Visiting Diagon Alley next week

[TwinMom202]

I think I posted this on the wrong thread.
We'll be at IOA and US next week for 3 days & staying at the Hard Rock Hotel. How early should we line up for early admission to Diagon Alley? And do we line up at US or IOA for Diagon Alley? If we leave Diagon Alley on the Hogwarts Express are the lines ridiculous to ride it back? We'll stay from open to close but want to see the rest of the 2 parks too. We've been to IOA and US before so we know what to ride/skip in the rest of the parks. Any helpful thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[Lynzer4]

Just left today so here is my experience! Both mornings (July 11 and 12) we got up for EE at US. The first day we got in line around 6:15. When the gates opened at 6:30 we were lead to the DA area. We were held there until 7ish. They were letting people in groups and we were the front of the 3 group. We got directly in line for Gringotts. It took us a n hour and 15 mins to ride (but the ride did have issues twice for about 15 mins each time) Saturday we got there at 5:50. City walk opened at 6 and once it open we walk to the gate at US. We were the 2nd people in our line. Again they opened at 6:30 and lead us to DA. Held at DA until 6:40 when we were lead to Grinotts. We were some of the first BC we walk directly into the bank and to the preshow then elevator. Off the elevator right to our ride cart. We were off the ride by 7:05. That 15 mins made our wait an hour longer. Yesterday after DA (around 8am) we got in HE with no wait. Went to Hogsmeade where we had a 10 wait for Forbidden.

We also rode everything we wanted to on day one in both parks and that included all big attractions. The longest wait we had was for Forbidden in the afternoon which was 35 mins. Express allowed us less then 15 min wait on all rides.