IOA Touring Plan ????

[Atotty]

Quick question...FYI We're staying offsite cause it's a school trip.

Most people say do Harry Potter rides first thing at IOA however Kelley Monaghan's book says that the die hard HP fans will go there first and instead you should go late in the day and start the morning with Hulk, Spiderman, etc. if you're not huge HP fans.

I know Monaghan's book is great and we used it before and it worked like a charm. However, I'm worried we'll end up not getting to do HP's Forbidden Journey which is the only thing we want to do over there, well, that and maybe Dueling Dragons whatever it's name is now.

Any advice from those who have been there done that?

We're going first week of May and the FOTL-type pass for those staying offsite is only $25 so I don't think IOA is expecting a huge crowd. I know we can't use that for FJ, but is it good for Dueling Dragons?

Thanks!

 

[damo]

First week in May is generally a wonderful time to go. Crowds are great except when the school groups are there, lol. There is a sign at the front of the park that give you wait times. It is right in the area when you need to decide to go left or right. Check on the times when you are deciding what to do.

Don't bother with the express pass unless you see that the crowds are crazy. It is good for Dragon Challenge.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I went during a time when the express passes where only $25 and I didn't even really need a plan (I had one but I never actually used it). Most of the rides where walk-on and the ones that were not averaged 15-20 minutes.

Harry Potter was good during the early morning, even with the on-site people getting in a hour before us; the crowds didn't build up until around 11am-noon. From noon to 4ish was crowded but after that the crowds thinned out again.

If I were you, I would get to the park before opening and head strait to Harry Potter once they let you through the gates, do all you can until the crowds get too much and then head out to the other areas of the park (the other areas are well worth a visit IMO).

Once it gets later you can head back toward Harry Potter and finish anything you were not able to or just sit and people watch for awhile. There were so many little details that I missed the first time through I just sat there for about an hour just taking them all in.

 

[Atotty]

Thanks y'all. Any other advice?

 

[mhalpern]

I don't want to highjack this thread but I have a touring plan question too. We will be at IOA one day next week and we know it is going to be crowded. Of course we are going to start the day at WWOHP but which direction would you head afterward? At EPCOT the conventional wisdom is that if you start in Canada instead of Mexico you will be going against the flow and it will therefore be less crowded. Do most people head toward Jurassic after HP or toward Lost Continent? Or does it not matter? We were thinking of going in the direction of Lost Continent since we have lunch reservations for Mythos. Any thoughts?

 

[damo]

I don't want to highjack this thread but I have a touring plan question too. We will be at IOA one day next week and we know it is going to be crowded. Of course we are going to start the day at WWOHP but which direction would you head afterward? At EPCOT the conventional wisdom is that if you start in Canada instead of Mexico you will be going against the flow and it will therefore be less crowded. Do most people head toward Jurassic after HP or toward Lost Continent? Or does it not matter? We were thinking of going in the direction of Lost Continent since we have lunch reservations for Mythos. Any thoughts?

It isn't going to matter much. You might want to go and do Jurassic Park or Spiderman/Hulk before lunch.

 

[APB513]

posted to the wrong thread