Wizarding World Early or Late Better?

[consultant]

I've been studying trip reports regarding Universal and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, unlike WDW, there seems to be no authoritative source for tour planning strategies for Universal. Opinions seem to be all over the map. It seems majority (although not an overwhelming one) of park goers seem to recommend doing Harry Potter early in the morning right when the park opens. This is the typical strategy with the WDW parks. But like any of the popular attractions that appeal to young kids, I've found that the lines go back to what they were early in the morning when it is late in the evening.

Now consider this, the primary target audience for Harry Potter are young children with little patience. Combine this with the fact this is a brand new attraction and I would venture to say the majority of park goers hit it earlier than later as parents cave to the demands of their children with no patience.

So now fast forward, the kids, who have seen everything and rode everything one or two times are finishing dinner around 6:30 or 7. For much of the year the park closes at 7 but not this time of year it closes at 10. But the Butterbeer sugar rush has given out and for most of the young kids, their eyelids are growing heavy as the 8 or 9 PM witching hour approaches where parents risk their child turning into a Troll if they keep them up too long.

So the questions becomes, has anyone out there been to Universal since Harry Potter opened where the park was opened until 10 PM and surveyed the lines shortly after opening and say after 8 PM?

My own hunch (without any experience) is. during busy season like around Xmas, to arrive at opening, do all the popular Marvel Rides, then hop over to the Studios side and do the few best rides over there. Take an early afternoon break when the place is a madhouse and come back and do the less popular rides at IOA right after dinner (around 7), then save Potter for the last 2 hours from 8-10. Plus the parks always look better lit up at night anyway. In other words, the strategy is to try to do the opposite of everyone else. To me, everyone else will hit Potter first, then Marvel rides, then Studios and burnout around dinner or shortly thereafter, especially if they have young kids.

We have a 2-day pass so we can try both strategies. But I'm curious if anyone has compared early morning to late evening (after 8 PM) lines at Potter land? Seems like most people have tried one or the other but not both?

Is the wand shop and show still going after 8 and can you still get Butterbeer after 8?

 

[La2kw]

The primary target audience is not little children, it's older children, just like the books. But really, the appeal is to all ages, including adults. When we were there last summer, the lines were huge all day long. Since the park is only open til late in the peak seasons, plan on crowds the entire day. The best strategy is to stay at one of the Universal resorts and get early access.

 

[reactortrip]

I got to enjoy this park on sunday and thursday last week. It's definitely less crowded in the evening. Thursday was really nice, not very many people at all.

I am having butterbeer withdrawals. I got a pretty good easy recipe for making it quick, but I miss the real thing.

The park is really small though, it's easy to see all of it within 3 hours even with the crowd. If you use single rider lines, it's even quicker. Ollivanders is the only thing that requires some time, but I don't know if it is really even worth it to see the show. Once was enough for me.

 

[consultant]

The primary target audience is not little children, it's older children, just like the books. But really, the appeal is to all ages, including adults. When we were there last summer, the lines were huge all day long. Since the park is only open til late in the peak seasons, plan on crowds the entire day. The best strategy is to stay at one of the Universal resorts and get early access.

Could you please elaborate on the specific dates, days of the week and times you were in the park?

Based on my experience with Disney Parks, yes, Summer is solid packed typically. And yes, I realize it appeals to all audiences but I think the premise that kids and adults (kids at heart) cave to the typical excitement/impatience wanting to see the cool thing first. The second reply confirms my suspicions. We'll be there Saturday, Dec 18 on our first day then one of the weekdays that week.

 

[Mommy3boys]

I was just there Fri-Sun (Dec 3-5) and did just that - Went to HP first thing with early entry, then came back in the evening. This past weekend was so slow, though, that I don't know if it would translate. We almost wished for a longer line at FJ so we could linger a little more in the castle, and everything else in the parks was generally a 10 min wait. During the middle of the day the Ollivanders line was very long - but when we were there at about 7p (closing was at 8), we got in line and got in for the next show - so 5 min wait. Even at 8:30a, during early entry, the line was much longer than that.

 

[consultant]

I was just there Fri-Sun (Dec 3-5) and did just that - Went to HP first thing with early entry, then came back in the evening. This past weekend was so slow, though, that I don't know if it would translate. We almost wished for a longer line at FJ so we could linger a little more in the castle, and everything else in the parks was generally a 10 min wait. During the middle of the day the Ollivanders line was very long - but when we were there at about 7p (closing was at 8), we got in line and got in for the next show - so 5 min wait. Even at 8:30a, during early entry, the line was much longer than that.

