Harry Potter in a Day

[Nazran]

I know nothing about Universal but I have a teen who sort of just discovered Harry Potter. Is it possible to do all the Harry Potter content in a day at Universal? What tickets would I need to buy?

 

[wagman67]

If you want to do it 'all', you need a park to park ticket. That allows you into both parks (there are two sections...one in each park) and allows you to ride the Hogwarts Express in between them.

 

[Owl X]

You can knock out most of the Universal Studios attractions in a day with Park to Park tickets, Express Passes and Early Park Access.
An Express Pass allows you to bypass the regular line on most attractions.
Express Passes are provided to resort guests at the Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay Hotel. They can also be purchased online or in the parks.
Express Passes do not work on certain attractions such as Escape from Gringotts, Forbidden Journey and Hogwarts Express.
Each day there should be one park available for Early Park Access.
On-site resort hotel guests and guests at some partner hotels can access certain attractions in one theme park an hour before the scheduled opening.

 

[Nazran]

It is doable in a day as well? Just assuming you didn't do anything else at the parks? (Not that I would, but if I were prioritizing Harry Potter content)

 

[Owl X]

It is doable in a day as well? Just assuming you didn't do anything else at the parks? (Not that I would, but if I were prioritizing Harry Potter content)

Early Park Access is helpful for the Harry Potter rides.
Arrive at whichever park is open an hour early for a couple rides on that park's major HP ride, then get in line for Hogwarts Express to transfer to the other park for the other major HP ride before the lines are long. Hogwarts Express does not start until the other park is open.
So if US is the early access park: Ride Escape from Gringotts twice, get in line for Hogwarts Express, ride the Forbidden Journey.

 

[mjhtvchick]

Early Park Access is helpful for the Harry Potter rides.
Arrive at whichever park is open an hour early for a couple rides on that park's major HP ride, then get in line for Hogwarts Express to transfer to the other park for the other major HP ride before the lines are long. Hogwarts Express does not start until the other park is open.
So if US is the early access park: Ride Escape from Gringotts twice, get in line for Hogwarts Express, ride the Forbidden Journey.

Just be aware this Early Park Access is only available to on-site hotel guests.

 

[Owl X]

Just be aware this Early Park Access is only available to on-site hotel guests.

Universal Partner Hotel Packages also get Early Park Access:
http://www.universalorlandovacations.com/Deals/Deal.aspx?deal=744

We have stayed at the Four Points Sheraton to get Early Park Access.

 

[mjhtvchick]

Universal Partner Hotel Packages also get Early Park Access:
http://www.universalorlandovacations.com/Deals/Deal.aspx?deal=744

We have stayed at the Four Points Sheraton to get Early Park Access.

Never realized it extended to them...I have only stayed on-site or "really" off-site!

 

[bchbetha]

Never realized it extended to them...I have only stayed on-site or "really" off-site!

You have to book through the Universal vacation website as part of a package to get the early entry perk. At least that's how I've read it.

 

[ChipDale]

It is doable in a day as well? Just assuming you didn't do anything else at the parks? (Not that I would, but if I were prioritizing Harry Potter content)

The Harry Potter stuff in both parks is doable in a day. Owl X's plan is good - get there for Early Access at whichever park is offering it, explore/ride in either Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, then hop on the Hogwarts Express to the other park. You'll want to take time to immerse yourselves in the whole Wizarding World - it is amazingly detailed and there are a lot of little nooks and crannies to explore (especially in Diagon Alley). Eat in the restaurants, see a show, visit all the shops etc. There are so many details from the books that if your teen is into the books, you won't want to miss them. As Owl X said you will need the Park-to-Park ticket. If you don't get the Early Access, go to whichever park didn't have Early Access that day - arrive at the gates well before opening time and hit the Harry Potter stuff right away. Have fun - they really do bring the Harry Potter books to life!

 

[Nazran]

Thank you all for all of the information!

