WDW Fans: Will you go see Harry Potter?

[Timmy Boy]

No desire to go to Universal...we got as far as the parking garage once and hated that! All that concrete!

I really hope you're kidding.

 

[macraven]

I was at Universal 5 years ago. Back then they had FPs even better then Disney ones, since you had 2 or 3 options, when you want to return. I hope they still have it. We were during Spring Break and we did almost all rides in 2 days, 1 park per day.

they discontinued those express passes.

you can buy the express pass for the day, which involves using the express line once per ride/attraction.

or if you stay onsite, all hotel guests get a perk of using the express lines for unlimited rides/attractions.

most expensive way of obtaining the EPP is by buying the vip pass for the day.
by no means is this way economical for a family.

 

[KellyNY]

they discontinued those express passes.

you can buy the express pass for the day, which involves using the express line once per ride/attraction.

or if you stay onsite, all hotel guests get a perk of using the express lines for unlimited rides/attractions.

most expensive way of obtaining the EPP is by buying the vip pass for the day.
by no means is this way economical for a family.

WOW, How cheap of them to discontinue Express Passes. I had no idea. Now I will have to explore what is cheaper, to pay for express pass and transportation from Disney for 3 of us, or just move to Universal Hotel for a day or 2. Thanks for this info.

 

[PEANUT1]

YES YES YES!!! We are going in December and this is big on our list of to do's
We haven't been to Universal in 4 years...we can't wait. We really love a lot of things there and I have 2 adult hopper passes left over

 

[the Dark Marauder]

WOW, How cheap of them to discontinue Express Passes. I had no idea. Now I will have to explore what is cheaper, to pay for express pass and transportation from Disney for 3 of us, or just move to Universal Hotel for a day or 2. Thanks for this info.

The important thing is to see what the cost of Express will be for the time you want to visit. It is possible to be more cost effective to stay @ Universal.

Example:

One night @ Royal Pacific = $220 for a family of 5. All 5 in the family get a room key, and the room key is good for UNLIMITED Express access (not valid at P-Flyers or Rockit). The Express is good for check-in (all day) and check-out (all day).

vs

Purchasing Express for 5 for two days @ $30 per person = $300. The express is only valid ONCE per attraction.

 

[smidgy]

it is SO worth it to stay onsite at universal!! if you stay only 2 nights (we like 3 or 4) you can check in early the first day, do a park all day until your room is ready. (it's SUCH a short walk to the resort to go back, and return to the park!). you can do a park the whole next day! the 3rd day, even though you are checked out, you can still return to the parks and use the express pass! repeat your favs at both parks, then drive over to disney to check in. (don't take I-drive; take sand lake road to apopka-vineland road. takes you right to the crossroads and the entrance to the disney hotels (by DTD).
also.. you can use all 3 resorts' pools!!!(which is why we like at least 3 nights)

 

[pacrosby]

We just went in December with my 4 kids ages 4-9 and my whole family absolutely LOVED both IOA and US. So much so that I have also marveled at the number of people on the Dis who say they have no interest in going. Because we were there at the holidays there was the Macy's Holiday parade at US and Grinchmas at Suess Landing which were both terrific but even without those two things we could have spent much more than the two days we were allotted. Jurassic Park, Suess Landing, Toon Lagoon, Fievel's Playground, Curious George, ET, Simpson Ride - I could go and on with the things ALL of my kids enjoyed. Contrary to popular belief it is not just a park for older kids. Funny thing is that my trip report has included tons of px from there and I can't tell you the number of people who, previously having had no interest in US/IOA, are telling me they just HAVE to go there next time. Perhaps it's changed alot over the years, I don't know. Based on our experience I just can't imagine people saying it's lousy. I will never now be able to go to Orlando and not spend a couple of days there.

ok, that's my two cents




Pamela
Matty's Wish Trip PTR http//www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2325607
Matty's Wish Trip TR "Mom, Dad, 3 Kids, and a Gingerbread Boy" http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2356739

 

[basas]

Well, it looks like Harry Potter World will be doing exactly what Universal wanted it to. It will be attracting a lot of new guests and even taking some from WDW

This could turn out to be a good thing if it acts as a wake-up call to Disney to start investing once again in its Orlando parks and puts an end to the slow, decade long decline in quality/standards in its Florida parks.

Competition is a good thing and should theoretically lead to better attractions coming out of both Disney and its competitors (Universal, Sea World, etc).

 

[linuchi]

I think it depends on the ages of the group.

But there´s no boy that wouldn´t love the Spider Man ride. I love Disney and I stay on site but there´s no way I would go to Orlando without visiting US and IOA.

DS is the Disney park that I love the less, US in comparison is so much better!.

The atmosphere is great. You should try it once and you`ll love it.

My sister has 3 kidds, she was not going because someone told her it was all about roller coasters. I insisted her to buy tickets.

She was so greatfull, they loved it, in some cases prefered it to some Disney parks (DS, AK). This time we will be going 3 days to US and IOA!!. And of course, 6 days to Disney Parks too.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

We're planning on visiting Universal summer 2011 specifically for HP, though the coasters look pretty awesome! And Legoland.....even the teens are excited for that as we've been to Legoland in San Diego in the past.

