I do thank all of you that added your tips, tricks, hints, and help while I planned our first ever trip to see Harry Potter -
we did stay 2 nights at Royal Pacific - it was luxury - would so do it again! and we did use "disney math" to justify it! (subtract the cost of buying an express pass during Spring Break) AND the valet parking - heavenly well worth the $7 more to upgrade from self park!
Did get to the early entry - however... Spring break, the line went from the entrance on a Tuesday all the way to over the Bridge. DD and I walked, mom took the boat, we were 6th family in our line, mom was on that bridge! We got to Olivander's 2nd group to enter - mom got to us before we went in - the line was probably just the 4 groups back at that time.
tip - don't stress - - do you want to wait an hour at the turnstile or an hour (or less) at Ollivanders? it all works out!
From Ollivander's we went to Forbidden Journey - sign said 60 min - actual time was 25 min!
TIP - if the line seems long, (and the outside part in the Greenhouse/ herbology room was using all the queues) Look at your watch - time it - its probably not as long as it seems!
Flight of the Hippogrif - as others have stated its a cute, short roller coaster - we timed it 42 seconds long!
Forbidden Journey - it is more intense than I expected - my 74 year old mother is proud that she rode it, and loved it... only did it once tho! I have vertigo, motion sickness, can't do Star Tours, can do Soarin (but there are parts that are hard and I close my eyes or look to the people next to me to get my bearings ) also I'm a big girl - and I did read the thread and wondered and stressed if I'd fit. I couldn't get the first click, but the TM did push, told me to relax and push again, asked if it was ok, or if I needed to exit - it was tight but fine - but after getting going - I didn't feel the tightness - it was more around my chest...
TIP - don't close your eyes - during the film part, I'd get dizzy, dd had flip flops on, before we left the start she grabbed them, I held one in my hand, and found staring at that on my hand, counting to 5 deep breath, let it out in 5, etc worked! The ride is app 5 min long - it seems like a 2 min ride! If you are a Harry Potter fan, you are going to have to do it! Also, get some ginger candy (its sugared ginger) it helps settee the stomach - but I forgot and I survived the first time! (it was better with the ginger and dramamine!)
Spiderman - WOW WOW WOW! Did this one 2 times in a row - I wasn't sure what to expect, but it is not too intense at all (we rode the front row! Amazing! 3D effects coming at you) some short spins - but not intense!
Tip - ride this before noon - afternoon was the longest lines - really long both the express and the stand by!
I read many times macraven and others posting to other threads, that the park thins out around 7pm - and even as crazy as the Spring Break crowd was - truly at 7 we could tell, by 8 the lines and crowds in the stores were not a problem!
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