First timer and huge Harry Potter fan touring question

[M&J's Mom]

I have read several touring plans and can’t decide what will work best. Is it better to just do Wizarding World all the first day and spend the next 2 days doing the rest of the parks? We have 3 day park to park passes and Express passes. We will also use EE at Studios. We leave tomorrow, but won’t go to a park until Monday Feb 4. Looks to be fairly slow the 3 days we will be there. Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I prefer to do some of each, every day. Especially since the HP areas can get pretty crowded mid-day, and are best enjoyed in the mornings and evenings. No matter how much time you spend in HP the first day, you'll be drawn back again...

 

[danielocha30]

Go for it! I did it when London side opened, we did everything HP related and then the rest. Enjoy!

 

[Blue32]

I think the most important statement you made was that you have Express Pass. You can then in a sense do what you feel like doing. But as a Potter fan you WILL want to do FJ and Gringotts thru the regular queue at least once to see it all. And as a PP noted...you will probably want to spend some of each day in those lands.

 

[M&J's Mom]

Thank you all for your input! I think we’ll start out and end the first day there for sure. I’m pretty sure my family wouldn’t tolerate Harry Potter all day. Then we’ll go from there. I’m a planner so just going with the flow is not in my nature, but I’ll give it a shot!

 

[Vertical]

We are in the same situation, except we are only there for two days. I have decided that I am overthinking Universal too much. Disney has made us be ultra planners and from all that I have read on these threads, it's just not necessary. I think having the Express Pass is going to be what makes is a totally different experience from Disney. Of course, I could be wrong, but I have decided to just kind of go with a laid back approach to this. Our goal is to do Harry Potter. And if we don't do anything else, that's ok with us.

 

[imprint]

I still think it's a good idea to have a loose idea of what you want to do each day. Like which park to start in and which rides and attractions as well as their locations. Just to avoid wasting time thinking about what to do and to avoid a lot of backtracking. You certainly don't have to schedule everything to the minute, but a loose plan will help. You might want to also know where and when you want to eat meals. When we have express passes, it is easy to keep riding over and over, and by the time we finally eat, everyone is hangry. Have fun!

 

[DPCummerbund]

When we visited UO for the first time a few years ago, we made a careful plan to tour the parks in an organized manner, saving the Harry Potter lands until their proper place on our guide. We rode the first ride or two according to our plan, and patted ourselves on the back for being so methodical. Then we decided we couldn't stand waiting any longer & ran screaming into the Harry Potter worlds. I highly recommend this plan.

 

[shanew21]

I would use the early hour at USO to ride Gringotts, do the wand show, and eat breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron. If you have time after that, explore Diagon until the early hour is over.

Once the normal hours start, take the train over to IOA and ride Forbidden Journey, then go from there. This way you knock out a lot of the HP stuff before the congestion hits.

I'm always a proponent of seeing as much as you can day 1 (especially with express passes) so that you can pick and choose for days 2-3. Definitely plan to spend time exploring Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, as there is so much detail in the lands themselves.

 

[Travelgrrl]

Also, although I'm primarily at Universal for Harry Potter, I've learned not to discount the other USF and IOA rides. I've never seen a Spiderman movie, but I love that ride! Similarly, The Mummy ride! ...and so on.

Universal rides can surprise you with how fun they are.

 

[skylock]

Also, although I'm primarily at Universal for Harry Potter, I've learned not to discount the other USF and IOA rides. I've never seen a Spiderman movie, but I love that ride! Similarly, The Mummy ride! ...and so on.

Universal rides can surprise you with how fun they are.

I have never understood people that think if they haven't seen a movie, or maybe even did see it but didn't like it, why they would think they will not be interested in a ride. If the ride is good, it is good, period.

 

[Travelgrrl]

I have never understood people that think if they haven't seen a movie, or maybe even did see it but didn't like it, why they would think they will not be interested in a ride. If the ride is good, it is good, period.

Sure. On the other hand, if one had never seen a single Harry Potter film nor read the books, would one appreciate the Wizarding World as much as someone who has? I would argue: "No." There are all sorts of in-jokes and references to the books and movies there, which would go completely over the head of someone unfamiliar with the series.

Sure, you can appreciate Escape From Gringotts as a fast moving, exciting ride - but if you were unfamiliar with HP, would you like it as much? I doubt it highly.

Although you were basically agreeing with me, that the rides are cool no matter what, I do say that most experiences are enhanced by at least a passing familiarity with the source material. For instance, I've never seen a Fast and Furious film, and since the reviews of the ride aren't great, I'll be giving that a hard pass. If I loved the movies, poor ride reviews wouldn't dissuade me.

