Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[Missyrose]

Hi everyone! After much discussion, my friend and I believe we will be going to WWoHP on Thursday, March 17th. We would have liked to go earlier in the week, but my friend wasn't able to take off more than a couple of days of work. Gates open at 9, and we're staying offsite. What time should we plan to arrive at the park?


We will be heading straight to the Forbidden Journey, as we have very little interest in Ollivanders. We'd also like to see the Three Broomsticks. Anything on top of that is gravy, but we are also considering heading to the Marvel or Seuss sections later in the afternoon. Advice? Suggestions? Thanks!

You should also plan to spend some time in WWoHP at night. It's really cool all lit up and the crowds tend to be lighter, as well. And the shops stay open after the park closes, so you can take your time heading out! Have fun

 

[HawaiiDiscount]

My blog and some pictures from my recent trip to WWOHP http://hawaiidiscount.blogspot.com/2011/01/wizarding-world-of-harry-potter-and.html

 

[disnemimi]

Our first trip to Harry Potter World is the week of March 6th. We will go 3 or 4 days to Universal and IOA and need to know which days or days of the week is best for Harry Potter World with lower crowd levels. Any ideas on the best day?
Karen

 

[Missyrose]

Sunday's have seemed to be one of the lowest-crowd days of the week.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi,

We have never been to Harry Potter as yet but have been to Universal many times.
Not that bothered about Forbidden Journey but would like to visit and have a look around the rest of the area, do not want to dine, given our son has special needs and ideally doesn't like long queue's, what time do you suggest we arrive?
We normally get to IOA for park opening, have seen reports of people arriving very early, something we are not really wanting to do.

 

[damo]

Hi,

We have never been to Harry Potter as yet but have been to Universal many times.
Not that bothered about Forbidden Journey but would like to visit and have a look around the rest of the area, do not want to dine, given our son has special needs and ideally doesn't like long queue's, what time do you suggest we arrive?
We normally get to IOA for park opening, have seen reports of people arriving very early, something we are not really wanting to do.

When are you going? If the park is going to be open late, I suggest doing WW after dinner. The rest of the park will be fine.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

When are you going? If the park is going to be open late, I suggest doing WW after dinner. The rest of the park will be fine.

Early April but not Easter time, from between the 1st and 20th, no fixed dates at present as to when we will be going to Universal.
We have a 7 day pass but doubt we will go until at least the 6th of the month.

We do plan on an evening visit, it just gets complicated as son is an early riser so it suits to get to parks for opening at 9, just the way we have always done it.
With that in mind it's not always easy staying out too late with him.

I suppose in some ways our Universal enjoyment has suffered slightly in that some of the attractions he likes do not open till later in the morning.

He qualifies for a GAC as his autism means he is non verbal and requires a wheelchair as he cannot walk long distances.

 

[damo]

Early April but not Easter time, from between the 1st and 20th, no fixed dates at present as to when we will be going to Universal.
We have a 7 day pass but doubt we will go until at least the 6th of the month.

We do plan on an evening visit, it just gets complicated as son is an early riser so it suits to get to parks for opening at 9, just the way we have always done it.
With that in mind it's not always easy staying out too late with him.

I suppose in some ways our Universal enjoyment has suffered slightly in that some of the attractions he likes do not open till later in the morning.

He qualifies for a GAC as his autism means he is non verbal and requires a wheelchair as he cannot walk long distances.

The hours in early April are not late, so that would be a good time to go. From April 16th on, the hours are late so crowds will be large. I would go at normal time early in the vacation and your crowds shouldn't be bad. Everything at WW is open early.

 

[Pikester]

Keeping an eye on the crowd levels as we will be at Universal from Feb 28th -March 4th (leaving March 5th). Staying on property at RPR.

 

[damo]

We are headed to Orlando on April 13th - thinking of dong WWoHP on 14th - we know spring break is around that time. I guess crowds are still crazy even 6 months after opening. We will be there from 13th through 19th. Would you recommend going during the week or on the weekend?

I would go as early in your vacation as possible. Looks like they are expecting big crowds starting on the 16th.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

The hours in early April are not late, so that would be a good time to go. From April 16th on, the hours are late so crowds will be large. I would go at normal time early in the vacation and your crowds shouldn't be bad. Everything at WW is open early.

Thanks.

 

[MINILvr]

We will be at IOA on March 8th (Mardi Gras Day). We are not staying at Universal, so we will be with the huge rush of people entering at 9am. My thought is to immediately head to FJ and ride it (myself, DH and DS13), do other rides in the park (Hulk, Spiderman, etc), and hope to make it back to FJ before the end of the day for a second ride.

 

[mindyd]

Was there today got there at 10:30 went straight to Forbidden Journal and the line said 20 but it took much less more like 15. The shops were busy but doable except the wand shop it was backed way up. There were Brazillian tour groups that came in then it got pretty packed. We were able to ride basically everything in the park my daughter waited 5 minutes for hulk.

 

[Timchat2]

Apologies if this has already been discussed recently, but in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011 the authors mention that in the morning Universal Orlando hotel guests are allowed into Harry Potter from the Lost Continent end of the area while regular day guests are routed to the Jurassic Park end. Is this still the case, or was this just something done during the busy seasons?

 

[damo]

Apologies if this has already been discussed recently, but in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011 the authors mention that in the morning Universal Orlando hotel guests are allowed into Harry Potter from the Lost Continent end of the area while regular day guests are routed to the Jurassic Park end. Is this still the case, or was this just something done during the busy seasons?

Yes, it is just done during busy seasons.

 

[Timchat2]

I had a feeling that was the case.

Are the crowds corralled in any particular way in the morning (like into a queue), or are guests allowed to enter freely into the Harry Potter area?

Also, are there any strategies that can be employed when entering with the crowd (i.e. stay to the right/left, heading toward a particular attraction, etc.) or does entering the empty park keep everyone on even footing?

 

[dqpowell]

Apologies if this has already been discussed recently, but in the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011 the authors mention that in the morning Universal Orlando hotel guests are allowed into Harry Potter from the Lost Continent end of the area while regular day guests are routed to the Jurassic Park end. Is this still the case, or was this just something done during the busy seasons?

It was done when I visited -- technically, a busy season (Mid August) but the crowds were surprisingly light. I had to do the walk all the way around to the Jurassic Park side despite the light crowds.

David

 

[damo]

It was done when I visited -- technically, a busy season (Mid August) but the crowds were surprisingly light. I had to do the walk all the way around to the Jurassic Park side despite the light crowds.

David

We were there the end of August and everyone entered from the normal side but crowds were really, really light. Offsite people were even being let in early. So they may change it according to season.

 

[dqpowell]

We were there the end of August and everyone entered from the normal side but crowds were really, really light. Offsite people were even being let in early. So they may change it according to season.

Yeah, the crowds were also light when I was there, so much so that they were letting offsite people in early. (I was an offsite person.) Nonetheless, they did require me to go around the long way through Jurassic Park.



David

 

[Tink2Day]

Yet we were there Sunday early November and we walked straight up to the ticket window, bought the ticket and walked right through the Lost Continent, Seuss etc and right onto the FJ....

AND this was after the park had been open for at least 15-20 minutes since we drove over from WDW..