Harry Potter areas which park to start at?

[CATlovesDIS]

My DD (age 12) and DH have one day park-to-park passes, staying off-site with the goal of exploring all the Harry Potter areas. Would you recommend starting at IOA or US? From what research I have done I am guessing starting at IOA with Hogwarts Castle, taking the train over to US, ride Gringotts, explore shops, ride train back and maybe lunch at Three Broomsticks. I am only guessing though and could use expert advice. We are going in mid May on a weekday (either Tuesday or Thursday).

Thanks for any input!

Cathy

 

[nkereina]

We started at IOA and did Hogsmeade - Forbidden Journey or Ollivander's first, then Dragon Challenge, Flight of the Hippgriff and then ride HE over to US. The wait for Gringotts could be long by that time, but you can ride it single rider which makes the wait significantly less. We also found that the ride from US back over to IOA was shorter than the opposite.

We ate at both Leaky Cauldron and Three Broomsticks. Liked them both but preferred Leaky Cauldron.

 

[macraven]

mid may should not be bad for crowds.
if this is your first time at the parks, start with IOA then travel over to the studios.
parry hotter section at IOA is smaller and condensed.
check it all out and when done with that part of the park, take HE to the studios.

DA will over whelm you by the size when you first see it.
it's very detailed and a lot to take in.
shows will occur at both parks during the day.

if HE has a long line when you want to return to the islands, walk over.
it could be shorter than waiting in a line for the train.

 

[bumbershoot]

DS's thoughts.

If you feel like Harry potter, go to diagon alley first. That was Harry's experience, of DA and the Hogsmeade.

If you feel like Ron Weasley, though, it doesn't matter. You've been to Hogsmeade before in your life, because you've had so many brothers at hogwarts. The trip when 11 wasn't your first time there, so it doesn't matter what order you tour in.

 

[MsHook]

We started in US first. We did it in order of the books/films - Muggle London, Diagon Alley, then took the train across to Hogsmeade & Hogwarts in IOA. That's the closest to feeling like the books and films & that's coming from a massive HP fan. If you're not massive fans then either one is fine, they're both amazing. Even my brother enjoyed it and he hasn't read any of the books. Enjoy

 

[hydrotony]

Most people want to follow the books. Start at USF Diagon Alley, do Ollivander's, look around until about 11am, then take Hogwarts Express to IOA Hogsmeade(HM). Ride Forbidden Journey, do lunch at Three Broomsticks, look around & do other rides until about 3pm. Go back to DA using HE (different in-train story), ride Gringotts, eat at Leaky Cauldron and look around until closing. This is a crash course in WWoHP. You really need extra days but you said you only have one. There are small live shows at both DA and HM you might not see but cramming everything into 1 day has it's drawbacks. Have a good time.

 

[kbelle8995]

I like the entertainment at Diagon Alley especially Celestina Warbeck. The "Tales of Beedle the Bard." are worth catching. We do things a bit differently arrive at Hogsmeade ride the train to Diagon alley and then ride the train back to Hogsmeade.