Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[bubba's mom]

We leave in 17 days. We are going to IOA on Sunday, but we are off site. Could not get a room onsite for 7 of us at an affordable rate. I am curious too...Do we show up at 7am and then wait there in line...are we ushered somewhere? We will have only one day there...going to make it a long one from opening to close. We are probably getting the front of the line ticket for all of us so we can ride other rides in the park. We do lots of Disney but IOA only every few years...so not good at touring there. Should we get there early then do what we can, then go back later in the afternoon? Do we try to get it all in the morning? We range in age from 14 -46. Please, any suggestions for us would be appreciated. I want everyone to enjoy this trip

Luckily, Sunday seems to be the lightest day. Be at the turnstiles as early as you can (not sure what time the parking garage is opening? Be THERE as early as you can). When you go in thru POE, you will bear left toward Hulk & Spiderman. If you can get to thru there as fast as you can, you'll be toward the front of the line for offsite entry. Granted, there will be lines (because Ollivanders & FJ get lines forming from the onsiters), but it'll be early and not too unbearably hot and hopefully not 90+ minute waits.

btw...esp for offsiters, if you have a powerwalker in your group, send them ahead to get your group a spot. I saw it quite a bit.

 

[mm42197]

So if I get there at 7am with the onsite ppl we'll be let in with them, head left then they'll hold us outsite WWoHP until 9am, then we'll be some of the 1st GP let in? OK I think I got it.

I have thought about getting a 2 day pass and seeing if I can squeeze in some touring time the 1st nt we get into FL but it'll be after a long day driving and I dont know exact time we'll be getting in?? Dont want to waste the $$ on it if we cant go. I have decided Ollivanders isnt worth it. My boys are too young for the books and movies and I dont think they would 'choose' a 31 yr old

Thx again for the great advice. I cant believe I'm going to get up this early on vacation. I dont even get up this early normally.

 

[reelmom]

I'm curious to see how the crowds are. We are planning on going in April. Hopefully, the crowds will die down a bit but then again, it will be Spring Break.

 

[bubba's mom]

I cant believe I'm going to get up this early on vacation. I dont even get up this early normally.

me either!

 

[MErnst]

Me and DS16 leave in 10 days for our 5 day on-site Harry Potter vacation! We land at MCO approx 9am on Thurs 29th and I'm expecting to be at a park by 11am. I'm wondering if we should just avoid WWoHP till late afternoon that day? We are staying onsite at RPR so I'm not too concerned about lines for anything since we have Express Pass. Any suggestions on arrival day till late afternoon/early evening?? Actually we have lunch ressies at Mythos for 2:30...should we plan on visiting after lunch or dinner?

 

[MErnst]

Me and DS16 leave in 10 days for our 5 day on-site Harry Potter vacation! We land at MCO approx 9am on Thurs 29th and I'm expecting to be at a park by 11am. I'm wondering if we should just avoid WWoHP till late afternoon that day? We are staying onsite at RPR so I'm not too concerned about lines for anything since we have Express Pass. Any suggestions on arrival day till late afternoon/early evening?? Actually we have lunch ressies at Mythos for 2:30...should we plan on visiting after lunch?

 

[lasdisney]

I'm curious to see how the crowds are. We are planning on going in April. Hopefully, the crowds will die down a bit but then again, it will be Spring Break.

I want to say thanks to everyone for the input on this thread. We are going down in March 2011 to use our Orlando Flex tickets that we didn't use last year because it was so cold (couldn't take advantage of water parks). HP is the big draw for my 11 yr old twin boys. I was able to gather alot of info about the WWoHP here. I know the 4 of us can manage it but yesterday my father announced that he wants to come to see HP and he will need a scooter due to mobility issues. I am very concerned about how he is going to make out inside WWoHP given how jam packed it will be for Cdn spring break, small stores, etc.

Has anyone experienced a HP visit with a person in a scooter?

 

[bubba's mom]

We land at MCO approx 9am on Thurs 29th and I'm expecting to be at a park by 11am. I'm wondering if we should just avoid WWoHP till late afternoon that day?

Any suggestions on arrival day till late afternoon/early evening?? Actually we have lunch ressies at Mythos for 2:30...should we plan on visiting after lunch?

^ ...yes...there shouldn't be a line to get IN to the land after 3 or so. Eat lunch then stroll through. There will be lines for FJ & Ollivanders...maybe Honeydukes/Zonkos...that's a crap shoot...may or may not be a line for that.

 

[bubba's mom]

I promised pix from Sunday morning:

just after opening on our way to Ollivanders:

About 5pm later that day:

Looking back...I think I shoulda taken more pix

 

[donaldduck352]

Talking about a crowd change!!!!!!!WOW

 

[dwtc30813z]

Universal partner hotel ticket packages offer early entry (no express pass)
You are let in around 7:30am and is a lot less expensive than Universal on-site hotels

 

[MErnst]

^ ...yes...there shouldn't be a line to get IN to the land after 3 or so. Eat lunch then stroll through. There will be lines for FJ & Ollivanders...maybe Honeydukes/Zonkos...that's a crap shoot...may or may not be a line for that.

Thanks bubba's mom for all of the good info!! We are soooo excited about this trip!! I cannot wait to try a cauldron cake and a butterbeer...yummmm!!

