What time do I need to be at IoA in order to beat the Harry Potter crowds?

[becky280]

We are not staying on site and plan to take a Mears shuttle from our Disney hotel to IoA. Our only goal is the WWoHP, meaning that seeing anything else will be just a bonus if we get to it. How early do I need to be there?

 

[damo]

If you are going soon, it is recommended that you get to the parks at about 7:30

 

[inkkognito]

I don't know what time your shuttle pickup will be, but nighttime is great. We're local and were just there last night and rode Forbidden Journey 12 times through the singles line in the last two hours IOA was open (of course, it was rainy earlier so that probably flushed people out). But even without the rain I find that late is usually best for crowd avoidance.

 

[kas548]

I don't know what time your shuttle pickup will be, but nighttime is great. We're local and were just there last night and rode Forbidden Journey 12 times through the singles line in the last two hours IOA was open (of course, it was rainy earlier so that probably flushed people out). But even without the rain I find that late is usually best for crowd avoidance.

we went back late last Tuesday (8-3) about 7:30 and it had a two hour wait and they were not taking any single riders....

 

[CarolAnnB]

We are not staying on site and plan to take a Mears shuttle from our Disney hotel to IoA. Our only goal is the WWoHP, meaning that seeing anything else will be just a bonus if we get to it. How early do I need to be there?

Our goal was the same as you. We rented a car and were there by about 7.15am on 7/27. We were let into Universal and then lined up outside WWOHP via Jurassic Park. We were let into WW at about 8.40 (onsite guests were already in) and there was a 75 min wait posted at FJ. We got right in line and it took up about an hour to get thru. There was maybe a 5 min wait at Hippogriff ride. 2 hours at Ollivander's. We did the single rider at FJ around 11 and it took about a half hour to 40 minutes (wait time was 90 at that time). We had some friends meeting us there but they did not arrive til about 10.30, at which time they were told it would be a 3 hour wait to get in to WW. They did go back at about 5pm and could walk in to WW but I do not know what the FJ wait was at that time.

 

[csmommy]

On Sunday we walked through the gates at 7:40. We are NYC walkers, & we passed MANY people as we walked to WWOHP. We only waited 15 minutes for Ollivanders (DD was picked!) & then proceeded to FJ where we were online FOREVER b/c the ride broke down for 30 minutes................at least we were inside the castle. When we came out of FJ the line was enormous! Every time it rained, & it is rather stormy this week, DH & I looked at each other happy we weren't on that line, especially during the thunder storms.

So to sum it up go as early as you can b/c standing in the Florida sun &/or rain storms is NOT fun. Remember, you can always sleep in another day!

 

[inkkognito]

we went back late last Tuesday (8-3) about 7:30 and it had a two hour wait and they were not taking any single riders....

I've seen that happen when there have been several breakdowns or one long breakdown (or on days that just happen to be insanely crowded for whatever reason).

 

[aubriee]

Will the Mears shuttles pick up at the WDW resorts in time to get people over to Universal by 7:30am?

 

[Brit_Jude]

We got to IOA at 8am last week and they let non resort guests through the gates. They were super organized and had lots of staff. They sent the non-resort guests round to line up at Jurassic Park. At about 8.30/8.40 they let in the non-resort guests. My thought is that they may monitor the wait time for FJ for the resort guests when the line gets low they let in the non-resort guests. We got on FJ in about 40 minutes. Then went to drink butterbeer. We did not try Olivanders the wait was too long for us. Kids did dueling dragons.

We then did the rest of the park and went back to FJ late afternoon and used the single rider lines and got on in about 20 minutes. Though with the single rider line you do miss some of the preamble and rooms that are worth seeing the first time. During this afternoon visit we also saw the triwizzards dancers and caught the end of the singing frogs. Olivanders was still too long for us.

My number one tip for FJ - do not have any bags or anything that you need to put in a locker as it will save you time having to line up for a locker. If you have nothing to store then you bypass all the people in line waiting for a locker.

 

[Deb in IA]

On Sunday we walked through the gates at 7:40. We are NYC walkers, & we passed MANY people as we walked to WWOHP. We only waited 15 minutes for Ollivanders (DD was picked!) & then proceeded to FJ where we were online FOREVER b/c the ride broke down for 30 minutes................at least we were inside the castle. When we came out of FJ the line was enormous! Every time it rained, & it is rather stormy this week, DH & I looked at each other happy we weren't on that line, especially during the thunder storms.

So to sum it up go as early as you can b/c standing in the Florida sun &/or rain storms is NOT fun. Remember, you can always sleep in another day!

We were there about the same time on Sunday!

We went to FJ first, got on the ride at about 7:50, and was out of there by 8:05! We went to Ollivander's after that, then went shopping. We were totally done with WWOHP before 9 am.

Sunday was really rainy! We were going to do River Adventure just when the first downpour started at 10:30, so we ducked into Terrace Falls and had an early lunch. After we finished, River Adventure was still closed down because of lightening, so we gave up but saw the line for HP all the way into Jurassic Park!!