what it was until today. It’s all a myth, right?
According to research, its appearance appears to be that of a “sea griffin,” which closely resembles a winged creature with a beaked face, chest plate, and large drooping tail.
No matter what themes pop up next in this land, it seems like Sea Griffin is a long way from staying here. Building a Halloween Horror Nights house around it, but the Lost Cave of the Sea Griffin? — This isn’t the worst idea and may have something to do with the short period of time HHN experienced the two parks. discuss.
Three Small Universal Ideas (Non-Lost Continent Division)
• Universal Legacy Store opens at Universal CityWalk, taking over space from the Epic Universe Preview Center. In addition to the usual merchandise (T-shirts, “Jaws” merchandise), there are a number of collectible figures in the places where detailed epic scale models once stood. Also eye-catching are “Back to the Future”, “ET”, classic Universal monsters, and “Jaws” photo shoots (highly enlarged works by artist Tom Whalen).
• Witnessed the final day of the latest version of the Horror Makeup Show at Universal Studios. It’s been a while since I last visited, so I went in to refresh myself. I left the venue to admire the live performance, the AI, the screens, and appreciate the willing and resourceful audience participation. Universal says a new version of the show will be coming…eventually.
• Do you know what makes you literally feel hot under your collar? We park on the rooftop of Universal Orlando’s garage in wide, bright sunlight, then pass two empty, shaded parking spaces. I once heard from a UOR executive that they have a system for filling levels based on arrival and scheduled departure times for easy exit. However, this remains a thorny issue for the park.
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