Teknik_DC2
Proud Red Head
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2009
- Messages
- 682
Hello everyone. My wife and I recently went to the Universal Orlando resort (10/7-10/9). I am writing a full trip recap right now about our trip (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2579558) but I thought i'd share some of our tips that may help many of you with your future trips. I apologize if any some of these are repetative but I figured they would be worth echoing since they worked out well. So in no random order here on my tips and advice.
1. HHN stay and scream tickets can be bought at any ticket counter. Not just at guest services. In fact they can also be bought at IOA. This was great to find out so we could buy our HHN tickets prior to IOA opening its gates and saving us time later in the day.
2. Go to the wizarding world with a plan on what to do first in mind. Do the Forbidden Journey or Olivanders first thing. We chose to do Olivanders. The line was shortest we saw it all day. Plus in the morning hours the line is completley shaded. Thats a wait that would be miserable in the heat and sun. So my recommendation is to do Olivanders first.
3. If your an adult don't give up hope on being picked at Olivanders. I believe it to be completly random with kids not always the ones being picked. Infact an 18 year old in our group was picked for the experiance and we were the last group to enter the store and stood in the back of the shop.
4. Make sure you go thru the whole que for Forbidden Journey your first time on the ride. Take your time especially thru the Dungions, green house, and the hallway with the house points as shorter versions of the que bypass these parts. Be prepaired for it to be a near sprint to the ride once you re enter the castle from the greenhouses as the line moves very fast. Don't stress trying to take pictures of the line once in the portrait hall as you well have other, better oppertunities later.
5. Single rider line is the best option for rerides out there. We never waited longer then 15 minutes to ride in the Single riders line. You will miss the majority of the que being dumped out into the gryffindor common room but you will get many rides in this way.
6. If you want to see the rest of the line again ask one of the attendants to take a castle tour. You will view a different portrait room and then continue on to dumbledors office. Take your time and get as many photos as you'd like while taking the castle tour.
7. If your going strait to the single rider line for Forbidden Journey don't even bother going thru the main enterance. After walking thru the Hogwarts gates there is a split in the castle rock with a path that leads back into the rocks. Follow that path and there will be doors at the end. Walk thru those doors and your at the base of the stairs of the single rider line.
8. When getting Butterbeer go to the Hogshead to get it. There was almost never a line for it in there while the carts were lined up. Another option if you want regular butterbeer is getting it in the Three Broomsticks. Even this line moved much faster then the outside carts.
9. If any of you don't drink carbonated drinks then don't get the regular butterbeer. Although not much it is carbonated. However the frozen butterbeer is not carbonated and very good.
10. If you plan on getting multipule butterbeers by the refillable collectable mug. Refills for the frozen cost 4.25 and I think 3.25 for regular.
11. In addition to cheaper butterbeer refills you can also use the butterbeer mug to refil any drink in ether park for only .89 cents. Thats right. If you have your butterbeer mug in Universal Studios and want a coke they will fill the mug for .89 cents. Or if you want water they will fill the mug for free.
12. Tap water is free anywhere in both the parks. The best water was in the hogshead and you got a larger disposable cup of water.
13. Avoid the lockers as much as possible. We actually attached our butterbeer mug to the belt loops on our pants via a carabiner. We were able to ride on every ride with it attached this way. The only time they had a problem with it was on our 3rd ride on the Mummy. But we rode all the others just fine with it like this. Forbbiden Journey, Mummy, Hulk, Dragons Challenge, Men in Black, ect..... Also use a camera case that attaches to a belt a belt to keep your camera and other valubles in.
14. If you need a locker for larger access the lockers for forbidden journey thru felches. You won't have a long line to wait in.
15. Save your shopping tell the end of the day when the park closes. For the most part the WWOHP stays open an hour after the park closes for shopping. Use this time to find all the goods that you want to take home from the Wizarding World as the area is much less crowded and you can actually move freeley thruout the shops.
16. Honeydukes and Zonkos are connected. While there was a long line in Honeydukes to check out there was no line at the Zonkos side. You can use both lines no matter what items from which shop your buying. If you see a long line for Honeydukes take your chocolate frogs and every flavor beans to Zonkos for a quick check out.
17. The moaning mertil effect in the restroom is cool but cannot be heard well during the busy day. go in the restroom in the evening when the restrooms are rarely in use and you will hear her perfectly
18. Overall the WWOHP is very cool and even cooler at night. If at all possible make sure you can be in the world after dark for a truely magical experiance. also the area is very empty and you can really take in the detail.
