Please post here if you get into WWOHP before 6/1 on a ROOM ONLY ressie

[damo]

Looks like there were some people previewing the area today. We should know in the next week if there are going to be soft openings and all our worrying is actually not important.

 

[Preds]

I've posted this in other threads, but I'll post it here as well to hopefully ease some concerns. Below is the written email response I received from a Reservations Manager back on March 30th. Hopefully things haven't changed since then!

Note I've BOLDED and UNDERLINED key text.

I have been forwarded your email, as the reservations Manager for the onsite hotels here at Universal Orlando, in regards to your upcoming stay at the end of May at the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando.

I do thank you for taking the time to contact us so that we may clarify your access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Universal Orlando was looking forward to opening the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction this spring. You are correct, for guests trying to make travel plans we did announce earlier this year a suggested travel date of after May 28. Due to unforeseen circumstances we are not able to open the new area to the general public in Islands of Adventure at the expected date. However, we would like to offer you a special advanced preview.

I do see that you made your reservation well in advance of our Official Grand Opening date announcement. Because of which, you will be included on our guest list to be one of the few guests to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in its entirety at a special preview. When you check in on the 28th of May at the Hard Rock Hotel you will be provided with the details on how you and your family will enter the preview. Universal Vacations likely will provide additional communication to you prior to your arrival but at this time we do not now when exactly that will be sent out. I do want you to feel confident that you will enjoy the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter for your length of stay along with the many other attractions we offer in Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Not to mention the great pools, restaurants and activities for your family at the rockin’ Hard Rock Hotel.

It is our hope that your experience at this exclusive preview will be a memorable one!

Enjoy your upcoming stay with us.

I'll post how things go after we check in on the 28th!

Mike

 

[kmc]

have fun Preds--you must be so excited

 

[Preds]

have fun Preds--you must be so excited

I badly need a break from work, so yes, we're very much looking forward to the weekend. All 4 of us (my wife and our 2 teens) loved the HP books and the movies, thus we've been waiting ever since they announced the new addition to IOA to see it.

It's shaping to be a Harry Potter summer for us, as Toronto has a big HP exhibition opening soon, and that's only 90 minutes away from us. Further, we have an end of summer trip planned to London and Edinburgh over 10 days and plan to seek out a lot of the film sites, castles, and churches used in the movies while we're there.

We've had fun doing movie/tv touring in the past, having been in New Zealand just after Lord Of the Rings was finished shooting and seeing many major film locations (heck, we went horseback riding and my wife was given one of the horses used in the movies).

We've also been all over Oahu over the past couple years checking out LOST film sites (we even got to see some of live season 6 shooting of the gun battle near the sub from far off in the distance... we were in the thickets across the lake and could see the sub and hear the gunfire, but couldn't see the actors too well.

 

[kmc]

I Further, we have an end of summer trip planned to London and Edinburgh over 10 days and plan to seek out a lot of the film sites, castles, and churches used in the movies while we're there.

We've had fun doing movie/tv touring in the past, having been in New Zealand just after Lord Of the Rings was finished shooting and seeing many major film locations (heck, we went horseback riding and my wife was given one of the horses used in the movies).

We've also been all over Oahu over the past couple years checking out LOST film sites (we even got to see some of live season 6 shooting of the gun battle near the sub from far off in the distance... we were in the thickets across the lake and could see the sub and hear the gunfire, but couldn't see the actors too well.

WOW! I hope your kids appreciate how awesome their parants are

can you adopt me

 

[Preds]

WOW! I hope your kids appreciate how awesome their parants are

can you adopt me

LOL! Can't say I haven't heard that before!

Honestly I don't think they truly appreciate how lucky they've been, but we're hopeful later in life they'll gain more of an appreciation of it!

We've been very fortunate to be able to travel quite a bit all over the US, the Caribbean, the Western Mediterranean, and New Zealand/Australia via cruises and land vacations over the past 7 years as they've grown up. That said, we don't go crazy spending money, we do it on a budget (i.e. we don't take a trip if we don''t already have the funds saved up for it), look for deals (that's half the fun for me), use points (I have tons of hotel and airline points), and spend wisely.

With our oldest turning 18 in October I'm starting to freak because I'm unsure if we can plan trips with him in 2011 or if he'll want to be doing his own thing!

 

[Preds]

7 days from now we will have arrived at HRH and will have immediately headed off to IOA for what we hope to be our Harry Potter fix.

Our fingers are crossed that Universal will stick to their word and we will indeed have access to the WWoHP as onsite only guests booked prior to 3/25 (as they've stated to me in writing).

