How is parking & the attraction wait times since WWOHP has opened?

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Next week my family and I will be at WDW from Aug 10 - 25 and we are thinking about going to Universal Studios one day and I was wondering something. Since the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter what are the crowds like when trying to park and what are the wait times for the attractions, if a lot of people are just going for the WWOHP?

Also if it matters we are not planning at all to visit the WWOHP should we decide to go there.

 

[WVMomof3]

We are here right now, went to Islands of Adventure yesterday and Universal today. The Islands of Adventure side was crazy busy all day, even with tons of people standing in line for the Harry Potter section. By 9:30, the line to get into the section was over 3 hours. There was still at least 30 minute waits on the other rides also. We went straight to Spiderman, the posted wait was 40 minutes, but we were done in about 20, shortest line of the day. Lots of long lines at Islands side. Today the Studios side was not bad. We did several rides in the first 2 hours.

The parking is AWFUL!!! Hate it, imagine having to walk from the Ticket and Transportation area to Magic Kingdom, seriously, it is terrible. Plan on getting to the garage at least 1 hour before park opening if you hope to get to the turnstyles at park opening.

 

[WWEDUDE]

The parking is AWFUL!!! Hate it, imagine having to walk from the Ticket and Transportation area to Magic Kingdom, seriously, it is terrible. Plan on getting to the garage at least 1 hour before park opening if you hope to get to the turnstyles at park opening.

The walk is less than .5 miles (depending on where in the garage you are parked, give or take .06 miles) and shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. Transport and Ticking to Magic Kingdom is more than double that.

 

[Purseval]

Anybody going to any Orlando area park should be prepared for a LOT of walking. Our last visit was fairly relaxed and we averaged over 8 miles per day (the Mrs. wears a pedometer all day every day). Think of the walk from the garage to the turnstiles as a warm up If you are arriving early getting through the ticket booths will be easy then there are TMs who direct you into spaces just like they do at the Disney parks. They usually have moving sidewalks running to help you get into CityWalk then after that you're on your own walking wise.

You said you were skipping WWOHP so if you get there early and head to Spiderman, Hulk, etc., the waits will be short because the majority will be getting in the HP line. The lines will build as people leave HP and try other rides. Universal will be moderate most of the day.

 

[Planogirl]

We are here right now, went to Islands of Adventure yesterday and Universal today. The Islands of Adventure side was crazy busy all day, even with tons of people standing in line for the Harry Potter section. By 9:30, the line to get into the section was over 3 hours. There was still at least 30 minute waits on the other rides also. We went straight to Spiderman, the posted wait was 40 minutes, but we were done in about 20, shortest line of the day. Lots of long lines at Islands side. Today the Studios side was not bad. We did several rides in the first 2 hours.

The parking is AWFUL!!! Hate it, imagine having to walk from the Ticket and Transportation area to Magic Kingdom, seriously, it is terrible. Plan on getting to the garage at least 1 hour before park opening if you hope to get to the turnstyles at park opening.

Are you really at Universal? It's never taken us more than 20 minutes to get from our car to a park and we spend a large part of that on the people movers. I like that it's covered too. Maybe it's more crowded in the garages? It definitely sounds like it was quite busy in IOA.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thank you to all those who replied.

 

[WVMomof3]

Went back last night and got to park on the last row of 4th floor Jurasic Park. What a difference from 1st floor Spiderman and 1st floor Jaws, which is where we parked the first 2 days. Your reward for getting there early, park in the farthest possible locations! Ughh!! A lot of the moving sidewalks and escalators are not even working, combined with the mob that is there at opening, not a fun experience. Only 4 bag check people for all the parks, so get through the first mob there and then the SLOW lines to get into the park. The studio side was not bad, but the Islands side was backed up and they do not have many lines open, even when we went back last night it took a while to get through ticketing area. So from the time you pay for parking to when you get into the gates, way more than 20 minutes in the morning. Last night, parking in almost the closest possible spot to get in Islands took us only 15 minutes, but there was no lines at that time for bag check.