Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[Sandracreevey]

Thanks ducky, really looking forward to our trip now! We will be there on weekdays so hopefully it will be even quieter!

 

[brenda1966]

It was the person just before those three lines at the loading area. In the room where the talking portraits give you a "lesson" on the safety and etiquette of the flying benches. She was sending people from standby and single rider into the same line--mixing the two lines--and on top of that, she'd send like thirty people into the line from standby for every one or two she'd let in from single rider.

It sounds like she wasn't asking the standby line how many were in their party?? Just sending masses of people? Were they not organized into sets of 4 for loading??

The single rider line is supposed to be one at a time. It's meant to fill that 4th seat when there are 3 riders from the stand-by line. So the ratio of how many go from stand-by line vs single rider should be very lopsided. If the stand by line is full of even numbered parties, the single rider may have to wait a while until a party of 3 rides. If masses of people have entered the single rider line, it can be a hefty wait.

 

[damo]

It sounds like she wasn't asking the standby line how many were in their party?? Just sending masses of people? Were they not organized into sets of 4 for loading??

The single rider line is supposed to be one at a time. It's meant to fill that 4th seat when there are 3 riders from the stand-by line. So the ratio of how many go from stand-by line vs single rider should be very lopsided. If the stand by line is full of even numbered parties, the single rider may have to wait a while until a party of 3 rides. If masses of people have entered the single rider line, it can be a hefty wait.

At that point in the line all she should have been doing is directing the singles line to the left line, modified to the middle and regular riders to the right line --- they have to crisscross here. The next attendant's job is to fill the vehicles appropriately.

 

[GreyStr0ke]

We went on Saturday the 25th and got to WWOHP at 8:15 am. We were staying at Royal Pacific. The posted wait for Forbidden Journey was 10 minutes but it took more like 20.

When we got off, it was 30 minutes but we decided to do single riders and that was walk on.

I went back by myself around 5:30pm and the line for Forbidden Journey was 45 minutes. Single riders was 10.

 

[bobby78699]

I am going to be in orlando Sep/30 and Oct/02 which park should I do first and any special tips will be helpful thanks Bobby

 

[brenda1966]

At that point in the line all she should have been doing is directing the singles line to the left line, modified to the middle and regular riders to the right line --- they have to crisscross here. The next attendant's job is to fill the vehicles appropriately.

Thanks. That makes more sense as to why it was messing up the lines. Seems a shame that the lines have to criss cross and require an attendant!

 

[HelenParr]

We rode FJ (awesome ride) several different days the last week of August, and on one of the trips we had the same problem: the TM separating the lines in the last chute was not sending any single riders down. Single riders were pretty well behaved, no line jumpers, but after several minutes with no obvious explanation, we were getting restless and called over to her and asked why we weren't moving. She seemed confused and adamantly told us to wait. After a couple of more minutes, two TMs from down the hall (loading area) came running up to her, pointing at the lines and rows, in an animated conversation. Ccouldn't hear but could see they were displeased with the TM who was blocking single rider line. Then the flow began again. I can only guess poor training. If the line situation doesn't make sense to the TM, it's going to cause confusion.

It's a little discouraging to hear it keeps happening. It's loud and dark and crowded, so I can see how new TMs could be overwhelmed, but as PM said, the lines aren't exactly complex.

 

[Stinkerbell317]

Great thread! I'm so grateful for all the info! We will be going to IoA FOR THE 1ST TIME on Tuesday, Oct 5!!!! My main objective is to do it ALL at WWoHP, and if there's time left over, then explore the rest of the park. The park hours that day are listed as 9am - 6pm. My question is this - should I buy the express line tickets for that day? I realize they are not good for the Forbidden Journey or Olivanders, but do you all think it would it make a big enough difference in time saved to be worth the extra $80? The rest of my family really enjoys thrill rides, so after we have exhausted WWoHP, I'm sure they'd be interested in any of the other attractions at IoA.

