How to do HP most efficiently

[aggiedog]

I’m on a school trip with my daughter. We’re going to universal one day, with a P2P ticket. We will most likely get to the park 30 min or so after opening this Thursday and will be leaving at 7pm. If we want to make sure we ride Gringott’s and Forbidden Journey what’s the best plan? I was thinking of heading straight to one, taking the Hogwarts Express to the other, then taking the time to poke around both areas at our leisure, mostly to ensure we actually get to ride both main rides. We won’t have any fast pass-esque add ons (there’s an extra fee you can pay to get that I think?) since not all her friends can pay that. Is it really necessary to hop back and forth to hit the main rides first or can we finish one HP area before going to the other. WDW has been crazy, with a 4+ hour wait at AK today for FOP, so maybe I’m just hyper paranoid.

 

[skylock]

Do single rider esp on FJ. You can't see each other on the ride anyway.

 

[aggiedog]

We’re all about single rider. I wish there were more at WDW.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi I agree with pp's that if you like and can do single rider that is great. I know with a group that is not always easy to do. I would suggest going into one of the parks and head straight to the HP land that you are in and do the main attraction. Honestly since you are not going to be there till closing I would suggest that you do what you want in the one HP land then take the HE to the other park and do the other land. Usually the HP lands are slow in the early to mid morning then the last couple of hours at night. If HP rides and secondly the lands still are your priority I would hop back and forth and do them first.

 

[JaxDad]

Something to consider if you're big Potter fans, I'm not sure if the FOJ single rider line provides the full tour of the castle. I've never used it, but others here may know.

I don't think you would really miss anything in the Gringott's single rider line, based on where I think they merge, but again others here may know.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I’m on a school trip with my daughter. We’re going to universal one day, with a P2P ticket. We will most likely get to the park 30 min or so after opening this Thursday and will be leaving at 7pm. If we want to make sure we ride Gringott’s and Forbidden Journey what’s the best plan? I was thinking of heading straight to one, taking the Hogwarts Express to the other, then taking the time to poke around both areas at our leisure, mostly to ensure we actually get to ride both main rides. We won’t have any fast pass-esque add ons (there’s an extra fee you can pay to get that I think?) since not all her friends can pay that. Is it really necessary to hop back and forth to hit the main rides first or can we finish one HP area before going to the other. WDW has been crazy, with a 4+ hour wait at AK today for FOP, so maybe I’m just hyper paranoid.

Tough call. Take a look at the calendar and see which park has early opening for resort guests. Right now its Universal Studios. When we were there three weeks ago, we did early park entrance at Universal Studios and went straight back to Gringotts. They don't do EP in the early hour time slot. We got on the ride within 10-15 minutes, maybe even less, but by the time we got out, the ride time was already to 45 minutes, and then the park was about to open for general public. I would think the best strategy would be to go to whichever HP land does not have early hours and do that one first. With the train, remember that is basically a ride attraction as well, and you can spend 5 minutes or 60 minutes waiting to board it. Have the Universal app on your phone and track the wait times as a gauge for when to jump parks. With Islands of Adventure, FJ and Kong will probably be the two longest wait times, and maybe Flight of the Hypgriff, which to me is like Peter Pan at Disney, ie "why is this ride wait so long, for a 1 minute ride?"

Without the Express Pass, I'd itemize your must do rides and work your park to park strategy from there. If you have the Universal App you should be able to monitor average wait times in advance. I just checked right now and Gringotts is 75 minutes, while FJ is only 20, so maybe use the app as your compass for planning your day.

 

[Disxuni]

To be honest, you should have plenty of time to do the Harry Potter stuff if you're literally going to be there only a half hour after opening and staying until 7pm at night. There is only a few rides to do, so if that's the worry it shouldn't be a big deal.

However, I would keep the single rider secret to yourself. As if you invite the idea to the whole school, they will be all standing in the single rider line, and if that's the case the line will be much longer than even the regular queue itself. As they only select from that line only when a single rider is needed. Therefore, traditionally it's a quicker wait time since not that many people are in it. However, if a lot of people are in that line you will be waiting for a very long time. They had this particular issue with Gringott's a lot, where people will go into the singer rider line since it's traditionally quicker, for only for dozens of people get into the line, and eventually having ride attendants close that queue due to how long it is.

As for strategy, I always suggest people to do Hogsmeade first, or if you do not do that to at least get there as early as possible, as Hogsmeade is far more narrow than Diagon Alley and there isn't nearly as much shopping to do, so the area tends to get crowded far more quickly and uncomfortable than Diagon Alley. Also, if you go to one of the Ollivanders, go to the one at Diagon Alley, as it's far more bigger.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Something to consider if you're big Potter fans, I'm not sure if the FOJ single rider line provides the full tour of the castle. I've never used it, but others here may know.

