Arriving next weekend, have a few questions.

[SnowWitch]

I am planning to purchase our tickets online prior to June 7th to get the 3rd day free. Can I obtain the tickets at our on site resort or where? How does this work?

I have looked all over universalorlando's website and I'm still unclear on the early entry. Is it just for the Harry Potter areas? Both parks or just one? How do you know? Do you suggest we take advantage of this perk?

This is my groups first visit since the Harry Potter era began, 5 yrs to be exact, so I'm very unsure of the correct approach. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

We plan for our evening meals to be at CityWalk, are any of the options inside the park good? We have Mythos booked already. Would you suggest one of the HP options?

Any experiences with the interactive wands?

 

[damo]

I am planning to purchase our tickets online prior to June 7th to get the 3rd day free. Can I obtain the tickets at our on site resort or where? How does this work?

I have looked all over universalorlando's website and I'm still unclear on the early entry. Is it just for the Harry Potter areas? Both parks or just one? How do you know? Do you suggest we take advantage of this perk?

This is my groups first visit since the Harry Potter era began, 5 yrs to be exact, so I'm very unsure of the correct approach. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

We plan for our evening meals to be at CityWalk, are any of the options inside the park good? We have Mythos booked already. Would you suggest one of the HP options?

Any experiences with the interactive wands?

As long as you choose kiosk pick-up for your tickets, they can be picked up in the lobby of the onsite hotels.

Right now, early entry is just at IOA at Hogsmeade. You can get a ton done there and hop the Hogwarts Express to be in Universal as that park opens and get onto Gringotts right away.

I would do the HP restaurants for lunch. They are quick service.

The interactive wands are lots of fun!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We bought our tickets online the day before and picked them up in the hotel lobby (RP) at the resort with no problem.

Definitely take advantage of early park entry. Our favorite time in the parks was from 8-10 am and 7-9 pm. Lower crowds and better weather.

From what I have read, early entry will be at IOA only at least through June 12th. That actually works really well because there is lots to do at Hogsmeade, and you can usually get into Diagon Alley before the crowds by riding HE. We arrived at Gringotts by 8:55 am after riding HE and rode Gringotts with no wait.

We ate at Simpsons Fast Food Boulevard, but I wish we had tried one of the Potter restaurants instead. They look really neat inside.

 

[SnowWitch]

Thanks everybody! A little nervous since it's been so long and so much has changed with HP added. On our last trip, 5 yrs ago, there was no rush for anything because of the express line for on site guests. Now with HP you have to put forth a little effort, like climbing out of bed early.

Any other advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I generally print my tickets at home.

 

[RMulieri]

Don't rely 100% on the Hogwarts express running in time to make opening at the Studios.We had the unfortunate luck on our trip in JAn of only managing it ONCE in a week stay since the other times we tried ( we didn't try every day admittedly but a couple of them), it was not working due to technical issues..So by the time it did get over there, the Studios were already open awhile and Gringotts had a bit of a wait

 

[godders]

Universal has a lot of Single rider lines so if you don't have the express pass (not sure where you are staying) then really use them! Waits are so much shorter! However on the HP things you do tend to miss out on the story line build up to the rides so some of the things that happen don't make as much sense. I know at Hogwarts you can ask to just walk through the castle so if the lines are long do single rider and then the walk through rather than wait for hours for both.

 

[Robo56]

Just got home on Thursday from Universal. Rode Hogwarts Express many times. Everything was running smooth.

 

[SnowWitch]

Thanks for all the replies. We staying at the Royal Pacific but I understand you do not receive the fol perk in the HP areas so trying to figure out the best plan of attack for those

 

[Hootch]

Express passes are not valid for Forbidden Journey or Gringotts. When we were there, IOA was the only one with early entry. Using that will cut down your wait. I found that the single rider line later at night really cut down the wait time. (Single rider is available in the morning too. I saw two young ladies walk up when we got to the front of the line. One rode with us and the other was on the next group.) You do get Express pass for Dueling Dragons and the Hippogriff ride.

It seemed that the Gringotts wait died down in the late afternoon if US early entry is not available.