 

[mm42197]

I promised pix from Sunday morning:

just after opening on our way to Ollivanders:

About 5pm later that day:

Looking back...I think I shoulda taken more pix

WOW thx for posting! Great pics! The world looks so real. ooo I can't wait even seeing the crowds I want to be standing there staring in those windows! I'm so dorky! I started reading the books way back in 97 when they first came out. To physically see & feel the world is going to blow me away!

Universal partner hotel ticket packages offer early entry (no express pass)
You are let in around 7:30am and is a lot less expensive than Universal on-site hotels

Thats good info! Thx for sharing

 

[MAGGIED]

We will be at WDW Nov 5 thru 12th and are thinking of taking a day to go see WWOHP... any one have any thoughts on crowds for that time of year.... thanks

 

[Purseval]

Got in line for Ollivander's at 8:08am today (7/20) and it took us 45 minutes to see the show. You could probably do just as well getting there at 9pm. We didn't go on FJ but the posted wait time was 20 minutes as we were getting into the line for ollivander's. It was ok to do once but I wouldn't waste another 45 minutes for that little show.

We aren't HP fans, we have a neice and nephew with us. That said I have to admit that WWOHP has raised the bar. Nothing at WDW can match it for detail and theming. The Haunted Mansion is a distant runnerup for detail in one building but everything in the area is amazing. The Disney fanatics can grouse all they want but I've been going to Orlando since the mid 1970's and nothing in WDW can approach it. The planners at WDW must be feeling queasy these days because they have lost the crown.

I am also one of those folks who think the FJ ride is blurry. Maybe it's my eyes. My wife agrees. It is pretty neat but the details in the castle is what really made the trip worthwhile.

 

[MJmom94]

We were there Monday evening July 12th and the forbidden journey ride (around 7:00 pm) had a 60 minute wait, so we went on. We then bypassed the butterbeer cart (20 or so person wait) and went right into Hogsmead and got butterbeer in less than 30 secs. We only tried the candy and toy store which were unbearably crowded and seemed wiped out.

I tell you this because on Tues, July 13th in the evening it was much worse in that part of the park. Forbidden Journey was 90 min and there were lines just to be let into the candy and toy store. Forget Ollivander's or the Owl Post, youcouldn't even tell in the sea of people where the line started. The singing frog performance had a group 10 people deep.

On Wed July 14th at about 2:00, we saw for the first time that they were still lining people up in the Jurassic Park area just to be let into the Harry Potter area. We had lunch in that area on Tues so we know there was no line there the day before.

So I would guess the earlier in the week the better?

 

[diberry]

Does anybody know please when the last performances of the Frog Chorus and Beaux Batons/Durmstrang take place please? We're planning to go as late as possible in the evening to avoid the main crowds but would like to see those performances if possible.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We will be at WDW Nov 5 thru 12th and are thinking of taking a day to go see WWOHP... any one have any thoughts on crowds for that time of year.... thanks

The weekend you're arriving is the end of "Jersey Week" as they call it in WDW. NJ schools are closed at least 2 days for teachers convention in AC. Our town's schools are also closed Tues for Election Day. It's a very popular week to travel and WDW is packed by the end of the week. We've gone twice that week and can say that Sat MK was open til midnight and it was the most crowded we had ever seen it though I admit we usually go very off peak times. That trip we stayed for the next week too and it completely emptied out by Monday.
Last year we spent the Saturday at the end of JW at USO post cruise and it wasn't bad. Not nearly as crowded as I expected. Nothing longer than 1/2 hr wait. No long lines for food/drinks either.

 

[bubba's mom]

I tell you this because on Tues, July 13th in the evening it was much worse in that part of the park. Forbidden Journey was 90 min and there were lines just to be let into the candy and toy store. Forget Ollivander's or the Owl Post, youcouldn't even tell in the sea of people where the line started. The singing frog performance had a group 10 people deep.

On Wed July 14th at about 2:00, we saw for the first time that they were still lining people up in the Jurassic Park area just to be let into the Harry Potter area. We had lunch in that area on Tues so we know there was no line there the day before.

So I would guess the earlier in the week the better?

We were there those days too...early entry and evenings. I agree...they were much busier then than Sunday.

Does anybody know please when the last performances of the Frog Chorus and Beaux Batons/Durmstrang take place please? We're planning to go as late as possible in the evening to avoid the main crowds but would like to see those performances if possible.

I know one night (Friday?) we went to IOA to take pix at night. Just as we were setting up the tripod, the BB/D show started. I would give you a time, but the picture is on my laptop (on DH's desktop right now) and it seems to be having a power issue. Issue would be: lack of I'll try to post tomorrow. But that & the Frog Choir aren't listed times....pot luck.

 

[diberry]

I know one night (Friday?) we went to IOA to take pix at night. Just as we were setting up the tripod, the BB/D show started. I would give you a time, but the picture is on my laptop (on DH's desktop right now) and it seems to be having a power issue. Issue would be: lack of I'll try to post tomorrow. But that & the Frog Choir aren't listed times....pot luck.[/COLOR]

Thank you. We are planning to go on a Friday night too. If you could give me some indication of the time, that would be great, thank you.