New Early Entry policies - Wizarding World of Harry Potter

[RachelleBeaney]

Hi All

So i've been doing my research for a trip planned for Feb 2015 to see the new WWOHP - Diagon Alley and Universal's website is very vague RE the early entry info. It only says that early entry will be granted to all official Universal Orlando guests for both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade but that Universal will only allow early entry at 1 park per day (i.e. each day you'll only be allowed in early to either Diagon Alley OR Hogsmeade) and the days are to be chosen by Universal. I figure this is a similar situation to Disneyland's early entry where you can enter early to DCA on one day and DL the other, but Universal have yet to outline which park will have early entry on which days.

Since I am an insane planner I want to know which days i'll be able to enter Diagon Alley early and which i'll be able to enter Hogsmeade early and plan accordingly. If anyone is visiting the Universal Orlando Resort after opening on July 8th and can advise me of your experience, or have hotels booked already and have had advice from Universal about what days early entry is at each park i'd appreciate it.

Cheers

 

[Meetmeinmontauk]

Hi All

So i've been doing my research for a trip planned for Feb 2015 to see the new WWOHP - Diagon Alley and Universal's website is very vague RE the early entry info. It only says that early entry will be granted to all official Universal Orlando guests for both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade but that Universal will only allow early entry at 1 park per day (i.e. each day you'll only be allowed in early to either Diagon Alley OR Hogsmeade) and the days are to be chosen by Universal. I figure this is a similar situation to Disneyland's early entry where you can enter early to DCA on one day and DL the other, but Universal have yet to outline which park will have early entry on which days.

Since I am an insane planner I want to know which days i'll be able to enter Diagon Alley early and which i'll be able to enter Hogsmeade early and plan accordingly. If anyone is visiting the Universal Orlando Resort after opening on July 8th and can advise me of your experience, or have hotels booked already and have had advice from Universal about what days early entry is at each park i'd appreciate it.

Cheers

I was trying to figure out if we got early entry into both areas. This idea is good but I am wondering if they will do the different areas every other day. We are only visiting for 2 days so I really hope they would do that!

 

[BeccaA]

I think it will be a crowded nightmare if they expect guests from all 4 resorts to go early to only one area of Wizarding World. Hopefully they will open up both areas each day. I wish they would just hurry up and tell us what they are planning to do!

 

[deakam]

Now you guys have me worried. I just assumed that it meant that I could only enter one park early not that only one park would be open early on each day. I have a 2 day trip booked with breakfast on one of those days. What if it is not on the right day? I think I will call in the morning just to get it straight.

 

[Meetmeinmontauk]

Now you guys have me worried. I just assumed that it meant that I could only enter one park early not that only one park would be open early on each day. I have a 2 day trip booked with breakfast on one of those days. What if it is not on the right day? I think I will call in the morning just to get it straight.

Let us know what they say! I was hoping both would be open so I could try and ride both rides and then do normal touring.

 

[Priory]

Maybe they're having early entry at both but splitting which resorts go to which park each day? That would make the most sense.

 

[macraven]

Hi All

So i've been doing my research for a trip planned for Feb 2015 to see the new WWOHP - Diagon Alley and Universal's website is very vague RE the early entry info. It only says that early entry will be granted to all official Universal Orlando guests for both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade but that Universal will only allow early entry at 1 park per day (i.e. each day you'll only be allowed in early to either Diagon Alley OR Hogsmeade) and the days are to be chosen by Universal. I figure this is a similar situation to Disneyland's early entry where you can enter early to DCA on one day and DL the other, but Universal have yet to outline which park will have early entry on which days.

Since I am an insane planner I want to know which days i'll be able to enter Diagon Alley early and which i'll be able to enter Hogsmeade early and plan accordingly. If anyone is visiting the Universal Orlando Resort after opening on July 8th and can advise me of your experience, or have hotels booked already and have had advice from Universal about what days early entry is at each park i'd appreciate it.