I'm fairly certain that at a minimum we'll have the same access as the TM's have had this past week, but am REALLY hoping they have Forbidden Journey up and running by then. If not, thy're going to have some ticked off HP package holders (I know I would be if I bought the package for 5/28).

I'll try to post the end result next week.

Stay tuned!

 

[FINFAN]

7 days from now we will have arrived at HRH and will have immediately headed off to IOA for what we hope to be our Harry Potter fix.

Our fingers are crossed that Universal will stick to their word and we will indeed have access to the WWoHP as onsite only guests booked prior to 3/25 (as they've stated to me in writing).

I'm fairly certain that at a minimum we'll have the same access as the TM's have had this past week, but am REALLY hoping they have Forbidden Journey up and running by then. If not, thy're going to have some ticked off HP package holders (I know I would be if I bought the package for 5/28).

I'll try to post the end result next week.

Stay tuned!

HAVE GREAT TIME!!!! If you can post, awesome, but as anxious as we all are, this is your (and everyone's) vacation so go and enjoy! We understand if you cannot post, but if you can....

 

[Luv2Travel]

7 days from now we will have arrived at HRH and will have immediately headed off to IOA for what we hope to be our Harry Potter fix.

Our fingers are crossed that Universal will stick to their word and we will indeed have access to the WWoHP as onsite only guests booked prior to 3/25 (as they've stated to me in writing).

I'm fairly certain that at a minimum we'll have the same access as the TM's have had this past week, but am REALLY hoping they have Forbidden Journey up and running by then. If not, thy're going to have some ticked off HP package holders (I know I would be if I bought the package for 5/28).

I'll try to post the end result next week.

Stay tuned!

Yes, please post and let us know what type of access you are allowed. I have a group arriving at the HRH on June 2 and I don't have anything in writing about our access to the WWoHP. But I've been told different things over the phone when I called to ask. I've been told exactly what you were emailed, but this week I'm being told that we'll only be getting in an hour before the park opens.
So, my reply was, "that sounds like it might open to the public during regular park hours." To which the Team Member replied, "oh no, the opening is not until June 18 for the public."

I'm confident that we'll be allowed in, but I'm very anxious to find out WHEN we'll be allowed in, HOW LONG we'll be able to stay in there, and IF we'll get to ride FJ.

 

[Preds]

We received the following letter from Universal Vacations today (timely since our flight to MCO is tomorrow morning)! The letter was dated May 20th, with a May 24th postmark. Our onsite only dates for the HRH are May 28-31.

Note, my comments are in red, otherwise the bolding and underlining is as is on the letter.

Dear Preds,

Thank you for purchasing your vacation package through Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations. We look forward to your upcoming arrival. By now you should have received electronic documents confirming your package purchase. Note, we purchased onsite hotel only PRIOR to the 3/25/10 Grand Opening announcement. We did NOT purchase tickets or the Harry Potter package).

Upon arrival at Universal Orlando, please follow the instructions on your electronic documents to retrieve all of the tickets included in your vacation package which will include theme park admission tickets. Your exclusive Early Park Admission preview of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is scheduled from 8:00am-9:00am each day during your stay. A valid admission ticket to Islands of Adventure is required to gain entrance to your Early Park Admission preview of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As always, operating hours and availability of specific attractions and entertainment are subject to change without notice.

Guest Name: Preds
Guest Confirmation Number: xxxxxxxx
Guest Party Size: 4
Early Park Admission preview of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Daily 8:00am-9:00am daily

Thank you for choosing Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations and we hop you enjoy your upcoming visit to Universal Orlando Resort. If you have any questions prior to your travels, please contact us at (800) 407-4275.

Now we have 2 things in writing confirming access to WWOHP (the letter above and the email response I received from a Reservations Manager 2 months ago).

One comment is that they've couched the language in this letter to being early access, which makes me think they might have public soft openings beginning tomorrow at 9:00am.

We don't arrive in MCO until around noon, then we have to check-in at HRH and we'll be off to IOA soon after. I'll post tomorrow from my iPhone what we learn!

 

[Crittermom]

We are booked at the HRH for June 4 - 6. I called the HRH to inquire if we were included in this special preview. They transferred me to guest services who assured me that if we booked before the official announcement in March (we booked in February!) we would be included. We did NOT purchase the package deal and he said they just announced that the special preview would be extended to on site guests (who booked early enough). He said upon check in we would receive all the information for our special preview!!!
He also mentioned that "since it will be opening tomorrow (Friday 28th) they will be posting more information. fingers crossed this works out.

