Plan of attack - looking for suggestions

[DizGirl20]

We are first timers to Universal with plans to visit WWOHP. I've read enough on these boards that I know to get there early... but how early? And is there a certain route through IOA we should take to get to HP? Finally, I'm sure there is a thread somewhere that discusses a "touring plan"? Thanks. We are going the week after Easter and I know it is going to be super crowded. Any thoughts on what I have planned so far. Please feel free to tweak our plan:

1. Arrive 30 mins prior to opening
2. Head to Olivander's
3. Ride FJ
4. Ride Hippogriff - myself and DD10
5. Ride Dueling Dragons - DH and DD13
5. Purchase butterbeer
6. Shopping

THANK YOU!

 

[mesaboy2]

1. Arrive 30 mins prior to opening
2. Head to Olivander's
3. Ride FJ
4. Ride Hippogriff - myself and DD10
5. Ride Dueling Dragons - DH and DD13
5. Purchase butterbeer
6. Shopping

THANK YOU!

1. Since it will be busy, you might want to consider 45 mins early
2. Yes, yes, yes. If you care about seeing O's at all, do it first
3. If line is too long for you, consider using the single-rider and castle tour queues sequentially in much less time, while missing almost nothing
4. Sure
5. Sure
5. (sic) Butterbeer lines can be long--don't forget it can be gotten inside at Hogs Head also (line might be shorter) or with a meal at Three Broomsticks
6. Lines to enter shops are not uncommon--be prepared to wait here too

Assuming you are off-site, you probably won't have a choice regarding your route to WWoHP. TMs will direct you the long way around, to the left at the lake through Superhero, Toon Lagoon, and Jurassic before arriving at the backside to WWoHP. Also, in those crowds, don't leave WWoHP unless you are done with it for the day as you will likely have to wait a while to get back in.

 

[DizGirl20]

Thanks! Why can't we just decide on our own to go to the right? I've never heard of being directed in a theme park, but we've never been to Universal before.

 

[LUVIOA]

Going to the right is reserved for hotel guests with early entry. Parts are very narrow and it's just easier to have those people go one way and general public in the other way. If it's super crowded, be prepared to wait hours just to get in to the area. If you are offsite, there are already thousands of people that were able to get in early that are in there already. Ollivander's will likely have a 1-2 hour wait, unless you have a big need to do this, i'd skip it. I found myself saying "I waited 30 minutes for THIS" but others had a priceless lifetime memory experience. Luckily my kids did not have their heart set on being chosen so they weren't disappointed when they weren't.

 

[damo]

Thanks! Why can't we just decide on our own to go to the right? I've never heard of being directed in a theme park, but we've never been to Universal before.

This is for crowd control because of the Wizarding World. The people who had early entry will be leaving the area and if the hoards and hoards of general public guests are entering, it will be chaos. This way, everyone trying to enter the WW can only enter from one of the two entrances to the area.

 

[lovebug33]

How early can you show up? I was thinking of showing up like an hour and a half early and just staking my place!

 

[damo]

How early can you show up? I was thinking of showing up like an hour and a half early and just staking my place!

Early entry people start showing up about an hour early, so you can arrive pretty much whenever you like. Off site people will be kept to the right while early entry people will line up to the left.

 

[DizGirl20]

Thanks for all the info everyone... now I am starting to get nervous. I am a big time planner for Disney so we don't often wait in too long of a line. Can I ask two more questions? We will be there the week of 4/25.

1. Would it be better to go Sunday rather than Friday/Saturday of that week?
2. Would it be better to go towards the end of the day rather than first thing in the morning? I am having visions of a stampede!!!


THANKS AGAIN!

 

[mesaboy2]

Thanks for all the info everyone... now I am starting to get nervous. I am a big time planner for Disney so we don't often wait in too long of a line. Can I ask two more questions? We will be there the week of 4/25.

1. Would it be better to go Sunday rather than Friday/Saturday of that week?
2. Would it be better to go towards the end of the day rather than first thing in the morning? I am having visions of a stampede!!!


THANKS AGAIN!

Sunday is almost always better than Friday or Saturday, in my experience.

I don't think you have to worry about a stampede. If you want to be sure of having enough time to do everything you want, then early is better of course. I had great luck in February of getting alot done in just the last couple of hours each day, however. But then I had been before and I wasn't concerned if I missed anything. I would go early and keep the option to return late on the chance you didn't get enough or would like to see the area less-crowded and lit up. WWoHP looks great at night.

 

[ZellyB]

We were there two weeks ago. We were staying off-site and so decided to save WWOHP until late in the day following the advice of a worker there. We got panicked late in the day as they were requiring a return ticket (no cost) with a designated time to get into the area and they ran out of them before we got one. I understand that the ticket entry only gets utilized during VERY busy times, so this might not be an issue for you.

However, at 6 pm they opened the area up to free flow traffic and we got in stayed until close and had plenty of time to do everything we wanted. I really liked the area at night and by 8 pm the place had thinned out considerably. We did do FJ as soon as we got in and the line for that was still very long (70 min), but we got through fine and still had time to do everything else we wanted. We did not do Ollivander's. The kids weren't that interested and we just bought the wands from a cart near Flight of the Hippogriff. The guy working that cart was just great with my kids!

 

[lake queen]

On Sunday night March 13, at 6:00 we only had a 10 min. wait for O's, and FJ was 30 min.

On Fri, and Sat. the waits were 1- 1/2 hours!

We also got into the shops without waiting, and the previous 2 days there were lines just to get in the shops!

Also, you could actually walk thru the area and enjoy it, with out stepping on anyone elses feet!

 

[conniehar90]

We will be there end of July/beg of Aug. I have a choice of Sunday or Monday for IOA. If Sunday is better than Fri/Sat, I assume Monday is even better? We will be offsite and have no desire to do Olivanders. So, just FJ, Hippo and Dueling Dragons. I want to see the castle too but assume I do that in the FJ line? Big Disney planner and never wait in lines there so getting nervous.....

Thanks for the advice!

 

[mesaboy2]

We will be there end of July/beg of Aug. I have a choice of Sunday or Monday for IOA. If Sunday is better than Fri/Sat, I assume Monday is even better? We will be offsite and have no desire to do Olivanders. So, just FJ, Hippo and Dueling Dragons. I want to see the castle too but assume I do that in the FJ line? Big Disney planner and never wait in lines there so getting nervous.....

Thanks for the advice!

I don't know that I would make that assumption. I'd stick with Sunday, but it'll be the middle of summer so who knows? I think the theory is that many travelers travel on Sundays, leaving the parks relatively empty. I don't particularly understand it, I just use it to my advantage--and it's worked for me.

ETA: Regarding "seeing the castle". You will see all there is to see inside the castle in the main FJ queue--the long one. You can see most of the inside of the castle in the castle tour queue--the short one. The main difference is you will not see the greenhouse in the castle tour queue, which is no big deal. If you can't find the castle tour queue--and you wouldn't be the first--don't be afraid to ask any TM in the area.

 

[LondensMiMi]

OM goodness...messaboy. Love your quotes!

 

[mesaboy2]

OM goodness...messaboy. Love your quotes!

Thanks, I lifted them both. I saw the lottery one on a bumper sticker, and the other in someone's sig on another board (I hope). Math geek humor. I'm available for parties, too.

 

[conniehar90]

Thank you so much for the advice on Sun vs. Monday. I was thinking Sunday = more locals, but the traveling aspect definitely makes sense. Sunday it is!