IOA December 28 and 29

[MSaboCLBR]

For those more in know. I am down in the area with a group of kids that want to go here and the only possible dates/times we can get there are the 28th or 29th, Both days we would not be able to get there until mid afternoon. What are the chances the park will be closed to capacity and we will not be able to get in?

 

[Metro West]

For those more in know. I am down in the area with a group of kids that want to go here and the only possible dates/times we can get there are the 28th or 29th, Both days we would not be able to get there until mid afternoon. What are the chances the park will be closed to capacity and we will not be able to get in?

I don't know the chances. I haven't heard of IOA closing this week but I could have missed it. Friday and Saturday are going to be extremely busy especially in IOA so you might have to wait and do HP towards the end of the night. The main thing is to just get in and you're going to have to stay there w/o leaving. I would like to say your chances are good for getting in but it's so hard to guess.

 

[wholesomejoe]

According to UT's app.. the ride times were upwards of 45 minutes to 120+ on the popular stuff.

 

[goofyfigment]

I left ioa around 930am today (12/28) and wwohp section was at capacity and forbidden journey was a 200 minute wait once you got into that section. We went at rope drop just to do forbidden journey and then we left!

 

[macraven]

I left ioa around 930am today (12/28) and wwohp section was at capacity and forbidden journey was a 200 minute wait once you got into that section. We went at rope drop just to do forbidden journey and then we left!

about a 3 hour wait for fj at 9:30..............and parry hotter section at capacity.........

 

[goofyfigment]

about a 3 hour wait for fj at 9:30..............and parry hotter section at capacity.........

Metro wasnt kidding when advising crowds would get worse later in the week. Glad we did everything else on xmas Eve so that today all we had to do was fj. Also thanks to ioa for letting the masses in before 8

 

[MarkLem]

We were there yesterday. By that time in afternoon Harry potter, despicable me, rip ride rocket were 2 hours give or take, big lines at women's bathrooms. Other attractions from 30 min to an hour or so. That said, with express pass we waited 15 min or less which was great. Unfortunately no express pass for Harry or rip ride. Park didn't close.

 

[Metro West]

We were there yesterday. By that time in afternoon Harry potter, despicable me, rip ride rocket were 2 hours give or take, big lines at women's bathrooms. Other attractions from 30 min to an hour or so. That said, with express pass we waited 15 min or less which was great. Unfortunately no express pass for Harry or rip ride. Park didn't close.

This is something most people don't even think about when going during a heavy travel time. They are so concerned about the rides they often forget about wait times for restaurants and restrooms. Having to wait a while when you really have to go to the bathroom is not fun. I wouldn't expect the Studios to close this week...only IOA. I don't know if Transformers will have a large enough affect on the Studios that it could close next year.

Metro wasnt kidding when advising crowds would get worse later in the week. Glad we did everything else on xmas Eve so that today all we had to do was fj. Also thanks to ioa for letting the masses in before 8

Yup...I learned my lesson back in 2004 and won't be going again during Holiday Hell Week. I'll leave that adventure to the tourists.

 

[goofyfigment]

Yup...I learned my lesson back in 2004 and won't be going again during Holiday Hell Week. I'll leave that adventure to the tourists.

Ill stick with coming for HHN ive learned how to manage those crowds! This year i managed to just miss hell week hoping to be able to say the same for 2013

 

[Metro West]

Ill stick with coming for HHN ive learned how to manage those crowds! This year i managed to just miss hell week hoping to be able to say the same for 2013

 

[aprilfoolwed]

Oh boy - I hope everyone heads home before we get there on the 7th!

 

[Metro West]

Oh boy - I hope everyone heads home before we get there on the 7th!

It might still be busy but the crowds will be nothing like they are this week.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

We spent the 27th and 28th at Universal and it was ridiculously crowded, which I expected. However, we had just spent 5 days at Disney and found that we could work around the crowds and enjoyed ourselves immensely. So, I figured with Express Pass we could be pretty much stress free at Universal. Sadly, this wasn't the case. Even Express pass had long waits. We left the parks by noon. DH tried to take DD over to Harry Potter area at around 8 o'clock last night and they had the crowds lined up way back to Jurassic Park and Mythos with people just waiting to get in Harry Potter land, not even the ride!

