Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[bubba's mom]

^ yes.

You will most likely need an attendant to retrieve your stuff out of the locker. I would assume you pay them because 1)we've never had to pay and 2)i don't recall anywhere to insert any money.

 

[tabby1964]

Our first day at IOA we used the Suess shortcut. The second day, they had someone patrolling the shortcut and made us take the longer route. The only difference was that the first day was Sunday and not as crowded as the extremely crowded Thursday.

 

[Planogirl]

Uh oh, are they not letting people use the shorter route? Stupid crowd control...

 

[damo]

Uh oh, are they not letting people use the shorter route? Stupid crowd control...

When we were there just before grand opening, they weren't letting people use the short cut either.

 

[georgina]

We just got back last night, and the 2 days we did early entry (Sunday and Tuesday), everyone used the Seuss shortcut!

out of the 4 days we were there, Monday was the most crowded at WWOHP. There were long lines all afternoon into Jurassic Park, and the posted wait time for FJ was still long after 9 PM.

Tuesday we did early entry, and the free locker time for FJ was only 25 minutes, it only took us about 10-15 minutes to go through and ride. Luckily we had been through the line several times before, or we would have missed a lot because it moved so quickly. Tuesday was also the only day there were pygmy puffs in Zonkos!

 

[hopemax]

Did they have purple pygmy puffs, or just the pink ones?

 

[georgina]

Just pink. I didn't even know there were purple ones!

 

[heatherbelle]

I haven't read all of this thread, but I have read the last three pages.

Can someone clarify why off-site guests are being advised to arrive by 7.30am. I thought the park didn't open until 9.00 and resort guests only were being let in at 8am.

Forgot to add, we are staying at HRH for 1 night on Tuesday and I was planning to get to the gates for 8.00, do I need to get their earlier?

 

[wilma-bride]

I haven't read all of this thread, but I have read the last three pages.

Can someone clarify why off-site guests are being advised to arrive by 7.30am. I thought the park didn't open until 9.00 and resort guests only were being let in at 8am.

From what I understand, off-site guests are also being let into the park early but have to line up for WWOHP on the left-hand (Jurassic Park) side as opposed to onsite guests, who are directed through Seuss Landing and line up for WWOHP that side.

So, it's advantageous to arrive early as you can be among the first int he line for off-site entry to WWOHP.

Of course, I could have completely misunderstood it and be wrong - it has happened just once before

 

[bubba's mom]

I haven't read all of this thread, but I have read the last three pages.

Can someone clarify why off-site guests are being advised to arrive by 7.30am. I thought the park didn't open until 9.00 and resort guests only were being let in at 8am.

Forgot to add, we are staying at HRH for 1 night on Tuesday and I was planning to get to the gates for 8.00, do I need to get their earlier?

Wilma-Bride is right.

If you still arrive by 7am-ish (turnstiles), you will be let into the park, but you will have to head left at POE instead of to the right with onsite people. They may stop and ask you where you're going...explain you are not onsite, but going thru JP to go stand in line to get into WWoHP at 9am.

When you stay at HRH, I would still get to the turnstiles by 7-7:15am. They could open the gates at 7:30. But...that's your call....

 

[abooch]

Have rides likes Jurassic Park been more crowded than usual because of HP and because its so close to the line to get into HP?

 

[wilma-bride]

Wilma-Bride is right.

I knew it! I've been telling DH that for years but he never listens

 

[bubba's mom]

I knew it! I've been telling DH that for years but he never listens

tell him I said so

 

[hopemax]

Just pink. I didn't even know there were purple ones!

Part of the rumors have been, that during the August restock they were supposed to add purple to the lineup. If it was pink, it may not be the restock and maybe they found more in a warehouse.

 

[Planogirl]

Have rides likes Jurassic Park been more crowded than usual because of HP and because its so close to the line to get into HP?

I watched the line times when HP first opened on the now defunct ride app and I never could see a difference. The rides would get crowded but they do at certain times anyway. As far as I could tell at least...

 

[unionville]

If you do have to pay for the locker do you need coins or will it accept dollar bills?

We had to pay $3 at those lockers near the Hogwarts train and it was well worth not having to fight the castle mob. We used a credit card to pay.

 

[georgina]

heatherbelle, we arrived at the turnstiles at 8 on Sunday for early entry and went straight to the line at Ollivanders, which was probably a 20 minute wait at that time. On Tuesday we were earlier, arriving at the turnstiles at 7:30 just as they were opening up, and went straight to FJ, which was running even though it was a little before 8. The earlier day was definitely better! Wait times for FJ climbed up pretty quickly.

 

[nmartin]

We had to pay $3 at those lockers near the Hogwarts train and it was well worth not having to fight the castle mob. We used a credit card to pay.

That is what we were going to do. I don't mine paying but I just need to know how. Did the locker have some sort or chip to insert a credit card or did you pay a TM? If so did you have to go in search of someone to help you? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[phamton]

You can pay via credit card. The lockers are able to take $ or CC. No attendant needed.

 

[Procrastinate]

Long waits for all of IOA on 8/2 with water rides having waits of 2 hours +.

Stay onsite and go at 8 if you can. Wait for entry was 2 hours by 10 am. They were telling people to come back after three to walk in. Lines for all shops and butterbeer were longer when we went back after 6 than they were in the morning.

Wheelchairs can go through most of the line for FJ at least. I don't know if they split off at some point as I saw them pretty far ahead of us in the greenhouse. Didn't see any ECVs.

US also seemed more crowded than we remembered from last year.