Help Me Like IOA

[Raidra]

We went to IOA on 3/8. It was our first time ever, and we went there solely because of WWOHP. I am a huge fan, as is my 7 year old (my husband and 5 year old son like it, too, but not as crazily). I was completely and utterly disappointed with pretty much the whole experience. First.. it was packed. We got there at opening and waited an hour for the 5 minute show in Ollivanders. My son is too short to ride FJ or the Dragons thing, and didn't want to try the Hippogriff ride. We had a very early lunch at the Three Broomsticks, which was actually nice.. we got to sit right next to the fireplace and it was pretty empty. Then we did the castle tour and saw the Durmstrang/Beauxbatons show. It was hot. There is no shade. The employees were completely unhelpful (we had to walk to the very end of the long FJ locker line snaking out of WWOHP to find out where to go on the castle tour). And it was wall-to-wall people. We briefly looked around in Zonko's, then left to take a break in Suess Landing. I actually enjoyed Suess Landing a lot more than WWOHP, totally didn't expect that. But I had forgotten to bring changes of clothes for us, and we didn't want to get wet. When we finally went back to WWOHP to look in Honeydukes (we didn't want to buy anything chocolate until we were leaving), there was a line to get in. We were just so done, we got back to the bus stop an hour early. We were more comfortable sitting there than in IOA.

I know that my kids will want to go back. I'm dreading it. Will it be any better if we go the first week in November or the last week in January?

Thanks!

 

[mesaboy2]

Sounds like most of your issues derived from crowds or hot weather. If so then yes, I think you will have a much better time during the weeks you mention.

I was in Orlando that week (and Universal two days prior) and don't recall it being all that hot. It is possible you would encounter similar temps in November, but almost certainly not January.

I'm sorry you didn't find any helpful TMs either--they've always been helpful and friendly to me. Maybe you caught one or two on a bad day....

 

[Raidra]

Well, it wasn't July hot, but we're not fans of the heat. The day before had been the coldest day there, too.. so the comparison was unpleasant. It just seems like at Disney, we were able to find plenty of shady spots to rest.. not so much where we were at IOA. The TMs weren't very rude, it's just that there were so few of them and tons of people needing their help. The crowd control was just.. less than adequate.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

We visited Universal this last November (3-10th) and had a great time. Harry Potter was busy but it wasn't wall to wall people like I've seen pictures of during the peak travel times. Other than Olivanders most lines were 5-20 minutes long. The rest of the parks were pretty much empty.

This trip the temperatures were actually pretty cold compared to previous trips I have taken during this time period. I think it averaged 60 degrees (It always averaged 80-90 degrees before). Of course this gave me an excuse to buy a wizard robe

I think the only way I would ever visit Universal during peak travel times was if I could afford to stay onsite. The unlimited express pass and early entry into HP would make it doable.

 

[mesaboy2]

Well, it wasn't July hot, but we're not fans of the heat. The day before had been the coldest day there, too.. so the comparison was unpleasant. It just seems like at Disney, we were able to find plenty of shady spots to rest.. not so much where we were at IOA. The TMs weren't very rude, it's just that there were so few of them and tons of people needing their help. The crowd control was just.. less than adequate.

I can't disagree with you there. My first trip was last July, and as you say--that's HOT! Our shirts were already dripping at 8:30 in the morning in line for Ollivander's! (Sorry for the visual.). Anyway, in many queues Uni tries to alleviate this with misting fans. Don't recall any in WWoHP except Flight of the Hippogriff. But then that's pretty much the only outdoor queue in the area.

 

[ChrisFL]

Well, it wasn't July hot, but we're not fans of the heat. The day before had been the coldest day there, too.. so the comparison was unpleasant. It just seems like at Disney, we were able to find plenty of shady spots to rest.. not so much where we were at IOA. The TMs weren't very rude, it's just that there were so few of them and tons of people needing their help. The crowd control was just.. less than adequate.

Never been to Animal Kingdom then?

 

[damo]

There isn't a lot of room just to sit in the Wizarding World other than the Owlery. We've got in off times and have had a wonderful time. Do what you need to do at WW and then go to other areas of IOA to rest. You need to visit the other areas of the park as well.

There are plenty of shady areas just not at WW where they were trying to maximize their space as much as possible. Jurassic Park is full of great resting areas and a wonderful playground. Me Ship the Olive would have been a fun place to cool off and also to play as would the Discovery Centre.

