Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[spima3]

We arrived in FL, via autotrain, on Sunday the 12th. From this thread, we decided to go right to IOA, as Sundays seem to be the best day. We hit the entrance to US around 10:30 am. From someone who has never been to US/IOA before, that is one LONG walk from the parking lot, through Citywalk to the actual parks!

It didn't seem too crowded, and we cut through Suess to HP. The line for FJ was listed as 20 min. And that is about how long it took. Like most here, the locker area was nuts, the greenhouse moves slowly, but once you hit the castle, it goes way too fast. Wonder why that is? Too bad they couldn't have reversed that some way. Anyway, we were soon on the ride.

It was quite amazing, but, it did make me and oldest DD15 slightly ill. Even with Dramamine. I was worried about that, but it wasn't too bad, and I am so glad we rode.

We hit Hippogriff with 5 min wait, and then some of the villiage shops, and they were manageable. Ollivanders was way too long, so we didn't do it. Same with the Owlry, way to crowded to look around, so we decided to come back later in the day.

We did the rest of the park, and most of the rides were only 5 or 10 minutes. We aren't roller coaster enthusiasts, so didn't do any in either park.

We headed back around 3:30 to HP, mainly to shop, as earlier in the day we didn't want to have to cart anything around. Shops were easy to manage. It is way to easy to drop a small fortune there, but we all resisted the temptation. We looked around the area a little more, then headed out. Ollivander's line was relatively short, but the kids were tired and wanted to leave.

All in all a very good day!

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

We were amazed at how many guests just go to Islands, hit Harry Potter world and leave. I'd read a few posts about it here, but thought this practice couldn't be common. I was wrong! I overheard at least a half dozen comments in the short time I was walking through WWOHP from folks wanting to just do the Potter rides, get a wand, try the butterbeer and get back to Disney for *_______* (you fill in the blank, i.e., ADR for lunch, meeting with so and so at Epcot in the afternoon, etc).

QUOTE]

Wow, that is shocking to me! I admit, our family are a Disney family. We love Disney, but we also LIKE Universal and go every couple of trips. And I can definitely say that we would NOT waste a Universal day on just doing HP ( or any new section for that matter ) and then going back. That seems ridiculous to me...

We'll be going in 2012, we'll definitely hit HP for sure, ( and from the sound of reviews, we'll be heading straight there to do as much as we can before it gets crowded ), but then we'll do the REST OF THE PARK TOO... sheesh!

So insane to me. We did EVERYTHING we could. Not just WWHP, I mean that's why we went down but we wanted to do the other parks to.

 

[Stinkerbell317]

I can honestly say I really don't care about doing anything at IOA other than HP. I'm sure once we've had our fill of that, we will probably wander around IOA and do other things, but for me, it's all about HP. I'd be prefectly content if that's all we did that day. The rest of family probably won't feel that way however since this is our first time to IOA.

 

[spima3]

I can honestly say I really don't care about doing anything at IOA other than HP. I'm sure once we've had our fill of that, we will probably wander around IOA and do other things, but for me, it's all about HP. I'd be prefectly content if that's all we did that day. The rest of family probably won't feel that way however since this is our first time to IOA.

I just posted something about this on another thread. We did both parks, but not fans of coasters, and with the simulators making me and DD15 ill, US/IOA, is not really a go to destination for us.

IF we ever went to FL again, I would be happy just to do HP as well.

 

[damo]

I just posted something about this on another thread. We did both parks, but not fans of coasters, and with the simulators making me and DD15 ill, US/IOA, is not really a go to destination for us.

IF we ever went to FL again, I would be happy just to do HP as well.

If you aren't a thrill ride person, IOA is really not the place for you. Universal is much more suited to the person who doesn't really like rides but like the atmosphere.

 

[brenda1966]

If you aren't a thrill ride person, IOA is really not the place for you. Universal is much more suited to the person who doesn't really like rides but like the atmosphere.

This is what I'm finding, after reading much of the ride descriptions. We have one in our party that gets motion sick and I'm not finding much of anything for her to do at IOA. I think even FJ would make her sick and she doesn't really like water rides, so that leaves basically nothing but kiddie rides!

But, yes, i'm surprised that curiosity doesn't get people into other parts of the park. Spiderman and Jurrasic are must rides for us. And the Suess area is a place we have to visit as we all grew up on those books.


Interesting note about crowds: when I called the RPR hotel to see about AAA discounts or AP discounts they didn't even have a regular room I could reserve for Oct 25. And on other travel sites they are also saying "no rooms available". So, while the crowds are nice and light now, I'm wondering if they are going to pick up late Oct.

