Need help for one day at Harry Potter

[ErinInCT]

I have never been to US/IoA and don't want to spend months planning like I do with my Disney trips. I am chaperoning my daughters choir for a trip in Feb and they are spending one day at Harry Potter (Wednesday of Presidents Day week so I'm guessing it'll be crowded). I don't want to go in completely unprepared so I'm wondering if I can get advice on how to do this park. It looks like it's two parks and you can take a train to each park? What is there to do in the two Harry Potter worlds? Do they have the equivalent of Fast Passes? What are the must sees? We are going from park open to park close. Do they have nighttime shows? Where is a good place for lunch and dinner? I am not sure what the for budget is but I doubt we could do a table service (if they have such a thing). I'm sorry to be completely clueless. While I like Harry Potter my kids never really got into it and we all prefer Disney so I know nothing about US/IoA.
Thank you so much for your help in planning this trip!

 

[bchbetha]

How do you know you prefer Disney when you’ve never been to Universal? I’m hopeful that your opinion changes when you go!
Universal requires nothing like Disney planning.
I’d start by visiting the Universal website and the Orlando Informer website. The 2nd one is better, imo. It has sample itineraries, menus and lots of helpful info.
You do need park to park tickets to visit both sections of HP and ride the train.
Express passes are the only equivalent to fast passes but they are not free. They cost a sizable amount so it’s doubtful a class field trip would spring for them.
They have all types of restaurants...it’s really a top notch park, not a sad shadow of Disney, I promise.
Check out those websites. They’ll cover your basic questions. Once you’ve looked them over, come on back with follow up questions.

 

[wookiebeck]

Erin, welcome to the Universal side. Your last sentence might be the key to helping you. The two Uni parks are more than just HP. If you are really into HP, you can spend an entire day in the two areas. You don't sound like you are in that camp.

If I may recommend, you might like to hit as many of the headliners as possible in one day. These are two world-class theme parks we are talking about. The HP areas are only 'lands' within each.

We can help you with a game plan if that sounds helpful. What are the ages of the kids? There are plenty of new rides, some are more PG to the G-rated Disney. Embrace the newness.

 

[danielocha30]

Be there early, parking is along walking distance from the entrance of the actual park.
For the sake of a HP story line start at Universal and the AoA.
Do eat lunch at one of the HP restaurants for a completed experience.
Look into staying on one of the Universal Studios Hotels that offers free Express Pass + early entrance it might be worth depending of tour group.
With Express pass and early start you can see much more than just HP lands.
Check park hours on the dates you go, Universal do close very early sometimes.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi I agree with pp I hope you will enjoy Universal as well as Disney. You are going at a busy time of the year and it will be important to do certain things before others if you wish. If Harry Potter is on the groups main attractions to see then I agree starting at Universal Studios and going to Diagon Alley is important. There is one ride there Grigotts which is a mild coaster/screen ride. It does get busy later morning. From there with the park to park ticket I would take Hogswart Express right next to it and go to Islands of Adventure and Hogsmeade. There are two rides one is the Forbidden Journey which is a screen/motion ride. Flight of the Hippogriff which is a family style coaster. These two areas get very busy late morning to late afternoon. I would do them first. However, if anybody does not want to do Diagon Alley first in the Studios I would suggest Minion Mayhem. This ride is consistently busy all day.

There are no FP like Disney you would need the Express Pass by purchasing it or staying at one of the three on-site hotels.

After HP worlds it really is up to you and the group about what they want to do. Hulk, Kong and Spiderman are popular in IOA and Rip Ride Rocket, Mummy and Minions Mayhem are popular in the Studios. I really think going in February on break you will have to research each ride and know ahead of time what you want to try. The water rides at Universal can tend to soak you so you might want to leave those.

We enjoy eating at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley in the Studios. The Three Broomsticks is good in Hogsmeade but it's second for me. There is Thunder Falls Terrace in IOA not to far from Hogsmeade. It has a variety of quick service food and is really good. I agree check on the menus in the dining thread. You have to figure about $10.00-$15.00 for most of the quick service and HP restaurants. Honestly there is not much table service in the parks there is more variety outside in City Walk but I wouldn't waste my time doing that with one day.

Good luck and enjoy Universal we love it there!

 

[ErinInCT]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I thought HP was it's own world! I didn't realize it was part of US and IoA. Our group is staying at ASMu and we'll be taking a bus. I think we'll be dropped off at US. It's a group of 8th grade girls. I suppose I will need to see who is in to thrill rides and break up the groups according to the rides. Or, I can just tell them we are spending the entire day at Harry Potter. Although this may be the only time some of these kids will ever get to US/IoA so I should probably let them decide what they want to do. I checked out Orlando Informer per bchbetha, which was very informative! It gave great touring plans and the same recommendations as bobbie68. I guess we'll try to hit as much as we can in the two parks (we do have Park To Park tickets) based on what the kids want. We have three chaperones and can split up according to preferences. Looks like I'll need to do more research so we get some plan in place as I do not like to "wing it".

