Harry Potter Question

[Sammi the Chihuahua]

We will be going to Universal the week before Thanksgiving this year. We are staying at a Disney resort, so we cannot do early entry. We are going to do the studios and Island of Adventure in the same day and just hit the thrill rides. We are thinking about starting the day out at Universal Studios and then doing Islands of Adventure in the afternoon and doing Harry Potter last. Do you think this is a good idea to wait until late afternoon and do Harry Potter last? I've heard HP isn't as crowed in the afternoon. Thanks for your help.

 

[sue_gowin]

We've only been there once, and it was Oct 2010. We did exactly what you're planning, and it worked out alright. I think the whole Harry Potter area is busy at all times, but from what I remember....we got to Harry Potter around 4pm, and got all the rides in within a couple of hours. Mind you, we weren't able to walk around or shop much because the crowds were just insane and DH gets really frustrated and impatient in heavy crowds Good luck!!!

 

[Metro West]

We will be going to Universal the week before Thanksgiving this year. We are staying at a Disney resort, so we cannot do early entry. We are going to do the studios and Island of Adventure in the same day and just hit the thrill rides. We are thinking about starting the day out at Universal Studios and then doing Islands of Adventure in the afternoon and doing Harry Potter last. Do you think this is a good idea to wait until late afternoon and do Harry Potter last? I've heard HP isn't as crowed in the afternoon. Thanks for your help.

Last year the crowds were steady and constant for WWoHP and this year should be the same. There's just no way to tell you what crowds will be like...it's all a guessing game. The crowds should be relately light...historically speaking...but WWoHP will still be crowded. The parks close early that time of year so you won't have a lot of time...keep that in mind.

 

[Planogirl]

If you go during a busy time, you could go to Harry Potter first thing, maybe ride Spiderman and then walk over to the Studios. If you get to IOA at rope drop, you should be able to get to the Studios at a reasonable time. Later I suggest walking back to IOA to shop and just browse around a bit.

This is assuming that you don't have your heart set on riding certain things in IOA. It can be hard to see both themeparks in one day particularly when it's crowded.

 

[Redarrow5150]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Mears Transportation Tickets allow for early entry?

We will be going to Universal the week before Thanksgiving this year. We are staying at a Disney resort, so we cannot do early entry. We are going to do the studios and Island of Adventure in the same day and just hit the thrill rides. We are thinking about starting the day out at Universal Studios and then doing Islands of Adventure in the afternoon and doing Harry Potter last. Do you think this is a good idea to wait until late afternoon and do Harry Potter last? I've heard HP isn't as crowed in the afternoon. Thanks for your help.

 

[kochmd1]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Mears Transportation Tickets allow for early entry?

Check the sticky regarding Transportation to US/IOA

 

[Badge]

Last year the crowds were steady and constant for WWoHP and this year should be the same. There's just no way to tell you what crowds will be like...it's all a guessing game. The crowds should be relately light...historically speaking...but WWoHP will still be crowded. The parks close early that time of year so you won't have a lot of time...keep that in mind.

There is an important piece of information in there! The parks will close EARLY (normally around 6pm) during this time of year! Also keep in mind that Universal and Islands have a lot more thrill rides than your typical Disney park. While the crowds might not be to bad, you might not have enough time to do everything you want.

If you go to Studios first, get there when the park opens!! This should be at 9am. Hopefully you can have everything that you want to do finished by around 1pm. If you leave around 1pm, you should be able to get on spiderman around 1:30. Of course, you still have Hulk, Dr. Doom, Jurrasic Park, Dudley and Popeye (depending on the weather) to do. If the park closes at 6pm, you want to be in the HP area no later than 3pm to hopefully see everything.

We just got back (June 15-22) and in the evenings, HP FJ wait was only around 20-30 minutes! However, I went to the parks the morning of the 22nd (which was the first day I went to HP in the morning...got there an hour after park opened to normal guests) and HP FJ wait was up to 120 minutes already! Plus, they had the "blockers" up to "herd" people into the HP area so they could count how many people entered and left the area. This was the first time the whole trip I noticed this. I have come to the conclusion that unless you get there right at park opening, skip HP until the evening. You will have less crowds to deal with becuase even if you get there when the park opens, the crowds will be back there in no time.

 

[Sammi the Chihuahua]

Here's my plan-

Arrive at the studios in time for the opening.
rides:
revenge of the mummy
rip ride rocket
Shrek 4-D -if time allows
Disaster
Jaws
Simpsons ride- if time allows
E.T.

12:00 eat a quick lunch
afternoon

incredible hulk
Dr. Dooms Fearfall
Spiderman 3-D
Dudley- if time allows

spend the rest of the day at harry potter
eat at three broomsticks
forbidden journey
dragon challenge

shopping at harry potter


Do you think all of this is possible? I was hoping for short wait times for most of the rides since we are going at a slow time of the year.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

[conniehar90]

This is a great question. I am so torn on this subject. We have one day at IOA and I definitely want to do the rides at Harry Potter - no interest in Olivanders or shopping. We are offsite so no early entry. My gut is telling me to wait until the end of the day but my conservative side is saying I should go there first thing. I would be very disappointed if I wasn't able to get on FJ in the evening with no plans to return another day! Should I risk it?

 

[Planogirl]

Personally, I'd go early if I was there during a busy time. I'd probably get there at rope drop during a quieter time too but we are all about rope drop anyway. If open, Hogwarts is definitely magical at night.

 

[macraven]

Here's my plan-

Arrive at the studios in time for the opening.
rides:
revenge of the mummy
rip ride rocket
Shrek 4-D -if time allows
Disaster
Jaws
Simpsons ride- if time allows
E.T.

12:00 eat a quick lunch
afternoon

incredible hulk
Dr. Dooms Fearfall
Spiderman 3-D
Dudley- if time allows

spend the rest of the day at harry potter
eat at three broomsticks
forbidden journey
dragon challenge

shopping at harry potter


Do you think all of this is possible? I was hoping for short wait times for most of the rides since we are going at a slow time of the year.

Thanks for all of your help!

some of the rides on your list for the studios, do not open until later after park opening.

plan your schedule around that.

 

[cvjw]

We are just back from Universal - we were there June 3rd - 5th. I would ride Rip Ride Rockit first at Universal Studios. We stayed onsite for FOTL privileges, but RRR doesn't participate in FOTL. We went straight to RRR at rope drop. The wait was only about 20 minutes, but just a little later, the wait had jumped to over an hour.

I second all the PP about going to HP world close to closing. We wandered over to HP about an hour before closing on June 3rd, and were able to do the Ollivander's wand show, Dueling Dragons (FOTL), eat at the Three Broomsticks, and ride the Forbidden Journey before the park closed for the night. The next morning, we utilized the early entry to HP world, and saw that the wait for FJ was huge as soon as they opened up the area to regular visitors.

 

[Sammi the Chihuahua]

some of the rides on your list for the studios, do not open until later after park opening.

plan your schedule around that.

Where can I find a list of times that the rides open?