 

[damo]

The woman at reservations that I talked to this morning confirmed it would be for all onsite guests, not just those who booked early. She said that was new as of today. Things change every day!

 

[LJF]

The woman at reservations that I talked to this morning confirmed it would be for all onsite guests, not just those who booked early. She said that was new as of today. Things change every day!

I'm happy to hear that but I wished they had made that decision sooner. Friends of ours were thinking of joining us but decided not to since they thought they would not have been able to join us in the WWoHP.
I'm not even going to mention this to them but I am happy for all that were left wondering.

 

[damo]

I'm happy to hear that but I wished they had made that decision sooner. Friends of ours were thinking of joining us but decided not to since they thought they would not have been able to join us in the WWoHP.
I'm not even going to mention this to them but I am happy for all that were left wondering.

I think these decisions are all being made as we get closer to the real opening. Sounds like they want everything to be perfect and not everything is cooperating!

 

[Colleendoll]

I've posted this in other threads, but I'll post it here as well to hopefully ease some concerns. Below is the written email response I received from a Reservations Manager back on March 30th. Hopefully things haven't changed since then!

Note I've BOLDED and UNDERLINED key text.



I'll post how things go after we check in on the 28th!

Mike

Who did you email? I have the same situtation except we bought our tickets, booked a condo for the week of the Grand Opening back in February. A month ago I booked the HRH for 2 nights since they Promised we would get in to the park an hour early.

 

[Colleendoll]

We are in Orlando for 19 nights in a Condo and leave for home again on 18th June - Official Opening Day!!!!! What bad luck!!!!

We have booked into the RPR for one night on 13th June, in the hope that we may get into the new world.

We have to cancel by 8th June if we don't want to keep the ressie, so I'd love to hear if anyone gets in before this time too.

Our Condo is booked from June 13 - 20th which I booked in February when I purchased our tickets, meal deals and sipper cups. We have 4 days worth of tickets and I FREAKED out when someone mentioned to me, in passing last month, that the Grand Opening date was June 18th! This was a Surprise birthday present for my three children. I had already told them we were skipping cake, presents, family, friends the whole deal and they were Thrilled since it was WWOHP. I didn't get an email or Anything! I signed up for all the updates and gave my email address when purchasing the tickets.

Now I am paying for Two places to stay when we can only stay at one. The whole reason we were going was to celebrate my childrens birthday in WWOHP.

We have hotel reservations because they Told me we would get in to the WWOHP one hour earlier than General Public for each day of our stay. I hope they honor this or I will Never go back. This is our first experience with OU and I kind of hoped the WWOHP would be to my children what Disney was to me. A MUST for family vacation. If we don't get in during our vacation and I have paid out the wazzooo my children will only look at OU as a disapointment and WWOHP as a great disapointment and never want to go back again. Seriously....

My Mom told the kids about how I had this huge facination with Cinderella's castel the first time I went to Disney. As a grown up I thought the story was funny but I remembered it vividly. I practically dragged my parents and definetly Nagged the heck out of them about getting to the castel ASAP. I was so disapointed to find it was just a "hallway". I pressed my tiny little face on the painted doors in the "hallway" and thought if I just believed enough the doors would open and magic would happen. My mother eventually pryed me off the wall and I cried on and off the rest of the day. My poor Poor mother!

I mentioned that now the Castel was different. There were shops and a restaurant! Anyway, we get to the Castel with my children and we peek into the BBBoutique and oooh and awww from around the corner. I had no idea we should have booked the restaurant a year or 2 in advance but asked to just take a peek.

At the stroller check in area, They very politely but Firmly said NO, only those with reservations. My children Never want to go back to Disney as long as they live. My littlest one said "Disney doesn't want to give you magic Mom. They just want to see you press on the walls and cry." That crushed me a hundred times more than when I was a little girl with her face pressed on those walls. That time it wasn't the disapointment of not "seeing the magic". She said a few other things but I cannot recall them. I am sure they are in our trip report that I don't think I posted. I was Heart Broken, absolutely Crushed by the sight of my young daughter actaully believing that magic wasn't possible in the one place Magic should seem real for children.

We had fun but after that I could have taken them any where to have the same amount of fun. It was a very disapointing trip. The whole idea of magic went right out the window.

Hey, I went back after years and years! I had no idea the old story would be so crushing.

