Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[consultant]

Definitely go on a weekday if you have that option. Crowds always less weekdays. US gets a lot of local people in the parks on weekends.

Major HP fans. We're in the middle of our HP Movie Marathon - watching all the movies in the 2 weeks before we hit the midnight showing on July 14.

Any advice on a January trip? We're thinking to visit US on Saturday, Jan 7 and hop over to IOA and WWOHP before it closes for the day if the waits are reasonable. Then early morning arrival at IOA on Sunday, Jan 8 going straight to WWOHP at rope drop.

Or should we do IOA on a weekday? Should be smaller crowds that week, but the shorter the waits the better.

What impact does the marathon at WDW have on crowds at US/IOA?

Thanks for the tips on the bags (we'll leave them at home) and the short cut through Seuss Landing!

 

[DisneyGayl]

This might be slightly off-topic, but where is the short-cut through Suess Landing? I must have missed reading about that!

Thanks!

Gayl

 

[Paula25]

This might be slightly off-topic, but where is the short-cut through Suess Landing? I must have missed reading about that!

Probably not technically a shortcut, but the discussion of which way to head to WWOHP clarified the issue for me. Park maps can be misleading when it comes to the distance between attractions.

 

[jfelcie]

I am planning a trip to WDW and Universal for next year. We will be there June 23-July 4. We will be staying at Disney Boardwalk with teens and are thinking of going to Universal either Monday or Tuesday. How long are the waits for the big coasters, Spiderman and other major attractions? Also would like to see HP. Would we be able to do both parks in one day? We had no trouble in September and the the parks closed early. Just how bad are the summer crowds?

 

[Harry Potter]

How do I subscribe to this thread (and others) so that I get an email notification every time a new message is posted?

 

[DizDragonfly]

How do I subscribe to this thread (and others) so that I get an email notification every time a new message is posted?

Click on Thread Tools up above and choose subscribe.

 

[Harry Potter]

Thanks for the quick response!

I also found something out myself soon after posting, which is always the way!

Actually, it gives an option when you make a reply to a message.

So now I have chosen to subscribe to this thread and asked for an instant email notification...but what does this mean exactly?

Everytime someone replies to my post (i.e. quotes me), or everytime somebody adds anything to the thread? I would prefer the latter.

 

[Brandis]

By answering to the thread

Below the message field where you write your text is a box called "Additional Options", in there is "Thread Subscription". I think, by default it's set to "Instant email notification" but you can set it differently as well.

 

[mesaboy2]

How do I subscribe to this thread (and others) so that I get an email notification every time a new message is posted?

Click on "User CP" in the light blue bar near the top of the page. Then click on "Edit Options" down the left hand pane of the next page. Scroll down to the "Messaging & Notifications" area, then click the list box for "Default Thread Subscription Mode" and pick your poison.

 

[SAtella]

It's worth the wait, no matter how long. I waited 90 min last summer just to get into the Harry Potter section. Another 75 min for the ride and 60 min for the butter beer. It was fantastic!

 

[drag n' fly]

Not sure if this has been asked but will part 2 of the movie coming out next week cause a surge of visitors again?

 

[Pumbaa7287]

There is going to be a surge due to LeakyCon happening next week, which is basically a giant fan convention for Harry Potter, this year being held at IOA.

 

[Metro West]

This might be slightly off-topic, but where is the short-cut through Suess Landing? I must have missed reading about that!

Thanks!

Gayl

As soon as you pass over the bridge into Suess Landing from Port of Entry, make a left and go past Sneech Beach. Follow the path around and you'll come out at the entrance to Lost Continent. It's a little faster than walking through the area.

 

[macraven]

Thanks for the quick response!

I also found something out myself soon after posting, which is always the way!

Actually, it gives an option when you make a reply to a message.

So now I have chosen to subscribe to this thread and asked for an instant email notification...but what does this mean exactly?

Everytime someone replies to my post (i.e. quotes me), or everytime somebody adds anything to the thread? I would prefer the latter.

By answering to the thread

Below the message field where you write your text is a box called "Additional Options", in there is "Thread Subscription". I think, by default it's set to "Instant email notification" but you can set it differently as well.

i no longer get the email notifications to my email, haven't for over a year.
now some of my subscriptions notices go to my listings on the dis forum sections. kind of a hit and miss as only about half i subscribe to end up there.

just takes a bit longer for me to read them that way.
but, no big deal.