 

[U2_rocks!]

I don't think the HP sections of the parks can occupy you for a whole day, and when you get there the kids will see all sorts of other rides and attractions they want to experience, so you'd be better off doing a little bit of planning for that. I agree that splitting up into "thrill riders" and "others" is good - we did that for a gymnastics trip once when some of the girls were too short for the big rides.

 

[Robo56]

Well now that you have specified you have a park to park tickets you do not have to make a choice of which Potter park to see you can see them both as well as ride the Hogwarts Express.

I would go to Universal Orlando website and look at the map of both parks. This will help you get the lay of the land.

Very easy to navigate.

Have a great time.

 

[ErinInCT]

Is there a way to get from US to IoA other than the train from WWoHP?

 

[bobbie68]

Hi you have to exit the park of US then walk about 3 or 4 minutes to the other park. WWoHP is at the back end of each park.

 

[ErinInCT]

A few questions on the rides, can someone rank the scariest rides? I know my daughter will not do coasters with loopdeloops so that cuts out Hulk and Rip Ride. But that Dr Doom Fearfall looks terrifying. Is that as scary as it looks?
We won't be doing any of the water rides since it'll be mid Feb when we visit.

 

[ErinInCT]

Hi you have to exit the park of US then walk about 3 or 4 minutes to the other park. WWoHP is at the back end of each park.

Oh wow, I didn't realize they were so close. So it's actually faster to walk than to take the train (although I'm sure it would be more fun to do the round trip on the train).

 

[bobbie68]

Hi I think outside of Hulk and Rip Ride someone could find the Mummy Scary. It is an inside dark coaster. There aren't big hills but is dark in there with lots of quick twists and turns. Dr. Doom is a great ride but can be scary. It propels you up quick, you get a little air time and you get a butterfly feeling in your stomach. However, there are very good restraints on this ride so you won't feel like you will fall out. Outside of those for some people being scary there are people who get some motion sickness on the simulator rides. The one you will hear the most about is the Simpsons. I would have to say Forbidden Journey can be another one to make you a little woozy. Those are the two I have problems with and have heard the same from other posters.

 

[bobbie68]

Yes the parks are very close to walk to within a few minutes of each other. We personally take the train back and forth because we are Potter fans and it is really cool.

 

[bchbetha]

If the sun is shining, even if the temps are only in the 60s, water rides could be fine. I’d let her kiddos decide. I wouldn’t make a blanket “no” on any rides.

 

[schumigirl]

Oh wow, I didn't realize they were so close. So it's actually faster to walk than to take the train (although I'm sure it would be more fun to do the round trip on the train).

Not always.

It’s only a few minutes from gate to gate......but if you are at the back of IOA in Potter and want to get to Potter in the Studios, you still have to walk to the exit of one park and to the back of the other park.......the parks aren’t huge, but depending on queues it can be quicker getting the HE.......

Depends on the line.

 

[wookiebeck]

If the sun is shining, even if the temps are only in the 60s, water rides could be fine. I’d let her kiddos decide. I wouldn’t make a blanket “no” on any rides.

I love the Jurassic Park River Adventure. You get splashed, not soaked. Like a log flume ride, YMMV. The ride quality is right up there with Splash Mtn. If temps are in the 60's, I would be on that one particular ride (especially at night).

And I skip Bluto's and Bullwinkle's even when it is 80-degrees. Just... to... much... water.

 

[wookiebeck]

OP, ranking the rides by scariness is hard. Since you are a WDW person, I will leave this loose comparison here.

Men In Black is like Buzz Lightyear
Mummy is like Rockin' Roller Coaster.
Cat in the Hat is like Pooh.
Jurassic River Adventure is like Splash Mtn.
Strom's Acellerator is Teacups.
Shrek and Minions are 3-D movies with moving seats.
Simpsons is one screen like Soarin', but in a car like Star Tours, many people get bumped around enough to get motion sickness.
Spiderman is like nothing you have ever done before! A game changer back when it was introduced.
Transformers is like Spiderman with less story and more stuff blowing up.
Harry Potter ride in the castle was also a game changer when it came out. I get motion sickness, but the kids love it.
Gringotts (HP ride in Diagon Alley) on a coaster car, but definitely not a full blown coaster. Super fun!
Kong is like Kilimangaro Safari gone dangerous, PG-13 and virtual.

We know you will love it all.