Harry Potter world

[Michellenukes]

I will only be in universal for one day and am a huge Harry Potter fan. I was looking to find out which rude gets the most crowded and I should go to at opening. Thank you

 

[BeerMe]

Gringotts is always crowded

 

[Upatnoon]

I will only be in universal for one day and am a huge Harry Potter fan. I was looking to find out which rude gets the most crowded and I should go to at opening. Thank you

Universal has early entry for its hotels usually for one park, so the side that's open first will have the most people since everyone zooms to the Potter section. If the universal side is open first, you will likely find a line at Gringotts.

The universal app is useful for checking the ride times.

 

[bankr63]

Even though Gringott's is the newer ride, we found on our 3 visits that the lines were generally longer for Forbidden Journey at most times of the day. Presumably the capacity is lower on FJ? Agree with Upatnoon - get the app on your phone and watch the wait times.

All things being equal, I would probably hit Hogwarts side first riding FJ then DD, then doing any of the other attractions there. Then I would head over to London on the Hogwart's Express. There are more Harry Potter rides on the IOA side, so (IMO) it would be worth hitting first, and then just waiting out the one ride on the USF side.

 

[diznygirl]

Better to hit Gringotts in the morning and do single rider for Forbidden Journey.

 

[HopperFan]

I will only be in universal for one day and am a huge Harry Potter fan. I was looking to find out which rude gets the most crowded and I should go to at opening. Thank you

Just an FYI - Harry Potter "lands" are in both parks and the rides are in both parks. You will need a one day/two park ticket in order to do it all.

 

[Grumpy92]

If you are single rider it is easy to get on Gringotts most days. Hope you realize Diagon Alley is in Univ Studios and Hogsmeade is in IOA. To ride the Hogwarts train you will need a park hopper ticket.

 

[jcvalenti]

If you're a huge HP fan, and only have one day to visit, you probably want the one day / two park ticket. Plan on Diagon Alley in the AM and do Gringott's as quickly as possible ... then take your time to explore the land and knockturn alley. I would do a late breakfast/early lunch at Leaky Cauldron, and then take Hogwart's Express to Hogsmeade. You can usually get on the Forbidden Journey single ride line rather quickly, and then you can go back for a castle walkthrough tour if you want to see the castle (which I recommend). Hogsmeade will seem a little small and quaint after Diagon Alley, so I would probably split your time about 70% Diagon Alley and 30% Hogsmeade.

Don't know when you plan to go, but they are running some great Universal Resort deals now - just saw an email for Portafino Bay for something like $195 per night. If you stay the night prior at a Universal resort, you almost always get an early admission to one of the HP sides, as well as front of line access to the secondary rides. It could be a good deal for you if you're trying to maximize what you see in one day (plus I love the Universal Deluxe Resorts, especially Portafino Bay)

Have fun ! I'm only a mediocre HP fan and I thought Diagon Alley was the best thing I saw in a our 2 week trip last summer. It was fantastic. My grumpy old butt even loved taking my 10 year olds wand and casting spells throughout Knockturn Alley - Awesome !

 

[crys1158]

1st year not doing MNSSHP instead want to take my Harry Potter obsessed 5 year old to get a wand and experience potter. Should we only do 1 part ? Again she is only 5 I am not sure what she an even ride and she just wants to see some of it. So is it really necessary for me to get park to park tix. Any opinions are appreciated

 

[Ametista]

1st year not doing MNSSHP instead want to take my Harry Potter obsessed 5 year old to get a wand and experience potter. Should we only do 1 part ? Again she is only 5 I am not sure what she an even ride and she just wants to see some of it. So is it really necessary for me to get park to park tix. Any opinions are appreciated

I would just take her to Islands of Adventure, let her ride Flight of the Hippogriff (if she's 42") and get her some butter beer. She will love just seeing Hogsmeade and the shops. She will have a blast. Also take her to lunch at Three Broomsticks!