Castle tour question

[skw251520]

Hello all,
I was wondering my niece and I are doing a overnight universal mini vacation and really just want to do harry potter, she has a bad neck and not looking to do the ride but can we still go into the castle and do the tour or look around. and with that said are there any rides in the world of harry potter that would be safe for her

 

[Kivara]

Yes, you can still do the castle tour to look around...it is amazing! The only "ride" in HP areas that would for sure be safe would be the Hogwarts Express (train) it is different in both directions and a lot of fun...but you will need park-to-park tickets to ride.

There are also several HP shows. The wand show at Ollivander's is fun (either park), the Frog Choir & the Twiwizard Champions (IoA), Celestina Warbeck (sings & funny) and the Three Brothers (US)

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

The castle tour is great because you go through a separate line and can take your time, let people pass, take pictures, etc. However, it doesn't go through the greenhouse part of the queue. If there is a time when the line isn't tremendously long, I would recommend also doing the full queue to get the full experience.

The interactive wand is a pretty neat souvenir/experience - you buy a wand and there are spots throughout the HP lands where you can use it to perform magic.

 

[schumigirl]

The Castle tour can be cancelled at any time if the line for FJ is huge.........

Just so you're aware as friends couldn't do it at Christmas and were told it was too busy.

 

[hopemax]

There was a report that the Castle Tour has been temporarily discontinued as of a few weeks ago. Also, I saw a rumor today on Orlando United that Forbidden Journey will be closed in May for some minor upgrades including redoing the queue so the Castle Tour can take you through more of the regular queue. Right now you miss the Greenhouse, separate Portrait Gallery and some other early queue parts. So depending on when your trip is it may not be available.

 

[chmurf]

I saw a rumor today on Orlando United that Forbidden Journey will be closed in May for some minor upgrades including redoing the queue so the Castle Tour can take you through more of the regular queue

Another rumor says that these adjustments might just be there to convert the castle tour line to a full express lines
With kong opening, fj could receive express while kong is the express-less ride at IoA

How relible this rumor is ? Well ... It's a rumor, right ?

 

[Squirlz]

If there is no tour line you could always go through the regular queue and then "chicken out".

 

[kip0992]

If there is no tour line you could always go through the regular queue and then "chicken out".

The problem then becomes you are standing and blocking the line and people are always pushing past you. The FJ line is strange - when it is long enough to back up outside, the outside part (where there isn't a whole lot to see) slows to a crawl. By the time you get in to the castle the line almost never stops moving.

 

[drinkme]

3 weeks ago We asked where was the line for the tour only part of the castle. We had done it back in November. They said it was gone & we had to stand in the regular line.

 

[EveDallas]

I can't see Universal closing that most popular ride in their parks with almost no notice.

 

[schumigirl]

I can't see Universal closing that most popular ride in their parks with almost no notice.

Not talking about closing the ride, just the castle tour queue.

 

[johde]

Not talking about closing the ride, just the castle tour queue.

The rumors on Orlando United had the ride itself closing for a short time in May (2 week or so) for several possible upgrades to the ride.

• 3d glasses
• Activating additional dementors that are currently unused in Orlando to make it more like Hollywoods.
• reroute Castle Tour/Express line
  
• Redo Locker Area

Here's a link to the Orlando United thread http://forums.orlandounited.com/threads/forbidden-journey-may-closure.10066/

Having been around Universal you know they don't give the long lead time Disney does with respect to ride closures and refurbishments. Normally, it's no more than a month or so. On the other hand, they also do the vast majority of their refurbishments at night. So, major refurbishments are rare.

 

[EveDallas]

I certainly hope this isn't true. I'm going for my birthday the last week of May and will be very disappointed if I can't ride my favorite ride.

 

[EveDallas]

The rumors on Orlando United had the ride itself closing for a short time in May (2 week or so) for several possible upgrades to the ride.

• 3d glasses
• Activating additional dementors that are currently unused in Orlando to make it more like Hollywoods.
• reroute Castle Tour/Express line
  
• Redo Locker Area

Here's a link to the Orlando United thread http://forums.orlandounited.com/threads/forbidden-journey-may-closure.10066/

Having been around Universal you know they don't give the long lead time Disney does with respect to ride closures and refurbishments. Normally, it's no more than a month or so. On the other hand, they also do the vast majority of their refurbishments at night. So, major refurbishments are rare.

Really - only a month? That's crazy - people make vacation plans months in advance. I already won't be able to ride Hulk because of refurbs - I hope I don't have to miss two of the best rides

 

[johde]

Really - only a month? That's crazy - people make vacation plans months in advance. I already won't be able to ride Hulk because of refurbs - I hope I don't have to miss two of the best rides

Hulk(and Kong) would hopefully be opened before they would close Forbidden Journey. Hulk's track is done. Their still doing Station and Electrical work and they need to do testing.

Just looking at past experience, Hulk was announced August 20 for the complete rebuild that started in September. Twister was rumored to close for close to a year but the official announce came less than a month before closing. The same with Disaster. Beetlejuice would have had the same fate but it got a late holiday reprieve. So it had about 3 months notice.

 

[schumigirl]

Hulk(and Kong) would hopefully be opened before they would close Forbidden Journey. Hulk's track is done. Their still doing Station and Electrical work and they need to do testing.

Just looking at past experience, Hulk was announced August 20 for the complete rebuild that started in September. Twister was rumored to close for close to a year but the official announce came less than a month before closing. The same with Disaster. Beetlejuice would have had the same fate but it got a late holiday reprieve. So it had about 3 months notice.

I was having this discussion few days ago with someone and we disagreed on how long before Hulk closed for refurb Universal had announced it....... I was sure it had only been a month or so.......

Glad I read this........I knew I was right.......thanks

 

[damo]

When Jaws was demolished, I think it was announced in December and demolished in January. Universal never gives much advanced warning about such things.

Disneyland runs their refurbishment list in a very similar manner. Radiator Springs Racer had a refurb that was announced very shortly before we arrived. Put a big damper on our anticipation, but we survived.

 

[Kivara]

We've been lucky so far, visiting rides/shows/stores we liked just before they closed them. We had no idea they were going to be demolished...found out a monthor two after we got home. Kinda sad, but it's going to happen.

 

[Squirlz]

The rumors on Orlando United had the ride itself closing for a short time in May (2 week or so) for several possible upgrades to the ride.

• 3d glasses
• Activating additional dementors that are currently unused in Orlando to make it more like Hollywoods.
• reroute Castle Tour/Express line
  
• Redo Locker Area

Here's a link to the Orlando United thread http://forums.orlandounited.com/threads/forbidden-journey-may-closure.10066/

Having been around Universal you know they don't give the long lead time Disney does with respect to ride closures and refurbishments. Normally, it's no more than a month or so. On the other hand, they also do the vast majority of their refurbishments at night. So, major refurbishments are rare.

Last January we noticed they didn't have the Dementor take a picture of one rider's face. Wonder if that is gone for good?

 

[kip0992]

Last January we noticed they didn't have the Dementor take a picture of one rider's face. Wonder if that is gone for good?

Is seems that about half the time it misses a face or 2... That never really seems like all that great of an effect anyhow - I wouldn't miss it.

There were reports from the Hollywood opening that the 3D was increasing the "protein spills"... I wonder if they got that sorted out. I could live without 3D...