Pre-GO Package-Holders Unite!

[Momw/aplan]

If you have a pre-grand opening vacation package for WWoHP and you want to discuss your confusion/concern/frustration or worries about what your vacation will ultimately turn out to be like (or if you just want to come and commiserate) then this would be a good place to do it.

Please, lets try to keep responses to other people's posts as helpful and/or supportive as possible.

And no, 'I don't understand what you're all complaining about' and 'get over it' And 'quit being so negative' are neither helpful nor supportive.

 

[FINFAN]

I am not a package holder ( merely a room only booked prior to 3/25) but I am in support of those who DID book a package! We had called to alter our dates and were told that doing so would in essense , throw out the current booking date of our resort, therefore *voiding* our ability to get early addmittance to WWOHP...so we did not alter our dates even tho it would have been better timed for us to do so. After the 8-10 a.m. info hit, I called as this was not quite the time frame thy led me to believe,,I know we were to receive the standard 1 hour ahead of off site guests, but did not think the land was going to have a 2 hour limit each day( based on info I was given by managment). One BIG draw for us was evening hours, to get to see the park/castle etc then. Since that was not the case and we were fast approaching our 5 day out cancellation requirement, I called to speak with the same manager who called me to inform us of our HP access. I was told yet again, by altering our dates, we would lose privledges as it was altering our booking date....ok... but since poeple were booking this past weekend, and a GP soft opening was happening, where is the issue with that? Long story short, we cut one night off the end of our stay, penalty free, and maintain the on site guest 1 hour entry and then we are in the same boat as GP after 9 a.m.,which we were in the first place. I don't think I would have had the patience to deal with how the package holders were limited to 2, and then maybe 4 hours. Not everyone wants to spend the crack of dawn in a mad dash bull run to a ride...to me , package holders were given the impression that they would have a lengthier amount of park hours to access the land, and knew if the ride was having trouble, well, that can happen at any time to any ride, but still have access to the land. FOTL/EXPRESS PASS is a moot point with this ride, so really acfess to the land/restaurant is the appealing part of the package. So, no real help, but thought I would throw my support your way!

 

[Momw/aplan]

Thanks Finfan!

For me I think that has been the most aggravating part of this whole situation--the total lack of any consistent reliable information from Universal. I've been told so many different things, none of which have come to fruition, that I don't trust anything they say anymore.

The whole thing has just been beyond frustrating. And yet here I am still struggling to be as excited and optimistic as I can manage (in between swings of shock, confusion, worry, and anger) for my trip. This is very likely a one shot deal for us. We're traveling 40 hours by car for this experience which threatens to become more and more minimal with every day that passes.

 

[mysteriouspnai]

I entirely agree. Thank you for posting this thread, it really helps to know I'm not the only one stuck in this boat. My family went so far as to purchase plane tickets with the package so we're probably giving even more money to US than we could be if we booked the plane tickets separately.

I am really upset that GP was allowed in. Several US reps said themselves something along the lines of "what would be the purpose of a GO if the GP was allowed in early?", and I'm really frustrated at the conflicting information they keep giving me. Yeah it's a little selfish to want it all for ourselves, but Universal led us to believe we paid for all-day exclusive access, and that's far from what they're giving us. It's absolutely ridiculous!

 

[Momw/aplan]

I entirely agree. Thank you for posting this thread, it really helps to know I'm not the only one stuck in this boat. My family went so far as to purchase plane tickets with the package so we're probably giving even more money to US than we could be if we booked the plane tickets separately.

I am really upset that GP was allowed in. Several US reps said themselves something along the lines of "what would be the purpose of a GO if the GP was allowed in early?", and I'm really frustrated at the conflicting information they keep giving me. Yeah it's a little selfish to want it all for ourselves, but Universal led us to believe we paid for all-day exclusive access, and that's far from what they're giving us. It's absolutely ridiculous!

