Harry Potter Weekend crowds

[IronBoss]

We are headed to Universal on Friday January 26th. Probably won't make it into the parks until Saturday.

How much busier will the parks be with the Harry Potter Celebration going on? Not really interested in the actors or any of the special events, but would certainly like to jump on the Harry Potter rides as I haven't been there in nearly twenty years.

Thanks!

 

[MDH]

We are headed to Universal on Friday January 26th. Probably won't make it into the parks until Saturday.

How much busier will the parks be with the Harry Potter Celebration going on? Not really interested in the actors or any of the special events, but would certainly like to jump on the Harry Potter rides as I haven't been there in nearly twenty years.

Thanks!

I also would like to know this, we are there at the exact same time.

 

[IronBoss]

I also would like to know this, we are there at the exact same time.

That calls for a beer one day!

 

[TommyJK]

Looking at last year's wait times for each ride, Saturday seemed to be the busiest day of the weekend.

Forbidden Journey looked to have had about 15-20 minute waits on Friday and Sunday while having a steady 45 min wait from about noon onwards on Saturday
Escape from Gringotts about about a 20-30 minute wait throughout the day on Friday and Sunday while having about a 45 min wait throughout the day on Saturday

Ditto for Hogwarts Express in both directions it seems as well (decent wait times Friday and Sunday, significantly busier on Saturday)

 

[only hope]

Arriving at the HP ride shortly after park opening should result in a low wait time- if it’s not the park that opened early for resort guests and ap holders. You don’t want to be among the first in line since you’ve never done the rides. The queues themselves for the two headliners are a huge part of the experience, especially for the Forbidden Journey. I have found that to truly enjoy the queue without feeling rushed requires a twenty minute wait. Evenings tend to be less busy in the HP sections as well, and it’s worth seeing the lands after sunset. The main event with the actors takes place in the evening, so that may lessen wait times as well. I’m always in the crowd watching the show so I don’t know for sure

 

[ktate82]

We are headed down for the weekend for the first time. We won't get there in time to go Friday, but plan on being there all day Saturday and most the day Sunday. Is there a schedule or a plan in order to meet people and see the demonstrations?

 

[nervous1sttimer]

We went in January 2016 and happened to coincide with HP weekend. Thursday and Friday were totally manageable crowds (although it poured rain on the Friday, which probably helped). Saturday came around and the parks were insanely packed. Felt completely claustrophobic and left early! It might have been a combination of the events and a nice, sunny day after all the rain, but it was an insane mass of humanity and our group of seven couldn’t cope.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

We are headed down for the weekend for the first time. We won't get there in time to go Friday, but plan on being there all day Saturday and most the day Sunday. Is there a schedule or a plan in order to meet people and see the demonstrations?

They haven't released the schedule yet for this year but you can do a google search for previous years schedules to see how everything may be laid out.

 

[AngiTN]

We were at the celebration last year.
It was cold and rainy all weekend.
That didn't stop the crowds (or us).
It was packed all over the Potter lands. More so than our summer or fall trips by far.

 

[atricks]

Be aware, Jan 26th is the debut of the new nighttime hogwarts projection show, see https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/nighttime-lights-wizarding-world/

 

[ktate82]

Be aware, Jan 26th is the debut of the new nighttime hogwarts projection show, see https://blog.universalorlando.com/whats-new/nighttime-lights-wizarding-world/

So will the parks be open later? Online it says the park close at 7:00 on Friday.

 

[lillypotters]

So will the parks be open later? Online it says the park close at 7:00 on Friday.

If I'm understanding it correctly, it sounds like the 26th is a preview during the celebration package holders' event in the Harry Potter lands after park close, and the actual regular showings start the next week.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

If I'm understanding it correctly, it sounds like the 26th is a preview during the celebration package holders' event in the Harry Potter lands after park close, and the actual regular showings start the next week.

That is also how I read it.

 

[atricks]

26th is package holder only after hours, it seems. 27th and 28th will be open to everyone in the park, though.

 

[MDH]

I'm pumped, but also worried about the crowds now! This could draw a lot of people for the already busy 27th, 28th!

 

[AngiTN]

Don't let the crowds get you down. Especially now that all the rides have EP (so this will be VERY important)
The people watching is excellent. So many folks dressed up in creative costumes. I enjoyed that more than anything

 

[atricks]

Yeah celebration weekend is a fun weekend to go, you'll run into all sorts of extremely creative folks in some elaborate costumes, you can walk through the two exhibit areas -- the entrances to these are on both sides of the Fallon ride (lines can get long, but they vary through the day), and it's a very fun atmosphere in general.

If you have express you'll be fine, and even without it its still fun. Hogsmeade at night surely will be packed for the new show though.

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Don't let the crowds get you down. Especially now that all the rides have EP (so this will be VERY important)
The people watching is excellent. So many folks dressed up in creative costumes. I enjoyed that more than anything

We weren't going to get EP but you might have convinced me to at least get it for one day so we can be guaranteed our favorite rides at least once without major lines.

 

[MDH]

We're at portofino, and while when i initally booked it, I thought express pass in late january would be overkill, I'm starting to think I'm pretty happy I did it now

 

[AngiTN]

Yeah, no way would I want to go without the Express Pass, even though I realize at Universal this can still mean a pretty decent wait. It's going to be a shorter wait than stand by.
I know last year (during Potter weekend) we had more than 1 hour waits for the train more than once