 

[FINFAN]

Thank you for the updates everyone! For those heading out, have an awesome time

 

[mjohnson96]

Our Condo is booked from June 13 - 20th which I booked in February when I purchased our tickets, meal deals and sipper cups. We have 4 days worth of tickets and I FREAKED out when someone mentioned to me, in passing last month, that the Grand Opening date was June 18th! This was a Surprise birthday present for my three children. I had already told them we were skipping cake, presents, family, friends the whole deal and they were Thrilled since it was WWOHP. I didn't get an email or Anything! I signed up for all the updates and gave my email address when purchasing the tickets.

Now I am paying for Two places to stay when we can only stay at one. The whole reason we were going was to celebrate my childrens birthday in WWOHP.

We have hotel reservations because they Told me we would get in to the WWOHP one hour earlier than General Public for each day of our stay. I hope they honor this or I will Never go back. This is our first experience with OU and I kind of hoped the WWOHP would be to my children what Disney was to me. A MUST for family vacation. If we don't get in during our vacation and I have paid out the wazzooo my children will only look at OU as a disapointment and WWOHP as a great disapointment and never want to go back again. Seriously....

My Mom told the kids about how I had this huge facination with Cinderella's castel the first time I went to Disney. As a grown up I thought the story was funny but I remembered it vividly. I practically dragged my parents and definetly Nagged the heck out of them about getting to the castel ASAP. I was so disapointed to find it was just a "hallway". I pressed my tiny little face on the painted doors in the "hallway" and thought if I just believed enough the doors would open and magic would happen. My mother eventually pryed me off the wall and I cried on and off the rest of the day. My poor Poor mother!

I mentioned that now the Castel was different. There were shops and a restaurant! Anyway, we get to the Castel with my children and we peek into the BBBoutique and oooh and awww from around the corner. I had no idea we should have booked the restaurant a year or 2 in advance but asked to just take a peek.

At the stroller check in area, They very politely but Firmly said NO, only those with reservations. My children Never want to go back to Disney as long as they live. My littlest one said "Disney doesn't want to give you magic Mom. They just want to see you press on the walls and cry." That crushed me a hundred times more than when I was a little girl with her face pressed on those walls. That time it wasn't the disapointment of not "seeing the magic". She said a few other things but I cannot recall them. I am sure they are in our trip report that I don't think I posted. I was Heart Broken, absolutely Crushed by the sight of my young daughter actaully believing that magic wasn't possible in the one place Magic should seem real for children.

We had fun but after that I could have taken them any where to have the same amount of fun. It was a very disapointing trip. The whole idea of magic went right out the window.

Hey, I went back after years and years! I had no idea the old story would be so crushing.

Okay, Really? You will be there during the opening, of course it is opening week so it will be crazy. Check your spam folder, if you don't have Universal set up everything goes into Spam for your email. This happened to me and I know get lots of emails from Universal..movies...openings...stupid stuff

Many people have already said they had it confirmed in writing that they will be able to get in early if they booked prior to announcement. Some saying today that it changed from onsite guests booking early and now to those that just booked no matter what date they did it on.

I have already informed my kids, including my dad, that it will be EXTREMLY busy and that things might not work since we are going opening week. But if all we get to do is see the area and not ride the ride then that is what we get and as my DD will tell you..."you get what you get and don't throw a fit"

As for your Disney experince, reservations are 180 days in advance so for the castle you have to book it on that date or good luck but the dinner over at the Grand Floridian is much much better. Not only do you have Cinderella come to your table you also get to meet Prince Charming, the Step Mother, and the Step Sisters....my DD thought they were better than Cinderella. The Castle herds you through a quick picture and then feeds you and pushes you out the door...not that rough but basically.

I know it is your kids birthday present but if you let them know what to expect then they shouldn't be extremly upset...just to let you know also there is a height restriction on FJ of 48 inches...don't want that to surprise you and upset everybody either on their fun day.

I guess I am just tired of seeing everyone post on here how they are entitled to something (now those that got a package are different), I waited until they announced the grand opening date...booked my vacation the only week that my DH can go with his schedule and since it is opening week know that it is going to be bad. I really hope everyone gets into the park and rides the ride starting tommrow and posts on here how they only waited 15 minutes since they were the only ones there while little ole me will wait a couple of hours since I am there right after it opens.....

Okay venting done...have fun!

 

[NashvilleTrio]

Courtesy of Jarry from Orlando United http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php?4049-The-Wizarding-World-of-Harry-Potter-Part-2&p=114000#post114000

Looks legit to me.

We're on-site for a week starting next Friday. Exicted!

 

[Dougweller]

It looks as though they are just letting the hotel guests in during a short time slot and then won't let anyone else in, at least today. I've also read that Forbidden Journey is broken.
I'll be there Wednesday, just hope the shops are open and that we get to experience FJ even if the actual ride doesn't work.
Doug