Universal in July with Diagon Alley opening?

[wdisneyaholic]

Was planning on a few days at Universal before heading to Disney in July. We have never been there. I'm a little nervous that the crowds are gonna be crazy due to the new area opening. Was thinking maybe this isn't the best time to go. I did see the pictures of when WWOHP opened and that was just insane. I know just being July will be busy, but with the new area opening it's gonna be even more busy. So would you go or would you wait? It's a lot of money to put out if we can't enjoy it.

 

[Metro West]

Was planning on a few days at Universal before heading to Disney in July. We have never been there. I'm a little nervous that the crowds are gonna be crazy due to the new area opening. Was thinking maybe this isn't the best time to go. I did see the pictures of when WWOHP opened and that was just insane. I know just being July will be busy, but with the new area opening it's gonna be even more busy. So would you go or would you wait? It's a lot of money to put out if we can't enjoy it.

Wait...crowds are going to be insane!

 

[rowan555]

The only way we would even consider it was if we were staying onsite and thus had the express passes and didn't have to drive to the parking garage in the morning. And don't plan on seeing Daigon Alley if the crowds are nuts - plan on visiting everything else, and then maybe if there's early entry with hotel stay you can make it to the new attractions.

 

[wdisneyaholic]

Thanks for posting. That's pretty much what I thought, we should wait. We would have been staying on site but I still think the crowds are gonna be super insane. I think we will wait and try to take a trip at an off peak time and just do Universal.

 

[johde]

I will say most of the pictures you see were from the first day. That being said, it could be very busy this July. If you switched one of your night to one of the deluxe onsite hotels at Universal you'd have FOTL to nearly all the except Harry Potter and one hour early admission to Harry Potter for 2 days check-in and checkout day.

 

[RMulieri]

I would wait.Those pictures you have seen are from opening day, so crowds wont be THAT bad.But they are going to be bad enough.

 

[wdisneyaholic]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I really want to see WWOHP but I don't want to fight the mob of people. I know those pictures are from opening day but we would only be arriving a few weeks after that. I think I'm gonna wait and try to make a trip at an off peak time and just do universal.

 

[Metro West]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I really want to see WWOHP but I don't want to fight the mob of people. I know those pictures are from opening day but we would only be arriving a few weeks after that. I think I'm gonna wait and try to make a trip at an off peak time and just do universal.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[rangebob]

WDW isn't going to be pretty either in July. You need to remember they just added a major addition to the parks that is drawing major crowds and has spending way up. That 1.5 billion is really paying off for them.

Yes, I'm being sarcastic about it. Crowds will be way up in July there and the mickey bands are adding majorly to the FP lines and making the regular lines much slower than before. I used to be a major supporter (15+ years annual pass) but not for much longer due to this wonderful addition to the parks.

 

[Metro West]

WDW isn't going to be pretty either in July. You need to remember they just added a major addition to the parks that is drawing major crowds and has spending way up. That 1.5 billion is really paying off for them.

Yes, I'm being sarcastic about it. Crowds will be way up in July there and the mickey bands are adding majorly to the FP lines and making the regular lines much slower than before. I used to be a major supporter (15+ years annual pass) but not for much longer due to this wonderful addition to the parks.

I'm right there with you. Tragic bands and the whole MyTragic program is a joke. I doubt I'll ever go back.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I'm right there with you. Tragic bands and the whole MyTragic program is a joke. I doubt I'll ever go back.

You do know that Universal just filed for a patent for their own ride reservation system, right? It has some similarities to magic bands and FP+. So even though it is just a patent that may never materialize in to anything, the fact that they filed for it means they see some value in having a ride reservation system and are considering it for themselves. I wouldn't go making any profound statements about Disney just yet...

 

[damo]

You do know that Universal just filed for a patent for their own ride reservation system, right? It has some similarities to magic bands and FP+. So even though it is just a patent that may never materialize in to anything, the fact that they filed for it means they see some value in having a ride reservation system and are considering it for themselves. I wouldn't go making any profound statements about Disney just yet...

