Harry potter world worth visiting Universal?

[meggles]

For the people that have attended the soft opening days, what do you think? It's $85 to visit Universal Hollywood...is it worth it? We'd be mostly going for the Harry Potter section. Otherwise, I have heard it is not even a full day park. I can get 12 month passes from Costco for $95 and will likely do that if we end up going...

 

[dragonflycurls]

I am a rabid harry potter fan and thought so! We went on Sunday and it was so much fun. I would recommend going right at opening or closer to closing, as mid day it was VERY busy. Ollivanders had over a 30 minute wait. We didn't do either of the rides, but had fun eating at the three broomsticks, drinking butterbeer (frozen was good, cold was tooo sweet), and just being in the magic! I think with Harry Potter, it was definitely now a full day park. We got there around 10 and stayed until closing (9pm).

 

[cruisehopeful]

Be sure to check out the black out dates with the Costco pass. I saw that in the store and thought it was a great deal, but after looking at the black out dates, I realized all the days I would go were blacked out.

 

[meggles]

Be sure to check out the black out dates with the Costco pass. I saw that in the store and thought it was a great deal, but after looking at the black out dates, I realized all the days I would go were blacked out.

Yep, there are many black out days. My kids are in a year round school so we have a few weeks each spring and fall that would work. Also, early June. If you're planning to go during the holidays or the majority of the summer it's certainly not worth it. I liked that you could go any day, even a black out day, the first visit. We'd just have to get there before the end of May--I think the pass must be activated prior to June.

 

[kathy884]

I'm not even a Harry Potter fan (I just read the first book and have seen a few of the movies), but OMG the Orlando Universal Studios Harry Potter areas are really amazing / incredible theming. I would have to say, yes that it would be worth it and enjoyable for anyone who in general enjoys theme parks.

 

[Ryan120420]

Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey is worth the price of admission alone. By far the best ride in any SoCal park.

With the addition to Wizarding World, I would consider Universal a full day park, especially if you haven't been to the Orlando Universal parks. There is more than enough things to do to fill a day.

 

[keahgirl8]

I realize that there aren't two sides like in Orlando, but can anyone who has been to both compare? It sure is closer to me!

 

[Plaid Princess]

Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey is worth the price of admission alone. By far the best ride in any SoCal park.

Agreed. That and the Backlot Tour are well worth the cost of admission.

I realize that there aren't two sides like in Orlando, but can anyone who has been to both compare? It sure is closer to me!

Comparing just FL vs. CA Hogsmede, I think the CA version is better. The layout is less cluttered, the theming is richer, the rides are upgraded. Chatting with a others in line, everyone agreed... CA's is better. Likely because they had more time and money to build it (USO was nearing bankruptcy when they rolled the dice on HP in Florida).

That being said, CA doesn't have Diagon Alley (yet), so if you were hoping to see Gringotts etc, you'd still need to visit FL.

 

[keahgirl8]

Agreed. That and the Backlot Tour are well worth the cost of admission.



Comparing just FL vs. CA Hogsmede, I think the CA version is better. The layout is less cluttered, the theming is richer, the rides are upgraded. Chatting with a others in line, everyone agreed... CA's is better. Likely because they had more time and money to build it (USO was nearing bankruptcy when they rolled the dice on HP in Florida).

That being said, CA doesn't have Diagon Alley (yet), so if you were hoping to see Gringotts etc, you'd still need to visit FL.

Right. I do want to visit Florida. CA is just a lot cheaper for me right now!

 

[Luckymommatoo]

I think it also depends on how old your kids are and how close you live. Universal is definitely a tween/teen park to me. If your kids are younger/not into thrill rides, then it's harder to fill up a day.

We were at WWoHP there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it, but none of us (my kiddos are 9 and 12) feel like we need to go back any time soon. I guess if we had passes we would, but it felt like a one-and-done (at least for a good while) for us. That said, if you're going to go and the Costco blackout dates aren't an issue for you, I'd definitely get those passes!

 

[Geemo]

Happy to hear about the Costco pass for $95, I'll check it out next time I'm on a milk run.

We have a DLR trip in October and my DGD wants a day to see the WWoHP. After looking at the transportation challenge, I wasn't too excited. The rental car from DTD was an easy part. Map Quest had the travel time at 1hr45min, one-way.
I came up with another idea for one day at USH.

