Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[bubba's mom]

idk about the cart by Magic Neep, but the cart doesn't take discounts, but Hogs Head does.

Right there is MY reason to get it a HH.

 

[damo]

idk about the cart by Magic Neep, but the cart doesn't take discounts, but Hogs Head does.

Right there is MY reason to get it a HH.

That and standing in an air conditioned room while waiting in line is nice too!

 

[Purseval]

We got butterbeer at the 3 broomsticks, in and out in less than 5 minutes.

 

[Bekastar01]

I check this everyday! Thanks to all for the info!

Question though- are the shops really crowded too?
I'm pregnant, so i'll be skipping FJ and the other ride, and olivander's seems to be "do it only if there's no line"

but are the shops crowded too? I have a long list of things to buy everyone and just want to know if i'll be smushed in there or waiting on long long lines.

Thanks!!

 

[Deb in IA]

but are the shops crowded too? I have a long list of things to buy everyone and just want to know if i'll be smushed in there or waiting on long long lines.

Thanks!!

JUST got back yesterday. We were at WWOHP Saturday and Sunday.

YES, the shops get very crowded. They are very small, and by 10 am or so, there are lines to get in to Dervish and Banges, Honeydukes, and Zonko's. There are cast members standing at the doors, and they only let in about 5 or 6 people every 10 minutes or so.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

I was there on Sunday, Aug 1. I got there (staying at All Star Moives) at around 7:15, and they let everyone into the park by 7:40. They were saying "resort guests go right" and "day guests go left" so I went left. I was about 10th in line. (No pictures on photobucket yet, sorry) They let us into WWOHP before 8:30. I walked through FJ line right away, then did the single rider line and had ridden twice by 9:05.

I had a side fanny back thingy, and once I went through a line where they mentioned they only let you ride with it if it had three prongs at the buckle. If it were two, they wouldn't let you ride with it.

I also felt terrible for the lady who sat in the test seat and fit, and then they wouldn't let her ride because they couldn't close it properly.

Dueling Drangons had a 15 minute wait, but it ended up being 45 minutes.

I walked into 3 broomsticks at around 10:40 (I was hungry!) and had no wait for lunch. Loved my potato and leek soup and salad, with a cold butterbeer. I later went into the Hogs Head and got a frozen butterbeer with about a 5 minute wait. Loved both versions.

Waited about 20 minutes for Dervish and Banges at some point in the morning and it was VERY crowded. Ollivanders had about a 40-45 minute wait at around 11:45, but it was quite hot and there was no shade.

I loved it and that's the only thing that got me to Universal, I've never been before. I will go back to WWOHP for sure.

 

[damo]

Hmmm. Another Sunday August 1 fanny pack issue. Interesting that there were no issues any other day.

 

[DisneyFreak06]

Hmmm. Another Sunday August 1 fanny pack issue. Interesting that there were no issues any other day.

Luckily mine had the three prongs and she let me ride, and since I had been on a few rides by then, I would have been annoyed.

 

[damo]

Luckily mine had the three prongs and she let me ride, and since I had been on a few rides by then, I would have been annoyed.

Mine doesn't even have a clasp. It goes over your head and then tightens up.

 

[GetGlowing]

they only let you ride with it if it had three prongs at the buckle

So you're saying that only three-pronged buckles were allowed that day?

So what is this one? two or three?

(Note: Don't go looking at Google images for clasps. Just don't. Unless you want to see a lot of bondage gear )


What about a fabric Vera Bradley shoulder bag (hipster) with no clasps? Or maybe I'll just take my clip-on wallet that day to avoid all possible hassle.

 

[aubriee]

What about a fabric Vera Bradley shoulder bag (hipster) with no clasps? Or maybe I'll just take my clip-on wallet that day to avoid all possible hassle.

I haven't been on FJ yet, but last May I had to put my Vera Bradley mini hipster in the lockers for MIB and Mummy. They considered it a loose bag even though it was cross body and very small.

 

[Bekastar01]

Thanks Deb! Sigh... oh well. i'll be prepared for the worst!

 

[brenda1966]

I haven't been on FJ yet, but last May I had to put my Vera Bradley mini hipster in the lockers for MIB and Mummy. They considered it a loose bag even though it was cross body and very small.

