Back from Harry Potter and never again.

[patsal]

Just got back from 7 wonderful days and nights at Disney and one very disapointing day in the Harry Potter park at Universal. There were 9 of us altogether, 7 children crazy about Harry Potter and 2 adults. It cost almost $800.00 for a one day park ticket. The kids really did not want any part of the park except for Harry Potter and when we got there we were turned a way and given a ticket for a specific time to come back. About an hour. So the kids went on a few other rides. Wow, you can really notice the difference between the Disney parks and Universal. The place looked a bit run down. Paint peeling off the rides, unahppy faces behind the counters, not really friendly at all. The people that work there do not seem to want to be there, unlike at Disney.

So, finally we get into the Harry Potter park after about an hour. It turns out half of the country was visiting the park at the same time. Could barely move.

As for the park itself. FABULOUS!!!!! It is as if you walked into the movie. The castle is breathtaking. It towers over you and you can't wait to go inside. Once inside you are in another world. Everthing from the talking pictures on the wall, to Dumbledore's office to the wizarding classrooms. I could have spent hours in there just looking around. Unfortunately, the castle itself IS a ride and you must keep moving throughout the rooms to get to the ride. If you stop to lookaround at all the details (that was obviously built for our enjoyment) you are immediately pushed through by one or more of the line monitors who are strategically placed throughout the castle preventing you from admiring the very thing you paid to see. REALLY disapointing...The ride itself was fun but a very fast and sometimes nauseating. One lady came off the ride and I thought they were going to have to call 911. But definately worth going on at least once.

We never got into any of the stores within the Hogworth village. I wanted to go into Olliveander's but didn't. I did not mind waiting an hour to go on the rides, however, I was not prepared to wait an hour to go into every store in the Harry Potter park. We went on the one ride, drank the butterbeer (which I was convinced I was not going to like but was very suprised when I did) and left.

So in summary, we spend $800.00 to rush through the castle, go on one ride, and drink one glass of Butterbeer. I really am not one to complain, but I was very disapointed this one day.

So much of this is the opposite of what I found when I went in March. Disney CM's seemed to be just calling it in, but the TM's at US/IOA couldn't have been more helpful.

Just for the sake of evening things out here, what if you had stayed at US/IOA and went over to WDW for one day--your expenses would have been similiar and I'd bet your experience would have been as well.

 

[JaneSparrow]

We've been to WDW, Disneyland and Universal LA twice and they are all different. Research and planning is necessary. Doesn't matter what your destination is, you have to be prepared.

We are going in July for 1 day of our trip and 1 day tickets for IoA is expensive just like 1 day Disney ticket is. Thank goodness to this board we found out about Costco 3-day tickets that will be good 'til 2014 (this info didn't show up in my google so really grateful to this DIS). Despite all of the research and planning. there will always be things that are out of your control and you will just have to make the most of it.

To all UO and IoA fans/lovers out there, just want to let you know that this did not deter us from going. We too make our vacation FUN!

 

[dtum]

OK, my turn. First, OP couldn't have done any research on these boards or they would have found the info on the castle tour. I get extremely motion sick and after reading on here how the ride effects people, I'm skipping the ride and being the "official bag holder," but I can't wait for the castle tour. DH wants to take pictures of everything and this is the way to go for us (he's actually going to do both ) Can't wait.

Saw Jurassic Park on Ellen a few weeks ago and that looks so great. GS is all about Harry Potter, but he's going to love the dinosaurs on this one.

We've never been to US, but I love WDW. Our family also knows what time of year to stay away from the parks because of the crowds and school breaks are one of them. If you go that time of year, expect that to happen.

Have read there are several other rides that cause bad motion sickness (Simpsons) , but that won't stop me from having a good time because it's a family vacation with our grown kids and their families and we can make our own good time just being together and enjoying EVERYTHING. After all it's US, not Harry Potter Park.