Hogwarts Express without EP

[Wendysofftoneverland]

My kids can't stand waiting in line more than 45 minutes, and the other day the Hogwarts Express line was 90 minutes long. Would it be best to ride this right at opening? Mainly interested in IoA to US, as I've heard US to IoA is scarier.

Any other tips, or do I just need to book a night in a deluxe hotel to get EP? Just buying EP seems kind of a waste, because my oldest is 5 and either can't or doesn't want to go on a lot of the popular rides, so my husband and I will probably be using the single rider line or skipping most of the rides with long waits.

 

[georgina]

My kids can't stand waiting in line more than 45 minutes, and the other day the Hogwarts Express line was 90 minutes long. Would it be best to ride this right at opening? Mainly interested in IoA to US, as I've heard US to IoA is scarier.

Any other tips, or do I just need to book a night in a deluxe hotel to get EP? Just buying EP seems kind of a waste, because my oldest is 5 and either can't or doesn't want to go on a lot of the popular rides, so my husband and I will probably be using the single rider line or skipping most of the rides with long waits.

Are you just going for 1 day or multiple days? I agree it does not sound worth it to buy EP in your situation. Yes, riding HE from IOA to US first thing should work out, especially if US is the early entry park still when you are there. If multiple days at a busy time it might be worth it to get a night at a deluxe, possibly even buy 1 AP for the lower rate.

I was solo at Universal last weekend, 2 nights off site and one night onsite for EP. I was able to do most things single rider or with smaller waits. The ones I waited for the EP to ride were Hogwarts Express, Spiderman, Dr Seuss Trolley in the sky, and Cat in the Hat. So if you can manage those early in the morning you should be OK. However, I did skip some stuff your kids might like, like Minions or ET.

Even on a Friday night with US closing early for HHN the Hagrid's line was only 30 minutes (single rider was about the same), toward the end of the evening Velocicoaster was 20 minutes (single rider was low wait 1st thing in the morning but closed later because so many people were in it). If you are Harry Potter fans I would do the regular line for Forbidden Journey instead of SR.

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

We have the military pass, so we may go 3 or 4 more days. Luckily we were able to do Cat in the Hat in the evening with almost no line and did stationary seat for Minions. For HP and the Forbidden Journey, is there anything in the line queue that could be scary for preschoolers?

 

[georgina]

We have the military pass, so we may go 3 or 4 more days. Luckily we were able to do Cat in the Hat in the evening with almost no line and did stationary seat for Minions. For HP and the Forbidden Journey, is there anything in the line queue that could be scary for preschoolers?

I don’t think so - it is really cool - talking portraits, a hologram of Dumbledore talking in one room, Harry Hermione and Ron holograms in another, the sorting hat, Fat Lady portrait at the entrance to the common room, etc. Plus a lot of smaller things for Potter fans - the mirror of Erised, hunchback statue that was an entrance to a secret passage in one book, the Griffin at the entrance to Dumbledores office. I have done the ride so many times I enjoy walking through the castle more than the ride itself now.

sounds like you don’t need EP with several days.

 

[hildarumpole]

The IoA to US trip has lower wait times generally. We rode last week about 1:30 with a 10 min. wait. The US to IoA waits can get very long, even with EP. We had a 35 min. wait with EP. The regular line had a posted wait time of 45 min. when we got in EP line, but it quickly went up to 75 min. while we were waiting and 90 min. by the time we finished our journey to IoA.

 

[MrBellatrixLestrange]

I may anger some here but I've always found the HE a bit boring. It's nice and adds some ambience to the whole experience but if someone asks me if it's worth waiting in 45 minute lines on each side I would probably tell them just to take City Walk to switch parks.