Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade & Hogwarts Express question

[AARCLUKSCH]

We will be spending a Saturday and Sunday in Universal (staying at PBH). I plan on using early entry for both Harry Potter parks on each day. I plan on tackling the Forbidden Journey and other attractions at Hogsmeade (IA) early entry on one day and Gringotts and other attractions in Diagon Alley (UA) early entry on other day. Should I take in the Hogwarts Express during early entry, go casually on one of those days (again, which park is better to take it from) or just come back at night and do it then? Also - which park is better on Saturday and which is better on Sunday?

 

[johde]

First of all, depending on when you're going, on one of the parks may have Early Entry. Both parks are only during the busy times. Diagon Alley/Gringotts tends to be the busiest right at park opening and is less busy an hour or 2 later and in the evening.

If you are going 2 days, I would definately ride Hogwarts Express in both directions. The 2 directions are different experiences. So, in that vein, I'd spend both days in both parks. One day I would start in USF ride the Hogwarts Express over to IOA and finish the day there. The next day, I'd start in IOA ride the Hogwarts Express to USF and finish the day there.

 

[HM]

If you encounter lines that seem too long to you, just come back later. Do something else for a while. The best times to ride and visit the HP areas are first thing in the morning and in the evening after dinnertime.

 

[cygnusx1jg]

Sorry to bogart the thread, but for someone who has not read any of the books or seen any of the movies, would the Harry Potter rides and areas still be worthwhile?

 

[damo]

Sorry to bogart the thread, but for someone who has not read any of the books or seen any of the movies, would the Harry Potter rides and areas still be worthwhile?

Definitely. If you enjoy anything fantasy related (dragons, wizards, etc) you'll enjoy the Harry Potter areas.

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

First of all, depending on when you're going, on one of the parks may have Early Entry. Both parks are only during the busy times. Diagon Alley/Gringotts tends to be the busiest right at park opening and is less busy an hour or 2 later and in the evening.

If you are going 2 days, I would definately ride Hogwarts Express in both directions. The 2 directions are different experiences. So, in that vein, I'd spend both days in both parks. One day I would start in USF ride the Hogwarts Express over to IOA and finish the day there. The next day, I'd start in IOA ride the Hogwarts Express to USF and finish the day there.

Thanks. This is a great idea. I'm going to try it.

 

[saskdw]

Sorry to bogart the thread, but for someone who has not read any of the books or seen any of the movies, would the Harry Potter rides and areas still be worthwhile?

No one in our family has read any of the books. We've seen the movies, but we're the type that saw the movies a year or two after the release when they were on tv. So we have a casual interest in Harry Potter at best. We love the HP area at Universal. The actual fans will pick-up on certain things that we don't, but the attention to detail is impressive to anyone. The rides are great as well.

You definately don't need to be a HP fan to enjoy it!

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

So is it possible that the 2 mornings we will be there, we will not be able to get early entry? Does anyone know if they have them on Saturday, Nov 7th nd Sunday, November 8th?

 

[johde]

So is it possible that the 2 mornings we will be there, we will not be able to get early entry? Does anyone know if they have them on Saturday, Nov 7th nd Sunday, November 8th?

Something will have early entry each day. But it could be IOA both days.

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

Do they release which parks on which days in advance?

 

[RMulieri]

They have early entry everyday. Unless specified otherwise it has only been at Islands of Adventure and only the Hogsmeade section.Universal does not usually announce this stuff too far in advance

 

[hdnwaters]

Sorry to bogart the thread, but for someone who has not read any of the books or seen any of the movies, would the Harry Potter rides and areas still be worthwhile?

YES!!! We just went and had never read the books or seen the movies! We loved both Forbidden Journey & Escape from Gringotts....rode them twice. Awesome architecture in the HP areas! We did look at each other many times and say about a character, "We don't know who you are!" Just remember...at US/IOA, there is always a hero who is going to get you out of a dangerous situation no matter where you choose to visit! I now have all but 2 movies on DVR so maybe time to learn about HP before the next visit!

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

So if I take advantage of Early Entry into IOA how soon will the Express take me over to Diagon Alley? Will I be able to beat the regular crowd this way or should I not even bother?

 

[RMulieri]

So if I take advantage of Early Entry into IOA how soon will the Express take me over to Diagon Alley? Will I be able to beat the regular crowd this way or should I not even bother?

IF it is operating without technical issue and you are on the first train, you will get over to Diagon alley slightly before or at the same time as the guests arriving from front of the park.IF it is having issues that day, you wont get there in time. We managed to have it work to our advantage once in the 4 days we tried it in Jan. Others here have had better luck

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

I am so bummed about not getting EE into US. I was really counting on getting on Gringotts before a crowd arrives.

 

[RMulieri]

I am so bummed about not getting EE into US. I was really counting on getting on Gringotts before a crowd arrives.

Don't be bummed about it .Even if it HAS EE, there are still crowds and they all head to Gringotts. It didn't effect us too much. We were still able to ride it at least 2x in the mornings before the rest of the park flooded into the area.

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

Don't be bummed about it .Even if it HAS EE, there are still crowds and they all head to Gringotts. It didn't effect us too much. We were still able to ride it at least 2x in the mornings before the rest of the park flooded into the area.

Thanks for making me feel better about it!!!!

 

[Cadiewampus]

For whatever reason everytime we rode Gringotts the line no matter how long seemed to move fast. Was never as long as posted time

 

[sandy77d]

We spent the weekend at Universal a couple of weeks ago. US was the EE both Saturday and Sunday when we were there. The first morning, we went to US at rope drop and rode Despicable Me first then headed back to Diagon Alley where we rode Gringotts first. There was not much of a line. After riding Gringotts, we had breakfast at Leaky Cauldron, then went to Ollivander's where my daughters were chosen to have their wands selected, which was so much fun! We spent the rest of the morning in US then around lunch time, we rode the Hogwarts Express to IA and Hogsmeade. Hogsmeade was incredibly busy that afternoon, so we did not spend much time there. We enjoyed the rest of the park. The next morning, we did not want to get up early, so we started at IA and Hogsmeade. We rode Forbidden Journey Sunday morning. The line was about 30 minutes by the time we got there - which was around 11am. I would recommend going straight to Hogsmeade in the morning, but I had family members who wanted to try other things first. Hogsmeade was very crowded both days. After riding Forbidden Journey, we rode the Hogwarts Express back to UA and spent the afternoon there.

I thought Hogsmeade was more crowded both days, so if you have a chance at early entry there, take it. I really liked splitting the two parks both days and enjoyed riding the Hogwarts Express twice.

Enjoy!