Instead of taking one day out of the October trip for WWoHP, we're going to have one special day in JUNE. The inexpensive airfares right now made it possible to fly PDX to BUR for just the day. Our morning flight arrives BUR at 8:45am. Map Quest has the distance at 5.3 miles to USH. We should be there right at park opening, not counting their EE hour.

I'll be following this thread to see how others have made the most of one day touring USH.

Thanks

Geemo

 

[DahliaRW]

One thing to know is that if you purchase your ticket directly through Universal, you get free early entry. I'd do that, be in line before opening, go straight to the Forbidden Journey, ride it a few times. Flight of the Hioppogriff is ok, but nothing to write home about, do it once to say you have but you probably won't care to go again (assuming its' the same as in Orlando). Then enjoy the rest of the park while everyone else is in the Harry Potter area waiting in long lines.

 

[sheetz]

Just before your trip keep an eye on wait times at http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/ushwaittimes/ . What I've noticed is that the wait time for Forbidden Journey is by far the longest during the first two hours of operation and then drops steadily so that it's practically walk-on by late afternoon. It might be a good strategy to do the rest of the park during the morning and then hit the Harry Potter section at around 3pm.

 

[StageTek]

At least for now the usual strategy seems to not work. Everyone is flooding WWoHP in the morning. Then by the
last few hours of operating day the place is nearly empty. Who knows if that will happen over the summer...

 

[DahliaRW]

At least for now the usual strategy seems to not work. Everyone is flooding WWoHP in the morning. Then by the
last few hours of operating day the place is nearly empty. Who knows if that will happen over the summer...

Are they flooding it at official park open or is it bad during the early entry? I imagine it's flooded at open because EE people are already there in line. That's why I'd do the EE and then be done by park open.

 

[sheetz]

Are they flooding it at official park open or is it bad during the early entry? I imagine it's flooded at open because EE people are already there in line. That's why I'd do the EE and then be done by park open.

During EE the FJ wait times have been up to 30-45 minutes this week. Once the park opens to regular guests that jumps to 90-120 minutes by 11am. However, by 3pm it's back down to about 30 minutes again.The last 1-2 hours have been close to walk-on.

So if you can make EE that's great, but if you can't (or aren't eligible) it's no problem.

 

[StageTek]

That's why I'd do the EE and then be done by park open.

Excellent choice!

 

[DahliaRW]

I will say, the queue area is worth going through at least once. A 30 minute wait would be about perfect for that. Assuming it's similar to FL, the queue itself is incredibly well done (Disney quality well done).

 

[BadPinkTink]

so glad I found this thread, got lots of questions Major Harry Potter fan, I have been to The Harry Potter Studios in London, where the actual film sets are, been in the real Diagon Alley and in the real Great Hall I have a one day ticket for end of June. I plan to be at UH around 9am and stay until close.

At least for now the usual strategy seems to not work. Everyone is flooding WWoHP in the morning. Then by the
last few hours of operating day the place is nearly empty. Who knows if that will happen over the summer...

THIS ^^^^
1.The Unofficial Disney Guidebook 2016 advises going to Harry Potter Land after 3 pm so I will resist, resist , walk on by and come back in the afternoon. Is the 4 hours before park closing enough time to see and do everything?

2. The Unofficial Disney Guidebook 2016 gives directions for the single rider line for FJ. Has anyone done the single rider line and how does it compare to the the regular line

3. What about eating in Harry Potter Land. My plan is to eat after 2pm, do food places in general quieten down or are they always busy.

4. Is going bagless in UH in general a good way to shorten wait times. Are there rental lockers I could store my shopping from the morning before I go to Harry Potter Land.

 

[StageTek]

The Unofficial Disney Guidebook 2016 was written long before WWoHP opened in Hollywood.
After only one week of opening (in non-peak on a rainy weekend) the patterns haven't fully
developed. The weekend (Apl7-10) was less crowded than expected. The weekdays were a
little more than expected. Right now going in later in the day seems like a good choice.

1. Too subjective to answer. Some find 2 hours enough, some just can't get enough and come
back time and time again.

2. The single rider line bypasses most of the beautiful, fascinating, immersive queue.

3. As the guests leave the land the entire area, including food places, quiet down and get less
busy. Three Broomsticks gets busier around dinner time and then slows way down again.

4. Yes. And Yes.