Harry Potter- Wizarding World FAQ

[popsynic]

Go early in the morning and do what you can do until it starts to get really crowded and hot. Then head to your hotel for a nice afternoon pool break. You get out of the heat and away from the most crowded part of the day not to mention you get to enjoy the resort pools which are wonderful. Head back to the parks in the evening when the crowds have died down and it is a little less hot. This is what we did last week and it made for a perfect vacation. We actually found the evenings less crowded than the early entry mornings. I don't know how many times my kids asked me why everyone was leaving the parks (in droves) as we were reentering!

Is this still a good strategy when visiting in October - Park closes at 7pm most nights, which doesn't leave much evening time for touring park.

So, I was thinking:
early entry at 8am, Olivanders show (skip through shop), Forbidden Journey (twice?), Get something 'breakfasty' to eat at three broomsticks, do the shops, use hotel stay exprress pass on Hippgrif and Duelling Dragons, and leave WWOHP 11am. Then go explore Jurrasic Park, a counter service lunch and do the three water rides - get soaked, and go back to hard rock hotel for a swim (guess this will now be 2pm). Then go back to IOA 4pm and do Marvel island, Seuss Landing, Lost Contiinent and spend last hour back in WWOHP?

How does this plan look?

 

[WDWRocksMySocks]

Crowds should be pretty low during early December. WWoHP will be busy but the rest of the parks will be a breeze.

Thanks!!

 

[kkproulx]

Going in March! Hoping crowds aren't too bad....can't wait to go thru the shops win WWoHP. We went in February this year, but didn't know what was there in the shops....now I know and cannot wait!

 

[loco122003]

Hello, I will be with my family on Oct 16 - Oct 22 on Orlando . We will be offsite and the plan in to vist IoA on Oct 18 and US on Oct 22. We don't plan any HHN. Can you please let me know how crowds for WWHP will be? and also how US will be on that Friday?

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[poohbear8]

I am taking my DD(14) 11/3-11/8 and staying on Disney property. The plan was to go to Universal on Sunday, the 5th. Since we have never been, we will probably stay all day, but the main "must see" is everything WWoHP. We will be going back next year, so if the crowds are too bad, we are ok leaving early if needed.

The crowd levels for Saturday at Disney are 6 and a 3 on Sunday. I'm wondering if I should move Universal to Saturday when Disney is more crowded.

Any thoughts on this? Are Saturdays generally crowded? Will the first week of November be that bad and what would "that bad" look like?

Thanks for the help!

 

[zack123]

Can you skip the lockers if you only have a fanny pack? I am willing to wear a cheesy touristy fanny pack if I can skip all locker lines!

Also, if I get there before park opening and get in right as they open, go right to FJ, how long will the line be--about? (Figuring the people who stay at hotels are already in there.) 30-45 min? (Trip is end of April).

Thank you!

It depends on who is working . . . the days I was there, sometimes they let people through with fanny packs, sometimes they were stopped and told to put them in lockers.

Be careful - as I was exiting the ride, I heard at least five people complain they lost their cell phone (that was inside a pocket for the ride) . . .

 

[christophfam]

Is this still a good strategy when visiting in October - Park closes at 7pm most nights, which doesn't leave much evening time for touring park.

So, I was thinking:
early entry at 8am, Olivanders show (skip through shop), Forbidden Journey (twice?), Get something 'breakfasty' to eat at three broomsticks, do the shops, use hotel stay exprress pass on Hippgrif and Duelling Dragons, and leave WWOHP 11am. Then go explore Jurrasic Park, a counter service lunch and do the three water rides - get soaked, and go back to hard rock hotel for a swim (guess this will now be 2pm). Then go back to IOA 4pm and do Marvel island, Seuss Landing, Lost Contiinent and spend last hour back in WWOHP?

How does this plan look?

When I wrote this I had returned from a June trip and the parks were open until 8-9. I was at universal last oct and the parks did not clear out quite like they did in June. It is still worth doing as some nights were better than others.

 

[cuddlykp]

I am sure this has been covered but I just don't have the time to skim the pages and tried a search but no luck.

We are staying at RPR so we have early entry to HP....that being said how early should we be at the gate for early entry? We are there Nov 18-24.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mesaboy2]

I am sure this has been covered but I just don't have the time to skim the pages and tried a search but no luck.

We are staying at RPR so we have early entry to HP....that being said how early should we be at the gate for early entry? We are there Nov 18-24.

Thanks in advance!

I would think 15-30 minutes before early entry (75-90 minutes before official park open) should be plenty.

 

[mom2princess&prince]

This is probably a silly question but is there any way to get early entry if you aren't staying on property?

Also, what is the best price / place to buy a one day ticket?

 

[christophfam]

This is probably a silly question but is there any way to get early entry if you aren't staying on property?

Also, what is the best price / place to buy a one day ticket?

If you go to the Universal site, there are some partner hotel packages that allow you the one hour early entry. That and onsite are the only ways to take advantage of the extra hour.

Undercover Tourist has some great ticket deals and there is a sticky on this forum for an unlimited 14 day. Costco also has a good deal on a 3 day ticket that is good for a couple of years - you don't have to use all 3 days immediately.

 

[wdhinn89]

The cheapest I have found for a 1 day ticket is through AAA

 

[sheryl921]

We are planning on spending two days before our cruise at Universal--and that falls on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Does anyone have opinions on crowds and/or special activities for that weekend? Or which park should be visited which day? Both are open til 1 am on New Year's Eve--maybe we could go back to the hotel and take a nap mid-day and come later--would we avoid any crowds that way or just join them

Love all the advice we get from these boards Thanks all!!

 

[kohlby]

Does Three Broomsticks usually have a long wait for lunch? We're going just for one day, maybe Nov 15th or 16th. The park closes at 6pm that day so it would be hard to do dinner.

 

[jandkmom]

Does Three Broomsticks usually have a long wait for lunch? We're going just for one day, maybe Nov 15th or 16th. The park closes at 6pm that day so it would be hard to do dinner.

I guess it depends on the crowds that day. We went in Jan and, while the park was crowded, we got right in to Three Broomsticks. They have staff helping the lines move efficiently and helping with seating people. Be sure to look for the fun hidden surprises there!

 

[damo]

Does Three Broomsticks usually have a long wait for lunch? We're going just for one day, maybe Nov 15th or 16th. The park closes at 6pm that day so it would be hard to do dinner.

We were there on Sept. 23 and there was no wait.

 

[luckyleo81]

how much time do you think is needed for harry potter world? is it a whole day thing or just part of the day? its only one part of the theme park, right?

 

[mesaboy2]

1. how much time do you think is needed for harry potter world? is it a whole day thing or just part of the day?

2. its only one part of the theme park, right?

1. part of the day--maybe 4-5 hours for a rabid fan, 3-4 hours for most
2. right

 

[jnjusoioa]

Forgive me for posting this, I know that the Wizarding World is still new, just wondering if there has been any talk on expanding the Wizarding World?? Thank you.

 

[mesaboy2]

Forgive me for posting this, I know that the Wizarding World is still new, just wondering if there has been any talk on expanding the Wizarding World?? Thank you.

Talk, yes. Announcements resembling anything close to official, no.