 

[Metro West]

Great thread! I'm so grateful for all the info! We will be going to IoA FOR THE 1ST TIME on Tuesday, Oct 5!!!! My main objective is to do it ALL at WWoHP, and if there's time left over, then explore the rest of the park. The park hours that day are listed as 9am - 6pm. My question is this - should I buy the express line tickets for that day? I realize they are not good for the Forbidden Journey or Olivanders, but do you all think it would it make a big enough difference in time saved to be worth the extra $80? The rest of my family really enjoys thrill rides, so after we have exhausted WWoHP, I'm sure they'd be interested in any of the other attractions at IoA.

I would wait and see what the lines are like before spending the money on EPs. Once purchased, they are date specific and non-refundable but you can purchase them at several locations at IOA.

 

[Brandis]

$80?

Universal Express costs between $19.99 and $59.99 depending on the season. For Oct. 5, it's the lowest price, $19.99!

 

[OSUBuckly]

Great thread! I'm so grateful for all the info! We will be going to IoA FOR THE 1ST TIME on Tuesday, Oct 5!!!! My main objective is to do it ALL at WWoHP, and if there's time left over, then explore the rest of the park. The park hours that day are listed as 9am - 6pm. My question is this - should I buy the express line tickets for that day? I realize they are not good for the Forbidden Journey or Olivanders, but do you all think it would it make a big enough difference in time saved to be worth the extra $80? The rest of my family really enjoys thrill rides, so after we have exhausted WWoHP, I'm sure they'd be interested in any of the other attractions at IoA.

I doubt you'd need Express. I was there last Thursday and the only thing with any sort of wait was Forbidden Journey. All other rides were basically walk-ons.

 

[Brandis]

Also, I don't think WWOHP will take that much time of your day. A few years ago (before Harry Potter obviously) we visited the park also in early october, did all the major rides and went around the lagoon twice!

 

[damo]

$80?

Universal Express costs between $19.99 and $59.99 depending on the season. For Oct. 5, it's the lowest price, $19.99!

They probably have 4 people in the family.

 

[Stinkerbell317]

They probably have 4 people in the family.

You're a mathematical genius! HAHA! Yes I forgot to mention there are 4 of us

 

[Stinkerbell317]

I would wait and see what the lines are like before spending the money on EPs. Once purchased, they are date specific and non-refundable but you can purchase them at several locations at IOA.

OH! I didn't realize you could purchase them that day, on site. I will be watching this thread closely while we're in FL to check on the crowd levels, but I think this is a good plan. Thanks!

 

[Stinkerbell317]

Also, I don't think WWOHP will take that much time of your day. A few years ago (before Harry Potter obviously) we visited the park also in early october, did all the major rides and went around the lagoon twice!

You're probably right, but I plan to linger and wander leisurely to take in all the little touches. My kids will not enjoy my attitude though, I'm sure and willwant to ride, ride, ride! I wish the park hours were a little later since I've heard Hogwarts at night is really a sight to see.

 

[Metro West]

OH! I didn't realize you could purchase them that day, on site. I will be watching this thread closely while we're in FL to check on the crowd levels, but I think this is a good plan. Thanks!

 

[AmandaYoung]

I was at WWoHP yesterday. We had regular entrance at 9 and went straight to FJ. The hint about being able to get through to the lockers inside Filch's was very helpful Unfortunately, we got in line without knowing the ride was not running yet. Apparently, it was scheduled to open at 9:30, but was down until about 9:45. Otherwise, the wait wouldn't have been too bad I don't think. When they announced the ride was having technical difficulties, a lot of folks left the line. One couple stated that they had been there since a little after 8 and were sick of waiting. Of course, right after they left, the ride started up again.
This happened later in the day when we rode again, but was only down for about 5 minutes. So whatever you do, if you've been waiting awhile already, don't leave the line! It's usually worth it to wait it out.
Our first ride got stuck at the Quidditch part and we totally missed the screen. But the second and third rides were perfect. We waited about 45 minutes in the afternoon, and then in the single rider line for 12 minutes, even with a competent TM seating people. The single rider line was definitely catching on by the end of the day. First thing in the AM would have been a walk right on though for single riders (but I wanted to see the castle, since I never had before that). Now I'll always be using the single riders line

