Which Park Handles Crowds Better? WWoHP

[Tmarmac]

Hi! We are heading for our first trip to Orlando and have had to re-jig our days due to airline cancellations.

We have no option but to use one of our 4 day tickets to Universal on Dec 26 for a few hours with NO express pass. It will be crazy busy!!! We have 3 days at Universal the following week with express pass.

We realize we won't get to do much, especially since we won't get there until noon, and we have the days the next week for everything we'll miss. I think we'd be happy just looking around the HP shops and riding something single rider. I understand on busy days admittance to the HP areas is limited.

Do we even have a chance to get near WWoHP on Dec 26? Would you do IOA or Studios?

TIA!

 

[bchbetha]

Studios side! You can easily wile away a day in Diagon Alley. It can handle a crowd better. Hogsmeade in IOA gets miserably crowded and there isn't as much to do.

 

[Disxuni]

Hogsmeade has more rides technically, but Diagon Alley is more breathtaking and a lot more to do as a whole. There is a lot more ground to cover, a lot more shopping to do, and more eatery, or drink options. Also, more little places you can sneak away from the crowds, you can spread out a little. While on the Hogsmeade end it's just one path forward, feels more narrow, and always seems crowded with only one restaurant and three shops (anything else is stationary, simply for looks). Also, Hogsmeade has little things here and there to find and play with, such as dialing "MAGIC" in the phone booth to hear a message from the Ministry, or checking out the Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin and Burkes.

 

[bchbetha]

Hogsmeade has more rides technically, but Diagon Alley is more breathtaking and a lot more to do as a whole. There is a lot more ground to cover, a lot more shopping to do, and more eatery, or drink options. Also, more little places you can sneak away from the crowds, you can spread out a little. While on the Hogsmeade end it's just one path forward, feels more narrow, and always seems crowded with only one restaurant and three shops (anything else is stationary, simply for looks). Also, Hogsmeade has little things here and there to find and play with, such as dialing "MAGIC" in the phone booth to hear a message from the Ministry, or checking out the Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin and Burkes.

Bolded is in Diagon Alley, not Hogsmeade.

 

[Tmarmac]

Thank you all!

 

[johde]

Do you have Park to Park tickets? What I would do if I was in your situation is hit up all the Christmas things around property on the 26th. The holidays end at Universal or January 1st. I did this when I was in a similar situation (although mine was the last day of Christmas then 4 days the 2nd week of January). I flew in that morning and went over to IOA. Caught the Grinch show and the M&G with the movie Grinch (the rest of the year it's the cartoon Grinch). I was on a tight schedule so I left IOA and went to USF. Saw the Blues Brothers Christmas Show, and the Macy's Holiday Parade (I skipped Barney). I had enough time at USF to head into Diagon Alley and roam around and ride a couple of old favorite rides in the Single Rider Line (MIB, Mummy ETC.). I only had about 5 hours that day before I had to leave and head to the AKV at Disney to check in for the night.

When I returned to Universal, some of the decorations were gone but it took quite a while for them to completely undecorate.

 

[Tmarmac]

Do you have Park to Park tickets? What I would do if I was in your situation is hit up all the Christmas things around property on the 26th. The holidays end at Universal or January 1st. I did this when I was in a similar situation (although mine was the last day of Christmas then 4 days the 2nd week of January). I flew in that morning and went over to IOA. Caught the Grinch show and the M&G with the movie Grinch (the rest of the year it's the cartoon Grinch). I was on a tight schedule so I left IOA and went to USF. Saw the Blues Brothers Christmas Show, and the Macy's Holiday Parade (I skipped Barney). I had enough time at USF to head into Diagon Alley and roam around and ride a couple of old favorite rides in the Single Rider Line (MIB, Mummy ETC.). I only had about 5 hours that day before I had to leave and head to the AKV at Disney to check in for the night.

When I returned to Universal, some of the decorations were gone but it took quite a while for them to completely undecorate.

We do have Park to Park tickets so we could do the Christmas things in both parks - I will look into those offerings! Probably won't do any M&G with the Grinch - my kids, at 8 and 10, think they are too cool!

 

[johde]

We do have Park to Park tickets so we could do the Christmas things in both parks - I will look into those offerings! Probably won't do any M&G with the Grinch - my kids, at 8 and 10, think they are too cool!

Just threaten them with Barney. JK.

For kids that age, the Transformers meet and greet could be great.

 

[Disxuni]

Bolded is in Diagon Alley, not Hogsmeade.

Thanks, I need to double read before I post. Welp!