Cheers

since your trip is for next year, i wouldn't worry about it.

a lot will change from the time the new section opens until the time when you will be making your trip.

things get tweaked all the time.
how it goes for EE in July of this year, might change for when peeps go in September of this year.

In June 2010 with the opening of parry hotter, they had policy in place.
when i went in early October that year, it all had changed.

we won't know until July this year how the darkside will be handling it all.
when it does open, you'll read many websites that will talk about it.

and, it could easily be tweaked two months later.

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Thanks for all the replies!! Appreciate it a lot - It really looks like i'm going to have to wait and see (ahh - the forward planner in me just wants to know now).

FYI for those of you wondering this is copied word for word from the Terms and Conditions for the WWOHP - Diagon Alley vacation packages currently being advertised:

Early Park Admission begins one (1) hour prior to regular scheduled park opening to one (1) Universal Orlando theme park as determined by Universal Orlando. Valid at select attractions at each park. Universal Orlando Resort reserves the right to open alternative attractions in the event that a technical problem arises or an attraction opening is delayed.

From that what can be determined is that only 1 of the Universal Theme Parks (i.e. WWOHP - Diagon at Universal Studios Florida OR WWOHP - Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure) will be open to guests each day for early entry. How this is determined is yet to be advised ...which is what I want to know Oh well - I'm sure i'll work it out - for those of you going just after opening though this is probably worth noting, but if your going for two days then at least one of those two days should have early entry for Diagon Alley I would imagine.

 

[macraven]

yes, that is true.

those that booked the parry hotter package will be allowed to the DA section.
that info comes from universal.

i have no doubt that early entry for all others will be set up in order to have crowd control.

what it will be, has not been determined yet to the public.
we will all find out sooner or later from UO.

i know there are some that only do a one or two day visit to the Darkside.
i'm sure all that go, are wanting to hit it all early and visit both parks.

i stay onsite for a longer time than others usually do.
over the years, i make my stays a relaxing vacation laid back event.
i really don't rush during the day.
i probably have only done the early entry 3 mornings out of 11 days there.

my upcoming trip will be 12 days..
i'm sure i will hit the parks with early entry for the new section a few times.

my goal is not to spend the day with parry hotter but to catch the rides and feel the excitement over those fantastic new rides.

Rachelle, by the time you are ready for your trip next year, you'll probably will have read everything about the new parry hotter section.
i'm sure you will have it all planned out and prepared for your fun adventure there!

i know you are excited and a planner.
you'll be a pro from all the information you will be gathering as the time goes by.

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Rachelle, by the time you are ready for your trip next year, you'll probably will have read everything about the new parry hotter section.
i'm sure you will have it all planned out and prepared for your fun adventure there!

i know you are excited and a planner.
you'll be a pro from all the information you will be gathering as the time goes by.

Thanks Macraven We are spending 4 days in the parks at Universal for our next trip with a 4 night stay at Hard Rock Hotel. We've never stayed on property before as we usually spend 6 or 7 nights on property at WDW and then stay off property in Orlando for 9 or so nights while we visit Universal and SeaWorld and other Orlando attractions. This time though Universal is our focus and we are only spending 3 nights at WDW, so I'm sure one way or the other we'll have plenty of time to see everything, and as you say, I've got plenty of planning time left....I'm sure I'll work it out eventually! So excited for the trip though! We are heading on our first Disney Cruise to the Caribbean and then 8 nights in Orlando, 6 nights in New York and 5 nights at the Disneyland Resort It will be a great trip! I will keep an eye out after opening for any specific advice

 

[macraven]

i have stayed at all 3 of the deluxe hotels.
you can't go wrong with any of them.
they each have their own "personalities".

depending on the date you go, will determine how full the hotel will be.
HRH is the smallest of the 3 hotels with 650 rooms.

if you book a standard room and it is not a busy time, you have a 50/50 chance of a free upgrade to pool view if you ask for it at check in time.