 

[skylock]

Sure. On the other hand, if one had never seen a single Harry Potter film nor read the books, would one appreciate the Wizarding World as much as someone who has? I would argue: "No." There are all sorts of in-jokes and references to the books and movies there, which would go completely over the head of someone unfamiliar with the series.

Sure, you can appreciate Escape From Gringotts as a fast moving, exciting ride - but if you were unfamiliar with HP, would you like it as much? I doubt it highly.

Although you were basically agreeing with me, that the rides are cool no matter what, I do say that most experiences are enhanced by at least a passing familiarity with the source material. For instance, I've never seen a Fast and Furious film, and since the reviews of the ride aren't great, I'll be giving that a hard pass. If I loved the movies, poor ride reviews wouldn't dissuade me.

I completely disagree with you. The first time I saw hogsmead, I had seen one Harry Potter movie, the first one, when it first came out so several years before. It did not matter one whit that I thought the area was well done, and exciting.

This past nov. our group was 16 people. Including some kids down to 10, up to my mother of 88.

Most of those people had never watched ANYTHING HP, maybe never even heard of it. Everyone of their eyes lit up when we went through those brink walls at Diagon Alley.

I will say, through the years I have now watched all of the HP films. Has it increased my enjoyment of the area. No. Not one bit. (frankly, I thought the movies got stupider and stupider as I moved thru them.) I still like the rides, I still like the food, I still like the theming, but even though I now get a few more references, it is no way increases my enjoyment of the area from the first time I saw it and didn't know squat.

BTW, f and f is a horrible ride no matter how you look at it. I won't spend any time there again.

Just because you eat and breath everything HP, you need to accept that you don't even have to like the franchise to enjoy HP land.

 

[shanew21]

I completely disagree with you. The first time I saw hogsmead, I had seen one Harry Potter movie, the first one, when it first came out so several years before. It did not matter one whit that I thought the area was well done, and exciting.

This past nov. our group was 16 people. Including some kids down to 10, up to my mother of 88.

Most of those people had never watched ANYTHING HP, maybe never even heard of it. Everyone of their eyes lit up when we went through those brink walls at Diagon Alley.

I will say, through the years I have now watched all of the HP films. Has it increased my enjoyment of the area. No. Not one bit. (frankly, I thought the movies got stupider and stupider as I moved thru them.) I still like the rides, I still like the food, I still like the theming, but even though I now get a few more references, it is no way increases my enjoyment of the area from the first time I saw it and didn't know squat.

BTW, f and f is a horrible ride no matter how you look at it. I won't spend any time there again.

Just because you eat and breath everything HP, you need to accept that you don't even have to like the franchise to enjoy HP land.

You’re both correct. The land can be enjoyed whether you’ve seen the movies or not, but those who grew up on the books/movies will have more of an emotional, nostalgic connection to the land.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would use the early hour at USO to ride Gringotts, do the wand show, and eat breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron. If you have time after that, explore Diagon until the early hour is over.

I would not waste any of that early hour eating breakfast.

Just do the attractions then have lunch after it switches (at about 10:30).

I've never seen a Spiderman movie, but I love that ride!

It’s based on comics, so you don’t need to have seen a movie.

On the other hand, if one had never seen a single Harry Potter film nor read the books, would one appreciate the Wizarding World as much as someone who has? I would argue: "No."

Macraven, our fearless moderator, has said repeatedly that she doesn’t watch Potter and enjoys it all a lot.

Sure, you can appreciate Escape From Gringotts as a fast moving, exciting ride - but if you were unfamiliar with HP, would you like it as much?

I’d enjoy G more if I *hadn't* experienced the stories. It’s a story that deserved a proper coaster, not just a jolt-around thing with screens that are incomprehensible and make no sense.

frankly, I thought the movies got stupider and stupider as I moved thru them.

Read the books. Just do it.

I don’t think the movies got stupider, but they changed the story so much from all they left out and mystifyingly added in.

 

[jacksdadcan]

I suggest downloading the app and get acquainted with each park layout.

You can monitor wait times and find a good time to leave HP for another part of the park when HP gets too busy.

But make the most of early park when you get there. Gives a little head start on the rest of park visitors.

Have a great time!!

 

[Travelgrrl]

Just because you eat and breath everything HP

This is a strange comment. To whom was this directed?

 

[mitsukoshi samurai]

Warning may result in potterhead