EP for Harry Potter rides?

[DisneyMomx7]

I thought I heard in the past few days that EP now was working for Harry Potter rides

Is this true or just a rumor?

Thanks!

 

[Parker Clan]

Not a rumor, here's a recent thread all about it confirming
https://www.disboards.com/threads/express-pass-for-harry-potter-today.3615177/

 

[JoAnnPan]

Just got back yesterday - used express pass on all the HP rides.

 

[macraven]

Yes
It started July 1st


Hooray for that!!!

 

[TheMillenniumRider]

I assume that you must still wait in the regular queue for the full experience and walkthrough correct?

 

[Cheesehead9]

Bumping because it's the best news out of Universal in a while and I haven't heard many details. What have experiences been like?

Does the Hogwarts Express line in Hogsmeade now go straight up the main stairs (not down into the bottom queue level)? Does express significantly shorten the Hogwarts Express lines? (We usually walk instead of wait for the train because we don't want to wait the typical 20-30 minutes).

Does express still go through the entire castle on FJ and the entire bank on Gringotts? How do Express waits compare to the regular lines?

Are Express lines on non-Potter rides now longer due to an influx of people buying express in order to have it for HP?

 

[Metro West]

I assume that you must still wait in the regular queue for the full experience and walkthrough correct?

You would be correct.

 

[perditax]

Thanks for the bump. I'll be there next month and I would have had no idea.

 

[quandrea]

This is such a bummer to me. We are booked at Cabana Bay for January because RPR is $454 per night (outrageous!). I figure we won't get on the HP rides now because we won't wait thirty minutes for a ride. Last January we managed all HP rides with minimal wait just by getting there early. Now the playing field isn't level and I figure getting there early won't cut it.

 

[yaya74]

Does the Hogwarts Express line in Hogsmeade now go straight up the main stairs (not down into the bottom queue level)? Does express significantly shorten the Hogwarts Express lines? (We usually walk instead of wait for the train because we don't want to wait the typical 20-30 minutes).

Yes, you walked up to the stairs directly to the platform. The wait was minimum (5 minutes?!) last week when we were there.

Does express still go through the entire castle on FJ and the entire bank on Gringotts? How do Express waits compare to the regular lines?

It was our first trip and we got EP so I don't know where the standby line would take you too. When we went to FJ, we missed the EP entrance but we didn't know. So we were in the standby line. The line went outdoor then went backed in. went through a hall way with various moving pictures.. then into a room with tall ceiling with many talking portraits, just like that scene in the movie.. then we went into a dark room with Dumbledore speaking. Thats when we noticed the EP line so we climbed over the divider to get into the EP queue. After that Dumbledore room, the EP line went into another big room (full of people.probably a good 20 minutes wait in there.. so glad we got into the EP line) and then the loading area.

Are Express lines on non-Potter rides now longer due to an influx of people buying express in order to have it for HP?

when we were there during the first week of August, the park was not that crowded during the week. EP line was 5-10 minutes at the most. The crowd was significantly bigger on Saturday and Sunday. EP line was still 10 minutes at the most comparing to more than 1 hour wait at the Standyby line for many rides. Wait time at HP rides were all minimum. Even for the Hogwart express.

 

[flortlebap]

There is only a certain number of EP guests allowed each day - they do sell out. So that's unlikely to be the reason.

They're just popular rides, I guess. At one point in the day the express line could be empty, and later on it could be 20 minutes, as guests aren't given return times and so could decide to visit all at the same time!

 

[perditax]

This is such a bummer to me. We are booked at Cabana Bay for January because RPR is $454 per night (outrageous!). I figure we won't get on the HP rides now because we won't wait thirty minutes for a ride. Last January we managed all HP rides with minimal wait just by getting there early. Now the playing field isn't level and I figure getting there early won't cut it.

Which dates? I just did a random search in Jan 2018 for four nights including part of a weekend and RPR started at $275. Are you overlapping the winter holidays?

 

[quandrea]

Which dates? I just did a random search in Jan 2018 for four nights including part of a weekend and RPR started at $275. Are you overlapping the winter holidays?

Jan 2. Only one night.

 

[macraven]

I've had very good rates at rpr if I book about January 6 or after

I try to book anytime from that date unless it falls on a Saturday

If so, then I start my trip day later for better rates

 

[macraven]

Jan 2. Only one night.

Rates are always high at the beginning of January in the days following NY

 

[quandrea]

Rates are always high at the beginning of January in the days following NY

I know. We were there last January and saw everything. This trip, if all we get to do is float in the lazy river at CBR, that will be okay. We are following it with 17 days at WDW so a mellow day or two will not hurt.