I agree. Most ridiculous of all is the fact that they can't give us a straight, believable, reliable answer as to what we can expect to get for what we paid for. What company in their right mind would basically expect their customers to just accept it if they were to tell them 'go ahead and give us your money and then we'll figure out all the details when you get here. Maybe you'll get all day, maybe it'll just be a couple of hours, maybe you'll have exclusive access but then again maybe we'll let anyone in who wants in and who books at the last second even though you're making your plans months in advance. But that's okay, it'll still be great no matter what we decide, and we'll probably decide a dozen times at that and then change our minds again right as you arrive. Just go ahead and give a ton of money and make all your plans around it. Yeah, um, trust us, we'll figure it out. Or not. But, hey either way we'll happily take your money! And, oh yeah, it's not fully refundable if you don't like what we decide.'

 

[giant4203]

I hate to say it, but remember, the package you purchase says this

This EXCLUSIVE vacation package includes:
Early Park Admission◊ to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks™ - one per person
Commemorative ticket – one per person
Hotel accommodations at a Universal Partner Hotel
3-Day Base Ticket^ to both Universal Orlando® theme parks – one theme park, per day
Access to live entertainment◊◊ at Universal CityWalk®

the package holders are only promised exclusive access 1 hour prior to park opening. it doesn't state that you would have sole, exclusive access, or even that it would be open all day. Opening an entirely new themed section is much different than opening a ride. Especially with the space issue that this place has. My guess is that they are working out crowd control issues, and then closing, regrouping, saying what worked and what didn't work, and then adjusting their training based on this.

 

[Momw/aplan]

I hate to say it, but remember, the package you purchase says this

This EXCLUSIVE vacation package includes:
Early Park Admission◊ to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Breakfast at the Three Broomsticks™ - one per person
Commemorative ticket – one per person
Hotel accommodations at a Universal Partner Hotel
3-Day Base Ticket^ to both Universal Orlando® theme parks – one theme park, per day
Access to live entertainment◊◊ at Universal CityWalk®

the package holders are only promised exclusive access 1 hour prior to park opening. it doesn't state that you would have sole, exclusive access, or even that it would be open all day. Opening an entirely new themed section is much different than opening a ride. Especially with the space issue that this place has. My guess is that they are working out crowd control issues, and then closing, regrouping, saying what worked and what didn't work, and then adjusting their training based on this.

Okay. So lets say you buy an admission ticket to IOA. Does it say explicitly on there that you will be allowed to actually enter IOA at a specified time and then won't have to leave until another specified time? Or is there all kinds of legal jargon that tells you any given ride can be closed at any given time for unspecified reasons? But all admission tickets pretty much say that, right? So wouldn't you assume when buying an admission ticket that they are selling as a perfectly normal, full-price admission ticket you will be getting a ticket that will be good for the whole day?

So now lets say, you've got this admission ticket you paid full price for and you believe to be a regular admission ticket (except for in this particular example lets say the ticket is non-refundable and only good for one specified day, but otherwise as far as you are led to believe this is a perfectly normal admission ticket in every other way).

Now lets say you've booked hotels all along the way for a 40+ hour road trip just so you can get into IOA with your ticket. But when you arrive you're told 'oh, yeah, by the way you're only going to be allowed in until 10am.'

Are you seriously telling me you wouldn't be upset because after all it didn't explicitly say on your ticket that you'll get in all day and besides they have tons of legal mumbo-jumbo on there to protect themselves for just such an occassion?

You wouldn't be mad at all?

You would walk away happy believing you got what you paid for?

 

[FINFAN]

I think that is the bugger....limited time in the land...most folks know and accept that rides can go down at any time, but the land/area do not close with it. I think if package holders had been told, and it had been listed with the package in writing WHEN ADVERTISED that the land would be limited as well, not as many poeple would have purchased them. Also, many on these boards called to inquire and STILL were not told of that limitation ( based on what they are posting) so Universal could have given a heads up when folks may have still had time to make adjustments to their trips. I think it is a combo of both, and it stinks for both package holders and Universal really, both sides have valid points, safety is the top priority obviously, but once Universal knew the limited hours, pacjage holders should have been contacted and informed. It is just the right thing to do for any business.