 

[sdd1841]

The Harry Potter stuff in both parks is doable in a day. Owl X's plan is good - get there for Early Access at whichever park is offering it, explore/ride in either Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, then hop on the Hogwarts Express to the other park. You'll want to take time to immerse yourselves in the whole Wizarding World - it is amazingly detailed and there are a lot of little nooks and crannies to explore (especially in Diagon Alley). Eat in the restaurants, see a show, visit all the shops etc. There are so many details from the books that if your teen is into the books, you won't want to miss them. As Owl X said you will need the Park-to-Park ticket. If you don't get the Early Access, go to whichever park didn't have Early Access that day - arrive at the gates well before opening time and hit the Harry Potter stuff right away. Have fun - they really do bring the Harry Potter books to life!

tagging on to OPs question - is it a good plan to do all HP one day - and then go back and do everything else the next day? We have 2 day park to park tickets

 

[gotomu212]

tagging on to OPs question - is it a good plan to do all HP one day - and then go back and do everything else the next day? We have 2 day park to park tickets

I think it really depends on the crowds. The HP areas can get really crowded mid-day. When we see the crowds building, we like to go somewhere else and then come back later in the day to HP when crowds tend to thin. Exploring all the shops and theming is too overwhelming for me in the crowds and so I like to revisit the areas a second (third, eighth, twentieth) time.

 

[Owl X]

tagging on to OPs question - is it a good plan to do all HP one day - and then go back and do everything else the next day? We have 2 day park to park tickets

If you have 2 day park to park tickets, I recommend doing the HP attractions at the park opening hours both days. Hogwarts Express is different depending on the direction, so you want to board it in both parks.
Then spend most of the rest of the day in the other areas of the parks.

 

[sdd1841]

If you have 2 day park to park tickets, I recommend doing the HP attractions at the park opening hours both days. Hogwarts Express is different depending on the direction, so you want to board it in both parks.
Then spend most of the rest of the day in the other areas of the parks.

which HP park would you start with?

 

[bchbetha]

which HP park would you start with?

Like Harry, I'd start in London then Diagon Alley (Universal).
I would start and end days in HP parts and ride other stuff during the day.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

Like Harry, I'd start in London then Diagon Alley (Universal).
I would start and end days in HP parts and ride other stuff during the day.

I would start in Diagon Alley (Universal) as though I'm Harry going through the books. Harry first experiences the wizarding world by going to Diagon Alley and going to Gringotts Bank (Escape from Gringotts ride). Harry then takes Platform 9 3/4 to Hogwarts so I would take the train from Diagon Alley to Hogwarts/Hogsmeade (Islands of Adventure) and would do the Forbidden Journey in the castle. Then I would ride dragon challenge and would explore the rest of Hogsmeade.

Then I might check out other themed lands at Islands for the afternoon and then would head back to Diagon Alley (by train from Hogsmeade) and check out the shops, etc. when the evening approaches. Being able to wander around Diagon Alley's shops and seeing Knockturn Alley is more fun when the sun sets. And seeing the dragon above Gringotts at night time is an absolute must!

Have fun!

 

[CAS239]

As long as you're there on a day that isn't slammed, you can EASILY do all the Harry Potter stuff with just a park to park ticket and without Express Pass.

Wife and I did this this past October. We never go to Universal outside of HHN, but she won 2 one day Park to Park tickets through a radio station. So we went on on Nov 29th and did nearly everything Harry Potter that we wanted to do. Forbidden Journey, Escape from Gringotts, Hogwarts Express twice, visit Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. I even went and rode King Kong since it was a 10 min wait, which was the longest wait of the day that we did. Think the only Harry Potter thing we didn't do was the Dragon Challenge coaster just because I went on Dueling Dragons years ago so we skipped it.

So if you want to see everything Harry Potter, you need to have a park to park ticket. And you can go with an express pass, but I don't think it's needed at all unless you want to hit a lot of other rides during the day as well

And like others have said, I would start in Diagon Alley and do everything there, then take the Hogwarts express. Then after you're done in IoA, take the Hogwarts Express back to Universal as it's not the exact same trip and you'll see some more neat stuff on the way back