Perfect FJ wait time?

[jeankeri]

I know the queue is part of the experience. That being said, what would the IOA experts out there consider the perfect wait time for the ride? Curious.

 

[kittyninja]

I would say about 30 minutes is probably perfect. The line is moving slow enough that you can get good pictures of everything and really take it in. The first time I rode I was in awe and the wait was 5 minutes. The people behind me were rude and said "Geeze, I didn't know we had to take pictures of EVERYTHING in here." Ugh. No duh!! Anyway, when we went back with a 30 minute wait we got to take better pics with no complaints.

 

[hydrotony]

I think 30 minutes is about right, too. You start the line a little ways outside the real entry door and slowly meander through the castle. The queue fools you in that you enter the castle but then it goes outside to typical steel rails, then goes to an upper level of more rails and then into the castle.

 

[bumbershoot]

I agree that a bit of a wait makes it easier to see things. Then again, I've always encountered people taking their time and letting those behind them go by. I think that's nice when people are aware that others want to go faster, and don't, for example, want to watch the WHOLE thing in Dumbledore's office.

 

[macraven]

i do the queue a couple or three times each visit for FJ.
always see something that catches my eye ...


for the ride itself, i usually use the SRL and no wait at all.....
once thru that line i'm on the ride within 2 minutes.

i stay onsite and go solo to the darkside.

last year i had less of a wait in the srl than the express.

 

[kittyninja]

I agree that a bit of a wait makes it easier to see things. Then again, I've always encountered people taking their time and letting those behind them go by. I think that's nice when people are aware that others want to go faster, and don't, for example, want to watch the WHOLE thing in Dumbledore's office.

I totally agree. I have never watched the whole thing in Dumbledore's office. On my first trip I offered to let them go past me twice and they said no, then they apparently got disgusted and just went by anyway.

I know when I'm being a super obsessed fan and I tell everyone that comes up behind me that I'll be a while just ignore me and go past me.

I think those people on that fateful day just wanted to be rude to someone and the kid in the tie taking pictures was the perfect one to do it to that day.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

Don't forget about the castle tour line! You see almost everything important in the castle from this line and you can go at your own pace. It has its own portrait gallery, then runs parallel to the regular queue through Dumbledore's office, the Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom and The Gryffindor Common Room. Currently the castle tour is offered as long as the wait time is less than 90 minutes.

 

[AJA]

I agree with the pp's. 20-30 minutes isn't really a "wait" time. It will take that much time to walk through the castle.

Our posted wait time was 45 mins and we were only in line standing waiting for about 15 mins right before loading on the ride.

Def take the castle tour if you want to take photo's and be sure you haven't missed anything.

 

[jeankeri]

Clarifying question-
The stand-by line, castle tour line and SRL are 3 separate lines. The castle tour and SRL lines are always/sometimes open? They all go through different/parallel parts of the queue? They do/do not end up at the actual FJ ride?
Thanks for the help and tips

 

[kittyninja]

The SR line skips the castle all together. You go up some stairs and POOF...you're there. It is kind of disappointing but if you go though the regular line first then just want to ride, it's totally worth it.

I have not actually done the tour line officially but when I was there for a special event we were let in after hours and that was the line we went through. It shows you parts of the castle you wouldn't see in the regular line. But it may skip a few things too, I can't remember. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will help me out on this one!

 

[bumbershoot]

I think those people on that fateful day just wanted to be rude to someone and the kid in the tie taking pictures was the perfect one to do it to that day.

 

[kittyninja]

Awwe!! Thank you!!

 

[StarbuxNY]

The SR line skips the castle all together. You go up some stairs and POOF...you're there. It is kind of disappointing but if you go though the regular line first then just want to ride, it's totally worth it.

I have not actually done the tour line officially but when I was there for a special event we were let in after hours and that was the line we went through. It shows you parts of the castle you wouldn't see in the regular line. But it may skip a few things too, I can't remember. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will help me out on this one!

Hi,

Sorry if this is been asked a million times but I am still confused:

I understand the single rider line, but are you saying the "regular line" and the "castle tour" are two separate things? Is the castle tour always available?

 

[kittyninja]

Hi,

Sorry if this is been asked a million times but I am still confused:

I understand the single rider line, but are you saying the "regular line" and the "castle tour" are two separate things? Is the castle tour always available?

Like I said, I haven't actually done the tour but when we went through that line I'm pretty sure it met up with the regular line. I just know you go a different way. I wasn't paying too much attention. And I don't know how often they give just the tour but from what I've read you just need to ask an attendant and they'll take you. I'm pretty sure you still get to see everything!

 

[*LittleMermaid*]

The castle tour line is a separate line. What some other posters mean is that the regular line and the castle tour line have separate portrait rooms but then all lines get together in Professor Dumbledore's office. However, they next to each other the rest of the way and do not merge. The castle tour line is based on availability. They don't have it all of the time but I do not know what the parameters that determine whether to open it or not are.

 

[kittyninja]

The castle tour line is a separate line. What some other posters mean is that the regular line and the castle tour line have separate portrait rooms but then all lines get together in Professor Dumbledore's office. However, they next to each other the rest of the way and do not merge. The castle tour line is based on availability. They don't have it all of the time but I do not know what the parameters that determine whether to open it or not are.

Thank you for clearing that up for me!

 

[jeankeri]

Does the castle tour line lead to the actual ride, or is it just a tour for those wanting to see the castle?

 

[kittyninja]

From what I understand after the tour you can go into the single rider line if you want to ride. I'm thinking about doing the tour when I go so I can take some "sirius" pics.

 

[2girlsmom]

I am wondering if the castle tour line is what they sent us through last trip with our GAC pass, All I know is we DID see the portraits and Dumbledore's office but we were literally walking straight through, took 5 minutes tops, and we did join up in front of the single rider line.

 

[Seeker615]

It seems to me that when we did the castle tour we ended up near the sorting hat and where all the people were waiting to get on the ride. There were some ride attendants directing you out of the castle after.

Going through the ride line you see the greenhouse (not much to see there and there was horrible odor one day) and you see a few other statues that you would not see on the castle tour.

I loved the "secret entrance" that was the single rider line. I felt like a sneaky Hogwarts student!

We must have been in the castle over a dozen times the three days we were there. I think over half we did the single rider line, did the castle tour once and used the regular line when the wait times were quick.


(Usually if there is just two of you riding you get on together in single rider line.)