 

[PrincessOp]

I have never worked for Universal, but I used to work for an events-planning firm that was contracted to do many Disney events (like the Happy Haunts Balls they used to have, other mechandising events) - and here's what I think. Yes, Universal dropped the ball here for sure, in many ways, and now they're trying to do damage control. The way these softs usually work is that they have a certain number of guests in mind from the get go (meaning # of guests who are going to come through the new attraction per day) - the variable is how they're going to get to that number. Threshold one - they could have gotten to that number only with the HP package holders. No? Ok, bump it up to anyone who booked onsite before the 25th. Still not enough? Ok, everyone onsite then! No, ok - a limited number of gp (which, to be honest, is pretty standard). The point I'm trying to make here, (and it's good news for you folks who will be there before GO) is it's still a very limited, controlled number of people who will be in WWOHP during the pre-GO dates -- and it's not any more than they were expecting when they sold those initial packages.

Now, the fact that it's only a few hours a day? Weeeeellll, in my opinion, they probably never intended to do that, but judging by the cover-their-butts wording, they're now doing it because they need that time to get ready for the GO. It is a bit of bad luck - but I feel the light crowds will make up for it.

As for my opinion about their new, flagship, much bally-hooed ride being so restrictive on height/size -- mmmmm... big screw-up. I'll bet heads have already rolled over this one. I'm probably going to get yelled at for making cultural stereotypes, but I'm willing to bet this particular ride vehicle was designed in Japan, China or Korea and nobody knew the dimensions until it was too late. Engineers in those countries sometimes don't take into account just how big Americans actually are (and I'm talking height-wise as well as weight) - put it this way, this is not the first time the industry's had this problem.

Anyway, that's my two cents - yeah, they've screwed up, in many ways. Am I still going? Yep. (cause I loooooove me some Potter!) and, I figure, I'd better just freakin' relax, because if I waste too much time worrying, I'm screwing myself even more. So, hope everyone has a blast! (you will )

 

[DIZNUT57]

I'm in the same boat. We have hotel resv only for 6/12-6/17 booked in Feb. I think we are getting extremely lucky. Trust me you will not want to be there after June 18 for a while. The thing is no one purchased tickets to WWOHP you purchase tickets to IOA. It's just that WWOHP is part of IOA. I don't know how someone could spend more than 3-4 hours in one part of the park anyway. I'll take my 3 hour preview per day with less people and feel like I have won the lottery rather than fight crowds and not experience near as much as I would have after GO.

 

[IzzyB]

OK, I understand you are all upset, but I can guarantee you will have a good time. You have to calm down and understand a few things:

1. Everything you were guaranteed you are getting (1 hour preview, breakfast, hotel, and admission into IOA)
2. Your ticket is for IOA and not Harry Potter only. So your ticket gets you in the full time to IOA and you will not be kicked out of IOA at any time until the posted close times
3. Your ticket states rides may not be open all the time, which is what is happening. They are having issues with the new area and therefore are closing it down every day to fix these issues.
4. Because it is soft openings they are controlling the crowds, which is GOOD for you. Because you will not have as many people in that land as long as you are there.
5. While you only get 4 hours in there, I promise you will be able to see everything. Mainly because Uni is controlling the crowds. If there was no 4 hour limit they would not control the crowds, meaning when 9 AM hits you would be hit with a ton of people and seeing that land would take twice as long.

So really in the end, I understand your frustration, but why don't you wait until you actually get there to assume anything? Everyone that I have seen on this board and others say they had no issue seeing everything before it closed down. Mainly because of crowd control, which I guarantee Uni will continue doing until they can open it up later in the day. I personally think you are getting a better experience, because you get to do everything without the worry of long lines and then you have the rest of the day to do the rest of IOA with your express pass. You will be out of the park by 4 PM and have had an awesome experience. You are stressing about stuff, because you think this will destroy your vacation when in all honesty I think it will be better.

So don't get angry when you hear GP is let in, they are letting only enough in to control crowds and get a good test. The reason they did not let anyone in over the weekend is because they had enough on-site and package holder guests to do these tests. Now that the weekend is over, they need more people in there, but from what I am hearing FJ is still only 15 - 30 minute wait, which is how long it takes to walk through the queue and see everything anyways.

Take a deep breath, count to 10, exhale. Do that until you calm down and realize your vacation is not destroyed, in fact you may be surprised of how much better it is now that you will be able to do more in a day.

 

[giant4203]

Okay. So lets say you buy an admission ticket to IOA. Does it say explicitly on there that you will be allowed to actually enter IOA at a specified time and then won't have to leave until another specified time? Or is there all kinds of legal jargon that tells you any given ride can be closed at any given time for unspecified reasons? But all admission tickets pretty much say that, right? So wouldn't you assume when buying an admission ticket that they are selling as a perfectly normal, full-price admission ticket you will be getting a ticket that will be good for the whole day?

