Lovely but tiny

[Virgderon]

Went to check out the WWOHP this morning in advance of an on site stay in a week. We had no plans to ride FJ, just wanted to look around.

It is absolutely lovely, and I would say that Universal has finally made Disney look downright silly. I got a tear in my eye, no joke.

BUT-even tho it has been said before, it is shockingly tiny. Like I can't get over it tiny. Ridiculously tiny for an area that they knew was going to get huge crowds.

I know I am not saying anything that hasn't been said before. You would think I would have been prepared by the posts here saying it was small, but nope I wasn't.

So I have mixed feelings. It is a beautiful fantasy place that can't possibly be enjoyed properly.

 

[damo]

Once crowds settle down, it will be perfect. I don't think you should build an area that will be there for years and years and years just to fit the crowds of the first few months. Rowling wanted it built to scale and once the immediate crazy crowds wear down, it will be how it was meant to be. I agree that a few adjustments could be made but I don't think any superstores would work.

It is like when you build a new school. You build it for the projected enrollment, not the enrollment of the first few years.

 

[Virgderon]

I hear you damo, but there had to be a compromise in there somewhere.

I am very sure the crowds will die down in September, but what happens in October during the Halloween rush and in December? People are going to be curious to see it even if they are not fans.

It's just not a big enough area to handle the crush of humanity. Not everyone has the option of visiting during slow periods.

They should have kept the front of the buildings looking like it was intended to, and then had long narrow stores behind that at least. This would have preserved the look while allowing more people to enjoy it.

Yesterday they had lines just to get in the stores- all of them, not just Ollivanders. The poor people waiting in 95 degree heat for Ollivanders could not have been enjoying themselves.

Mind you, I was stunned by how wonderful it looked. At least what I could see of it, as miserable people were blocking even the views of the windows in the storefronts.

Why were they standing there you may ask? Well, they were trying to find a tiny piece of shade.

Crazy.

 

[stacyp9]

We were there fourth of July week. I think the size of the area is fine. As someone said, it will be perfect once the crowds die down. I do think they could do a better job with merchandising. I skipped the butterbeer because I didn't want to wait in the line and they lost my money. They should be selling it out of more carts, including the little cart in HP Greenhouse. They also should be selling wands somewhere outside of Ollivanders. I didn't need to see the little show. All I wanted was a wand and it was two hours to get one.

 

[damo]

We were there fourth of July week. I think the size of the area is fine. As someone said, it will be perfect once the crowds die down. I do think they could do a better job with merchandising. I skipped the butterbeer because I didn't want to wait in the line and they lost my money. They should be selling it out of more carts, including the little cart in HP Greenhouse. They also should be selling wands somewhere outside of Ollivanders. I didn't need to see the little show. All I wanted was a wand and it was two hours to get one.

The wands aren't sold in Ollivanders. They are sold in the Owl Post next door to Ollivanders so you don't have to see the show to purchase a wand. I also heard they were sold in a cart in the Owlery. Perhaps that wasn't available when you were there.

Had they not added the third Butterbeer area yet when you were there? Apparently it is over near the snowman on your way to the castle in addition to the large cart and the Hogs Head.

More carts and more merchandise sold outside the area can make a huge difference.

I thought the Owl Post should have been a bit larger and the cash registers taken out of there and it would have been fine.

 

[fairyprincess88]

Butterbeer is easy to get if you don't go to the cart. There are two other options. One, which I used all last weekend was the Hogshead Tavern. The line for the cart was a good 40 minutes long, so I just walked past it, scooted into the Hogshead and was out the door with my butterbeer in under 4 minutes flat. They have also added a 3rd option which is a table right beside the snowman. It always had shorter lines than the main cart. And if you want pumpkin juice without wanting to wait at the cart or Honeydukes, you can also purchase it there or at the the Magical Neep.

Wands are also not sold at Ollivanders, so no need to wait for the show. Just get in line for Dervish and Banges/Owl Post. They also had a wand cart set up inside the Owlery.

 

[Sassagoula Billy]

Butterbeer is easy to get if you don't go to the cart. There are two other options. One, which I used all last weekend was the Hogshead Tavern. The line for the cart was a good 40 minutes long, so I just walked past it, scooted into the Hogshead and was out the door with my butterbeer in under 4 minutes flat

When you scooted into the Hogshead, you entered through the rear entrance right? Because when I was there, the line to get in was almost as long as the cart out on the street. Granted, that was a month ago.

 

[fairyprincess88]

Yes, the rear entrance behind the alley where the patio is. I was in the WWoHP alot last week and never had to wait in line to get into the Hogshead. Most people were just herding into the Butterbeer Cart line, it was always 30-40 people deep. But in the Hogshead I just walked into the door, and up to the bar. I did it about 6 times in 3 days and never had more that a 2 minute wait at most.

 

[damo]

Yes, the rear entrance behind the alley where the patio is. I was in the WWoHP alot last week and never had to wait in line to get into the Hogshead. Most people were just herding into the Butterbeer Cart line, it was always 30-40 people deep. But in the Hogshead I just walked into the door, and up to the bar. I did it about 6 times in 3 days and never had more that a 2 minute wait at most.

We did the same thing.

I'm interested in seeing what they've changed when we go in August. We were there before the grand opening and it sounds like they've made quite a few adjustments since then.