new blog: Harry Potter and the Stifling Horde: Summer 2010 Review

[LeahZ]

http://www.disunplugged.com/2010/10/03/harry-potter-and-the-stifling-horde-summer-2010-review/

 

[Jennygt]

Great report! I was there the Sat after WWOHP opened and had the exact same experience. The only problem we had was that we waited in the morning for anout 45min and FJ was down, it messed up our whole day and it was more aggravating because the universal staff did would not say it was "down" or "not working" it was just "not running". The stores are so small without a crowd they are tight. Overall I am just OK with the whole land for the main reason that it can not even come close to holding the crowds that are comming to see Harry.

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

If you all want a different perspective on the WWoHP, you could check out the response to the blog in the Universal forum. They've had a very different experience.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2568893

 

[Commando2319]

If you all want a different perspective on the WWoHP, you could check out the response to the blog in the Universal forum. They've had a very different experience.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2568893

Wow! I am amazed at the comments on the other thread. Great job defending your blog post! I loved it.

From it, I was just appalled that they had picked the kid at Olivanders before everyone at even entered. Prob just the first kid to enter with the new group. I'd be furious.

 

[WaltD4Me]

If you all want a different perspective on the WWoHP, you could check out the response to the blog in the Universal forum. They've had a very different experience.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2568893

There are Universal apologists, just like there are Disney apologists. A couple posters on this thread have been defending every aspect of WWofHP no matter what the issue since it opened. I'm sure there are many good things about WWofHP, but the issues you blogged about are very real issues too. I was claustrophobic just reading about your experience in the wand shop and the shop at the end of FJ. Of course you expect hot and crowded in August, but I think it's also reasonable to expect not to have to move store displays to get out the door of a shop.

 

[cathie1327]

It's kind of frustrating when people equate better planning with NOT going during the summer. Going during the summer has nothing to do with how well you plan, it's simply about when you can/can't go. Being somewhat crowded and very hot are things you expect in the summer, and accept them if you know that's when you need to go.

But it sounds like these crowds were just downright unsafe. I wonder how many people turn around and walk away after seeing the crowds, knowing they couldn't handle it? How much business is Universal losing because of this, I wonder.

I am ridiculously claustrophobic, even at Disney sometimes it gets to me, but I do alright because it's usually just in short bursts (we normally travel in September, this being one of the reasons). I would have never been able to handle wwohp with crowds like that. Especially in the stores.

 

[TMcDwyer]

Marking this to read later (ie - once I take the kids to school!). My Mom and I are going in November. Just us. No kids, no men. We are HUGE HP fans and can't wait to see it. After Pete's review I am hoping that are expectations are realistic. Mainly it is just an excuse for us to take a trip together. We have never done it before and can't wait!

 

[myweegirls]

This sums up all my concerns about visiting now. As our kids are not yet at Harry Potter-awareness age, my husband and I would love to check out WWoHP on our own...but this will clearly have to wait. Quite possibly until the kids *are* at Harry Potter-awareness age, which should be in about five years. Such a bummer, as I'm a huge HP fan, but I'd rather enjoy a celebration of JK Rowling's world as opposed to enduring a slog through it.

XO
Liz

 

[TMcDwyer]

Thanks for the great blog Dave! I thought it was honest and found it really helpful. My Mom & I are going on Nov. 29. We are staying on property and plan to go in as early as they will let us and do Olivander's first. Then we have breakfast at The Three Brooksticks and will head out to do FJ and the rest of the stuff. We are really excited!

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Thanks for the great blog Dave! I thought it was honest and found it really helpful. My Mom & I are going on Nov. 29. We are staying on property and plan to go in as early as they will let us and do Olivander's first. Then we have breakfast at The Three Brooksticks and will head out to do FJ and the rest of the stuff. We are really excited!

Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad you liked it. I hope you have a wonderful visit to WWoHP. Staying on property and getting there as early as you can sounds like a great plan. Good luck, and have fun! If you can, I would definitely try to go back in the evening too, to see the land with the lights on - should be possible since you're going in November. The view of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade from the Flight of the Hippogriff queue and ride are spectacular at night.

