Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[kjdaniel66]

I did not ride, as I am prone to motion sickness-got so sick on Rock N Roller years ago that I had to return to hotel. DH said there is a lot of changing realistic movement, he even felt a bit queasy. Kids were fine of course.

Your mom can still go through the line with you and see all of the castle up to the ride.

Re scooters-there really is no room in the stores. At Ollivander's I left our stroller right at the entrance behind the ropes. I guess you could leave it outside the stores or by Three Broomsticks where people leave their strollers.

Bummer you didn't get to go on the ride but it is not worth it if you are going to feel sick the rest of your trip.
So would you say it is like soarin but more intense? She went on soarin last year and loved it. The first time I went on soarin I got a little dizzy....I told everyone else to shut their eyes if they feel dizzy.
Can you do that in FJ...just close your eyes? and how fast does it go? Is it like a roller coaster type speed or is it a slow but jerky pace?
Any help is greatly appreciated. I want her to be able to go and she wants to but I am just being cautious is all.

Thank in advance,
Kelly J. Daniel

 

[Planogirl]

This is a great thread with so much information. The information has left me with a wizard of a headache! Could someone give me a quick catch up?

We are staying on Disney property and want to visit TWWOHP, the two days we have planned for Universal are Thursday 7th October and Sunday 10th October.

What would be the best day to visit Mr. Potters land and what time should we arrive? As we are not staying in a Universal hotel.

And lastly what would you say is the best order to approach the rides in that land?

Thank you for any help, I'm so looking forward to seeing the detail and creativity of that land.

We were there last week and also stayed offsite. I would hope that it won't be quite as busy in October.

We arrived two days at just after 8 and was able to get into the area just past 8:30 both times. The lines were at about 45 minutes each time which sounds long but the walk through the castle is fascinating. We tried arriving in the evening but we never could catch the Forbidden Journey ride at any less than 60 minutes and that was only once and quite late. Usually it was at 90 minutes or so and on the Monday we went it was way longer than that.

If you want to go to Ollivanders, you might want to go to it first and then line up for Forbidden Journey. The lines were enormous the whole time for this store. You might also want to line up early for frozen butterbeer. The lines would get long and sometimes they ran out of the frozen for a while. The stuff is amazing so I understand why. We never saw particularly long lines for Dragon Challenge or Flight of the Hippogriff.

 

[Planogirl]

Bummer you didn't get to go on the ride but it is not worth it if you are going to feel sick the rest of your trip.
So would you say it is like soarin but more intense? She went on soarin last year and loved it. The first time I went on soarin I got a little dizzy....I told everyone else to shut their eyes if they feel dizzy.
Can you do that in FJ...just close your eyes? and how fast does it go? Is it like a roller coaster type speed or is it a slow but jerky pace?
Any help is greatly appreciated. I want her to be able to go and she wants to but I am just being cautious is all.

Thank in advance,
Kelly J. Daniel

Forbidden Journey isn't bumpy or really jerky but kind of swoops back and forth and up and down. It does so a lot more aggressively than Soarin' and you sometimes feel like you could fall out thus the good solid restraints.

I felt a few moments of queasiness at the beginning each time I rode but it went away immediately. I think that taking dramamine is a good idea, just in case.

 

[TinkerbelleMom]

Went to US yesterday...we're locals from Daytona with the day off, and the kids are back in school! We got there at 9am and went to US first just to ride HRRR, we missed it in July due to breakdowns and long lines. That and Mummy were walk ons, its now only 9:30, so we decided to take our chances with WWoHP. They weren't directing traffic thru IOA like they were in July, and we got right into Hogsmead. The line for FJ looked long, but it was the locker line. We chose to do single rider, and there was no line for that at all, we ride twice again before 10:30, and decided then that we'd never wait in the regular line again...unless you want the picture, you can't tell who you're riding with anyway. I agree you should see the entire queue if you haven't been before, but even the single rider line has a theme of its own...it felt to us like a secret passage taking you up a hidden stairway to the front of the line! We hadn't even noticed the single rider entrance before yesterday.