So now lets say, you've got this admission ticket you paid full price for and you believe to be a regular admission ticket (except for in this particular example lets say the ticket is non-refundable and only good for one specified day, but otherwise as far as you are led to believe this is a perfectly normal admission ticket in every other way). You will have enough time to see and experience everything (pending FJ doesn't break down, however I hear it's been running more smoothly every day)

Now lets say you've booked hotels all along the way for a 40+ hour road trip just so you can get into IOA with your ticket. But when you arrive you're told 'oh, yeah, by the way you're only going to be allowed in until 10am.'

Are you seriously telling me you wouldn't be upset because after all it didn't explicitly say on your ticket that you'll get in all day and besides they have tons of legal mumbo-jumbo on there to protect themselves for just such an occassion?

You wouldn't be mad at all?

You would walk away happy believing you got what you paid for?

As long as I got into the park, was able to experience an attraction or two, maybe have a lunch and buy some souvenirs...I'd be fine. With the package allowing you in an hour early...you'll get to have breakfast, experience the attractions and do some shopping, probably all or most before 9am when all they allow the general public in, which is exactly what you paid for.

 

[inkkognito]

Personally I think the breakfast is a liability for the post GO package holders. That initial hour is going to be golden in terms of riding FJ, getting into Ollivanders, etc. You can eat at Three Broomsticks any time, but doing it first thing in the morning will waste the most valuable part of the day. We were really, really lucky to get two pre-GO hours with just fellow hotel guests and package holders. We got everything done without feeling rushed (although there's always the chance FJ could be down...compare riding it once the first day when it didn't even open for an hour to four times the second day when it was running right from opening...the post-GO package people will be stuck in a terrible line if it opens late but that's the luck of the draw with any new ride). I would probably skip the breakfast, even if I paid extra for it, because the Golden Hour will be worth more.

 

[Momw/aplan]

As long as I got into the park, was able to experience an attraction or two, maybe have a lunch and buy some souvenirs...I'd be fine. With the package allowing you in an hour early...you'll get to have breakfast, experience the attractions and do some shopping, probably all or most before 9am when all they allow the general public in, which is exactly what you paid for.

Here's my beef with all of this: The total lack of communication on Universal's part. I've been told something different as to what I can expect every single time I've called. Most recently I've just been told they have no idea what I can expect, they can't guarantee me anything, I'll just have to find out when I show up.

So I can only really see this thing going one of three ways:

1) I get in an hour early, everyone else gets in at 9am and then the whole thing stays open all day. <--this is what I believed I was purchasing at the time I bought the package.

2) I only get in for the limited # of hours (2 officially, but it seems on average it is lasting closer to 4) HOWEVER during those limited hours there will also be a limited # of guests.<--At this point I would be very happy with this option. Our time would be limited and we wouldn't get to experience the place at night and we would have to get out early, but at least it would be a very limited crowd. I could handle that. I could be happy with that.

3) I only get in for a limited # of hours PLUS everyone else gets in too.<--this I would NOT be okay with. If I only get 1 hour with a small crowd followed by only 1-3 hours with a huge crowd and then kicked out for the day I will be furious. (This is the one I fear will happen; mind you this is not something I've been told, it is only what I fear)

So basically it boils down to:

Unlimited hours + Unlimited crowd= I'm cool
Limited hours + Limited crowd= I'm cool
Limited hours + UNlimited crowd= I am so very not cool

But the thing of it is Universal will not tell me which of those three it is going to be. They won't even promise me that it definitely won't be #3. So here I am worried about all this nonsense instead of just enjoying the countdown to my vacation. That's not right.

 

[Magpie]

Personally I think the breakfast is a liability for the post GO package holders. That initial hour is going to be golden in terms of riding FJ, getting into Ollivanders, etc. You can eat at Three Broomsticks any time, but doing it first thing in the morning will waste the most valuable part of the day. We were really, really lucky to get two pre-GO hours with just fellow hotel guests and package holders. We got everything done without feeling rushed (although there's always the chance FJ could be down...compare riding it once the first day when it didn't even open for an hour to four times the second day when it was running right from opening...the post-GO package people will be stuck in a terrible line if it opens late but that's the luck of the draw with any new ride). I would probably skip the breakfast, even if I paid extra for it, because the Golden Hour will be worth more.

