need your help in figuring out when to visit WWoHP

[disneyholic family]

i should begin by saying we hate universal/IOA (no flames please)....
we've been twice (staying onsite) and disliked it both times...
so we really have no interest in ever going again....

however, DS would very much like to see WWoHP since we will be in orlando after all....

so....since i know absolutely nothing about crowd levels of WWoHP or IOA, or how to time a visit, i'm coming to the experts for help...

so for example:
is there a best day of the week to visit IOA?
is there a best time of day to try to get into WWoHP?

since we ONLY are interested in seeing WWoHP, it seems silly to buy an express pass....
can an express pass even be used in WWoHP?

regarding the rides in WWoHP - is there a maximum height?

do you think it's possible to see WWoHP in the evening rather than the morning?
or is it best to go there early early in the morning?


as you can see, i am TOTALLY clueless when it comes to all things universal....

anything you can think of to share regarding WWoHP would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

i forgot to say, we'll be in orlando (for 2 weeks of free dining at WDW) for the last two weeks of august this year)...

 

[disneyholic family]

one more thing - regarding dragon challenge....
DS and DH rode dueling dragons last time we were there and both became ill as a result - turns out that the ride is a problem for very tall people due to lack of head support above a certain height....


anyway, they obviously won't be riding dragon challenge when we visit WWoHP.....none of us will....
so the question is - will we be missing out on a cool queue?

 

[disneyholic family]

another question -

i was thinking about taking a room for one night...
we wouldn't actually sleep in the room, i would just take it for the front of the line...

i read that onsite guests are let into WWoHP an hour before the park opens...
is this still true?

oh - but i'd probably only get that for 4 people....the number i could legitimately have in that room....probably.....
hmmmm....

 

[Lisa x]

I think it is likely to be less busy during the week than at weekends, that being said, WWOHP is very busy ALL of the time as it is still so new! As early as possible in the morning when the park opens will be the best time for you to go and get straight in line for Forbidden Journey!

From around 10, you can barely even move in WWOHP, everyone heads straight there and you could wait up to 3 hours for FJ! Sometimes, you even have to queue for aaaaages just to get into WWOHP as it gets that busy! Last time we were there, people had been queuing for 2 hours just to get into WWOHP and then knew they probably had another 2/3 hour queue for FJ, we were talking to them and they were saying that their whole IOA day would be taken in queues to get into WWOHP and then on the ride and they wouldnt have time to do anything else.....they must have been MAJOR Harry Potter fans because thats just crazy to me!

The height restriction for FJ is 48''! As far as Dragons Challenge is concerned, it does have a new queuing theme but if you do not want to ride, the queue alone is not really worth waiting in just to see it, nothing special, nothing really that you would be missing there! That comes from my hubby as I have not been in it since it was Duelling Dragons! So as far as he is concerned, you will not be missing a cool queue at all!

If you are really into HP, I would imagine that you would love the theming, im not into it so for me, we went to ride FJ and have a look and I probably wouldnt return just to see WWOHP! Next time I am at IOA, I probably wont even go to WWOHP! There are a few shops there selling the HP merchandise and an old sweet shop with part of it being a joke shop kinda thing and then there is the Three Broomsticks which we only had breakfast in but didnt rate it at all and would not go back, well not for breakfast anyway!

As far as booking a room is concerned, yeah you will only be able to get as many express passes as people down to stay in the room and if you have more than the room occupancy, it will probably cost less to just buy the express pass but if WWOHP is all you will be visiting and not really doing the other rides, I would say an express pass is not worth it! Id advise to get there and in the queue before the park opens and then go straight to WWOHP and queue for FJ and save your $$$'s!

Some love the place & some not so much, I fall in the not so much bracket so hopefully someone who loves it will come along with some advice that might be better than mine, but hope this helps anyway!

 

[Cyrano]

The Universal hotel rooms allow 5. We therefore get a room key for all of us which acts as the FOTL ticket

 

[disneyholic family]

thanks Lisa!
what you describe is what i'm worried about...
of the 6 of us going, only DS is a potter fan...not a crazy fan - but he has seen all the movies...
it's possible his wife is also...and maybe my daughter's husband....
if that's the case, then it would be worthwhile - 3 people like it..

today at lunch when i mentioned going to IoA to see HP, DD practically lost her lunch on the table....
she let out a big, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
to which DS responsded, "YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS"

but if we end up standing in line for hours and hours, in that hellish orlando heat, i somehow think we won't be very happy campers...

and i have to say, i'm not thrilled about losing a day at WDW.....
DS and DH haven't been to WDW in over 5 years.....that's a lot of years to make up for in just 14 days....every day counts

 

[heatherbelle]

We went to WWoHP last year, and we stayed 1 night at the HR which meant we could get in at 8.00am.

We were at the gate at 8.00, went straight to HP world, 30 min queue for the main ride and you could then walk straight onto the dueling dragon ride it showed a 10 min wait. You couldn't move in the shops etc as they were packed out with peeps. Again the next day we were there before 8, and this time more or less walked straight onto HP ride, it takes about 20 mins just to walk through before you get on. When we got off the queue siade 30 mins wait.

We stayed mid week and out of the two days Wednesday was best. I would avoid weekends. You must go straight to HPW and don't get distracted by anything else, you can always go back to other attractions. Also when you enter the park turn left, past Zuess Landing etc, if they will let you.

Enjoy, its fab and just like the films. Don't forget the butterbear, the frozen one is lovely. Also in one of the shops near the train, they will stamp your postcards with a hogsmead stamp.