 

[damo]

This is what I'm finding, after reading much of the ride descriptions. We have one in our party that gets motion sick and I'm not finding much of anything for her to do at IOA. I think even FJ would make her sick and she doesn't really like water rides, so that leaves basically nothing but kiddie rides!

But, yes, i'm surprised that curiosity doesn't get people into other parts of the park. Spiderman and Jurrasic are must rides for us. And the Suess area is a place we have to visit as we all grew up on those books.


Interesting note about crowds: when I called the RPR hotel to see about AAA discounts or AP discounts they didn't even have a regular room I could reserve for Oct 25. And on other travel sites they are also saying "no rooms available". So, while the crowds are nice and light now, I'm wondering if they are going to pick up late Oct.

Crowds are large in October due to HHN.

 

[jenny105]

Interesting note about crowds: when I called the RPR hotel to see about AAA discounts or AP discounts they didn't even have a regular room I could reserve for Oct 25. And on other travel sites they are also saying "no rooms available". So, while the crowds are nice and light now, I'm wondering if they are going to pick up late Oct.

There is plenty available at the on-site resorts for the first week of October (when I'm going). Maybe the closer it gets to Halloween, the busier it gets cause of HHN? btw, I work for a TA and there are rooms available for Oct 25! I was curious after you said there was nothing available

 

[brenda1966]

There is plenty available at the on-site resorts for the first week of October (when I'm going). Maybe the closer it gets to Halloween, the busier it gets cause of HHN? btw, I work for a TA and there are rooms available for Oct 25! I was curious after you said there was nothing available

When I called Lowes last week, there were no regular rooms at RPR, just deluxe. They quoted me a price for HRH and the AAA was only $5 less than what I have booked and the AP was way more. So, it make me feel better about my room rate.

 

[Dragontears]

Next trip to WDW in 2 weeks.

Actually, we have a day planned to go to Universal specifically to see WWOHP, ride FJ and try butterbeer and this will be our first destination for the day but then we want to enjoy the rest of IOA as well.

Sounds good to me!!

 

[Dragontears]

Crowds are large in October due to HHN.

At both parks, or just US?

 

[mdb78]

At both parks, or just US?

It has been reported that US gets busier on HHN days in the afternoon due to people doing Stay and Scream.

 

[marcus.ka]

It has been reported that US gets busier on HHN days in the afternoon due to people doing Stay and Scream.

What is Stay and Scream?

 

[Sandracreevey]

What about those of us who dont want to do HHN? Will the parks still be busy earlier on in the day in Oct? Going with young children, so not interested in stayying and screaming;-. Want to do Harry Potter and the rest of Islands and Universal Studios, but hoping the wait times wont be too long (17/18 oct).

 

[jenny105]

When I called Lowes last week, there were no regular rooms at RPR, just deluxe. They quoted me a price for HRH and the AAA was only $5 less than what I have booked and the AP was way more. So, it make me feel better about my room rate.

Well then either our system is showing something that isn't there or they lied to you cause I see standard rooms available! It's not the AAA rate but a 'seasonal' rate.

 

[ducky_love]

Well then either our system is showing something that isn't there or they lied to you cause I see standard rooms available! It's not the AAA rate but a 'seasonal' rate.

Rates and inventory change constantly. You could check in 20 minutes and it will be gone - then in 2 hours it is available again. Or you may never see it available again!

That is why I say if you see what you want you should book it!

 

[damo]

There are also many conferences held at the Universal resorts where they will block book rooms. As the date gets closer, people will confirm their rooms and inventory will change. Also people can put 24 hour holds on rooms which makes inventory change frequently as well.

 

[keishashadow]

There are also many conferences held at the Universal resorts where they will block book rooms. As the date gets closer, people will confirm their rooms and inventory will change. Also people can put 24 hour holds on rooms which makes inventory change frequently as well.

I had received an invite to attend a Vera Bradley convention at the Portofino beginning the Weds before our arrival, i noticed that the attendees could book an additional 3 days, which ran into my weekend (columbus day) stay. When I check the rates all 3 hotels have been showing sold out on AAA site for over a month.

 

[Dragontears]

It has been reported that US gets busier on HHN days in the afternoon due to people doing Stay and Scream.

So does that mean IOA crowds are not affected?

Pleeese say it is so...

 

[mdb78]

What is Stay and Scream?

Stay and Scream is a discounted HHN ticket that you can buy if you are also buying a day ticket to US or IOA. On HHN days, US closes at 5pm. Those people who are already inside US and have a HHN ticket will hang out for a bit in a holding area inside the park and then let out of the holding area at the HHN opening time. In the past, they had let out Stay and Scream ticket holders out of the holding area before the gates opened for HHN, but I read in another thread that the website isn't mentioning anything about being released early this year. I guess we'll find out after this weekend.