Post GO package holder here - I changed the time of the breakfast reservation to the second day of our visit for that very reason. I figure it'll be less stressful if we've already had a chance to see the FJ first. My husband hates crowds and refuses to stand in long lines.

 

[IzzyB]

So basically it boils down to:

Unlimited hours + Unlimited crowd= I'm cool
Limited hours + Limited crowd= I'm cool
Limited hours + UNlimited crowd= I am so very not cool

But the thing of it is Universal will not tell me which of those three it is going to be. They won't even promise me that it definitely won't be #3. So here I am worried about all this nonsense instead of just enjoying the countdown to my vacation. That's not right.

From everything we have seen, I don't think it will be #3. It hasn't been that way so far and I don't see Uni changing it. Until they are fully ready (meaning it can handle being open all day) they are not going to put large crowds in that place.

Just enjoy your countdown and stop worrying about it. Honestly, you can't change the outcome and worrying is going to destroy your vacation more than anything Uni does.

Keep in mind Universal has NO clue when they will be doing what. Which is expected at this point since it is a new ride, new area, new everything. So right now that have a plan of what they would like to do, but if FJ acts up they have to slow that plan down. So they don't want to tell you anything until they know. I am sure Uni didn't want it to be this way, but it is out of their control because they are dealing with new technology. This is the risk anyone takes being the first adopters. Which you are considered one of the first adopters, so you have to understand that things break, which changes their timetable. But they have not screwed over package holders yet, why would they start now?!?

 

[Momw/aplan]

From everything we have seen, I don't think it will be #3. It hasn't been that way so far and I don't see Uni changing it. Until they are fully ready (meaning it can handle being open all day) they are not going to put large crowds in that place.

Just enjoy your countdown and stop worrying about it. Honestly, you can't change the outcome and worrying is going to destroy your vacation more than anything Uni does.

Keep in mind Universal has NO clue when they will be doing what. Which is expected at this point since it is a new ride, new area, new everything. So right now that have a plan of what they would like to do, but if FJ acts up they have to slow that plan down. So they don't want to tell you anything until they know. I am sure Uni didn't want it to be this way, but it is out of their control because they are dealing with new technology. This is the risk anyone takes being the first adopters. Which you are considered one of the first adopters, so you have to understand that things break, which changes their timetable. But they have not screwed over package holders yet, why would they start now?!?

I really do hope you are right that #3 is not an option. I would be able to take a deep breath and quit worrying if they would just guarantee me that much.

But what I've been told so far is that any one of those three is a possibility; they can't promise any one of them; they can't rule out any one of them. And in fact it could be some other scenario none of us has even thought to consider. They don't know.

But I do hope you're right. I hope it's not #3. And I hope I get to return from my vacation with a fresh new perspective on Universal (the company) and that I'll be able to give a glowing report of how great our experience was. I'll just have to wait and see I guess.

 

[giant4203]

Here's my beef with all of this: The total lack of communication on Universal's part. I've been told something different as to what I can expect every single time I've called. Most recently I've just been told they have no idea what I can expect, they can't guarantee me anything, I'll just have to find out when I show up.

So I can only really see this thing going one of three ways:

1) I get in an hour early, everyone else gets in at 9am and then the whole thing stays open all day. <--this is what I believed I was purchasing at the time I bought the package.

2) I only get in for the limited # of hours (2 officially, but it seems on average it is lasting closer to 4) HOWEVER during those limited hours there will also be a limited # of guests.<--At this point I would be very happy with this option. Our time would be limited and we wouldn't get to experience the place at night and we would have to get out early, but at least it would be a very limited crowd. I could handle that. I could be happy with that.

3) I only get in for a limited # of hours PLUS everyone else gets in too.<--this I would NOT be okay with. If I only get 1 hour with a small crowd followed by only 1-3 hours with a huge crowd and then kicked out for the day I will be furious. (This is the one I fear will happen; mind you this is not something I've been told, it is only what I fear)

So basically it boils down to:

Unlimited hours + Unlimited crowd= I'm cool
Limited hours + Limited crowd= I'm cool
Limited hours + UNlimited crowd= I am so very not cool

But the thing of it is Universal will not tell me which of those three it is going to be. They won't even promise me that it definitely won't be #3. So here I am worried about all this nonsense instead of just enjoying the countdown to my vacation. That's not right.