I don't think you would really miss anything in the Gringott's single rider line, based on where I think they merge, but again others here may know.

You definitely skip a lot of the que when you do single rider. I would not recommend it for first timers.

 

[SA mom]

I think touringplans.com has a touring plan for just the HO areas. That might be helpful.

 

[WaterLinds]

I think touringplans.com has a touring plan for just the HO areas. That might be helpful.

I’ve been searching their site for that and can’t find it, so if you happen to have a link for it I’d be very interested!

I like TP for Disney but I’ve been finding it frustrating for Universal, because it doesn’t allow you to create a plan that goes between the parks. I can make two separate plans, of course, but I’d love their algorithm to weigh in on what order to do the two parks in, etc. (Even if I ignore half of it anyway...)

 

[AntimonyER]

Honestly if you can make it 30 minutes BEFORE opening you will have a much better time, the lines will be full by the time you make it back there. I strongly recommend an interactive wand purchase, even if only one can afford it, they could all share, and its a fun thing to do.

 

[aggiedog]

Sadly, I have zero control over when we get there. We’re a rope drop family but this is HS band trip. I’m a voteless chaperone. I’ve been making the best of it every day. Yesterday we got to MK at 10:30. Ugh!

 

[BlueFairy]

Hope you had a great day yesterday and will report back. Sorry I'm too late, but for future help - This was recommended to me on this board, I think. https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/harry-potter-world-plan/

Touring plans is under "Univeral for Adults" or something. You have to dig. https://touringplans.com/plans/1144171 & https://touringplans.com/plans/1144177

I tweaked our plan with early arrival (8am with 9am park opening) and also EP, and this is what we came up with based on those 2 sources. I have never been, so this is not a tested plan:

1) Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Notes: If this is your first ride on Gringotts, take the standby queue. For re-rides, use the single rider line. If Gringotts is not operating or the wait is over 30 minutes, enjoy the rest of Diagon Alley and check back later, but do not get in line.
2) Ollivanders
3) Leaky Cauldron 9:30am for 30 minutes Notes: Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron
4) Diagon Alley
5) The Tales of Beedle the Bard Showtimes 11:00am (Notes: There are two different Beedle the Bard shows; try to catch both tales.)
6) Hogwarts Express - King's Cross Station Notes: Take the Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure (park-to-park-ticket required)
1) Flight of the Hippogriff
2) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
3) Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey again. Notes: If this is not your first ride on Forbidden Journey, use the single rider line.
4) Frog Choir Showtime: 12:30pm
5) Three Broomsticks 12:45pm for 60 minutes; Notes: After lunch, explore the shops and interactive windows around Hogsmeade
6) Triwizard Spirit Rally Showtime: 2:30pm
7) Hog's Head 2:45pm for 45 minutes Notes: drinks and butter beer
8) Hogwarts Express - Return Trip to King's Cross
9) Knight Bus Notes: Chat with the Knight Bus conductor and his shrunken heads outside Diagon Alley. Also look for Kreacher in the window of 12 Grimmauld Place, and dial 62442 (MAGIC) in the red telephone booth.
11) Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts Notes: Be aware that the Gringotts queue may close before the rest of the park if the wait time exceeds remaining operating hours.
12) Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees Showtime: 4:30pm
13) Diagon Alley Notes: Tour Diagon Alley. Explore Borgin & Burkes and the other dark recesses of Knockturn Alley. Tour the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Magical Menagerie, and Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions shops. If you're hungry, try the Leaky Cauldron or Florean Forescue's ice cream parlor.
14) Break for dinner for 60 minutes Notes: Eat Mardi Gras samples from food carts while wait for parade.
15) Mardi Gras ParadeShowtime: 7:30pm
16) Hogwarts Express - King's Cross Station- Return Trip to Hogsmeade at Night
11) projections on Hogwarts Castle

Honestly I'll be surprised if we're successful since we're newbies. I'm sure someone will point out what we can change.

 

[SA mom]

I’ve been searching their site for that and can’t find it, so if you happen to have a link for it I’d be very interested!

I guess it’s too late for this info. Sorry about that, I was on a choir trip to San Francisco. It case someone else is looking it’s called The Wizarding World One Day 2-park plan. Part One is listed under US touring plans and part two is listed under the IOA touring plans. You may have to subscribe to see it.

 

[aggiedog]

Thanks for the late additions. It may help someone else in the future! We got to the park about 45 minutes after it opened. I went straight to Forbidden Journey (40 min wait), then took the HE (walked on) over to ride Gringotts (45 min wait.) After that I just poked around Diagon Alley. One of the kids with us had a wand that makes things happen, so we walked around with her and did all the "magic." That checked all my boxes, as I've done the stores before. Also, dd and I went to London last year and did HP studios and saw "Cursed Child" so I was pretty merchandised out.