Please Give Me Touring Advice

[Bowen9475]

We are a family of 5, 2A and 3C. We will be visiting US/IOA from Friday 2/18 - Sunday 2/20. We will not be staying onsite. We would most like to see WWOHP but will spend time doing other things in both parks. Please make suggestions on when to hit WWOHP. We visitied US/IOA in February 2009 during the same time frame and found the crowds picked up considerably on Saturday. Thank you for any advice!

 

[flfun]

I would go straight to HP on friday and do all that I could because you are right, the holiday crowd will begin on Saturday and most will be heading to HP. Hopefully, you can get there before opening on Fri and head straight to HP and do ollivanders (if the line isn't bad), then do FJ (using single rider line if your kids are old enough to ride independently). If they're not old enough to ride FJ, remember to use single rider with child swap. Eat at off times (10:30 or 3:00) at Three Broomsticks if that's on your to do list and then explore the rest of the park.

I personally, would spend Saturday at US, getting there at opening and making a day of it since it will not be as crazy as IOA. Sunday, I would try to hit any highlights that I missed in either park being as leisurely as possible.

Remember that nearly all HP souvenirs can be bought at Trader Joe's at the front of the park and wear pants with lots of pockets so you don't have to use lockers!

Don't forget to check out Harry Potter at night, its really nice!

***Just realized that mardi gras will make US kind of crazy in the late afternoon but morning through early afternoon I think would still make sense for Saturday.

 

[Bowen9475]

Do you think crowds would be any smaller the following weekend? We could also go from Saturday 2/26, late afternoon, through Monday 2/28.

 

[flfun]

Yes, always pick non-holiday weekends over holiday weekends if you can. Best way to predict crowd size is park closing time and the cost of express passes. 9 and 10 o'clock means large crowds. 6 and 7 o'clock means light crowds expected. Compare the closing times here...

http://www.universalorlando.com/Resort_Information/theme_park_hours.aspx

Saturday will still be your busiest day of the three.

 

[tseitel]

We went in October, got there 1/2 hour before opening, and purchased the express pass, as we were doing both parks in 1 day. We do this every time we go, and find we are able to fit in everything we want to do and see. At opening, we RAN to the Forbidden Journey, were able to get right on, and when we came out the line was already 90 min! After that, pretty much everything we wanted 2 do we could fastpass. If interested in eating in the 3 broomsticks, maybe try to each lunch a little earlier than usual to beat the crowds, as they dont take reservations. Also, we do try to avoid Universal on the weekends, to try to cut down on the crowds. But with Harry there now, is that possible?! have fun!

 

[KingRichard]

Thanks for the hours and the info.

We will be there the same dates and was going to go on Thursday(IOA). I see they close early on Thursday?

Would you recommend US on Sun or Mon? We could then bounce back into IOA after US closes?

Thanks

 

[Metro West]

We will be there the same dates and was going to go on Thursday(IOA). I see they close early on Thursday?

Would you recommend US on Sun or Mon? We could then bounce back into IOA after US closes?

Thanks

As long as you have the park to park tickets you can bounce back and forward to your heart's content.