From what I understand, they are limiting the number of the general public that are allowed in...they're not just throwing the gates open and letting people in willy nilly...I'm sure by next week they'll be lengthening the hours of operation (I think today it was 10:30 from what I hear) The longer they're keeping it open, the more likely they'll let the public in. The first few days it was strictly package holders and resort guests so they could make sure these folks got to experience it with as few hiccups as possible (heck us TM's were only able to experience Forbidden Journey a day before package guests got in, and it was down for 2+ hours during our preview) The key is look at how FJ is operating. If it's behaving, they'll send GP in...if not, no dice. Just remember: you are still getting exactly what you have paid for. You will be able to experience the WWoHP and all the amazingness that it has to offer

 

[Momw/aplan]

You know what? I'm too exhausted to try to explain yet again all the reasons why 'we are getting exactly what we paid for' is a false statement. But it is.

My guess is you probably live in FL, Giant. Maybe not. I don't know. But my guess based on your answer before--the one where you said you would not be disappointed at all to find out your general admission ticket to IOA was suddenly limited to a few hours--my guess is that you've been to IOA many times and you can go back practically any time you want. Because if it was your first and possibly only visit which you had paid a tremendous amount and gone to great effort for, I don't think your answer would be quite the same.

You don't seem to understand where those of us who are upset are coming from or what exactly we're upset about. I'm not trying to be whiny or greedy; I'm not spoiled. I'm simply trying to get full delivery of the product I was sold.

And unless you were on the phone with each of us when we booked our packages, I don't think you can know what it is we were told we were paying for. So how can you say we're getting what we paid for?

I hope you're right. I hope we have an amazing experience. But right now I'm feeling quite frustrated because all I can do is hope. I have no confidence. No one at Universal is able/willing to tell me what the product I've already paid for in full will ultimately include. How many other expensive products would anyone be willing to purchase under those same conditions?

If they really are unable to know from one day to the next what each day will hold, fine, but the least they should do is contact the pre-go package holders and give us some reassurance that they will either have restricted crowds for those few 'preview' hours - assuring a chance at a pleasant experience, OR that if crowds are not going to be restricted then the hours won't be restricted either. Because if one of those two things doesn't happen then I am not at all getting what I paid for.

If I have to line up at 6:45 or 7:00 am and then power walk all the way to FJ with my fingers crossed that I get in and the ride works, and then have to run from store to store and ride to ride trying to experience everything I want to experience because the crowds are high and the hours are severely limited then it will most certainly not be amazing. I just want someone at Universal to tell me with certainty that's not going to happen.

But the thing of it is, they won't tell me if what I will get to experience will be either of those or something else entirely. I've had no reassurances from them that I won't get all they way there to find out we have massive crowds and huge lines and only 2-4 hours to experience it all. I don't REALLY expect it to be that way (limited hours/massive crowds), not in my heart of hearts--I think they'd be crazy for doing that--but I've also been given no reason to believe they won't. They've made no effort whatsoever to give us any reassurances, not even when we call to ask.

At the very least I'm glad I've been keeping up with the day to day changes online, because if the only knowledge I had about our upcoming vacation came from my communications with Universal, my head would probably have exploded when I got there to discover just how limited the hours are for the area. I feel really sorry for anyone who's finding out that way. And I think by leaving that a real possibility that many people may find out exactly that way is, in my opinion, not an ethical business practice.

Knowing what I know from online though, I will be fine with the limited hours as long as the crowd too is limited. But if I come to find out the hours are limited but the crowd is not...well, then...my head = kablooie!

 

[bumbershoot]

And unless you were on the phone with each of us when we booked our packages, I don't think you can know what it is we were told we were paying for. So how can you say we're getting what we paid for?

Ah, now I understand.

Online it was really clear, when I was peeking at the packages for a time that I wasn't traveling. Crystal clear. Guess the TMs were not clear on what should and shouldn't be said. That's rotten.

No wonder booking online was suggested to me today!