Well thats all for now. If I can think of any more i'll post them up. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have. Thanks.
1. HHN stay and scream tickets can be bought at any ticket counter. Not just at guest services. In fact they can also be bought at IOA. This was great to find out so we could buy our HHN tickets prior to IOA opening its gates and saving us time later in the day.
2. Go to the wizarding world with a plan on what to do first in mind. Do the Forbidden Journey or Olivanders first thing. We chose to do Olivanders. The line was shortest we saw it all day. Plus in the morning hours the line is completley shaded. Thats a wait that would be miserable in the heat and sun. So my recommendation is to do Olivanders first.
3. If your an adult don't give up hope on being picked at Olivanders. I believe it to be completly random with kids not always the ones being picked. Infact an 18 year old in our group was picked for the experiance and we were the last group to enter the store and stood in the back of the shop.
4. Make sure you go thru the whole que for Forbidden Journey your first time on the ride. Take your time especially thru the Dungions, green house, and the hallway with the house points as shorter versions of the que bypass these parts. Be prepaired for it to be a near sprint to the ride once you re enter the castle from the greenhouses as the line moves very fast. Don't stress trying to take pictures of the line once in the portrait hall as you well have other, better oppertunities later.
5. Single rider line is the best option for rerides out there. We never waited longer then 15 minutes to ride in the Single riders line. You will miss the majority of the que being dumped out into the gryffindor common room but you will get many rides in this way.
6. If you want to see the rest of the line again ask one of the attendants to take a castle tour. You will view a different portrait room and then continue on to dumbledors office. Take your time and get as many photos as you'd like while taking the castle tour.
7. If your going strait to the single rider line for Forbidden Journey don't even bother going thru the main enterance. After walking thru the Hogwarts gates there is a split in the castle rock with a path that leads back into the rocks. Follow that path and there will be doors at the end. Walk thru those doors and your at the base of the stairs of the single rider line.
8. When getting Butterbeer go to the Hogshead to get it. There was almost never a line for it in there while the carts were lined up. Another option if you want regular butterbeer is getting it in the Three Broomsticks. Even this line moved much faster then the outside carts.
9. If any of you don't drink carbonated drinks then don't get the regular butterbeer. Although not much it is carbonated. However the frozen butterbeer is not carbonated and very good.
10. If you plan on getting multipule butterbeers by the refillable collectable mug. Refills for the frozen cost 4.25 and I think 3.25 for regular.
11. In addition to cheaper butterbeer refills you can also use the butterbeer mug to refil any drink in ether park for only .89 cents. Thats right. If you have your butterbeer mug in Universal Studios and want a coke they will fill the mug for .89 cents. Or if you want water they will fill the mug for free.
12. Tap water is free anywhere in both the parks. The best water was in the hogshead and you got a larger disposable cup of water.
13. Avoid the lockers as much as possible. We actually attached our butterbeer mug to the belt loops on our pants via a carabiner. We were able to ride on every ride with it attached this way. The only time they had a problem with it was on our 3rd ride on the Mummy. But we rode all the others just fine with it like this. Forbbiden Journey, Mummy, Hulk, Dragons Challenge, Men in Black, ect..... Also use a camera case that attaches to a belt a belt to keep your camera and other valubles in.
14. If you need a locker for larger access the lockers for forbidden journey thru felches. You won't have a long line to wait in.
15. Save your shopping tell the end of the day when the park closes. For the most part the WWOHP stays open an hour after the park closes for shopping. Use this time to find all the goods that you want to take home from the Wizarding World as the area is much less crowded and you can actually move freeley thruout the shops.
16. Honeydukes and Zonkos are connected. While there was a long line in Honeydukes to check out there was no line at the Zonkos side. You can use both lines no matter what items from which shop your buying. If you see a long line for Honeydukes take your chocolate frogs and every flavor beans to Zonkos for a quick check out.
17. The moaning mertil effect in the restroom is cool but cannot be heard well during the busy day. go in the restroom in the evening when the restrooms are rarely in use and you will hear her perfectly
18. Overall the WWOHP is very cool and even cooler at night. If at all possible make sure you can be in the world after dark for a truely magical experiance. also the area is very empty and you can really take in the detail.
Well thats all for now. If I can think of any more i'll post them up. Feel free to ask any other questions you might have. Thanks.
Thanks!