a 4 night stay should work out well for you to explore the HrH, other 2 hotels, city walk and the parks.
the walk from HrH to the studios is 5 minutes or less.

www.citywalk.com
check it out for the menus and hours before your trip.

you can pool hop to the other 2 deluxe hotels during your stay.

do check out the Hard Rock Cafe and the Rock Shop in city walk.
that HRC is the largest one out of all the HRC.
be sure to take your camera with you!

it is always totally exciting reading up and planning for a stay at a new place.

this new planning for the HRH, City Walk, etc will keep you busy while you are waiting to hear more about the HP2 opening and those procedures.


i have been cutting back the number of nights i stay at disney the past years in order to spend more time at Universal.
i can't go to orlando without staying at both theme parks resorts...
this coming up trip i will only be at the motherland for 6 nights then transferred to the Darkside resort for the rest of my vacation.

 

[Susan2771]

We will be checking in the day after the grand opening at the Royal Pacific. I will post what we are told about the early entry after we check in on the 9th.

 

[RMulieri]

I wouldnt worry yet.ALOT can change by Feb..I am not stressing it yet and we are going in Jan 2015...Universal needs to take a good look at it..Right now they have all 4 resorts ( CB is 1800 rooms) on early entry and ALL the offsite partner hotels that have packages crammed into just Hogsmeade..If it works ok they will likely leave it that way for awhile( one park every day alternated), if not, they will adjust it.

 

[Bluer101]

We are there before, during and after the grand opening. It will be interesting on what they do.

 

[hermionesnape]

I was told on the phone that package guest will be allowed Early Entry into both parks. Don't know what this means for non package guest but I'll be there in less than two week and I will report back.

 

[hermionesnape]

Now you guys have me worried. I just assumed that it meant that I could only enter one park early not that only one park would be open early on each day. I have a 2 day trip booked with breakfast on one of those days. What if it is not on the right day? I think I will call in the morning just to get it straight.

How did you achieve a breakfast reservation without a Harry Potter Package? At least at the start I think both sides will be open (since breakfast is served 1 hour early in both parks) they might just split people between the two parks.

 

[damo]

How did you achieve a breakfast reservation without a Harry Potter Package? At least at the start I think both sides will be open (since breakfast is served 1 hour early in both parks) they might just split people between the two parks.

Does it say anywhere that only package people will be allowed to make breakfast reservations? I don't see it on the package description.

4-Night Hotel Accommodations
3-Day Park-to-Park Ticket^ to Universal Studios Florida® & Universal's Islands of Adventure®
Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron™ in Universal Studios Florida – one per person
Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks™ in Universal's Islands of Adventure - one per person
Early Park Admission◊ to The Wizarding World Harry Potter™ one hour before the theme parks open
Special Themed Welcome Parcel§
Convenient at-home delivery of your theme park tickets
Souvenir owl plush
Welcome Letter

 

[mbrou24]

Does it say anywhere that only package people will be allowed to make breakfast reservations? I don't see it on the package description. 4-Night Hotel Accommodations 3-Day Park-to-Park Ticket^ to Universal Studios Florida® & Universal's Islands of Adventure® Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron™ in Universal Studios Florida – one per person Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks™ in Universal's Islands of Adventure - one per person Early Park Admission◊ to The Wizarding World Harry Potter™ one hour before the theme parks open Special Themed Welcome Parcel§ Convenient at-home delivery of your theme park tickets Souvenir owl plush Welcome Letter

I booked a package and discussed it with the agent.... Booking reservations is exclusive to the package

 

[damo]

I booked a package and discussed it with the agent.... Booking reservations is exclusive to the package

So booking a reservation may be limited to package people but walk ups may be allowed. That's how it worked last time.

Anxious to see how it all pans out once it opens.

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Thanks all I appreciate the info and would be so grateful if you could report back your experiences. I emailed Universal to ask the question and got the most ridiculous non-answer of all the info currently on their website which was completely unhelpful so I'll just have to wait and see from other people's reports