Thanks. The Olivanders ride confirms my suspicions that due to the theme (Potter) and newness of the ride, vacationers are all very anxious to hit Potter first thing in the morning. So late is probably better than early if you can stand the anticipation all day. Plus then we don't have to worry about getting there before 8:00 for rope drop as I imagine the Marvel rides won't get long lines until late morning to early afternoon so we should be okay if we get there by 9 or 9:30.

I would suspect Three Broomsticks restaurant you want to get there by 11:30 or wait until after 1:30 to avoid the lunch crowd. That will be hard though going there for lunch then waiting to get on the rides later but we can still take in the atmosphere.

 

[Planogirl]

We were there in August and I never saw the lines in WWoHP let up no matter how late it got. You are talking about a busy time though.

My strategy will always be to go early. My logic is that I can see everything and then IF the lines never die down, it won't matter. If you wait until later on and the lines stay long, you can't go back.

 

[consultant]

We were there in August and I never saw the lines in WWoHP let up no matter how late it got. You are talking about a busy time though.

My strategy will always be to go early. My logic is that I can see everything and then IF the lines never die down, it won't matter. If you wait until later on and the lines stay long, you can't go back.

This is an EXCELLENT point. If we are arriving shortly after opening (say in the park at about 9 AM), would harm would it do to at least walk over there and survey the lines. The 5-10 min detour won't make a difference as far as the lines at the Marvel rides. However the problem is, if the lines are say not short, but not really long (which around 9 or 9:30 I would expect them to be moderate except for maybe Olivanders) it will be hard to convince my kids that we are better off doing the roller coasters first before the lines get long over there.

Decisions decisions. But yes, maybe a rule of thumb is play it by ear. We are going two days. If we skip Potter in the morn and the lines are long at night, then on day 2 we will be there for the rope drop and head straight to Potter.

 

[drinkme]

We were there near the end of August, before school started, and we found the evenings less crowded than the mornings. We were there for 6 days. After getting up early for 2 days to get to the early entry for resort guests, we stopped. We thought it wasn't worth it to get up early. We only did the regular line twice, but did the single rider line many, many times (like 10 times). Both times we did the regular line was during the evening, when it was cooler and the lines were shorter.

HTH

 

[Planogirl]

We were there near the end of August, before school started, and we found the evenings less crowded than the mornings. We were there for 6 days. After getting up early for 2 days to get to the early entry for resort guests, we stopped. We thought it wasn't worth it to get up early. We only did the regular line twice, but did the single rider line many, many times (like 10 times). Both times we did the regular line was during the evening, when it was cooler and the lines were shorter.

HTH

I think that the time of year matters a lot. We were there in early August and I think that the schools were still out so it was a madhouse. I love going late because WWoHP is so pretty when it's dark but FJ was just way too backed up.

 

[La2kw]

Could you please elaborate on the specific dates, days of the week and times you were in the park?

Based on my experience with Disney Parks, yes, Summer is solid packed typically. And yes, I realize it appeals to all audiences but I think the premise that kids and adults (kids at heart) cave to the typical excitement/impatience wanting to see the cool thing first. The second reply confirms my suspicions. We'll be there Saturday, Dec 18 on our first day then one of the weekdays that week.

We were there over four days in the summer, both first thing in the morning for early entry and at night as well. We were there Friday-Tuesday The lines were much worse at night than for early entry, but by 10am the lines swelled and there were lines just to get into the area. It's well documented what the crowds have been like during school breaks so far.

 

[disneygirl15]

The 2011 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World does have a section devoted to the Universal Parks. Touring strategies, arrival times etc are discussed and touring plan is available. You can view some of the pages on Amazon.

 

[ducky_love]

Consultant - when are you going? Are you fighting holiday crowds? That is a MUCH different game plan than just going during a regular time.

 

[stewpette]

We were just there this past Sun, Mon, and Tues (12/5-12/7). All 3 days we went to WWOHP for the last two hours of our day (6-8, 5-7, and 4-6). We never waited for ANYTHING. The line for Forbidden Journey was just a walk through the castle and then board the ride, we rode 6 times. Flight of Hippo - same thing. Olivanders was just waiting for the current show to let out and they we went right in. We ate at Three Broomsticks twice for dinner, no lines. No problems in stores or anything, it was great! Rest of the park was easy to complete during the day, barely used our front of the line access, and if we did it was to avoid a 10 min line at most.

