Early morning hours entrance?

bocaj1431

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Messages
833
We will be visiting UO for the first time. We are staying at Cabanna bay. I want to make the most of the early hour entry for Harry Potter. Please any advice because we will be there April 10-14 and I am anticipating crazy crowds.

1) should I take the shuttle or walk from hotel? Which is quicker?

2) what time should I leave given it will be spring break? Is there a line to get in for early hours?

3) if I want to use the train to enter the park, is that possible, if so do you recommend that or should I use the train to transfer from one park to the other after visiting first park?

4) any advice for something I did not mention but I should know?
 
As far as #3, you can't take the Hogwarts train to enter one of the parks without already being in a park. I would recommend taking the train after you've already done everything you've wanted in your first park. Then when you park hop take the train
 
As far as #3, you can't take the Hogwarts train to enter one of the parks without already being in a park. I would recommend taking the train after you've already done everything you've wanted in your first park. Then when you park hop take the train

Thanks!
 
Wow, that's tomorrow! Both parks have early hours. I like Gringott's so I would start your first morning there - Studios. Cabana Bay was not built the last time I stayed on property but you would be safe to get to early hours at least 30 minutes early. I use to stay at RPR and there was times you had to wait for boats and they would fill up and you had to wait for another one. At that point it's quicker to walk. I know Cabana Bay is across the street kind of around back of IoA but farther from entrance than RPR. You could ask the person when you check in. I would guess that since they should be expecting big crowds they would have more buses but you never know. If you go to Studios first go right to Gringott's since it doesn't take EP. Minions will be open but I would only suggest going on that the day you have EP or skip it and for Jimmy Fallon, Spiderman, and Transformers. I just checked the Universal app (which you should download if you haven't) and the lines around 6 pm were not too bad. If you don't want to bring anything into the park since it's annoying to check stuff into lockers they have boards around the park that show current ride times. Sorry I'm rambling but you will be there tomorrow - omg. Anyway, Jimmy Fallon is a great ride but I'm not sure it will take EPs. The app shows it doesn't take EPs but I swear they were during their soft opening when I was there at the end of March. Also on the app you can reserve a ride spot. It didn't have any times open today when I checked at 6 pm but that would make sense.

Since both sides of HP are open during early entry all your days you might want to ride Gringott's once or twice then go on Hogwart's express to FJ. They usually don't open Gringott's single rider line until normal park hours open so I would recommend that for your second time in the morning or maybe do this another day you go. Once you get to FJ the line will likely be too long for you to wait since you will be there early on other mornings. So you can go on Dragon Challenge or Hippogriff without much wait at that time. Here are my ride priorities at IoA (I love coasters):
always: Hulk and Spiderman
most of the time if the lines aren't bad: Jurassic Park, Kong, Dragon Challenge, FJ
almost never: that tower bungie ride next to Hulk
never: anything in Suessland, the tea cup like ride next to Hulk, both water rides in Comicbook land where you get really wet, Pteradon Fliers, any shows

Of course you will spend much time walking around both HP areas but don't miss Jurasic Park area. There is a quiet spot if you walk through Discovery Center and you can get some good pics of the central lake. Also don't miss the raptor encounter in Jurasic park. It's a photo op that you can check out on youtube to see if it's worth the long wait (or get in line at 10 am).

My ride priorities at Studios are:
always: Gringott's (I've ridden 5 times in a row before), MIB, Mummy, Transformers, now Jimmy Fallon,
most of the time if lines aren't bad: Minions (only with my after 4 pm EP or during early entry when the park is dead), RRR(since it gives me a headache)
almost never: Shrek, Terminator, Simpsons (the line seems to take forever even when the park is dead)
Never: anything in the kids area I think it's Woody Woodpecker area, parade, nighttime show
If you want to see the Ollivander's show see it at Studios since they have three rooms compared to one at IoA - similar show.

As hard as it will be I would also advise to not stop and look around at HP too much until at least you have ridden a few things and the crowds are getting bad. Don't miss Diagon Alley - we did the first few times we went.

You have multiple days so you will be able to see everything.
 

Wow, that's tomorrow! Both parks have early hours. I like Gringott's so I would start your first morning there - Studios. Cabana Bay was not built the last time I stayed on property but you would be safe to get to early hours at least 30 minutes early. I use to stay at RPR and there was times you had to wait for boats and they would fill up and you had to wait for another one. At that point it's quicker to walk. I know Cabana Bay is across the street kind of around back of IoA but farther from entrance than RPR. You could ask the person when you check in. I would guess that since they should be expecting big crowds they would have more buses but you never know. If you go to Studios first go right to Gringott's since it doesn't take EP. Minions will be open but I would only suggest going on that the day you have EP or skip it and for Jimmy Fallon, Spiderman, and Transformers. I just checked the Universal app (which you should download if you haven't) and the lines around 6 pm were not too bad. If you don't want to bring anything into the park since it's annoying to check stuff into lockers they have boards around the park that show current ride times. Sorry I'm rambling but you will be there tomorrow - omg. Anyway, Jimmy Fallon is a great ride but I'm not sure it will take EPs. The app shows it doesn't take EPs but I swear they were during their soft opening when I was there at the end of March. Also on the app you can reserve a ride spot. It didn't have any times open today when I checked at 6 pm but that would make sense.

Since both sides of HP are open during early entry all your days you might want to ride Gringott's once or twice then go on Hogwart's express to FJ. They usually don't open Gringott's single rider line until normal park hours open so I would recommend that for your second time in the morning or maybe do this another day you go. Once you get to FJ the line will likely be too long for you to wait since you will be there early on other mornings. So you can go on Dragon Challenge or Hippogriff without much wait at that time. Here are my ride priorities at IoA (I love coasters):
always: Hulk and Spiderman
most of the time if the lines aren't bad: Jurassic Park, Kong, Dragon Challenge, FJ
almost never: that tower bungie ride next to Hulk
never: anything in Suessland, the tea cup like ride next to Hulk, both water rides in Comicbook land where you get really wet, Pteradon Fliers, any shows

Of course you will spend much time walking around both HP areas but don't miss Jurasic Park area. There is a quiet spot if you walk through Discovery Center and you can get some good pics of the central lake. Also don't miss the raptor encounter in Jurasic park. It's a photo op that you can check out on youtube to see if it's worth the long wait (or get in line at 10 am).

My ride priorities at Studios are:
always: Gringott's (I've ridden 5 times in a row before), MIB, Mummy, Transformers, now Jimmy Fallon,
most of the time if lines aren't bad: Minions (only with my after 4 pm EP or during early entry when the park is dead), RRR(since it gives me a headache)
almost never: Shrek, Terminator, Simpsons (the line seems to take forever even when the park is dead)
Never: anything in the kids area I think it's Woody Woodpecker area, parade, nighttime show
If you want to see the Ollivander's show see it at Studios since they have three rooms compared to one at IoA - similar show.

As hard as it will be I would also advise to not stop and look around at HP too much until at least you have ridden a few things and the crowds are getting bad. Don't miss Diagon Alley - we did the first few times we went.

You have multiple days so you will be able to see everything.

This is great. Thank you for taking the time to share all this information. This is what I was hoping for!!
 












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