I’m spending a total of 3 days at USF/IOA. Currently I’m setting up the 2 day/2 part plan which does a half day at each park with between park travel by Hogwarts Express each day. Is that the best use of time? Or would a better option be a full day at each park then take the Hogwarts Express roundtrip on Day 3?
The parks are so close that you can easily and quickly go between them (nothing like Disney). We spent 6 days at the parks and think we were in both parks every day. Usually, we walked to the other park. The entrances are minutes apart. As long as you have park-to-park tickets, it’s a breeze! There is no actual “round trip” option for HEx. You have to depart the train and get back in the queue to go the other direction. Also, if you are staying on site at one of the deluxe resort hotels you will get Express Passes which minimizes waits for most rides (except Forbidden Journey and Gringott’s). Touring plans are hardly needed with EP but do plan to visit the WWOHP early in the day or late in the day for lowest crowds. Have fun planning!
For my “planned but not executed” trip I split the first two days between the two parks, and left the third day “unplanned” to catch things I missed the first 2 days and for re-rides that I may have wanted to do.
I have 3 day; both park tickets. My plan is HP in IOA first day…do the HP rides. Go into IOA and do other rides. Leave park- on site hotel- have lunch at hotel. Come back to the park later that evening to explore HP. Of course I may get my butter earlier in the day. Day 2 same thing with USF and HP. HP rides first. USF rides, then back later to Explore HP. Day 3 -unplanned. How does this sound or should I explore prior to going in to the park and doing rides? Any advice???
Make sure you work in a way to ride the Hogwarts Express both ways. If you are an HP fan, it is not to be missed!
Personally, as a huge HP fan, I like to devote one day, or at least a large part of one day, to only HP things. I like to start in USF, do Diagon Alley and EFG then ride the HE to IOA and explore Hogsmeade and do the rides over there. I then work in a return trip on HE at some point.