The HP ride is fantastic, but we are big potter fans here. The themeing is great too, and if you watch Ron, Harminoie and Harry tell the full story and keep watching you will see some magic performed.

If you buy your park tickets from VH, then you will early entry to HP world.

I don't like the universal parks either, but I loved the HP part, its a shame its so small, and gets full with so many people

 

[disneyholic family]

The Universal hotel rooms allow 5. We therefore get a room key for all of us which acts as the FOTL ticket

so i guess that would mean they would only let 5 people into islands of advanture an hour early, right? (the hour before official opening)

there are 6 of us, so i guess they would make one of us wait..

 

[disneyholic family]

We went to WWoHP last year, and we stayed 1 night at the HR which meant we could get in at 8.00am.

We were at the gate at 8.00, went straight to HP world, 30 min queue for the main ride and you could then walk straight onto the dueling dragon ride it showed a 10 min wait. You couldn't move in the shops etc as they were packed out with peeps. Again the next day we were there before 8, and this time more or less walked straight onto HP ride, it takes about 20 mins just to walk through before you get on. When we got off the queue siade 30 mins wait.

We stayed mid week and out of the two days Wednesday was best. I would avoid weekends. You must go straight to HPW and don't get distracted by anything else, you can always go back to other attractions. Also when you enter the park turn left, past Zuess Landing etc, if they will let you.

Enjoy, its fab and just like the films. Don't forget the butterbear, the frozen one is lovely. Also in one of the shops near the train, they will stamp your postcards with a hogsmead stamp.

The HP ride is fantastic, but we are big potter fans here. The themeing is great too, and if you watch Ron, Harminoie and Harry tell the full story and keep watching you will see some magic performed.

If you buy your park tickets from VH, then you will early entry to HP world.

I don't like the universal parks either, but I loved the HP part, its a shame its so small, and gets full with so many people

interesting that you also don't like universal - the thing is, DS really does like HP, so it's just a shame for us to make it all that way to orlando and not see it.....so i think we're going to do it one way or the other...
i just want to find the best, most efficient way to manage it...
we really hate standing in line and will ususally give up seeing something if it means a line longer than 30 minutes....(and that's still way too much for us)...

i wonder if anyone besides VH offers the hour early entry benefit...

 

[Chilly]

Can your DS and DIL just not go on their own, while you, DH, DD, and SIL go to Disney or shopping or whatever?

 

[heatherbelle]

interesting that you also don't like universal - the thing is, DS really does like HP, so it's just a shame for us to make it all that way to orlando and not see it.....so i think we're going to do it one way or the other...
i just want to find the best, most efficient way to manage it...
we really hate standing in line and will ususally give up seeing something if it means a line longer than 30 minutes....(and that's still way too much for us)...

i wonder if anyone besides VH offers the hour early entry benefit...

My DS loves Universal, he rode the hulk on his own and he was turned 11!! I don't like the noise of the place. The only rides I like are in Zuess landing and the barge thing where you get soaked.

BBy arriving at 8.00 we were all done and dusted for 12 and back at the HR and in the pool for 12.30. On check out day at the HR, we were back at Disney by lunch time too, as we just went into HP world the second time.

We only stayed at the HR as there was a price glitch last year, and loads of us bagged cheap rooms. I think it was something like £142.00 for the room, which was cheaper than paying for three fastpass things. And you can't use your room key for priority for any rides in HP world, or use the fast pass there. Everyone is treated the same. You should go, as you will really like it. The themeing is brill and well on a par with Disney. On our second visit my DH walked around and it was practicaly empty and took some great photo's of all the buildings etc.

Here to get you in the mood!

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After we got off the ride at 8.45 ish, you couldn't move. These pictures were taken at around 8.20 according to the clock on the photo.

I don't think it will be half as bad there this year, as the park has now been open for over a year. Don't forget if you go to buy a chocolate frog too!

 

[disneyholic family]

Can your DS and DIL just not go on their own, while you, DH, DD, and SIL go to Disney or shopping or whatever?

we do everything together....what can i say, we're the together family...
we're taking this trip in august so we can all be together...
of the 6 of us, 5 could travel in september (when it's much cheaper and less crowded), but the 6th is a teacher and can only go in august...so we're going in august, so we can be a gang of 6....
we've always done everything together...every vacation....we're a little weird that way i guess..
anyway, even if i don't like HP, i'll enjoy watching DS enjoying it

My DS loves Universal, he rode the hulk on his own and he was turned 11!! I don't like the noise of the place. The only rides I like are in Zuess landing and the barge thing where you get soaked.

BBy arriving at 8.00 we were all done and dusted for 12 and back at the HR and in the pool for 12.30. On check out day at the HR, we were back at Disney by lunch time too, as we just went into HP world the second time.

We only stayed at the HR as there was a price glitch last year, and loads of us bagged cheap rooms. I think it was something like £142.00 for the room, which was cheaper than paying for three fastpass things. And you can't use your room key for priority for any rides in HP world, or use the fast pass there. Everyone is treated the same. You should go, as you will really like it. The themeing is brill and well on a par with Disney. On our second visit my DH walked around and it was practicaly empty and took some great photo's of all the buildings etc.

Here to get you in the mood!


After we got off the ride at 8.45 ish, you couldn't move. These pictures were taken at around 8.20 according to the clock on the photo.

I don't think it will be half as bad there this year, as the park has now been open for over a year. Don't forget if you go to buy a chocolate frog too!

great pictures!! yes, i'm sure DS will love it...maybe even DD will....she liked the HP movies (she just hates universal/ioa)....

so WWoHP was better on wednesday than tuesday?

i remember that glitch last year....it would be nice if it happened again