Early Admission USF Strategy?

[wareagle57]

My family only has one day at USF/IOA on December 11 (predicted low crowds day) and I am wondering what I should expect to get done the first hour of the day. We will not be lining up ridiculously early but we will be in line be at least 7:30 or so for the 8:00 opening.

It's my understanding that only Gringots and Despicable Me are open during this time correct? Since we will not be one of the first in line, what kind of wait should we expect for Gringots when we get back there? My thinking is this: Despicable me will have no wait as soon as the park opens (am I wrong) and there is no point in getting back to DA if we are going to finish at 8:30, because we can't get on the Hogwarts Express yet. And we also wouldn't want to walk all the way back to the front of the park just for MM, only to walk all the way back there again for Hogwarts. If we did that, we'd probably spend more of the morning in the Studios before riding the train over to IOA.

So if we ride MM as soon as the park opens, will we be looking at a longer than 45 minutes wait or so for Gringots?

What would your strategy be if you only had 1 day to do both parks? Must do's are:

USF: Gringots, Hogwarts, Dispicable Me, Men In Black, Simpsons, ET, Mummy, Transformers, and maybe Twister and a few other things if we have time.

IOA: Harry Potter, Dragon Coasters, Hulk, Spidey, Howgwarts Express, maybe Jurassic Park and a few things in Suess Landings if there is time.

My thinking is Knock out Gringots, MM, and one half of the H/E by 9:30 or so, and then all of IOA by around noonish, maybe 1. And then take H/E back to USF to finish out the day there.

 

[wareagle57]

anybody?

 

[damo]

It is really tough to predict as this is the first December with Diagon open. We were there in September. We found wait from 15 to 45 minutes for Gringotts and about 45 minutes for Despicable Me. Everything else was under 30 minutes in standby. If that is the case, you really don't need a touring plan and can just wing it from watching the wait times. We never did early admission for any of the 5 days we were there but if it is your only day, definitely make use of it. I think your plan is a good one.

Not sure the ages of those in your party, but try to use the single rider lines for things with longer lines. You'd want to see the Gringotts queue, though, and the single rider misses most of it. It is the same for Forbidden Journey.

 

[wareagle57]

It is really tough to predict as this is the first December with Diagon open. We were there in September. We found wait from 15 to 45 minutes for Gringotts and about 45 minutes for Despicable Me. Everything else was under 30 minutes in standby. If that is the case, you really don't need a touring plan and can just wing it from watching the wait times. We never did early admission for any of the 5 days we were there but if it is your only day, definitely make use of it. I think your plan is a good one.

Not sure the ages of those in your party, but try to use the single rider lines for things with longer lines. You'd want to see the Gringotts queue, though, and the single rider misses most of it. It is the same for Forbidden Journey.

The lines for Gringotts were that low? Hmm, makes me think you're right and that it doesn't really matter. Didn't think the Dispicable Me lines would be that long though. I'm really just curious about how the lines build in first hour of early admission. I feel like the lines for Gringotts might be longer in the EA hour than the rest of the day. Sure, if I can knock it out before I would normally even get in I guess it's worth it. But If we can wait for 30 minutes later in the day we might just stay off site to save money. But if we can get both DM and Gringotts in during the opening hour I'd say that's definitely worth it .

 

[pcstang]

We just back from a quick 4 day trip. Didn't do EE at all. Did EFG wed around 11 and the wait was posted at 45 minutes. From the time we walked in to the time we walked out it was 32 minutes total. Wednesday wasn't busy in the parks. Thurs, fri and today were considerably busier and wait times were 80 to 105 minutes the few times we went into DA. Doesn't help with your EE question but, that's what we saw. DM was always around 60 to 75 minutes when we walked by.

 

[wareagle57]

We just back from a quick 4 day trip. Didn't do EE at all. Did EFG wed around 11 and the wait was posted at 45 minutes. From the time we walked in to the time we walked out it was 32 minutes total. Wednesday wasn't busy in the parks. Thurs, fri and today were considerably busier and wait times were 80 to 105 minutes the few times we went into DA. Doesn't help with your EE question but, that's what we saw. DM was always around 60 to 75 minutes when we walked by.

Thanks. That's still helpful. It sounds like we absolutely want to get DM knocked out during EE. So I think I might stick with my plan of going there first and hoping for an almost walk on, and then heading back to Gringotts and hope we can finish it by close to the top of the hour. If we finish it well before then, I guess we will just take the opportunity to rest of get in line for HE early. Which Olivander's has the shortest line?

