Is anyone else a little irritated that Park Hopper is needed to see all the HP stuff

[macraven]

i feel that the parry hotter fans will not bat an eye over buying the PtP tickets.
that section in the park at ioa always has so many people in it


i didn't read the books or see the movies so i have no idea about this train HE.
i do the rides and like them but sometimes i have no idea of the parry hotter symbols and lingo.
i know this makes me a muggle........


but i am aware that many of the posters are loving the idea of the HE train ride.
i think the darkside will be making money off of this need to buy PtP tickets.

 

[Magpie]

See I am disappointed with this - we planned on doing a 2 day pass staying overnight in a Universal resort. With this we'd need to try to do all HP things on one day if we wanted to experience the train or miss out on the ride.

This is either brilliant or horrible marketing by Universal. They may end up loosing money on those like us that would have purchased 2 day passes and may now purchase a 1 day pass with the hopper option.

I think most folks will simply bite the bullet and buy the two day park-to-park tickets. It's aprox. 175 per adult, instead of 135 per adult (if you pre-purchase online). And to put things into perspective, two days at Disney World will cost you 188 dollars, with no hopping.

The park-to-park option basically costs about 20 dollars extra a day. That won't be the deciding factor for most folks.

 

[jade1]

The thing is park hopping at Universal is nothing like Disney. When we go we visit both parks multiple time a day. It is just to easy to walk next door. Sometimes grab lunch or dinner in Citywalk on the way by.

Agreed-we hit those gates back and forth more than WDW parks as well.

I think it's brilliant-very spendy but will really push up the attendance as every one way run of the train equates to 2 gate entries (if I read that correctly) so off peak you could have guests making 5 or even 10 or more artificial "visits" per day. It's built in attendance success IMO.

 

[saskdw]

I honestly couldn't imagine being at Universal Orlando and not having access to both parks whenever I felt like it. Like a PP said it's not like WDW the other park is steps away. We're talking about a few bucks here, I don't even understand having a conversation about this.

 

[wendyt_ca]

I actually like the fact that it is divided between the 2 parks. We always do both parks in the same day anyway and normally buy an AP now since we go twice within a 12mth period. But even when we didn't we bought the 2 park option. The HP section gets incredibly crowded so breaking them up will stagger the crowds a bit between the 2 parks. I also love the attention to detail here because Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade/Hogwarts are not close together which is why you need to ride Hogwarts Express between them. So this is actually being true to the books because they would be far apart requiring travel and you get this experience through them being separated. And I love the idea of actually riding the Hogwarts Express between the 2.

They have no way of having this without requiring park to park admission so it makes complete sense to me. But I could never go to Universal and not be able to jump between the parks on the same day whenever I want since they are side by side anyway.

Yes it does cost more but if you are concerned about the price difference just buy a 1 day park to park option and arrive for opening, plan your day and go during the week and you can easily do both parks all in one day. We always do.

 

[agavegirl1]

So, I've been thinking about the original question in this thread. Harry Potter is a single intellectual property that has a presence in two parks, requiring a Park to Park ticket to experience all of the rides. The little mermaid exists as a ride in MK and a show in DHS. Beauty and the Beast exists as a themed area, restaurant and interactive attraction at MK and a show at DHS. A Park Hopper ticket is required to experience all of a single IP at Disney as well and the only way to get from one to the other is the magic of the Disney transportation system. Because the Potter Universe easily lends itself to multiple attractions, restaurants and shops, placing them in two parks with HE between seems genius to me.

I don't know if anyone would be so obsessed with a single IP at WDW that all they wanted to experience was all things Beauty and the Beast and be done. There are other things to enjoy at the parks, as there are at US/IOA.

However, if Disney were to do something like this with Star Wars like Tatooine and Hoth and the Millennium Falcon at DHS and a the moon of Endor and some other fantasy planet not yet released in AK it could happen.

 

[jade1]

However, if Disney were to do something like this with Star Wars like Tatooine and Hoth and the Millennium Falcon at DHS and a the moon of Endor and some other fantasy planet not yet released in AK it could happen.

I like that idea better than DHS to EPCOT. It's only 1.3 miles from DHS to AK so not a lot further.

 

[hydrotony]

I really am not trying to make this a Disney vs Universal thing, bc the changes in Disney lately haven't been positive in my opinion, BUT it is not the same thing at all. You don't need a park hopper to experience anything at WDW. You can just visit one park a day. I order to experience a ride at Universal you MUST have a hopper. Like I stated before we usually don't get hoppers but will at Universal so for us the difference in price is specifically so we can ride just one ride, and for 5 people it adds up. From everything I have read here I am extremely excited about our Universal vacation. I have one HUGE Harry Potter fan and I suggested maybe skipping Hogwarts, you should have seen his face So needless to say we will be getting park to park passes.

No, Disney makes you spend a lot of money in other ways to get what day visitors cannot.

You MUST buy hotel rooms in Disney World to get lunch reservations at Be Our Guest.

You must buy hotel rooms in Disney World to get 60 day advance fast pass plus reservations to Anna & Elsa meet & greet. All FP+ are gone 30 days out.

You must buy hotel rooms in Disney World to get early entry or to stay late at the parks.

