WWoHP - anyone taken the Virgin benefits?

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Hello

Just trying to find out the best way to do Islands of Adventure (well, WWoHP, as I'm not really interested in the rest of it!). I can get a front of line pass for our dates for $20, but that excludes the Forbidden Journey which is the one ride I definitely want to do. I would pay for a night at a Universal hotel but from what I can see guests at Universal don't get early admission to the park and have the same restrictions on their front of line pass, so it wouldn't help me with this particular ride.

I saw on the Virgin website they are offering a 30 minute early entrance in to IoA, and breakfast in the 3 Broomsticks. Has anyone done this? Just wondering if you have to spend the whole 30 mins in the 3 Broomsticks, or if you can use that time to go get in the line for the Forbidden journey? Virgin hold you hostage to attending a welcome meeting to get the perk, and you have to go in the first two days which would mess with my ADR's (priorities!!) but i will do it if its worth it!

 

[Cyrano]

Can't help with Virgin query as we had sorted our tickets seperately although we booked holiday through Virgin.

We booked a 2 night stay in HRH and got early entry to IOA. Park for hotel guests was open anytime from 7.30 - 8.00am. Non hotel guests were sent round the park clockwise from 8.30am and had to queue until 9.00am. They were only allowed into WWoHP as other guests left.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Ohh You got early entry?! That's really interesting! It doesn't list it under their "hotel benefits" so I didn't think it was possible. Back to planning an overnight stay then! Do you know if I would get early entry if I booked a one-night stay?

 

[luke]

Yeah onsite guests are still getting early access, we have one night booked at RPR and were told we'd get early access (no doubt we'll be up nice and early anyway with the bodyclocks still being on uk time ).

However who knows what universal will do given their many miscommunications in just the build up to WWOHP
opening

 

[Cyrano]

Ohh You got early entry?! That's really interesting! It doesn't list it under their "hotel benefits" so I didn't think it was possible. Back to planning an overnight stay then! Do you know if I would get early entry if I booked a one-night stay?

SIL booked a one night stay in Royal Pacific Resort. They checked into hotel at 6.45am. Got their room key and were in IOA for 7.30.
Therefore with 1 night stay they got early entry twice

 

[torsie24]

Like I said elsewhere babes, I think you'll be fine without.

Make a bee-line for FJ at opening, or do it last thing and you shouldn't have too long of a wait.

From what I've heard its the shops that are really a nightmare.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Thanks everyone - I'm coming around to the idea of staying there now! Never stayed at a Universal hotel . . . is the FoL pass good for path parks?!

 

[luke]

.

From what I've heard its the shops that are really a nightmare.

Is right! They're apparently tiny (JK Rowling wanted it this way I think?) and some even have queues - not even mentioned the Ollivanders 'show'!!

 

[luke]

Thanks everyone - I'm coming around to the idea of staying there now! Never stayed at a Universal hotel . . . is the FoL pass good for path parks?!

Yep, and it's unlimited unlike the one you buy.
Only FJ and Rip Ride Rock-it don't accept it, of the major attractions

 

[torsie24]

My friend from Uni is on the CRP and she's been to WWoHP a lot, she says the shops are all rammed all the time, with like a 15 min wait to get it, but FJ she has never waited more than 45 mins for, and the sign tends to say 90 most of the time.

Fingers crossed this stays the case!

 

[Cyrano]

The queue for Ollivanders was around 3 hours. There were lots of disgruntled guests when they realised that only 1 guest in the group of 30 would have the wand experience

As has been stated elsewhere Universal management have made a complete mess in the opening of WWoHP

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

3 hours for a shop! Blimming Nora!!!!! I just know I will get caught in the hype and join the line!!!!!

Sorry, just one more question I promise - do you have to pay for parking as an on-site guest?

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

What is this "wand experience"?! I am such a Universal amateur!!!!!

 

[luke]

Like a show, from the first Harry Potter - 'the wand chooses you' and so on.
Someone from the group in Ollivanders is chosen to take part with all sorts of effects (possibly there's some videos on YouTube)

 

[Dimplenose]

3 hours for a shop! Blimming Nora!!!!! I just know I will get caught in the hype and join the line!!!!!

Sorry, just one more question I promise - do you have to pay for parking as an on-site guest?

Universal hotel guests have to pay for parking at the hotel.

 

[cheryl.UK]

we got back home last week. Like others we stayed at a Universal Hotel to take advantage of the early entry to WWoHP

On the first day we were let in at 7.30, despite the fact they advertised 8am

However, everyone else was let in at this time. Only hotel guests and those with specail passes, like the one virgin offers, were allowed into the WWoHP, everyone else was sent clockwise round the park and began the queue to get in. They were'nt allowed in until 9 and even then only a few at a time. We left WWoHP at 9 and the ordinary queue to get into the area was already at 2 hours, The line for FJ was at 120 minutes, so that's a 4 hour wait for some people.

My advice...


Either.... book a hotel, Get to the gates for 7.30, do Ollivanders first if you want to buy a wand, then FJ. The queue for Olivanders will be very small and FJ should be 15 mins. This way you also get Universal Express for 2 days for all other rides as many times as you like. The add on that non hotel guests can buy is only good for one day and only once on each ride.

OR

Turn up to WWoHP late in the day if they are opening til 10 or 11, there won't be a gueue to get in after about 9 and the queue for the ride will be an hour.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Thanks everyone! Have booked a nights stay! Hope I'm not too scared to go on FJ after all this...!!!!

 

[torsie24]

Oooh, which hotel at?

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Just the cheapest one - can't remember the name! I had trouble swinging that with Tony, didn't dare go for HRH!

Woman, I bored at work - update your PTR to entertain me!!!

 

[nemmie]

I became addicted to Butterbeer so we were in there all the time on our recent trip.
The first time we went was park opening (public we didn't stay onsite) and at about 09.20 the queue was 6 hours to even get into Hogsmead let alone the ride. I was seriously bummed and thought we would never get in. We of course left and hubby suggested going in in the evening. Worked like a charm everytime. Never a queue to get into Hogsmead. FJ was always somewhere between 60 mins - 120 mins. We queued on one of the 60 mins wait and I estimate it took about 45 mins. Once you get inside its so awesome you really don't care, I could of spent an hour in there alone looking at everything. This is coming from someone who hates queuing, always buys express pass (until we upgraded our AP's to Premier) and will not wait longer than 15 mins for anything.
So in summary my advice would be to go in after 6pm and the later the better. Worked for us everytime