If Harry Potter was your number one priority for your trip, when would you go?

[Mickey'snewestfan]

We leave Thursday morning for our quick HP/WDW trip. We're staying onsite at WDW and will be traveling to US/IOA for 2 of our 4 days, almost definitely Thursday (when we'll probably get there at about 11:30 and stay until closing at 7:00) and Saturday (When we will probably get there for opening and leave around 5:00).

Given those time frames, what's our best shot for seeing HP with reasonable lines?

 

[katwriter]

We leave Thursday morning for our quick HP/WDW trip. We're staying onsite at WDW and will be traveling to US/IOA for 2 of our 4 days, almost definitely Thursday (when we'll probably get there at about 11:30 and stay until closing at 7:00) and Saturday (When we will probably get there for opening and leave around 5:00).

Given those time frames, what's our best shot for seeing HP with reasonable lines?

We just got back from Universal IOA this morning (spent the weekend and Monday there). It seems like the best times for HP (and other popular rides) are first thing in the morning, right at noon and after 5:00 p.m. We rode FJ yesterday at 5:30 and walked straight through the castle tour (which is great in itself) and were able to get right onto the ride without waiting.
Dragon Challenge has a longer wait, and there really isn't a best time except for early morning, before the lines form. If you are riding in the evening, try to get through the gate just before closing (it was 7:00 p.m. last night but check the hours, because they change daily). As long as you are in line, they will let you ride, and the park is lovely after dark. Don't miss walking through Hogsmeade after closing time--they will eventually kick you out but it's beautiful!
Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

We just got back from Universal IOA this morning (spent the weekend and Monday there). It seems like the best times for HP (and other popular rides) are first thing in the morning, right at noon and after 5:00 p.m. We rode FJ yesterday at 5:30 and walked straight through the castle tour (which is great in itself) and were able to get right onto the ride without waiting.
Dragon Challenge has a longer wait, and there really isn't a best time except for early morning, before the lines form. If you are riding in the evening, try to get through the gate just before closing (it was 7:00 p.m. last night but check the hours, because they change daily). As long as you are in line, they will let you ride, and the park is lovely after dark. Don't miss walking through Hogsmeade after closing time--they will eventually kick you out but it's beautiful!
Hope you have a great trip!

Which do you think would be better -- after 5 on a weekday (Thursday) or first thing Saturday morning?

 

[christophfam]

Which do you think would be better -- after 5 on a weekday (Thursday) or first thing Saturday morning?

Any reason why you can't do both? That is my plan - a Thursday night next week and then Friday morning. I figure I'm going to want to see it more than once and that way I'll be able to see for myself when the better time is!

 

[crostorfer]

HP was my only reason for visiting Islands, it was the only reason we even bothered to leave Disney property, so I say, YES! YES, it is worth it!!! Be there about 45 minutes before the park opens, which means leave your Disney hotel by 7:45am. (If you need coffee, there is a Starbucks at Citywalk on the way. Send one member of your party to retrieve coffee, the other go get in line.) I cannot emphasize this statement enough: DO NOT BRING ANYTHING TO ISLANDS IN WITH YOU THAT CANNOT BE WRAPPED AROUND YOU! If you have a waistpack, bring it. If you have a backpack, leave it. Trust me. That tip alone will save you 20-30 minutes trying to get on the FJ.

We arrived at 8:15am on a Thursday, Sept. 30th. There were maybe 30 people in line in front of us. By 8:45 there were a couple hundred behind us. We walked quickly, but orderly, through Seussland and headed straight for the castle. With nothing to dump in a locker, (and they will make you dump you things into a locker so stowe that camera and your phone in your waist pack!), we walked straight through the castle and on to the ride. By the time we exited the castle the wait was at 20 minutes, all from the people that had previously been waiting for lockers. We walked straight to Ollivanders and got in line and the wait was already at 30 minutes. This was at 9:15 in the morning.

The wait for Dragon Challenge the 3 hours we spent just in Hogsmeade was never over 15 minutes and hovered around 10 minutes the majority of the time. Unless you have a small child, do not wait 30 minutes in a line for Flight of the Hippogriff. Seeing Buckbeak and Hagrid's Hut are great, but the ride only lasts like 30 seconds and isn't worth it.

By 11am, the wait at the Butterbeer cart was 20 minutes and the wait for Ollivanders was well over an hour and stretched back to the area where the choir preforms.

There was no wait for a table in the Three Broomsticks though, we walked right in, ordered, and ate at noon-ish. By that time, Hogsmeade was extremely crowded. Honeydukes and Zonkos were a nightmare.

Hope this info helps!

P.S. The cost of the cab from the Polynesian to Citywalk was $47 one way for the two of us.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Any reason why you can't do both? That is my plan - a Thursday night next week and then Friday morning. I figure I'm going to want to see it more than once and that way I'll be able to see for myself when the better time is!

We're only in Florida 4 days, and we've got someone with us who has never been to WDW, so we're doing one day at the MK, one day at IOA, and 1 day at Disney Quest because when 2/3 of your party is 11 year old boys that's what you do. I'm not sure what day 4 will be, maybe Epcot, maybe US, maybe Aquatica, maybe but I don't know that I want to spend 1/2 my trip at IOA.

I think we'll try it on Thursday. If they love it maybe we'll go back Saturday.

 

[Planogirl]

Is Universal closing early every day now? We got to see WWoHP at night when we were there and it's gorgeous.

I would agree Thursday too. Then you have the chance to go back if you like it.

 

[Metro West]

Is Universal closing early every day now? We got to see WWoHP at night when we were there and it's gorgeous.

The Studios is closing at 6pm most nights (except for the nights HHN is staged..the park closes at 5pm) but IOA closes anywhere from 6-9pm depending on the date. Most of the later hours at IOA have to do with HHN at the Studios and the expected crowds for the event.

 

[jason10mm]

Was there this past Sunday. We got to the park just after 9, but it was easily 10 or so before we made it all the way to Hogsmeade (IOA involves a LOT of walking!). The locker line was to the arch in front of the castle, so that ate up 15 min or so, otherwise the line was about 30 min at that point. Definitely agree about dumping purses and backpacks BEFORE you go to the ride, saves a bunch of time. They were NOT letting backpacks skip the line to go to the store and cut in that way, or if they were, folks who had never been there before wouldn't know where to go anyway. I think there were lockers at the train station, I would recommend those.

The store lines in the village eased up significantly past 3. But EVERYTHING is available at the big store near the entrance to IOA, ALL the candy, ALL the wands, eveything except perhaps some of the fancy ceramic steins, which you can get online anyway. So don't wait if you don't want to. There is also a kiosk around the front of the Owl Post that sells themed stamps ($15 for 10) and postcards, so if all you want to do is send some mail, bring your own stamps and pen, and buy some WWHP postcards from this kiosk. Those stores are TIGHT, no one is exaggerating that part!

Also remember that Universal will only sell ONE ALCOHOLIC beverage per person (no matter how many other IDs you have), so don't let your wife go sit down unless you want to stand in line twice The one thing Disney definitely does better!