Wizarding World Touring Plans and Details

[macraven]

I'll join you with another bump......

 

[raider97]

Thanks! I’m planning our visit trip to Universal this December. This is very helpful!!

 

[denecarter]

Bumping... thought this was a sticky and freaked when I couldn’t find it!

 

[macraven]

Glad you found it

July was the last time there was posting with info in the thread

One post to add an experience late August and then bumping done last month

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Thank you so much for this thread. I printed out the various easter eggs to hit this year. Very helpful!

 

[denecarter]

We’re taking a big family trip (19 of us) to WDW in July. There are 10 of us (including a 2yo & 4mo) leaving for Florida ahead of the rest of the group so we can sneak in some Universal time. My adult daughter & 2 small grandchildren and I will spend an entire day doing nothing but Harry Potter stuff and these plans are going to be so helpful!

At 31, this is her 2nd Universal trip, but the first with Harry Potter stuff. She’s going to love it!

I think she’s still a little disappointed that she never got her letter from Hogwarts... even though we live in Texas.

 

[staceychev]

We’re taking a big family trip (19 of us) to WDW in July. There are 10 of us (including a 2yo & 4mo) leaving for Florida ahead of the rest of the group so we can sneak in some Universal time. My adult daughter & 2 small grandchildren and I will spend an entire day doing nothing but Harry Potter stuff and these plans are going to be so helpful!

At 31, this is her 2nd Universal trip, but the first with Harry Potter stuff. She’s going to love it!

I think she’s still a little disappointed that she never got her letter from Hogwarts... even though we live in Texas.

Maybe you could surprise her with a "lost in the mail" Hogwarts letter?

I just purchased from this woman for my girls - I haven't received them yet, but she's been a pleasure to deal with so far.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/651621...-acceptance-letter-for?ref=shop_home_active_2

 

[denecarter]

Maybe you could surprise her with a "lost in the mail" Hogwarts letter?

I just purchased from this woman for my girls - I haven't received them yet, but she's been a pleasure to deal with so far.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/651621...-acceptance-letter-for?ref=shop_home_active_2

Thanks for the info!

 

[harleyquinn]

Thank you so so much for this thread! Like another poster, I thought this was a sticky! It should be!

 

[jennyleettu]

This thread is extremely helpful! We are planning our first trip back to FL in 7 years and our first trip to Universal ever! My oldest is really excited to go to WWHP, which is all she has asked to do while we are there. We are planning our trip around a gymnastics meet Presidents Day weekend (unfortunately). I know it will be incredibly busy just because of the weekend. Right now we are trying to figure out if it will be better to go Friday 2/15 when we arrive in FL, we wouldn't be able to get to the park until 11am at the earliest, or go before we leave Monday 2/18 at opening and leave no later than 3pm. Any input from experienced patrons would be great!

 

[ruthies12]

This thread is extremely helpful! We are planning our first trip back to FL in 7 years and our first trip to Universal ever! My oldest is really excited to go to WWHP, which is all she has asked to do while we are there. We are planning our trip around a gymnastics meet Presidents Day weekend (unfortunately). I know it will be incredibly busy just because of the weekend. Right now we are trying to figure out if it will be better to go Friday 2/15 when we arrive in FL, we wouldn't be able to get to the park until 11am at the earliest, or go before we leave Monday 2/18 at opening and leave no later than 3pm. Any input from experienced patrons would be great!

Will you be purchasing express passes? If you can purchase express passes then I would go on whichever day has park hours that will give you the most amount of time in the park.

If you can't purchase express passes, then I would suggest Monday because you can be there at opening. The first hour that the park is open is when the lines will be at their lowest. Ride the rides first and then go back and look in the shops and do spells and such.

 

[AmyAnne]

We will have two partial days at US during our Christmas week trip. Arriving one day early afternoon and leaving the next day by about 3 pm. We will have express passes. Any suggestions about where to start? Our focus is HP but at least some will want to do a few of the other attractions. All are teens/adults so anyone who wants to deviate from the hard-core HP plan can go on his/her own.

 

[skylock]

This is a video of some people's first time experience with HP who had no idea what to expect. (they were happy)

It is a weight loss video so you may have to skip over some of that, but I thought they gave enough first timers exp to make it good for new people.

 

[Laurelinarien]

Hey guys! I've a quick question:

I'm going this Feb. for 2 days and in both (Fri-Sat) the early admission says 8 AM Islands of Adventure. I was wondering if I will be able to go thru IOA and get on the Hogwarts Express to USF before 9 AM or not. If I am, can I hop on the rides there? Is it better to stay in IOA during that first hour?

 

[smiths02]

Maybe you could surprise her with a "lost in the mail" Hogwarts letter?

I just purchased from this woman for my girls - I haven't received them yet, but she's been a pleasure to deal with so far.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/651621...-acceptance-letter-for?ref=shop_home_active_2

I actually ordered from her and they were very cute!

 

[skylock]

Hey guys! I've a quick question:

I'm going this Feb. for 2 days and in both (Fri-Sat) the early admission says 8 AM Islands of Adventure. I was wondering if I will be able to go thru IOA and get on the Hogwarts Express to USF before 9 AM or not. If I am, can I hop on the rides there? Is it better to stay in IOA during that first hour?

The train might start running a little before 9am.

It will depend on what rides open at 9am in US. But if they are open when you get there, then yes, you can ride them.

 

[macraven]

I found it faster to walk to the other park
The train won’t leave until about 9

I took it in October thinking it would make it possible to beat the crowds when the other park opened

We did not leave until 8:59

So on my other days, I walked to the other park

 

[ruthies12]

Hey guys! I've a quick question:

I'm going this Feb. for 2 days and in both (Fri-Sat) the early admission says 8 AM Islands of Adventure. I was wondering if I will be able to go thru IOA and get on the Hogwarts Express to USF before 9 AM or not. If I am, can I hop on the rides there? Is it better to stay in IOA during that first hour?

I wouldn't count on getting there any earlier, I tried this one time in reverse, started in US at early entry and wanted to take the train over to IOA. They were holding everyone at the entrance to the train station, the area before you scan your ticket, until 9 am. Then 9 am came and went and we stood there and stood there in a big huge crowd getting bigger by the minute before they finally announced at like 9:15 that the train was having technical difficulties and wouldn't be running until later. Really screwed up our whole morning. Since that first hour is golden I would just plan to ride the rides in the park you are in.

 

[ruthies12]

Also want to add that when you factor in time to scan tickets and the loading process for the train, I think Macraven is right- it really would be faster to walk park to park at 9 am.

 

[slpeters]

Also want to add that when you factor in time to scan tickets and the loading process for the train, I think Macraven is right- it really would be faster to walk park to park at 9 am.

We found several times during our trip that EP on the HE was sort of disappointing. When there's a twenty minute ticketing wait to get to the "express" line it sort of defeats the purpose.