 

[Jaime4004]

Crowd update: Went on Thurs 6/30. Got to park at 9:30am, FJ posted a 75min wait. Walked over to WWoHP and FJ was 90mins by the time we got there. Went to single rider line and waited 10mins. Stayed in that area until about noon, FJ was posting 120min wait each time I checked. Ate at 3 broomsticks at noon, with minimal wait, the line moved very fast. Went last year at this time of year and waited about 30mins to order food. Went back to FJ a few hours later, a 90min wait was posted. Decided to wait in that line because the single rider and the castle tour only did not give the full castle experience, IMO. Actual wait time was 45 mins, yeah for me!
Skipped Ollivander's this time. Did it last year with a 90min wait, it was cute but not worth that wait a 2nd time. The line never seemed to end there. No waits for any of the shops when I shopped in the afternoon.

 

[aryfairy]

Just back from our Disney/Universal Trip and was pleasantly surprised with IOA. We were nervous that we wouldn't get to ride everything since we were only doing one day at each of the Universal parks. What we found was no problem at all doing everything in one day. We went to IOA on Sunday July 3rd and could have walked on Dueling Dragons/Dragon Challenge all day with just a 5 minute wait time. Forbidden Journey was the longest with a 45 minute wait which turned out to be a bit longer because the ride was down for a little while. We waited it out and it was well worth it. The ride is amazing. Flight of the Hippogriff was a 20 minute wait. The butterbeer lines outdoors were quite long so we headed into The Three Broomsticks for dinner and got one there. Ouch ice cream headache but yummy on a hot day : ) We did all of the park in one day and could have done everything again had we wanted to. We did Universal Studios on Wednesday July 6th and it was actually much longer waits for everything. Just about every ride had at least a 30 to 45 minute wait. Although we did luck out and hit Rip Ride Rocket after a breakdown and got on with a 15 minute wait time. The ride is awesome and I love the idea of the video of your ride. Very cool idea. All in all it was a great experience and while I'll always be a Disney girl I did enjoy the days at Universal and IOA.

 

[MrShiny]

Hot and crowded yesterday! FJ was posted at 90 minutes at 6:00PM. Don't be fooled by lack of lines outside the castle. The opened a switchback on the side of the building in an off stage area.

Got into the castle about 7:10.

Probably would have been better after sundown, I'm sure!

 

[rtfelt]

Going to IoA/US on Sunday, August 21 (because of all the recommendations for Sunday on this thread), evening of 24th, and the 30th. We have a park hopper, but are staying offsite, so no early entry or front of line passes. I plan on spending Sunday in IoA and since we can't get in early it seems many recommend avoiding the am for HP, so I plan on going left at entrance and seeing the other attractions, then going to HP in afternoon/evening. The schedule only shows open until 8 (wondering if they'll extend the hours again like last year). Then on the 24th, we'll see anything in HP we either didn't see or want to see again. We figure to spend the early day on the 30th at US then go to IoA later. Does this sound like a plan that will avoid lines? I know it will be hot and humid (something we're not used to, being from S CA), but if we have a lot of line waiting too, I might just faint

 

[kingken]

Going to IoA/US on Sunday, August 21 (because of all the recommendations for Sunday on this thread), evening of 24th, and the 30th. We have a park hopper, but are staying offsite, so no early entry or front of line passes. I plan on spending Sunday in IoA and since we can't get in early it seems many recommend avoiding the am for HP, so I plan on going left at entrance and seeing the other attractions, then going to HP in afternoon/evening. The schedule only shows open until 8 (wondering if they'll extend the hours again like last year). Then on the 24th, we'll see anything in HP we either didn't see or want to see again. We figure to spend the early day on the 30th at US then go to IoA later. Does this sound like a plan that will avoid lines? I know it will be hot and humid (something we're not used to, being from S CA), but if we have a lot of line waiting too, I might just faint

imagine how we feel coming from england then i'm also interested in this question as we are going 26th august and will be going to ioa on 28th as i have booked mythos for dinner staying offsite, at worst could trot over to US if packed and try later on IOA

 

[neoavatara]

Going to IoA/US on Sunday, August 21 (because of all the recommendations for Sunday on this thread), evening of 24th, and the 30th. We have a park hopper, but are staying offsite, so no early entry or front of line passes. I plan on spending Sunday in IoA and since we can't get in early it seems many recommend avoiding the am for HP, so I plan on going left at entrance and seeing the other attractions, then going to HP in afternoon/evening. The schedule only shows open until 8 (wondering if they'll extend the hours again like last year). Then on the 24th, we'll see anything in HP we either didn't see or want to see again. We figure to spend the early day on the 30th at US then go to IoA later. Does this sound like a plan that will avoid lines? I know it will be hot and humid (something we're not used to, being from S CA), but if we have a lot of line waiting too, I might just faint

Going to be there on the same day!!! Hoping for the best. I have the same issue with early entry, but I am still going to try to hit WWoHP first. We shall see how that works out.