 

[carly chloe]

Just went last week Fri. In the morning there were lines to everything. In the afternoon we went to the single line for FJ and were on in 5 minutes. Stores wre open too.

 

[kat9t]

Hi
We will be in Orlando and our non-travel days are Sept 1st (Tues) to the 5th(Sunday). I understand Sundays are usually the least crowded, but since it's Labor Day weekend, maybe that Sunday wouldn't be the best? Possibly one of you who was there over the 4th of July might know. Thanks a lot to all for the tips, a friend who was there Aug 17-21st confirms a lot of what you've said.
Can't wait to arrive!

Kat

 

[fabmic]

If you go through Filch's Emporium to get a lock do you still get to see the castle inside or can you only get to the single rider line?

What if you don't want a locker because you have a none rider in the group that will hold the backpack filled with all non-ride stuff can you just skip the locker line and go right to the castle line?

 

[damo]

If you go through Filch's Emporium to get a lock do you still get to see the castle inside or can you only get to the single rider line?

What if you don't want a locker because you have a none rider in the group that will hold the backpack filled with all non-ride stuff can you just skip the locker line and go right to the castle line?

You go through the same line no matter where you enter the locker room. After you get a locker, don't go back into Filch's. If you don't want a locker just go to the castle line. You will be reminded by several employees along the way to store your stuff but just gently let them know that one of you isn't riding.

 

[fabmic]

You go through the same line no matter where you enter the locker room. After you get a locker, don't go back into Filch's. If you don't want a locker just go to the castle line. You will be reminded by several employees along the way to store your stuff but just gently let them know that one of you isn't riding.

Thanks.

Is it obvious where the castle line is and the locker line is?

 

[damo]

Thanks.

Is it obvious where the castle line is and the locker line is?

If there are two long lines, ask someone before getting into one of them. The locker line should be to the right and the ride line to the left.

However, once you get inside the castle, don't go left up the stairs or that will put you in the single rider line. You will need to go straight. It can get a little confusing since it is so dark in there and you will just have come inside from the bright light.

 

[Praise2Him]

We will be in Orlando and our non-travel days are Sept 1st (Tues) to the 5th(Sunday). I understand Sundays are usually the least crowded, but since it's Labor Day weekend, maybe that Sunday wouldn't be the best? Possibly one of you who was there over the 4th of July might know.

We were there on July 4th which was a Sunday and it wasn't bad at all (we did stay onsite though and it rained most of the day which may have had an effect on the crowds). I would say definitely go on Sunday and get there early and you should be fine.

Is it obvious where the castle line is and the locker line is?

The locker line is to the right and castle line is to the left (and single rider is to the left also, once you get inside). There should be a team member there directing people.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Forbidden Journey isn't bumpy or really jerky but kind of swoops back and forth and up and down. It does so a lot more aggressively than Soarin' and you sometimes feel like you could fall out thus the good solid restraints.

I felt a few moments of queasiness at the beginning each time I rode but it went away immediately. I think that taking dramamine is a good idea, just in case.

It's funny, because to me, I felt like I was being thrown all over the place. The boys didn't think it was jerky really, but I did. I think part of the problem was that I was so scared.When that dragon breathed fire in my face, I was all done. I closed my eyes through the entire spider part but I could still hear the clicking (while blocking my ears) and it freaked me out. I had no problems with Manta, Dueling Dragons, Spiderman, Simpsons etc.. so I don't think motion is my problem. I am just a chicken, and being so scared may have made every tiny movement seem bad.