I had wondered about small cross body bags. So, it sounds like true fanny packs are the only bag you can wear on the ride?

 

[fairyprincess88]

I had to put my VB mini-hipster in a locker for FJ. Honestly I didnt find the locker thing bad at all. We just moved past the big crowd all huddled around the first bank of lockers, into a completely empty back bank of lockers and were on the ride line in mere minutes. I noticed so many people waisting time waiting in a huge locker line because that was the first bank of lockers they came to. There were tons of empty lockers and no lines in the back that people seemed to just ignore.

 

[WDW-PRINCESS]

Interesting to read about the fanny packs. When I heard those were allowed on FJ, I started thinking a fanny pack might be a better bag overall to have at IOA and Univ. due to all the roller coasters...does anyone know if a fanny pack is allowed on DC, Hulk, HRRR, the mummy, etc?

I am loving the tips in this thread!

 

[PMart]

Just got back , we arrived last friday went straight to FJ around 6:30pm this was the longest we waited to ride fj and it was about 1 hour , line was super long. Next morning got up at 630 am stayed HRH club they had food out at 7am went straight to IOA they opened at right around 730 , we went straight to ollivanders we were the second group in, went to Fj waited about 30mins. Last sat night around 930 pm we go to FJ absolutely no wait for the ride we rode it twice. We realized no more early mornings for us we will just go super late each night and that is what we did , honestly no wait if you can hold out until real late at night

As a side note Friday night when the line was real long, there was a group of people trying to skip everyone, the crowd turned vicious lol , I am pretty sure the people got tossed by security, the line was shouting to throw them out, moral of the story do not try to skip people in line lol

 

[SmallWorld71]

Just got back , we arrived last friday went straight to FJ around 6:30pm this was the longest we waited to ride fj and it was about 1 hour , line was super long. Next morning got up at 630 am stayed HRH club they had food out at 7am went straight to IOA they opened at right around 730 , we went straight to ollivanders we were the second group in, went to Fj waited about 30mins. Last sat night around 930 pm we go to FJ absolutely no wait for the ride we rode it twice. We realized no more early mornings for us we will just go super late each night and that is what we did , honestly no wait if you can hold out until real late at night

As a side note Friday night when the line was real long, there was a group of people trying to skip everyone, the crowd turned vicious lol , I am pretty sure the people got tossed by security, the line was shouting to throw them out, moral of the story do not try to skip people in line lol

Thanks for the report! It sounds like things are becoming much more manageable. We leave on Wed. for the HRH, club level. So glad to hear that they are putting out food earlier for those that want to take advantage of early mornings. I figure we'll do one early morning to see Ollivander's and then stick with evenings.

And kuddos to the crowd for sticking up for what was right and for Universal for doing something about it! Anyone over at WDW reading this thread...........

 

[damo]

Interesting to read about the fanny packs. When I heard those were allowed on FJ, I started thinking a fanny pack might be a better bag overall to have at IOA and Univ. due to all the roller coasters...does anyone know if a fanny pack is allowed on DC, Hulk, HRRR, the mummy, etc?

I am loving the tips in this thread!

It has been in the past. I've been wearing one for the past 10 years to Universal and have never had an issue.

 

[Deb in IA]

Interesting to read about the fanny packs. When I heard those were allowed on FJ, I started thinking a fanny pack might be a better bag overall to have at IOA and Univ. due to all the roller coasters...does anyone know if a fanny pack is allowed on DC, Hulk, HRRR, the mummy, etc?

I am loving the tips in this thread!

I had a medium-sized fanny pack that was allowed on, no questions, at Forbidden Journey, and then I was told it was "too big" for Dragon Challenge. Go figure.

It does, however, have the 3 prongs!

 

[Larrabe]

I had a medium-sized fanny pack that was allowed on, no questions, at Forbidden Journey, and then I was told it was "too big" for Dragon Challenge. Go figure.

It does, however, have the 3 prongs!

Hope you don't mind the picky question, but I'm thinking about ordering this one: http://www.bagking.com/western-pack-take-it-easy-fanny-pack.html. Is it about the same size as yours or smaller?

I'm on the petite side, so as long as I don't stuff it, (or get stuck carrying everyone else's things ,) I was hoping it'd be okay.