Worth it to do just one day@IOA?

[kohlby]

Any clue to how the crowds will be the week starting Sat, Nov 12?

Our plan was to just do Disney this trip but we realized we could add an extra day vacation easily. Today, I just noticed that I have more than enough credit card points to get everyone in our group the 1 day park hopper ticket. We are planning to do US/IOA in a couple of years and have 7 day passes that were purchased right before the price hike for that trip. Our reason for waiting was that my kids are obsessed with Harry Potter so we wanted to do a trip that focused on US/IOA/SW once the middle child hit 48", which she's at least 4" from now. Plus, we would stay on-site for that trip.

Would the crowds be managable enough that it would be worth it to spend one day at IOA? Or should we just wait until our next trip?

Ideally, I'd want to do IOA on that Sat since we're off Disney property until Sunday and the crowd calendar for Disney is high. But, since I have kids who love HP, I'd be willing to do it any day that week since we would only have one day there.

 

[dimndgal1]

I believe, if i am thinking the right dates, that you are looking to go around the holiday weekend in November, which will probably mean larger crowds. We just got back from a trip over this past holiday weekend and the crowds were heavy but manageable.

For us, we just wanted to visit WWoHP and Jurassic Park (for DD) so we just pushed through and got everything done. We did WWoHP right after opening and managed to get on FJ after it reopened (it went down first thing). We tried to go back to WWoHP later in the day but it was too crazy, so we sneaked a butterbeer and went on to the rest of the park. That said, Spiderman and Hulk only had 10 minute waits, and JP ride was crowded but constantly moved (wait varied from 30-60 minutes throughout the day).

So, I guess I'm just saying be prepared for it to be crowded since it's a holiday weekend but if your group would enjoy WWoHP I think it's worth doing if you can swing it!

 

[nytimez]

Go for it.

I'm not sure what you mean about being off Disney property -- but if it means you can spend a night in a Universal hotel, then by all means do that as well.

But in any case, even a single day at IoA is always better than a single day NOT at IoA!

 

[kohlby]

By off Disney property I mean off-site. We're using credit card points for the first two nights so being super close wasn't what we worried about. (We'll do on-site for US/IOA when we do our big US/IOA trip).
It's actually not Thanksgiving week, but the last full week before Thanksgiving.


I've done a little digging and there's a big HP even that weekend, from the 11-13th but you have to buy a package to attend that and it's 4 nights with 3 days of parks. So, I'm guessing those people will be doing the parks from the 11-13th. (They aren't closing the parks for the events, but I would think it would increase attendance and be overwhelming in the WWoHP area). So that leaves the 14th-18th. Any best days usually for low crowds? Also, I've read a bit and am confused if it's best to go to WWoHP right away in the morning or come back in the late afternoon. (Parks close too early to go there at night - closing at 6pm most days and 7pm one day).


I hate crowds with kids, so we do our best to avoid them. To me, a day in the parks with maximum capactiy with just my husband was a blast. We've even done New Years eve three times going back and forth from US/IOA from rope drop to close - so we were die hards. But now that we have three young kids, missing a park due to crowds would actually better to me than going as long as we were planning on going back with light to moderate crowds. In the past, we've done all 7 parks and done a split stay to get the perks of on-site for Universal - even in the off season.

 

[nytimez]

By off Disney property I mean off-site. We're using credit card points for the first two nights so being super close wasn't what we worried about. (We'll do on-site for US/IOA when we do our big US/IOA trip).
It's actually not Thanksgiving week, but the last full week before Thanksgiving.


I've done a little digging and there's a big HP even that weekend, from the 11-13th but you have to buy a package to attend that and it's 4 nights with 3 days of parks. So, I'm guessing those people will be doing the parks from the 11-13th. (They aren't closing the parks for the events, but I would think it would increase attendance and be overwhelming in the WWoHP area). So that leaves the 14th-18th. Any best days usually for low crowds? Also, I've read a bit and am confused if it's best to go to WWoHP right away in the morning or come back in the late afternoon. (Parks close too early to go there at night - closing at 6pm most days and 7pm one day).