I'm sure there are other ways WDW forces you to pay extra for things not available to non-resort guests.

 

[huey duey & luey]

No, Disney makes you spend a lot of money in other ways to get what day visitors cannot.

You MUST buy hotel rooms in Disney World to get lunch reservations at Be Our Guest.

You must buy hotel rooms in Disney World to get 60 day advance fast pass plus reservations to Anna & Elsa meet & greet. All FP+ are gone 30 days out.

You must buy hotel rooms in Disney World to get early entry or to stay late at the parks.

I'm sure there are other ways WDW forces you to pay extra for things not available to non-resort guests.

not really sure why you quoted me, when I stated that the recent changes Disney has made are definitely not positive. A pp stated that it was the same thing as seeing all the parks in WDW, and in reality it is not. The unlimited pass that we will purchase will still cost me hundreds less than a 5 day non hopper at WDW, so I am not unhappy with the ticket price. I just stated that we are usually non hoppers and that was our plan for this trip. The sole purpose of our hopper will be to ride HE

 

[hydrotony]

not really sure why you quoted me, when I stated that the recent changes Disney has made are definitely not positive. A pp stated that it was the same thing as seeing all the parks in WDW, and in reality it is not. The unlimited pass that we will purchase will still cost me hundreds less than a 5 day non hopper at WDW, so I am not unhappy with the ticket price. I just stated that we are usually non hoppers and that was our plan for this trip. The sole purpose of our hopper will be to ride HE

Just used it as a lead-in for showing WDW has ways to make visitors pay extra for what they get while hiding the costs somewhere else. Not a rebuttal or challenge.

 

[psiprez]

I am NOT happy that you are forced to buy a 2 park pass for 1 ride.

If you do the math and buy a 1 day pass for both parks is $144.84 on the Universal Orlando website. The one day 1 park pass is $102.24 so the cost of the Hogwarts train ride is $42.60. That is rather steep.

AGREED.

That's why we bought single park tickets.

 

[schumigirl]

I honestly couldn't imagine being at Universal Orlando and not having access to both parks whenever I felt like it. Like a PP said it's not like WDW the other park is steps away. We're talking about a few bucks here, I don't even understand having a conversation about this.

This

 

[sugarnspicex4]

Yep being a passholder for years is a steal. We renew every year. I think I paid $179 this year to renew our APs. Getting that free parking is a great perk too. I just wish they would offer discounted tickets for friends and family like they use to. Just saying.....

Wait, I'm confused.... I thought an AP holder could still purchase up to 6 tickets at the gate at a 15% discount? This is what the Universal site says:

15% off the following:

Multi-day theme park admission tickets purchased at the front gate (Up to 6 people per transaction per day; not valid on 3-Park Unlimited tickets, or Universal Express passes, or tickets with Universal Express)

 

[damo]

Wait, I'm confused.... I thought an AP holder could still purchase up to 6 tickets at the gate at a 15% discount? This is what the Universal site says:

15% off the following:

Multi-day theme park admission tickets purchased at the front gate (Up to 6 people per transaction per day; not valid on 3-Park Unlimited tickets, or Universal Express passes, or tickets with Universal Express)

Yup, that is still true. Not sure what the other poster is referring to.

 

[macraven]

i think it was some years back there was a special for a particular month for preferred/premier ap holders.


i don't remember the wording for the special but something about ap holders were able to do a friend pass in May for the park.

 

[ChrisFL]

Sorry, I didn't know that you could buy a 2 day Disney pass without park hopping.

 

[n2mm]

i think it was some years back there was a special for a particular month for preferred/premier ap holders. i don't remember the wording for the special but something about ap holders were able to do a friend pass in May for the park.

Yes before HP came to town they would give us promotions several times a year where we could purchase tickets for friends and family for 50% off. I remember getting the promotion in May several times and it was a great perk. Of course we still get pretty good resort discounts but love to see the 50% ticket deals come back.

 

[huey duey & luey]

Just used it as a lead-in for showing WDW has ways to make visitors pay extra for what they get while hiding the costs somewhere else. Not a rebuttal or challenge.

I apologize for the misinterpretation, bc I do agree with you. I feel like Disney prices have skyrocketed where the quality of goods and services greatly diminished. I haven't gone on my trip yet, but even with the extra park to park prices I am very pleased with the cost of my Universal trip

 

[hydrotony]

I apologize for the misinterpretation, bc I do agree with you. I feel like Disney prices have skyrocketed where the quality of goods and services greatly diminished. I haven't gone on my trip yet, but even with the extra park to park prices I am very pleased with the cost of my Universal trip

No problem. I figured you were mostly a Disney fan and used to the all too frequent hyper-judgmental and drama on too many Disboards Disney threads. Those of us who talk mostly on the Universal threads are here to help and advise those asking for information. We want everyone to have a good time, no matter what park you choose to visit or what resort you choose to stay at.

 

[Bluer101]

No problem. I figured you were mostly a Disney fan and used to the all too frequent hyper-judgmental and drama on too many Disboards Disney threads. Those of us who talk mostly on the Universal threads are here to help and advise those asking for information. We want everyone to have a good time, no matter what park you choose to visit or what resort you choose to stay at.

No drama here!