WWHP - Mornings or Evenings Slower?

[CodeGoddess]

I am working on our touring plan for both US and IOA trying to figure out if we should go to WWHP at opening and also after 4pm. Have read arguments for both but evening seems to be the slower of the two. Which time is less crowded?


***We only have single park tickets so no park hopping

 

[snoopboop]

This will definitely depend on a lot of factors....

With some more information we might be able to at least make an educated guess/recommendation...

What dates will you be there? Are you staying onsite (with early admission) or not?

 

[CodeGoddess]

This will definitely depend on a lot of factors....

With some more information we might be able to at least make an educated guess/recommendation...

What dates will you be there? Are you staying onsite (with early admission) or not?

US - Feb 21, Sunday
IOA - Feb 26, Friday

Staying offsite so no early entry.

 

[snoopboop]

One crowd calendar is showing February 21 as 6/10 and February 26 as 4/10.

Another shows both of those days as "slow."

My personal plan of attack would be to show up 20 minutes or so before the park officially opens and then head right to the WWOHP area of the park as soon as you're let in. Check the wait times for the major attractions and if they're doable, go ahead and hop in line. In my experience, things DO slow down most evenings, but you also don't want to bank everything on that and have it end up being an evening where things never really let up!

You can use Universal's mobile app to track wait times throughout the day as well.

I highly recommend adding the park-to-park option to your tickets. It'd add $45 per person to the cost, but I think it's well worth it to have access to BOTH parks all day long on both days. Not only is the Hogwarts Express pretty great, but it's also a really convenient way to hop back and forth between the parks throughout the day!

I'm sure other peeps will chime in as well....

 

[CodeGoddess]

One crowd calendar is showing February 21 as 6/10 and February 26 as 4/10.

Another shows both of those days as "slow."

My personal plan of attack would be to show up 20 minutes or so before the park officially opens and then head right to the WWOHP area of the park as soon as you're let in. Check the wait times for the major attractions and if they're doable, go ahead and hop in line. In my experience, things DO slow down most evenings, but you also don't want to bank everything on that and have it end up being an evening where things never really let up!

You can use Universal's mobile app to track wait times throughout the day as well.

I highly recommend adding the park-to-park option to your tickets. It'd add $45 per person to the cost, but I think it's well worth it to have access to BOTH parks all day long on both days. Not only is the Hogwarts Express pretty great, but it's also a really convenient way to hop back and forth between the parks throughout the day!

I'm sure other peeps will chime in as well....

Is the park to park something we can add on once we are there or so we need to purchase in advnace?

 

[snoopboop]

Is the park to park something we can add on once we are there or so we need to purchase in advnace?

You can definitely add it on once you're there.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I've always found the evenings to be the best time to visit. In the morning, pretty much everyone has the same plan: head to HP. Plus, the on-site hotel guests will already be there.

 

[RMulieri]

Depends on the closing hours of the parks.Alot of the times that the parks close at 8 or earlier, evenings are just as busy since everyone seems to hang around till closing.When the parks are open till 9-10pm it is quieter in the evenings. We have gone in JAn a couple of times and the parks close early..7-8pm and the HP areas were still busy in the evenings..When We went in August, and the parks were open later , HP areas were not as bad in the evenings

 

[johde]

I'd agree, that the evenings depend on closing time. A large number of people do to city walk for dinner. If the parks are open after 8:00 they tend to clear out as people goto dinner. If they close at 6 - 7 people tend to stick around more and then eat after the parks close.

 

[CodeGoddess]

Were going when they close at 7. Guess we are hitting HP early morning.

 

[mistanotguilty]

From what I've read, my plan is to hit DA at rope drop and head to Gringotts. I think that is the best way to do it.

 

[dixonsontour]

We did early entry mornings and evenings recently (did both parks over 6 days)

I much preferred the evenings. Crowds lighter and great atmosphere in the dark. Rides were walk on just before closing.

 

[CodeGoddess]

We did early entry mornings and evenings recently (did both parks over 6 days)

I much preferred the evenings. Crowds lighter and great atmosphere in the dark. Rides were walk on just before closing.

How late were the parks open and how long before closing did you go?

 

[dixonsontour]

Universal open til 7 on night we did late night at diagon and islands open until 8pm. Went for last hour and half.
We did do both Harry Potter areas in mornings too inc EE. But if I had to pick would do evening.