 

[isabelleB]

We went on sunday 08/01 and it was practically dead , they opened the gates at 7.30 am.
We went again the next monday, and it was a zoo, the ride was down at 7.45 and the line was already more than 60 minutes
We didn't wait
during the day, the wait times were more than 2 hours just to enter Harry potter land( regular entry) for the whole morning.
It calmed down in the late afternoon
We visited some other days of this week, and found everydays pretty busy.
Only sunday was great for us.
We didn't check late at night.

 

[Planogirl]

It's funny, because to me, I felt like I was being thrown all over the place. The boys didn't think it was jerky really, but I did. I think part of the problem was that I was so scared.When that dragon breathed fire in my face, I was all done. I closed my eyes through the entire spider part but I could still hear the clicking (while blocking my ears) and it freaked me out. I had no problems with Manta, Dueling Dragons, Spiderman, Simpsons etc.. so I don't think motion is my problem. I am just a chicken, and being so scared may have made every tiny movement seem bad.

I'm like that too. If I get spooked I worry too much about every little thing that the ride is doing. I did feel a little odd when on my back and started wondering about sliding out which of course is impossible.

I have this problem on Tower of Terror. I don't like drops so every little movement or visual on ToT makes me jump.

 

[Tinker74]

Was there this morning....we were let in at 7.45am..we are on site. Went straight to ollivanders..walked straight in no wait....then walked on FJ no wait...TWICE!

Rode the little coaster.....3 times...then the big dragon coaster...we were outa there after looking through the shops at 9.30am.
Rode all the sues rides..no wait whatsoever...then spiderman...hulk....went back to three broomsticks at 10.30 for lunch...no wait at all!....still no wait when we left at about11.15a m.

 

[lildamo]

Was there this morning....we were let in at 7.45am..we are on site. Went straight to ollivanders..walked straight in no wait....then walked on FJ no wait...TWICE!

Rode the little coaster.....3 times...then the big dragon coaster...we were outa there after looking through the shops at 9.30am.

So glad to hear the crowds are finally dying down! This is good news for us fall vacationers!

 

[2Relax]

We were also there this morning, Sunday, when they opened to general admission at 8:45. We went straight through Suessland to Forbidden Joureny and walked right on, no need to use the Filch route. We returned again to ride right away, and did the single lane (DD10 and I). We actually went 7 times in next one hour and 10 minutes. This was just doing the ride, and heading right back up again. There was one 5 minute stop and one 7 minute stop within that time. On our last go around, the regular line told use they had been waiting 20 minutes.

ALL DAY, all other rides were either walk right on, or have a 2-5 minute wait for the next car. We rode rides multiple times. This 2-5 minute wait means in all of IOA, not just Harry Potter (on our route and timing at least) The only wait was in mid-afternoon 10 minutes for Spiderman, and 20 minutes for Posiedons Fury which is more of an attraction not a ride. We saw a number of characters; in Marvel including Spiderman, Storm and others, only 1-2 minute wait for a photo with them; you could take your own photos.

We ate at Mythos, and that was walk right in too. A great day for our first visit. We will probably do Universal Studios tomorrow.

 

[Jennasis]

School back in session diminishing crowds perhaps? YAY!!

 

[sicjoy]

Was there this morning....we were let in at 7.45am..we are on site. Went straight to ollivanders..walked straight in no wait....then walked on FJ no wait...TWICE!

Rode the little coaster.....3 times...then the big dragon coaster...we were outa there after looking through the shops at 9.30am.
Rode all the sues rides..no wait whatsoever...then spiderman...hulk....went back to three broomsticks at 10.30 for lunch...no wait at all!....still no wait when we left at about11.15a m.

Totally jealous, but very happy for you! Sounds like you had a great time.

When we went to the other parts of the park throughout the day the only time we had a wait was at Poseidon's fury and that was because of "tour" time.

 

[tiqr]

The HP park is very small and way too croded - just to walk through shops there was a very long line. We were there Aug 20 and arrived around 10:30am. Late I know...but teenagers......

But reading all these more recent posts, adn I am quite envious - sounds like the crowds have died down.