 

[macraven]

We just back from a quick 4 day trip. Didn't do EE at all. Did EFG wed around 11 and the wait was posted at 45 minutes. From the time we walked in to the time we walked out it was 32 minutes total. Wednesday wasn't busy in the parks. Thurs, fri and today were considerably busier and wait times were 80 to 105 minutes the few times we went into DA. Doesn't help with your EE question but, that's what we saw. DM was always around 60 to 75 minutes when we walked by.

i can't remember which two days this past week had issues with DM waits.
i know one of the days was wednesday/15th..
my wait in express was 25 minutes.
standby was really long.

once inside for the show, i saw that there were sections of seats covered over and not usable.
i was in row 5 and only 8 seats were used, others covered up.

TM told me that is why the lines are long as some of the seats were not being used.

that situation is probably been fixed by now and hopefully the wait times for DE are not as long.

 

[wareagle57]

Do y'all think 4 hours is enough to accomplish what I want to at IoA on a predicted low crowd level day in December? The only thing I can think we'd like to do twice is Hulk, and Forbidden Journey which we would use single rider on the second time.

 

[damo]

Ollivander's in Diagon is much shorter because they have multiple rooms.

Perhaps just glance at the DM line because you pass right by it first thing.

 

[RMulieri]

Despicable me ALWAYS has longer waits then just about everything...Even the year Transrormers opened ( Summer 2013) , Despicable me had a longer wait..I think because it appeals to all ages and is right near the parks entrance

 

[pcstang]

Ollivander's in Diagon is much shorter because they have multiple rooms. Perhaps just glance at the DM line because you pass right by it first thing.

I agree. We went 4 times in a row. Never had to wait in line for any of the shows. My son got picked the first time but froze up. So, we had to go 3 more times until he was picked again....

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

what happens when you get "picked"?

 

[wareagle57]

what happens when you get "picked"?

I'd like to know this too. Is it random? Do they just pick kids?


I'd still like to know an idea of what the Gringotts wait is like during EE, but it sounds like my plan is going to be to hit up DM first, then Gringotts. If we somehow do that in less than 45 minutes possibly check out Olivanders, but more than likely line up for HE and save Olivander's for the return train ride back in the afternoon since it sounds like it never has much of a wait anyway.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

I don't get it, is it a show or a store or both or?

 

[KatieCharlotte]

I agree. We went 4 times in a row. Never had to wait in line for any of the shows. My son got picked the first time but froze up. So, we had to go 3 more times until he was picked again....

This gives me great hope. DD just missed getting picked at the IoA Olivander's. She was standing next to the kid who was at the bottom of the stairs, which seems to be where they pick from. We're going back to see Diagon Alley for her birthday this summer. She is determined that she will be chosen on her 11th birthday, no matter how many tries it takes.

 

[damo]

I don't get it, is it a show or a store or both or?

It is an interactive show in a small private wand shop and you get ushered into the public wand shop when it is finished.

 

[pcstang]

Do y'all think 4 hours is enough to accomplish what I want to at IoA on a predicted low crowd level day in December? The only thing I can think we'd like to do twice is Hulk, and Forbidden Journey which we would use single rider on the second time.

As long as the crowds are very low, yes. However, IOA is themed great and I feel like you will miss all that it has to offer.

 

[pcstang]

I'd like to know this too. Is it random? Do they just pick kids? I'd still like to know an idea of what the Gringotts wait is like during EE, but it sounds like my plan is going to be to hit up DM first, then Gringotts. If we somehow do that in less than 45 minutes possibly check out Olivanders, but more than likely line up for HE and save Olivander's for the return train ride back in the afternoon since it sounds like it never has much of a wait anyway.

Yes it's random. They basically pick someone, go through a few different wands until the correct wand picks the person and then it's off to the wand shop to buy. From what I've seen they usually pick a child. It's a cute show but, 4 times through it was definitely testing my patience. Oh, the things we do for our children!

 

[damo]

Yes it's random. They basically pick someone, go through a few different wands until the correct wand picks the person and then it's off to the wand shop to buy. From what I've seen they usually pick a child. It's a cute show but, 4 times through it was definitely testing my patience. Oh, the things we do for our children!

In our experience they pick all kinds of people. My 88 year old mother and I were chosen. A 25 year old female in our group was chosen a different time. There doesn't seem to be any particular reason for their choice and I like that!

 

[pcstang]

In our experience they pick all kinds of people. My 88 year old mother and I were chosen. A 25 year old female in our group was chosen a different time. There doesn't seem to be any particular reason for their choice and I like that!

That's awesome! I agree with you.