 

[funcinderella]

We were just there Tuesday 9/21, and I brought my DSLR. You can ask one of the attendants at the front of the castle to do a "castle tour" just to take pictures in the queue. They'll let you walk through with your camera in a line that runs parallel to the regular line (except you'll miss the greenhouse)--that way you can take pics without actuallly waiting in the line--and then when you get close to the ride loading area, you exit without riding.

As for a crowd report and experiences with FJ....

As I said, we were there 9/21. Got to Harry Potter area about 10:00-10:30. At that point FJ was a 60-minute wait. We stored our stuff in lockers. An attendant was telling everyone single rider was a five-minute wait. We decided that for our first ride, we'd do the single-rider and then come back later and go through the regular line to see that.

Well....

So we got in the single rider line. And we waited. And waited. And waited. We waited FIFTY minutes. In the single-rider line.

Turns out the person in charge of directing the standby line and the single rider line just before the loading area did not know what she was doing. She was mixing up the lines, and top of that, as she was mixing them she was allowing about 30-40 people from standby into her mixed up line for every 1-2 people from the single-rider line. It was a mess.

Needless to say people were NOT happy. Some guys in single rider ended up jumping the queue into the standby line because it was moving so much faster. When the TM yelled at them, they tried to explain and she did NOT understand. She got mad and ended up yelling at all of us, waving her hands around while saying "FINE, you want to ride together, you'll ALL ride together" and actually hit me in the side of the head with her hand (by accident).

Anyway we finally got on after an hour in the single rider line. Afterwards we went back to the front of the castle to try to explain to the attendants there the problem (because we still weren't sure the issue was being corrected, because the TM never did understand what people were trying to tell her).

The attendant at the front took us through the line (through the castle so we could see everying we had missed in single-rider) to the front so that we got on the ride immediately. That was very nice of her. Once there we noticed the TM who'd been mixing the lines was gone, and we found from talking with the new TM that they had finally understood what was happening and that was why they'd replaced the other TM.

So anyway, we got to ride again, but that time it broke. We got stuck briefly at the end of the dementors scene, and then the screens/movies for the rest of the ride did not work.

So all in all.... not such a magical experience for Forbidden Journey for us. The ride itself really was a lot of fun, but after two rough experiences, we decided that was enough. I had sort of lost the desire to even walk through the "castle tour" queue with my camera just to take pics, so we left the castle for the day.

We enjoyed the rest of WWoHP for another couple hours after that.... riding Dragon Challenge, drinking butterbeer (loved it), and just taking our time in the shops.

All in all I am very glad we went: the theming is amazing. FJ is a fun ride, although perhaps because of our disappointing queue experience, it didn't quite blow me away the way I thought it woud. (But please hear me, it was still VERY good--I think we were just so rattled...) Butterbeer was awesome. Loved Dragon Challenge. Loved Zonko's and Honeydukes.

Moral of the story..... well, I guess it's that if you get in the single rider line and it seems to be taking way too long, leave, let a TM know, and try back later!

THIS is what makes the difffernce between Disney and Universal. While I love the rides at Universal, and we do go there, it's the execution at these basic levels that they just don't seem to get! I found the same thing to be true (even more so!) at California's Universal...sigh...can they please send their workers to Disney training? lol

 

[the Dark Marauder]

I had NO WAIT for FJ today via Single Riders. The regular line was posted at 20 mins. Hippogriff was a posted 25, Dragon Challenge a 5. I had no line in the Three Broomsticks, and the main Butterbeer cart had only two people in line on each side! There was no line for Zonko's/Honeydukes. There was a line (I didn't ask how long) for Ollivander's, though.

This was about 2pm.