Back from Harry Potter and never again.

[nana2tots]

Oh my, i bet End of June will be horrible w/ the crowds, i had a horrible trip (7) days year before last at Disney and Universal, spent thousands of dollars and not the first freakin ride, fast passes all gone and lines, horrible, so once again, thousands more dollars to try again in June, and yes i know June is bad month, but the only time hubby can take off work, i hope to God it's way better this trip, if not, no more high dollar for me, lol

 

[ky07]

I can understand how the OP feels. When you go to a different park you notice all the differences and flaws. When we stayed onsite at Disney in Feb (we haven't been for ages), we kept saying, "This would never happen at Universal, lol". We saw the peeling paint, the garbage issue, employee issues, transportation issues and many boring ride issues. Then when we got to Royal Pacific after a few days of staying at Disney, we were all so relieved and thrilled to be "home".

However, I did not rush over to the Disney boards and post my issues that I had at Disney and say that Disney just could never compare to Universal. What would be the point? I'm sure I would get massacred and rightly so. We had a wonderful time at Disney and these things did not detract from our vacation at all.

Interestingly enough, we had new people with us on our vacation who had never been to Disney or Universal and they preferred Universal hands down.

I agree cause I was use to a aumusment park about two hours away from us cause we had been going there since I was 7 years old and in 2005 my father-in-law wanted to take us to Disney for the first time plus he wanted to do one big vacation with us all before he passed away which was 6 months later
The first place he took us to was Epcot and I never seen anything like it and it blew me away and I was 37 and felt like a kid agian and he decied he wanted to go to Universal studios cause he had never been so we all loaded up and went and thats when we all rode BTTF for the first and last time and we all had such a blast that we forgot they had IOA and the day before we was due to go home he asked if we wanted to do IOA since we forgot and he even said I don't know how much better it could be cause he fell in love with the studios side and when we seen the themeing it just empressed us even more and not to mention it was the first time I rode the Huk and his too cause everyone with us chickened out riding it with him so I didn't want to disapoint him since he had to have help cause he had prostetic legs and now we are so hooked on Universal its a must do for us
Just want to say all this cause some people expect Universal to be Disney and its worlds apart but even if I had a awful time at Disney I would never go on these board and bash them cause some of us actually like both Disney and Universal

 

[ben1993]

No offence, but, it isn't a 'park', it's a themed land within a park, if you feel it wasn't worth $800 then you are right, because that $800 was for you to enjoy the entire park.

 

[Harry Potter]

Just got back from 7 wonderful days and nights at Disney and one very disapointing day in the Harry Potter park at Universal.

Sorry, but I stopped reading here.

There is no such thing as a Harry Potter park.

I detest Disney fanbois who don't know what they are talking about.

 

[ben1993]

Sorry, but I stopped reading here.

There is no such thing as a Harry Potter park.

I detest Disney fanbois who don't know what they are talking about.

 

[EvangelineG]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but can someone please confirm for me that the OP is incorrect about there being no other way to see the castle than the ride line? I have read about the castle tour, but do they ever shut this down on busy days? Asking because we will have people in our party that can't ride the ride (special needs), but would be absolutely gutted not to be able to see the castle.

Of course, we are also looking forward to the other sections of IoA too...

 

[damo]

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but can someone please confirm for me that the OP is incorrect about there being no other way to see the castle than the ride line? I have read about the castle tour, but do they ever shut this down on busy days? Asking because we will have people in our party that can't ride the ride (special needs), but would be absolutely gutted not to be able to see the castle.

Of course, we are also looking forward to the other sections of IoA too...

Yes, there is a dedicated castle tour line. Just make sure you ask.

 

[Tink2Day]

Yes these Disneyphobes really get to me.

Disneyphiles, I think?

OOPS you're right, my bad.

Universalphobes vs Disneyphiles, fanatics, sycophants your choice

I think the OP's first sentence did sum it up as another poster said.
WHY would someone come onto a section that is dedicated to Unviersal and gripe? I'd say stating the pros and cons but the whining I've read from a couple of people the last week is too much.

I don't think anyone with class would start a thread on the WDW section and complain about how lousy it was. They'd be publically flogged on that section if they did, this is very mild in comparison to what would happen over there if the shoe was on the other foot. Maybe they just are starving for attention?

 

[poeticdiabetic]

First of all, let me say this: I LOVE Disney! I'm going to Disney in September and I will be going to US/IOA next month for three days. I see no comparison between Disney and US/IOA because they are so different. But if someone gave me 5 days to go to WDW or 5 days at US/IOA, I'm picking WDW. But if someone gave me two days, I'm picking US/IOA.

Now, I apologize if this offends, but to pay $800 just to walk around WWHOP wasn't smart, IMO. $800 to spend at WWHOP, then LEAVE??? That makes about as much sense as buying a Magic Kingdom ticket, go to Future World, then leave!

Here's what I think should have happened: I think you should have rode rides and experienced something more than just WWHOP. You probably would have had more fun.

This is our family motto regarding vacations: YOU make your vacations fun!

 

[tinydancer09]

First of all, let me say this: I LOVE Disney! I'm going to Disney in September and I will be going to US/IOA next month for three days. I see no comparison between Disney and US/IOA because they are so different. But if someone gave me 5 days to go to WDW or 5 days at US/IOA, I'm picking WDW. But if someone gave me two days, I'm picking US/IOA.

Now, I apologize if this offends, but to pay $800 just to walk around WWHOP wasn't smart, IMO. $800 to spend at WWHOP, then LEAVE??? That makes about as much sense as buying a Magic Kingdom ticket, go to Future World, then leave!

Here's what I think should have happened: I think you should have rode rides and experienced something more than just WWHOP. You probably would have had more fun.

