Opinions, please...can I fit the two HP lands in one day?

[kuzco-like]

I'm going on Podcast Cruise 5.0, and the way the flights are scheduled from Vancouver, I have to fly in the Friday (when the cruise departs on the Sunday). I'll arrive Friday night, which means that I have all of Saturday and possibly a few hours on Sunday morning to fit in a visit to Universal Orlando. I plan to stay onsite and take advantage of early morning entry and front-of-the-line access (which, I know, does not apply to the HP rides). If my main focus is the two HP lands, do you think I will have enough time to ride and explore in one day? If I get to anything else at US, I will consider that a bonus.

My other option is to do a split stay after the cruise, with a few days at US and a few days at WDW (I can get only so much time off work). I'm not too keen on that idea. So much back and forth. And I'll still have to find something to do on the Saturday before the cruise. Tracey @ Dreams Unlimited suggested that I stay @ WDW and explore some resorts or Downtown Disney (which I hear is an adventure these days). Or I could stop in @ the Magic Kingdom to ride Haunted Mansion before it goes down for refurb.

I have been warned that the last week in November is Thanksgiving (I am Canadian), so the parks could be quite busy. This is why I'm not going to Orlando earlier before the cruise. But, the flights such as they are, I have to fly in on the Friday.

So what are your thoughts? Squeeze in US before the cruise, or do a split stay after? Thanks in advance.

 

[PulsarIII]

Doing both parks in one day before HP moved into IOA if the crowds were light to moderate, it was doable. It felt more like commando mode touring when the crowds were moderate. The weekend after Thanksgiving should be busy in IOA and even busier in US. Early entry could help with HP in your first park, but no help for the second, but FOTL would be a big help in both parks. One day for both parks may to be tough, even if you are revved and ready for an early entry to close the parks day.

The good news is the second week of December should see light crowds in both parks, but expect HP2 over at US to still be rather crowded. Hope you can work in a visit to UOR and have a great time.

G’day
I I I

 

[kuzco-like]

Thanks, PulsarIII, for your response. You've confirmed what I had suspected...that it's not very doable. Oh, well. I'll have to do a split stay after.

 

[bumbershoot]

Doing both parks in one day before HP moved into IOA if the crowds were light to moderate, it was doable.

But the OP asked about both HP lands in one day, not full parks.

front-of-the-line access (which, I know, does not apply to the HP rides).

Express Pass applies perfectly fine to Hippogriff and Dragon Challenge.



OP you're going the last week of November, so after Thanksgiving (I assume Friday the 28th is your flight?) and before December. With that one solid Saturday, with EP and whatever early entrance there might be, plus some time Sunday morning, I think you can do well. Especially if Diagon and Hogsmeade are your focus and especially if you're traveling solo (which it sounds like you are).

 

[kuzco-like]

Bumbershoot, you are correct on both. Flying on the 28th and travelling solo. (You are also correct that I plan to focus in just Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.) I'm still undecided, but I appreciate your feedback. Thanks. I suppose that I'll just have to make a decision and deal with the consequences. Thanks again.

 

[Karebear]

I think that you can do it. We just returned from a Universal/WDW trip. We were at Universal over Labor Day weekend (to give you an idea on crowds). We did early entry to Universal on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend and did Gringotts, Ollivanders, and did some exploring, wand spells and butterbeers all by 10 am. Then we took the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade and did Forbidden Journey and the rides over there. Forbidden Journey was about a 10 minute wait. We went back to Diagon Alley around 1:00 for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. We got quite a bit done and I was surprised by it because I thought that the crowds might be higher. We kind of did a repeat of this same plan on Sunday and it worked well then too. We used our afternoons and evenings for the "rest of the parks". We did go back into Diagon Alley on Sunday night around 7:30 for more shopping and butterbeers (the park closed at 9 that night). Hope this helps!