 

[TMcDwyer]

Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad you liked it. I hope you have a wonderful visit to WWoHP. Staying on property and getting there as early as you can sounds like a great plan. Good luck, and have fun! If you can, I would definitely try to go back in the evening too, to see the land with the lights on - should be possible since you're going in November. The view of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade from the Flight of the Hippogriff queue and ride are spectacular at night.

Thanks for the tip! We will definitely do this. Leaving the kiddos at home will give us more opportunity to take it slow and do what we want. (They do not even know where we are going...they would never forgive me!) We are not ignoring the World though. Tuesday we are doing a Segway tour of Epcot and then doing some attractions there and some in The Magic Kingdom. I am so excited!!!

 

[Mouse Skywalker]

Thanks for the tip! We will definitely do this. Leaving the kiddos at home will give us more opportunity to take it slow and do what we want. (They do not even know where we are going...they would never forgive me!) We are not ignoring the World though. Tuesday we are doing a Segway tour of Epcot and then doing some attractions there and some in The Magic Kingdom. I am so excited!!!

Ha! I hear you on this. When my girls found out I was going to WWoHP on the press tour in May before it opened, it sealed the deal that we HAD to go back and take them this summer. I would have preferred to wait until the crowds died down, but it wasn't an option - if you know what I mean...

 

[TMcDwyer]

Ha! I hear you on this. When my girls found out I was going to WWoHP on the press tour in May before it opened, it sealed the deal that we HAD to go back and take them this summer. I would have preferred to wait until the crowds died down, but it wasn't an option - if you know what I mean...

My kids are not into HP, but if they knew about the Disney part...

 

[JenM]

Marking this to read later (ie - once I take the kids to school!). My Mom and I are going in November. Just us. No kids, no men. We are HUGE HP fans and can't wait to see it. After Pete's review I am hoping that are expectations are realistic. Mainly it is just an excuse for us to take a trip together. We have never done it before and can't wait!

You'll have a great time. I'm a huge HP fan and I was there last week and we loved it - the crowds were managable, but I would have hated to be there in the summer when it the crowds were out of control.

Just get there as early as you can - Ollivanders is fun, but it's a very short show and if the line is longer than 20 minutes, don't bother. The food at the Three Broomsticks is great, as was the butterbeer...make sure you look in all the shop windows, since there's lots of fun stuff to find. Forbidden Journey is awesome, we managed to ride it 9 times during our trip.

I did see that thread on the Universal board and some of the comments were ridiculous...WWoHP shouldn't just be easily accessed by those staying at the Universal resorts. We stayed at a Universal resort and got caught at a long line at the gate for 15 minutes during early entry because they couldn't get the finger scanners to work right, and the next day we got in early and the only ride working was Flight of the Hippogriff. So no, staying at the Universal resort doesn't always make the whole thing easier (although it helped, for the most part).

 

[TMcDwyer]

You'll have a great time. I'm a huge HP fan and I was there last week and we loved it - the crowds were managable, but I would have hated to be there in the summer when it the crowds were out of control.

Just get there as early as you can - Ollivanders is fun, but it's a very short show and if the line is longer than 20 minutes, don't bother. The food at the Three Broomsticks is great, as was the butterbeer...make sure you look in all the shop windows, since there's lots of fun stuff to find. Forbidden Journey is awesome, we managed to ride it 9 times during our trip.

I did see that thread on the Universal board and some of the comments were ridiculous...WWoHP shouldn't just be easily accessed by those staying at the Universal resorts. We stayed at a Universal resort and got caught at a long line at the gate for 15 minutes during early entry because they couldn't get the finger scanners to work right, and the next day we got in early and the only ride working was Flight of the Hippogriff. So no, staying at the Universal resort doesn't always make the whole thing easier (although it helped, for the most part).

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Cherry Limeade]

I appreciated the honesty here. We are going to Orlando Christmas week (I know! I know!) and had thought about adding a day or two at US, specifically to see WWoHP. I nixed it when I realized that there was a LOT that 2 of my kids would have to sit out on.

Now I am really glad I did. I can only imagine what the park will look like that week!

 

[TMcDwyer]

I appreciated the honesty here. We are going to Orlando Christmas week (I know! I know!) and had thought about adding a day or two at US, specifically to see WWoHP. I nixed it when I realized that there was a LOT that 2 of my kids would have to sit out on.

Now I am really glad I did. I can only imagine what the park will look like that week!

Where did you get the idea for your screen name???