Harry Potter in 1 day over Christmas

[lelder]

We're going to Universal for 1 day, strictly for HP. We'll be there the Monday before Christmas. I know the crowds will be big, but the question I have is, how big? Too crowded to buy a wand at Ollivander's and expect to use it? Magic Kingdom crowded. Any tips on how to battle the masses?

 

[macraven]

monday the 19th?

it will be crowded but nothing like it will be right before christmas day.
the closer it gets to christmas day, the larger the crowds will be.
you could luck out and be fine on the 19th.

go early and stay late.

if you stay onsite, you have a better chance of pictures without all your new friends in the pictures.
if offsite, go early and wait in the line for entering the park.
even if you are there a good 45 minutes before the park officially opens, you will be ahead of so many more that will be behind you in that waiting line.

do potter when you first get there
it will only be more crowded once the day goes on.
sometimes it is very managable and not large crowds towards the end of the park day.

also use the single rider lines for shorter waits.

are you doing both parks?
if so, use the HE to go from one park to the other for pottersville sections.

 

[pa. dad]

First based on the New Years crowds I experienced this past season, you should expect big crowds. One trick you can double check that with- call them up and see how much the Express Pass costs for that day. the higher that cost is, the higher the crowd levels.

Secondly while I like the HP lands and their theming s just very detailed and accurate, there's more to the 2 Uinversal parksthan just HP. Many of the other attractions are also first rate and a lot of fun also.

How to handle it- have flexible plans. If something is a 2 hour wait, try something else. And use the single rider lines whenever you can to cut down your line waits.

 

[macraven]

if you decide to buy the ep, do it soon.

the closer to the date you will be there and if crowd predictions by UO deem it to be a level 7 and up, the ep prices can increase.

once you buy the ep, and if the prices increase for it, you do not pay any increase
ep prices increase, never decrease.

like pa said above, you can call or you can check the ep prices per date on line.