It is also nice to get a butterbeer at the Hogshead and then sit in the patio behind it and enjoy it.

If you really want the best way, stay onsite and use the one hour early entry.

 

[Raidra]

Never been to Animal Kingdom then?

We found plenty of shady places to rest at AK.

I had heard that the Owlery was a good place to sit and not too busy, but it was packed when we were there.. even first thing in the morning. Part of the problem was that with 4 kids and a double stroller, and a crowd that shunted us along.. we really couldn't explore. I wasn't going to fight our way through a crowd to see if there was an open space at the back, you know?

I had expected us to check out other areas of IOA, but like I said.. we were just so put off by the sun and crowds that we left early. Hopefully it'll be better when we go back..

About staying onsite.. I wonder how difficult it would be to have the last two days of our trip be at Universal and switch hotels.. maybe I should look into how that works.

Thanks!

 

[damo]

About staying onsite.. I wonder how difficult it would be to have the last two days of our trip be at Universal and switch hotels.. maybe I should look into how that works.

Thanks!

That is exactly what you should be doing. However, you can't have 6 in a room. There are Harry Potter packages that you can purchase at off site hotels with suites that will also give you the 1 hour early entry but not the unlimited express. These packages can be purchased on the www.universalorlando.com website.

 

[Raidra]

That is exactly what you should be doing. However, you can't have 6 in a room. There are Harry Potter packages that you can purchase at off site hotels with suites that will also give you the 1 hour early entry but not the unlimited express. These packages can be purchased on the www.universalorlando.com website.

I guess they don't have anything comparable to the Values? We did two rooms and loved it. Looking that up now.

 

[damo]

I guess they don't have anything comparable to the Values? We did two rooms and loved it. Looking that up now.

No there is nothing comparable to the values. Remember when you stay onsite you get unlimited express pass for two days which can be up to a $60/person value per day. So for a family of 5, that could be worth $600. To be selling rooms for under $100 just wouldn't make sense.

 

[ChrisFL]

At IOA, I enjoy going into the Jurassic Park Discovery Center, there's lots of things to check out and it's a nice, relaxing place and pretty big.

 

[bumbershoot]

Do what you need to do at WW and then go to other areas of IOA to rest. You need to visit the other areas of the park as well.

It is also nice to get a butterbeer at the Hogshead and then sit in the patio behind it and enjoy it.

If you really want the best way, stay onsite and use the one hour early entry.

Yes yes and yes!

I had heard that the Owlery was a good place to sit and not too busy, but it was packed when we were there.. even first thing in the morning. Part of the problem was that with 4 kids and a double stroller, and a crowd that shunted us along.. we really couldn't explore. I wasn't going to fight our way through a crowd to see if there was an open space at the back, you know?


About staying onsite.. I wonder how difficult it would be to have the last two days of our trip be at Universal and switch hotels.. maybe I should look into how that works.

Thanks!

The problem is likely that you were an hour behind the resort guests who got Early Entry. So by the time you got there at park opening, the place was full already. (if you've ever been to Disneyland, it's like trying to go into Fantasyland at park opening on a Magic Morning day...the place has been filling for an hour by the time you get there!)

YES do that! We had a rental car so moving was easy, and we seem to like resort-hopping anyway, so it wasn't a big deal at all. And Royal Pacific Resort (the cheapest of the 3 onsite hotels there) was nice (though the rooms are SO small) so it was totally worth it.

Of course, it seems your family won't easily fit into the hotel, so I'm at a loss. Others have better ideas...but if you CAN, I'd work out getting onsite or a package offsite; that way you can get into WWOHP at *true* opening, and be ahead of the masses at park opening.



And then have FUN in the rest of IOA! We absolutely fell for Universal as a whole; WWOHP was just a small part of our enjoyment.

 

[Metro West]

At IOA, I enjoy going into the Jurassic Park Discovery Center, there's lots of things to check out and it's a nice, relaxing place and pretty big.

 

[Planogirl]

We went in early August and it was crowded and hot! You are right that there seem to be few TM's in WWoHP but I think that that is mainly because of the huge crowds. There just isn't room. Those we managed to find were very nice luckily.

I second those who say to go to the Jurassic Park Discover Center. It's nice and cool and quiet by comparison. Jurassic Park itself is quite shaded and peaceful overall.

I always liked to find a quiet spot in the Comic Strip area too. It gets very crowded there but you can often find an out of the way spot to rest.