On a positive note, we did get to ride Forbidden Journey a couple of times at 7 am yesterday and today before we checked out. Without that hotel perk, our Universal stay would have been a disappointment. We still had fun, but our past summer visits have been so much better.

Live and learn. We will never attempt Universal again during Christmas week!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Wow. It's insane how much of an effect Harry Potter is still having over the parks. The expansion can't come soon enough.

 

[Metro West]

Live and learn. We will never attempt Universal again during Christmas week!

You learned a valuable lesson that I try to convey on the boards. Do not come during Christmas week...it's just too crowded to enjoy yourselves. Hopefully your next visit will be more enjoyable.

 

[iheartpeterpan]

I was there yesterday, and after waiting 6 hours for my appointed Harry Potter world time, we finally got in there, to be crammed shoulder to shoulder with zillions of people and looking at a 200 minute wait for Forbidden Journey. The one thing I wanted to do at Universal, WWoHP and Forbidden Journey... I couldn't stay onsite or get there early because I was there for a soccer tournament.

Base ticket + $109 for express pass (which I was lucky to get as others in our group could not get it) and we were able to ride most things... but not the one thing I wanted to do.

I have already sworn Disney off at Christmas. Now I have sworn off Universal as well. My son comes for this tournament every year - but I think now we will head over to Busch Gardens... or anywhere else.

 

[schumigirl]

I was there yesterday, and after waiting 6 hours for my appointed Harry Potter world time, we finally got in there, to be crammed shoulder to shoulder with zillions of people and looking at a 200 minute wait for Forbidden Journey.

We have friends who are spending 3 weeks in Orlando over Christmas and I told them to avoid the parks this week.

They went yesterday to IOA and I got an email last saying just saying "You were right wish we`d listened".........now I know why. Oh dear. That`s not fun at all.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

You learned a valuable lesson that I try to convey on the boards. Do not come during Christmas week...it's just too crowded to enjoy yourselves. Hopefully your next visit will be more enjoyable.

The "funny" thing was that I did ZERO research on Universal at Christmas, thinking Express Pass was all we needed to enjoy the parks. Wrong!

I have already sworn Disney off at Christmas. Now I have sworn off Universal as well.

Honestly, Disney was very manageable if you stayed onsite at Christmas! Universal just can't handle the crowds as well as Disney. We saw teens dressed in their Harry Potter robes crying because they couldn't even get close enough to the castle to take a picture! Pure insanity!

 

[iheartpeterpan]

The "funny" thing was that I did ZERO research on Universal at Christmas, thinking Express Pass was all we needed to enjoy the parks. Wrong!



Honestly, Disney was very manageable if you stayed onsite at Christmas! Universal just can't handle the crowds as well as Disney. We saw teens dressed in their Harry Potter robes crying because they couldn't even get close enough to the castle to take a picture! Pure insanity!

It is not manageable for me. I cannot stand crowds like that, where you can't walk down the street without having people touch you. MK closed for capacity every day this week. That's way too many people for me. Love Disney, just not at Christmas.

 

[Metro West]

It is not manageable for me. I cannot stand crowds like that, where you can't walk down the street without having people touch you. MK closed for capacity every day this week. That's way too many people for me. Love Disney, just not at Christmas.

Honestly, Disney was very manageable if you stayed onsite at Christmas! Universal just can't handle the crowds as well as Disney. We saw teens dressed in their Harry Potter robes crying because they couldn't even get close enough to the castle to take a picture! Pure insanity!

You're talking about a much smaller space (WWoHP) than usual and with the MK closing so often this week, if you were to compare just Fantasyland and HP, I would imagine it's the same thing. It's too bad the kids you saw were crying but that's just the nature of the beast at Christmas for the most popular themed area in the world.

Would you have still gone to Disney w/o staying onsite?