I'm seriously put off Harry Potter

[Metro West]

Do you know how they are enforcing this?

You can't purchase w/o showing a photo ID and you can't use them w/o showing a photo ID...it's the same at Disney.

 

[MWS94Rock]

You can't purchase w/o showing a photo ID and you can't use them w/o showing a photo ID...it's the same at Disney.

i'm certainly glad I kept my florida residency

 

[mjohnson96]

You can't purchase w/o showing a photo ID and you can't use them w/o showing a photo ID...it's the same at Disney.

Yeah I had purchased some PP prior to the change and they have to have a note on our account at Guest Services saying that it is okay for us to use them for DH becuase we are no longer residents of Florida.

Next year he has to get a normal ticket again.

 

[bartola]

USO is a hi tech amusement park. If you want to pay cheaper prices, there is Old Town... they have nice rides from $8 bucks...

 

[Metro West]

USO is a hi tech amusement park. If you want to pay cheaper prices, there is Old Town... they have nice rides from $8 bucks...

That's a good point!

 

[bartola]

It will be like comparing a Snickers to a Godiva or champagne to Old Milwaukee beer... but, cheap is cheap...

 

[ClanHarrison]

I was so happy to be able to provide this trip , and the memories of it to last forever, to my family.
Yeah, the seats don't fit anyone...but that one issue is not enough to destroy the whole theming and the " feel" that you are actually walking in a movie set.
Okay, I am done being sentimental and all...must be Butterbeer withdrawl.

I haven't even read all the replies in this thread but this resonated with me in a BIG WAY and deserves an AMEN! to that. It's EXACTLY how I feel. We will all be blessed by the good time & memories that will last my family & friends a lifetime.

Wonderful statement! Thank you.

 

[Amandaj0831]

I am another Disney junkey who went to HP and loved it although it did have its short fallings, so does Disney. In fact we went first to Disney for 6 days then to Universal for 2 days and Universal did have some advantages.
First Disney's customer service was not up to par. The "cast members" frequently looked board and were helpful when asked but certainty did not go above and beyond. Which has not been our experience in the past. One employee actually rolled his eyes when someone asked for a pic at Epcot. At Universal everyone went above and beyond.They asked if we wanted them to take a pic for us. They stayed in character, and the characters talked for longer since the lines to see them were shorter. The person at the Jurassic park ride (flying bird ride?) got down on my daughters level and asked if they were excited to ride and not be scared which was GREAT for my skiddish 4 year old.
Universal was also far less crowded everywhere but HP. Now the main problem with HP is it is built like all their other rides and shops for Universal crowds which are much less than Disney but they were getting Disney sized crowds. We waited 1 hour for the HP ride and it wasnt even open to the general public that day I can only imagine what a mess. I dont imagine I will go back to the area anytime soon, but I also avoid Disney crowd spots and times as well.
The area itself was great very unique, overpriced (but so is Disney) I really dont see what you could do at Universal for more than a few days. Maybe because I have a 4 and 6 year old who cant ride alot of the rides (the tallest is 42 inches) but there is just alot less than Disney. Plus if you stay on property and get front of the line access you can easily get everything done quickly, even 2 or 3 times in 2 days. I will definatly think of adding a few days onto our next Disney trip again although I still love Disney.

 

[Purseval]

The theming, the shops incorporating that factor, and the whole visual aspect of the place sounded great, but to fight through all those crowds;to fight through hundreds of very hot people just to get to a ride which you have to spend a whole day waiting in line for, didn't seem right.

I take it you never tried to get on Toy Story Mania when it first opened.

 

[Rip]

I take it you never tried to get on Toy Story Mania when it first opened.

Or 20 minutes after rope drop even now.

 

[Poohbug]

OK, I did not read all the posts, just a couple of pages. I don't know if the OP is a Universal basher or not but Pete's review had some good points.

I don't think he hated HP but he did hate the way it is being promoted. A theme park within a theme park is very misleading. I think the people who are just going to US/IOA for HP are going to be disappointed. And mad. Unfortunately many people are not going to research the parks and see that HP is only one island-not a theme park at all.

I love to visit US/IOA but I would never visit a park for just one area. I will rarely get in a line longer than 20 minutes, I don't care what ride it is. I will not make a special visit to Disney just to see the new FantasyLand. If you want to see US/IOA, great. It was fun before HP. Don't go just to see HP-plenty of other great things to see/do.

 

[damo]

OK, I did not read all the posts, just a couple of pages. I don't know if the OP is a Universal basher or not but Pete's review had some good points.

I don't think he hated HP but he did hate the way it is being promoted. A theme park within a theme park is very misleading. I think the people who are just going to US/IOA for HP are going to be disappointed. And mad. Unfortunately many people are not going to research the parks and see that HP is only one island-not a theme park at all.

I love to visit US/IOA but I would never visit a park for just one area. I will rarely get in a line longer than 20 minutes, I don't care what ride it is. I will not make a special visit to Disney just to see the new FantasyLand. If you want to see US/IOA, great. It was fun before HP. Don't go just to see HP-plenty of other great things to see/do.

I don't think people going to WWoHP are going to be disappointed at all. It is absolutely incredible, no matter how it has been promoted. As soon as you walk into the new land your jaw just drops. It is so true to the books and movies that it is impossible to be disappointed. We were there for 3 days and the only people that we saw that were upset were a group of AP holders who had booked an on-site stay to visit the parks and were complaining that they didn't get any advanced preview with the annual passes. Everyone else was simply overwhelmed. I sat outsite the ride for about half an hour one day just listening to comments. Not one was upset or disappointed. Most were saying that it was the best ride they had ever been on. Lots of visitors from the UK were raving about it. They would have spent a small fortune to vacation in the US and if anyone was going to be upset about a misrepresentation, it would be them.

 

[Pink Flamingo]

Dang it, I've foolishly been posting positive things about WWoHP. Thankfully the trolls...er, posters...haven't noticed, so from now on I'm going to post only horrible, horrible things. People seem inordinately ready to believe the bad stuff so with any luck that will keep 'em away so as a local I can enjoy it crowd free.

I'll be there with ya! I've been reading & loving all the reviews & info you've posted! June 21st (my arrival day) can't get here soon enough.

 

[frequency]

I have seen lots of people on various boards predicting there will be lots of folks upset re: the themepark billing. What I haven't seen is an actual person who has been there saying they were disappointed. Pete, but I think it was because he had a bad taste in his mouth from not being able to ride FJ. That I can understand, and I hope he tries again, since he didn't actually try on the ride, just the test seats. Who knows, maybe the TM could push that restraint down better than he could himself. Anyone that can't get on the ride will be disappointed. But the theming is so perfect, I think the masses will be happy.

 

[mum4jenn]

Well...I am not a huge fan of HP but my daughter is so I have seen some of the movies. We were there from the 5th until today and I was amazed at how wonderful this place was. It was beautiful and I am glad they stuck to the feeling like you were actually in a HP movie.