Harry Potter- Wizarding World FAQ

[andrewilley]

Harry Potter World Park does anyone think they will add merchandise from the movie Fantastic Beast movie ?

Yes. And the sky is blue and grass is green, in case you were thinking of asking about that too.

Andre

 

[SJDisneyFanatic]

Did everyone see the sweepstakes for Harry Potter? Sounds like an amazing trip to all the Harry Potter locations. Here is the link to enter for any of you Harry Potter fans!
http://bit.ly/1Jtzmd5

 

[andrewilley]

Did everyone see the sweepstakes for Harry Potter? Sounds like an amazing trip to all the Harry Potter locations. Here is the link to enter for any of you Harry Potter fans!
http://bit.ly/1Jtzmd5

This competition is only open to US Residents, before everyone else gets their hopes up too.

Andre

 

[DisneyFreak06]

This competition is only open to US Residents, before everyone else gets their hopes up too.

Andre

 

[FirstTripEver]

Great thread! Thanks for all of the input! My daughter (13) and I love Harry Potter and will be making our first trip to Universal next weekend. We arrive on Friday afternoon, Feb 5. We would like to go straight to the park (it will be about 3PM) - any advice on what park to hit for the very first time? I've also been searching everywhere to find out which park will be open early on Sat, Feb 6 and Sun, Feb 7? We will be staying at the Hard Rock and I was just trying to do some planning. We have 3-day park tickets for Feb 5, 6, and 7. THANKS!

 

[macraven]

If you don't see which park has EE on the first page of the website, call your hotel to ask

it should be there

 

[Kivara]

Great thread! We would like to go straight to the park (it will be about 3PM) - any advice on what park to hit for the very first time?

I would do IoA first, as it's older and based more off the first through fourth books, US/Diagon Alley is based more off of the sixth and seventh books.

 

[andrewilley]

I would do IoA first, as it's older and based more off the first through fourth books, US/Diagon Alley is based more off of the sixth and seventh books.

Odd, I would have said thematically just the opposite. Harry goes to Diagon Alley first in book one, and visits Gringott's, etc. Then he takes the train from King's Cross station to Hogwarts and does not in fact visit Hogsmeade village at all until his third year at the school.

Andre

 

[SA mom]

Odd, I would have said thematically just the opposite. Harry goes to Diagon Alley first in book one, and visits Gringott's, etc. Then he takes the train from King's Cross station to Hogwarts and does not in fact visit Hogsmeade village at all until his third year at the school.

I have to agree with you, Andre. We are not introduced to Hogsmeade until the 3rd book while Diagon Alley is Harry's first glimpse of the "wizarding world." I just rewatched the 1st movie and I am so excited to visit Diagon Alley next month! Thanks, all, for the advice.

 

[Kivara]

You are both so right...must have had a spacey moment there...I was thinking more along the lines of the Weasley's store and the escaping from Gringotts than the walking though as Harry did. Also, IoA's Potter section is older, and while I still love it to pieces, to me it seems slightly less amazing than Diagon Alley (which is jam-packed with things to read/look at) JMO

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

We just booked a 3 night trip at Cabana bay and 3 days park to park...as a suprise for our daughters upcoming 5th birthday. She loves harry potter and is really wanting a wand. We will be going to Universal just before her birthday and coming back in time for her party. Our trip is at the beginning of Feb. Any ideas on the best way to suprise her? I was thinking about a HP acceptance letter the night before (but would it need to say coming for a visit, because at her age she seriously believes) or maybe wrapping an empty wand shapped box that only has a note about going to pick out her own wand... but I'm not sure...Ideas anyone?

I just gave my daughter a gift certificate for a wand at Ollivander's earlier this week. I made it myself. It says its valid the dates of our trip (2/26-3/1). She is 13 (gasp!), so it also says she will have trvel via Muggle means since she is underage. She went crazy! I am a nervous wreck, planning this trip is a short amount of time. I plan for a year to go to Disney! Eek!

 

[SA mom]

We just spent the last 5 days at UO. Gringotts was down several times when we were in line. It went down about 8:15 one night and team members shut it down for the night and emptied the queue. Bummer after we had already waited 30 minutes. Team members told us that if the single rider line is closed, the ride is not working. One EE morning, it didn't even start working until after 9. Manage expectations.

 

[macraven]

We just spent the last 5 days at UO. Gringotts was down several times when we were in line. It went down about 8:15 one night and team members shut it down for the night and emptied the queue. Bummer after we had already waited 30 minutes. Team members told us that if the single rider line is closed, the ride is not working. One EE morning, it didn't even start working until after 9. Manage expectations.

i have experienced that before and that is why i tell newbies to not wait until the last hour to get in that line.
it is heartbreaking not to be able to ride it at least once when you are there.

going at the end of the evening can be a great thing as lines are short.
but breakdowns do happen

did you get to ride gringotts sometime during your vacation there?
I hope so!!

i hope you had a great time in the parks and on your total vacation!

 

[SA mom]

Oh, yes. We rode it two or three times before but the line was short so we got in. We came back the next morning. We walked up to single rider line with 3 people ahead of us. They opened the queue and we hit the loading dock before the regular queue and we were the first ones on. We actually got to ride it together. The rest of the day went like that for our "one" last ride.

 

[SA mom]

We stayed at Royal Pacific so we had the Early Entry mornings, but it was still incredibly crowded in Diagon Alley. One thing we noticed was that many people where coming in off the parking structure. They never actually checked our hotel keys, you just flashed a card as you hurried through the gates.

 

[macraven]

That's not good

Last October I had two checks of my hotel card before I could enter for EE

First check to enter the ropes off line then the next to enter in the park

 

[Robo56]

When we were there in May we had two checks also Mac for EE. Once when we went through the gate and a second time as you approached the roped area that was leading to Hogsmeade.

 

[asbyrneva]

Hi All
First time on the Uni forums. Can somebody tell me what the April 7 2016 "opening" is? I thought all this stuff was already operating (Hogsmeade etc)? Why the sudden media blitz? Are they adding something that isnt already open? They are advertising forbidden journey but I know Ive seen expected wait times for that.

Is this just the official opening of stuff that has been open for months?

 

[macraven]

Hi All
First time on the Uni forums. Can somebody tell me what the April 7 2016 "opening" is? I thought all this stuff was already operating (Hogsmeade etc)? Why the sudden media blitz? Are they adding something that isnt already open? They are advertising forbidden journey but I know Ive seen expected wait times for that.

Is this just the official opening of stuff that has been open for months?

Universal Hollywood in California is opening a Harry Potter section in their park


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[asbyrneva]

Universal Hollywood in California is opening a Harry Potter section in their park

Ahh! Wouldnt know that from the ads they are running here in VA! Thanks!!! As you could tell I was totally confused Missed the "hollywood" First time going to Uni this summer and DS tells me I need to figure out the HP stuff.