This is our family motto regarding vacations: YOU make your vacations fun!

Can I have a round of applause for this guy? I have said this for years. It's not how many rides you ride but giving it a fair go and enjoying yourselves! I could go to universal sit and watch everyone walking by and just enjoy the atmosphere and be perfectly happy! I could do the same at disney.

In fact we plan on spending an entire day just walking around during our next trip.

Sorry Hun, but if you wanted attention you got it. You should have known better being a DisBoard member than to go to a park commando

 

[damo]

This is our family motto regarding vacations: YOU make your vacations fun!

I totally agree. You can take any experience and ruin it with whining!

 

[Tink2Day]

I totally agree. You can take any experience and ruin it with whining!

Believe it or not I DID spend $100+ (including parking) JUST to see WWOHP and I drug someone else with me (or maybe I drugged them in order to bring them along)

The person with me had no real knowledge of HP but went because it meant so much to me. We had free run of WWOHP but went to other parts of IOA just to get the other person something to eat and so I could see it too (I was having foot/knee problems and was happy in WWOHP). Once we got outside of WWOHP we had a hysterically funny time riding JP RA and RipSaw.
We had so much fun in the other areas, then went back to HP for more fun and finally we were in such a great mood we even thought the uber cheezy Poseidon's Fury was great!
Granted, it wasn't busy but even the parts that got busier still didn't bother us.

Maybe the OP thought WWOHP was like Epcot or MK and not just a section of the park like Adventureland in MK??

 

[RMulieri]

Believe it or not I DID spend $100+ (including parking) JUST to see WWOHP and I drug someone else with me (or maybe I drugged them in order to bring them along)

The person with me had no real knowledge of HP but went because it meant so much to me. We had free run of WWOHP but went to other parts of IOA just to get the other person something to eat and so I could see it too (I was having foot/knee problems and was happy in WWOHP). Once we got outside of WWOHP we had a hysterically funny time riding JP RA and RipSaw.
We had so much fun in the other areas, then went back to HP for more fun and finally we were in such a great mood we even thought the uber cheezy Poseidon's Fury was great!
Granted, it wasn't busy but even the parts that got busier still didn't bother us.

Maybe the OP thought WWOHP was like Epcot or MK and not just a section of the park like Adventureland in MK??

Maybe...But I can't tell you how many posts on the other boards( I hang there too) really think Harry Potter is a PARK and not a section of IOA..And when they realize it is only a section they get ticked..I don't get it Doesn't anybody research anything?

 

[damo]

Maybe...But I can't tell you how many posts on the other boards( I hang there too) really think Harry Potter is a PARK and not a section of IOA..And when they realize it is only a section they get ticked..I don't get it Doesn't anybody research anything?

Well, from the number of questions that get posted here that could be solved with one google search, I often wonder.

 

[Tink2Day]

Maybe...But I can't tell you how many posts on the other boards( I hang there too) really think Harry Potter is a PARK and not a section of IOA..And when they realize it is only a section they get ticked..I don't get it Doesn't anybody research anything?

Right.
But like I mentioned earlier, I see that people plan every minute detail of their Disney trips, have BINDERS with plans and mark them off as they go
I would think that some of them would do a wee bit more research...

 

[RAPstar]

People who don't do research bother me.....maybe because I'm close to being an uber-planner. I had a member call me a few months ago, she was about to go to Disney the next day, and was just then trying to buy tickets! Too bad I couldn't help her, since AAA doesn't sell the discounted tickets in Texas.

 

[cigar95]

Maybe...But I can't tell you how many posts on the other boards( I hang there too) really think Harry Potter is a PARK and not a section of IOA..And when they realize it is only a section they get ticked..I don't get it Doesn't anybody research anything?

Blame Mugglenet, in part. They're one of the largest HP sites on the web, and they've called it the "Harry Potter Theme Park" from day one. Called it to someone's attention more than once, didn't matter. So I saw this coming two years ago.

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Right.
But like I mentioned earlier, I see that people plan every minute detail of their Disney trips, have BINDERS with plans and mark them off as they go
I would think that some of them would do a wee bit more research...

And that would be me! Although, I'm much more discrete about it and keep my Disney plans on my phone, not a binder.

Having said that, I'm planning a 1 day trip to IoA, just to visit the WWoHP. I've done tons of research, planned the best possible day based on postings here and other sites. I'm spending a grip of cheddar for this 1 day and you better believe I'm going to do all that is possible to see and do as much as possible in that one day.

And even if we do only ride FJ one time, drink only 1 butterbeer and eat only 1 chocolate frog, as true HP fans, we'll be so excited! We'd be happy just to walk around Hogmeade and take it all in.

OP, I just don't see how any trip to WWoHP could be a bad trip. But, then that's just me.

 

[RMulieri]

Right.
But like I mentioned earlier, I see that people plan every minute detail of their Disney trips, have BINDERS with plans and mark them off as they go
I would think that some of them would do a wee bit more research...

Yea I agree...I see people research the Heck out of what new smart phone they are going to get, or what LCD tv got the best ratings, but they will shell out $$$$ for a Disney or US/IOA trip and not even bother to look up a dang thing and then come back and say how disappointing and how it was awful..etc.I may not detail out every second of my trips, but I know to research it well in advance.

 

[RMulieri]

Well, from the number of questions that get posted here that could be solved with one google search, I often wonder.

I read one post a few months back that the person was LIVID because they didn't realize WWoHP was part of IOA and they HATED IOA years back, and had they known that it was part of IOA they wouldn't have spent $$$ to ride only "ONE new ride in the whole Harry Potter park" It isn't like going to Orlando is cheap either.