So we'll probably rent a big ol' house with my sister's family, enjoy Universal, Legoland, Seaworld/Aquatica, then use our DVC for a few days This will be our last big family trip before the college years start!

 

[englishteacha]

I don't know if we'll go this trip due to money, but we'll be going at some point. I'm a Harry Potter nut.

 

[tuktukan]

We are definitely going just to see WWOHP, but the mouse is just irresistible. But this time we're spending more days at US/IOA and just two days at out fave Disney parks (park hop between Epcot and MGM, and whole day at Magic Kingdom). No Animal Kingdom this year.

 

[WaltD4Me]

We just went in December with my 4 kids ages 4-9 and my whole family absolutely LOVED both IOA and US. So much so that I have also marveled at the number of people on the Dis who say they have no interest in going.

I've never had any interest in going to Universal, but I do love Harry Potter, so I'm sure I will be getting over there eventually to see HPW. I love Rock N' Rollercoaster, but am not a thrill ride person really. The thing I enjoy most about WDW is the shows and performances. Don't get me wrong, I like the rides, I ride almost all of them (except Mission Space) but the shows, street performances and characters are the big draw at WDW for me. I live 90 minutes from Cedar Point, if I just want to ride rides I go can there and I almost never do. Also, I have zero interest in superheros, Nickolodeon characters or the Simpsons. I'm not knocking Universal or even saying it's lousy, I just don't see much there right now to give me a reason to go.

 

[kmk1180]

Might as well chime in.

To asnswer OP question, will we go?

Highly unlikely.
Will be packed with fanatics for a while ruining the experience and doens't seem like too much new to make it worth the effort. What is it? 1 new ride, some stores and 2 or 3 renamed rides?
Been on the old rides already and the stores won't be worth fighting the crowds.
Maybe in a year or two when it's settled down and become just another area of IoA, then maybe.
Not that I got anything against HP.
Or if we win free trip there then we'd go.
Till then will continue to enjoy WDW and get anxious for the Fantasyland.

 

[nmmom95]

We are going in November, 2010, and will be going to Universal the first couple of days. Like PP, we are skipping AK. I love Harry Potter & can't wait to go.

 

[macraven]

The important thing is to see what the cost of Express will be for the time you want to visit. It is possible to be more cost effective to stay @ Universal.

Example:

One night @ Royal Pacific = $220 for a family of 5. All 5 in the family get a room key, and the room key is good for UNLIMITED Express access (not valid at P-Flyers or Rockit). The Express is good for check-in (all day) and check-out (all day).

vs

Purchasing Express for 5 for two days @ $30 per person = $300. The express is only valid ONCE per attraction.

you are so correct!
it is a great way to be able to tour the park without long waits.
and affordable.

WOW, How cheap of them to discontinue Express Passes. I had no idea. Now I will have to explore what is cheaper, to pay for express pass and transportation from Disney for 3 of us, or just move to Universal Hotel for a day or 2. Thanks for this info.

KellyNY, Darkie gave a good suggestion.

i have been doing both parks since 1992.
i can not imagine traveling to orlando and not doing both the motherland and the darkside.

i used to stay exclusively at the disney resorts and rent a car to go to universal for a couple of days.

after the onsite hotels opened up, i started to do split vacations.
staying at disney at the beginning of my trip and then stay at UO resorts the last few days of my vacation.

i found it was cheaper for me to relocate to universal in the long run.
for what i paid for a 2 nights stay at universal loews hotels, i got 3 days of free, unlimited express line usage for rides and shows.

it was cheaper doing that then to pay for 3 days of express passes for myself and 3 sons.

AAA will give you about a 35% discount on the universal hotels.
i only get about a 10% discount on the disney resorts when i book room only.

if you stay at disney for most of your trip, then relocate to one of the universal hotels for the end of your vacation, you will come out ahead.

use the ME from the airport to disney.
use car service to transfer from disney to universal resorts.
and, back to the airport.

i pay less than $100 for my car service and also get a free 30 minute grocery stop.

since you are basically interested in doing the parry hotter part of the park, just book one night at UO.
try to get a late flight back home the next evening.
that way you will get one full day in the UO park for parry hotter and part of the next day.

just like disney, the UO hotels cost more on the weekends.

the days for the smallest crowds in the uo parks are generally mon-thur.

i do agree that is was very upsetting for us when universal did away with the free express line passes.

that is one thing that pushed us to stay onsite.

 

[tiki23]

This is the 1st time that even my teens have really wanted to go to Universal. We'll stay at one of their on-site hotels at the end of our 2011 Disney trip in November or December.

Now we can ride Gary and Harry.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

My plan is to do Disney first, and use DME, then switch to Universal for one night, having two full days in the park, before going back to Disney another night, just so I can use DME to get back to the airport. I figure I can get a good deal for one-night room only, and it'll cost about the same as if I have to pay to get to the airport somehow.

 

[Golf4food]

We will spend a couple of days at US and go to both parks but it won't take away from our Disney time, just an addition to it. We are HP fans so we'll want to check it out and haven't been to US in many years (around 18 years since I was there last, actually, though I did spend a day in IOA about 10 years ago...)

 

[mekjj]

Heck yeah we are going to see HP! We stay at Bonnet Creek anyway so we will just drive on over to Universal for a day. I have not been there since 1992!