I hate crowds with kids, so we do our best to avoid them. To me, a day in the parks with maximum capactiy with just my husband was a blast. We've even done New Years eve three times going back and forth from US/IOA from rope drop to close - so we were die hards. But now that we have three young kids, missing a park due to crowds would actually better to me than going as long as we were planning on going back with light to moderate crowds. In the past, we've done all 7 parks and done a split stay to get the perks of on-site for Universal - even in the off season.

I'd pick either the 15th, 16th or 17th -- I imagine at least some of the HP event people will add a day to their trip and hit the parks one more time. Maybe not many, but since you have options, why find out?

In general, the crowds are lighter in Potter Land in the evening. But since your kids are obsessed with Harry, I'd suggest going there first thing... take it all in -- it'll only take a couple of hours in most cases -- and then exploring the rest of the park for most of the day. Then, an hour or so before closing, head back for one last look around.

Enjoy.

 

[starry_solo]

I am planning a trip in mid-May 2012 to WDW and am thinking about squeezing a day trip to Universal for Harry Potter.

1 - which park is HP in?
2 - are there any good 1-day, 1 park discount tickets?

 

[nytimez]

I am planning a trip in mid-May 2012 to WDW and am thinking about squeezing a day trip to Universal for Harry Potter.

1 - which park is HP in?
2 - are there any good 1-day, 1 park discount tickets?

Islands of Adventure... and no, not really. You might save a buck or two but that's about it -- unless you find something like a credit card rewards point promo.

 

[Metro West]

Single day theme park tickets for one park are not often discounted...especially when you have a hot property like HP.

 

[starry_solo]

Thanks! This was just an idea since we are planning to be at WDW for 2 weeks Now, I need to look into car rentals...

 

[kohlby]

If you're thinking about getting a credit card, it's the chase freedom mastercard that I'm getting my free tickets though. It's 5,000 points per a ticket and the ticket is one day with both parks included. We use credit cards for almost everything and then pay them off every month, so getting points isn't that hard. The Sea World tickets are also 5,000 points per a ticket. (But Sea World used to have great promotions quite often last I checked, though I haven't checked recently).

*Also, an update. Y'all quite easily talked me into it. The tickets are ordered. The kids are going to be so excited and surprised! First, we're surprising them the morning of with a Disney trip. Then we're surprising them by staying on-site for Disney, which we've never done before. And then we'll surprise them with IOA. I just hope they don't expect all these amazing surprises on our trip after this!

 

[vettegirl]

We have been twice to Universal and have always done both parks in one day. Now we do stay onsite and get the FOTL pass which is awesome. So I say go for it from someone who has done it twice in May.

 

[AJA]

If you're thinking about getting a credit card, it's the chase freedom mastercard that I'm getting my free tickets though. It's 5,000 points per a ticket and the ticket is one day with both parks included. We use credit cards for almost everything and then pay them off every month, so getting points isn't that hard. The Sea World tickets are also 5,000 points per a ticket. (But Sea World used to have great promotions quite often last I checked, though I haven't checked recently).

*Also, an update. Y'all quite easily talked me into it. The tickets are ordered. The kids are going to be so excited and surprised! First, we're surprising them the morning of with a Disney trip. Then we're surprising them by staying on-site for Disney, which we've never done before. And then we'll surprise them with IOA. I just hope they don't expect all these amazing surprises on our trip after this!

Have a great trip!

I think you'll be happy you added IOA. HP is amazing, you and your family will LOVE it. I would go after the HP movie event dates. Get there early, and don't forget to try the butterbeer!

 

[kohlby]

think you'll be happy you added IOA. HP is amazing, you and your family will LOVE it. I would go after the HP movie event dates. Get there early, and don't forget to try the butterbeer!

I wrote down Wed, Nov 16th on our tentative schedule, guessing crowds will be at their lowest then. We've done US/IOA at all of my Disney trips as an adult, so that's 6 trips. This was to be the first trip without it so we could focus just on Disney, making up for it by focusing on US/IOA next time. I guess I'm too much of an addict!