They already do use a ride reservation system with the qbot. Many of the amusements parks use a similar system.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

They already do use a ride reservation system with the qbot. Many of the amusements parks use a similar system.

Right but this is a new system, not the Express Pass. The Parkscope guys read through it and there are similarities to Disney's new system.

 

[damo]

Right but this is a new system, not the Express Pass. The Parkscope guys read through it and there are similarities to Disney's new system.

The q-bot isn't the express pass either. Universal has the unlimited express pass, the express pass and the q-bot.

All I'm saying is that Universal isn't opposed to a reserved ride system. They already use one in conjunction to their normal system.

I highly doubt that they will change their unlimited system to a reserved system any time soon. There is no need and they just invested in their photo express pass system.

However, in the future with more parks and more hotels, I can see them consolidating everything with a band.

 

[richmo]

I can't speak as to how it will be when Diagon Alley opens, but we went during the first summer of WWoHP. I apologize that my knowledge of IoA's geography isn't good, but, even though you would think to turn right after park entrance to get to HP land, there were signs to form a line by going left and clockwise approaching HP. These lines were very long and went through a good portion of the park. The line wasn't for a specific ride in Harry Potter; just to get into the area.

The reason I mention this is that if you had patience and waited until early/mid afternoon (maybe 2:00 or so), that line would be either gone or quite short. There'd still be individual waits for rides/attractions, but not too bad.

Whether this all holds for the new section, I don't know, but I think there's a good chance that later in the day will be the best strategy, unless you're there at park opening.

 

[mbrou24]

I'll throw in my 2 cents for what it's worth.... I don't think it will be as bad this go round.... You have to think uni has now got experience if what the first wwhop was like when it opened and will learn from that. Also it will be more spread out as people now have two wwhop lands to explore and if riding the hogwarts express, will be dispersed even more

 

[tinkerpea]

I'm dreading it but we are already booked with flights from UK from the 17th June for 7 nights
Then onto disney for 2wks
We would never have chosen this time but due to military deployment its the only time we can go, we would have left it a year but we promised our twins could go for their 9th bday!

I'd love to hear experiences from anyone who went opening wk to wwhp

 

[Thetechguy4you]

We will be there also.

 

[trishwal]

I'm dreading it but we are already booked with flights from UK from the 17th June for 7 nights
Then onto disney for 2wks
We would never have chosen this time but due to military deployment its the only time we can go, we would have left it a year but we promised our twins could go for their 9th bday!

I'd love to hear experiences from anyone who went opening wk to wwhp

Can't help you with crowds but I CAN say from experience to enjoy Disney World First!!!!

Two summers ago we visited Universal for the first time and stayed onsite with FOTL passes, it was heaven, we were spoiled, the attractions were really, really good! And then we moved on to our familiar Disney parks for the last few days and somehow they just didn't seem as magical. I was shocked actually because I've always been a Disney Fan and always thought that Universal would pale in comparison. If you're in it for the continuity then Disney has Universal beat. But for the novelty you will find saving it for last will be like having a really awesome surprise dessert!

 

[DOOM1001]

I'll throw in my 2 cents for what it's worth.... I don't think it will be as bad this go round.... You have to think uni has now got experience if what the first wwhop was like when it opened and will learn from that. Also it will be more spread out as people now have two wwhop lands to explore and if riding the hogwarts express, will be dispersed even more

Dispersed crowds Yes,but it's still going to be nuts,there's no way around that.I'll be there probably in the 2-3 weeks after it opens and I plan to spend the good part of the day just seeing the new areas and rides.As soon as I see all the new areas I'm out of there,I usually avoid theme parks in the summer so my trip will probably consist of my partial day at Universal and a second day at a waterpark.If there's a lot of people like me you might have a good shot of other rides in the parks not being too horrible,I doubt it but I'm being positive for potential visitors.I'm wondering how long I'll have to wait for the Gringott's coaster,hoping it won't go over 2 hours,I'm riding it either way but hopefully the wait is indoors,I remember my first ride on Forbidden Journey,just waiting to get inside took like 40 minutes in 96 degrees,not fun,which is why I avoid summer.