 

[MEBT315]

We are going for two days (probably Monday Jan 10th and Thursday Jan 13th with two Disney days in between) and I am hoping that it is not going to be crowded! Right now we are planning on doing IOA on the first day starting with Spiderman and then heading to WWOHP, exploring the rest of the park and then going back to Hogsmede before the park closes.

I've read that it is less crowded in the Harry Potter section after 4, but my aunt went during Thanksgiving and recommended going first thing in the morning.

 

[consultant]

I researched park hours to death before we went the weekend before Christmas (18th). What I found was that the majority of people who recommended going in the early morning were not at the park later than two hours before closing so they couldn't compare.

However, you are going on a weekday during low season that is not next to a holiday weekend so you should be fine with just about any time of the day. Late morning to late afternoon (10 AM to 4 PM) will the the most crowded. Most people don't have the patience to wait until late but that shouldn't matter much the days you are thinking about going.

In my opinion going early in the morning is only the best choice if either a) you are staying at a Universal Resort and get the one-hour early admission or b) you can't go to the park during the last two hours it is open.

In my opinion if you want to maximize your chance you will be going on attractions during their very least crowded time of day, despite which day you go, you are better off doing the 4 or 5 best attractions at the Studios park first thing in the morning (it will be relatively empty with no lines) then go do the roller coasters at the Islands side in the late morning, then take a break and return for the final two hours for Harry.

If you do the early morning Harry but don't get early admission, the lines will grow long for everything very quickly unless you are going during a weekday during low-season which I believe you are.

I have experience with both on medium crowded days. If you stand where you turn right for Studios and watch the crowd flow in the morning, you will see 80%+ of the crowd heads to Islands of Adventure in the morning. Why join the herd mentality? This is mainly due to people excited to go to the Wizarding World, and the locals are probably fairly bored with the Studios side attractions and want to ride the coasters and water rides in IOA. The majority of the people head to the Studios side in the afternoon after they've done the main things at IOA.

The basic strategy to minimize lines at any park is to know the crowd patterns and essentially do the opposite. Most parks are way less crowded in late evenings from 8 PM and later because all the families with small children run out of batteries.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I will be at Universal the first full week of February. My niece and I got there plenty early last August, when WWoHP was mobbed, and we still didn't have a terribly long wait even after being held back in favor of the on-site guests. (The Sorting Fat kicked me off FJ but that's a different story.) I'm still going to get there first thing next month. Even as an alleged grown-up, I do not have a lot of patience and in particular I want to find out whether the modified Sorting Fat will let me on this time. (The other thing I found appealing about the early morning was that it wasn't 95 degrees yet...heh.)

 

[kpalomino]

We just got home a week ago and let me say HP world was so crowded at all times during the day. The attendant told us to come back around 8 because that area of the park thins out. We waited until 30 minutes before closing and headed to ride HP. We were able to literally walk on to the ride. It was the BEST ride I have ever been on. So, I think if you go really late, you shouldn't have to wait in the long lines. During the morning and during the day, the lines were average 75 to 90 minutes. Also, every time we would go, the line to get in to the wand shop was over 2 hours long. When we went back down at 30 minutes before closing, the line to get in to the wand shop was still over 30 minutes long. I couldn't believe it! HP world thins out late at night. I would wait until night time to go.

 

[consultant]

I just can't understand people waiting to get into Olivanders. I think most people don't realize only one kid in the group is picked to have the wand choose him.

What a problem for the park to have though, lines of people waiting to get into shops to spend money. That won't last forever and is due to the whole thing being pretty new. Since there were no lines when we were there we checked it out and I wasn't impressed with the Candy/Magic shop or whatever it is. The Pooh Corner Candy shop in Critter Country at Disneyland makes the Harry Potter Candy Shop look pretty lame. Ya they don't have giant Chocolate Frogs, but so what. I actually wanted one of those Gummi Skulls in the window of the Candy Shop but they don't sell them as far as I could tell.

Anyway, I would maybe wait in line maybe 15 min max for any of the shops.

 

[BuckeyeGuy28]

for the last two weeks or so, there has been a 75 minute wait just to get inside the island starting around 10. BUT everyday I've been there in these last two weeks, the line to get in has been gone by 6 and people can walk right in. The line for Forbidden Journey also decreases to about 60 mins after 6. So go in the evening, its more relaxing, saves the 'best for the last' (which I always worry about) and the castle looks great at night.

Also, if you're really pressed for time at night, see everything and get in line for FJ a few minutes before park closing...no matter how long the line is, they can't kick you out of it even the park is closed. That maxmizes your time and allows for traffic to die down in Citywalk