WWoHP questions

[Zooshoveller]

I'm planning a day trip to WWoHP for my twins' 11th birthdays. We are staying off site with 1 day PtP tickets. I want to pack in as much magic as I can so...

1. Dining plan or no? We will eat two meals while we are there, Three Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron. Are there any Harry Potter snacks that I can buy with a snack credit and are there any Coke freestyle machines in either Harry Potter land?

2. Best souviners? I've heard rumor about real magic wands that can perform magic in the parks.

3. I do not like thrill coasters. I'm scared of heights and get nauseous easily. I've ridden Forbidden Journey once. I handled it but barely! LOL How is Gringotts? Do I actually go high or flip, or is it a simulator? The YouTube videos are not great. :-/

Anything else I'm missing or need to know?

 

[snoopboop]

1. Dining plan or no? We will eat two meals while we are there, Three Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron. Are there any Harry Potter snacks that I can buy with a snack credit and are there any Coke freestyle machines in either Harry Potter land?

I've never done the dining plan. I understand that Butterbeer uses a snack credit. There are no soft drinks of any kind in the Wizarding World areas.

2. Best souviners? I've heard rumor about real magic wands that can perform magic in the parks.

Yes, there are interactive wands that do "magic" throughout both Wizarding World areas. There are also TONS of other amazing souvenirs. My kiddos love the variety of plush characters I've gotten for them. I've tried chocolate frogs, peppermint toads, etc... from Honeydukes. They sell wool sweaters in all of the house colors, along with robes, ties, scarves... Another item on my wish list is the Marauder's Map with the little magical footprints...

3. I do not like thrill coasters. I'm scared of heights and get nauseous easily. I've ridden Forbidden Journey once. I handled it but barely! LOL How is Gringotts? Do I actually go high or flip, or is it a simulator? The YouTube videos are not great. :-/

You do not go high or flip on Escape from Gringotts. You wear 3D glasses and you're in a ride vehicle that moves along a track, but it's definitely not a thrill ride like a typical coaster. It's sort of like a tamer version of Spiderman or Transformers. MUCH less intense than Forbidden Journey, in my opinion.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

For the dining plan, you can actually buy it per-meal at the register if it is going to end up cheaper. You sometimes end up with an extra drink or snack that way. It isn't a huge money saver, so I usually just buy meals out right. I THINK Butterbeer can be purchased with a snack credit.

The wands are fun. There are spots on the ground that indicate where you can do spells and the motion you need to make. There are often team members around helping out. We also enjoy all the magical candy - chocolate frogs, Bernie Botts Every Flavor Beans, etc. This time, I bought a set of wizarding coins - I think that is a pretty cool souvenir for me.

Gringotts is definitely more tame than Forbidden Journey, and it doesn't feel as high. There is a drop at the very beginning, but the comparison to Spiderman is a good one.

 

[Zooshoveller]

I've never ridden Spider-Man. Can you compare the drop to anything at WDW?

 

[bumbershoot]

Gringotts is not a thrill coaster. It's a painful one bc it does these side to side things that hurt (both me and my ten year old), but it's not thrilling. (At all IMO...when we watch the movie and see what could have been, I still mourn for what they didn't make)

 

[nkereina]

1. Dining plan or no? We will eat two meals while we are there, Three Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron. Are there any Harry Potter snacks that I can buy with a snack credit and are there any Coke freestyle machines in either Harry Potter land?

2. Best souviners? I've heard rumor about real magic wands that can perform magic in the parks.

3. I do not like thrill coasters. I'm scared of heights and get nauseous easily. I've ridden Forbidden Journey once. I handled it but barely! LOL How is Gringotts? Do I actually go high or flip, or is it a simulator? The YouTube videos are not great. :-/

1. As mentioned, you can opt to do the dining plan on the fly when you see fit. The only time we opted to purchase the dining plan was at lunch in Three Broomsticks. The cost of the plan for that day was a few bucks cheaper than the two entrees we were going to buy, so we did the plan which covered our meals and left us each with a snack credit to use later in the day. As mentioned, butterbeer is a snack credit and can't be used as your drink with your entrée if you're on the plan.

2. The wands are cool but we didn't go for the interactive ones. As mentioned, the marauder's map is cool. There's stuffed owls and hats all over. Lots of unique things!

I've never ridden Spider-Man. Can you compare the drop to anything at WDW?

From a nausea factor, Gringott's is easier on me than Forbidden Journey. Have you done Mummy? you sit in a ride vehicle similar to the Mummy ride, and wear 3D glasses. Nowhere as intense as Mummy though. The only, I guess, iffy part of Gringott's for some would be at the first screen. Your ride vehicle will tilt upright so you're almost vertical and drops you very quickly but very briefly. It's quick so I wouldn't say it's similar to a coaster at all, not the same sensation. Nothing to really compare it to at Disney since Disney doesn't have the same kind of 3D type rides Universal does. From an intensity factor, I would say its on the same level as Mine Train, if not less.