Can use some help with personalized touring plans

I am knew to all of this. Have subscription for WDW and Universal Orlando. When creating a touring plan it appears that both of these parks on not on the same area? It is almost like you have to go over to a completely otherside to do the stuff that is not WDW.? Also, I am trying to create a personalized Universal Orlando plan and picked all my stuff and now I want it to pick the Islands of Adventure all on the same plan, Can you not do this? Do you have to create 2 separate plans? I want to do all the stuff in the Universal park then take the train over to the Islands of Adventure part to do the rest of the Harry Potter stuff and cannot figure out how to do it on one plan. Help?

Welcome! I can help with your questions.

Yes, you will need two separate trips planned on your dashboard, then just toggle between them.

Yes, you have to do 2 different plans. I title mine something like Uni morning and IOA afternoon. Just set the end time in one park for after you get on the Hogwarts Express, and then start the second plan in other park after arriving.

Feel free to ask any other questions!

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Thank you so much for responding. I am trying to do the 2 plans and maybe you can tell me if this is even possible. We are going in the summer first week in Aug. Staying on a WDW resort. One child loves Harry Potter. My crazy plan is for all of us go to Hollywood studios that morning and spend half/day. Then the child and dad only will somehow get to Universal (hoping this Uber thing works) and spend from right after lunch to closing at Universal doing all Harry Potter and then take train to IOA and do everything HP there until closing. Is this even possible? I will take any advice. Thanks.

I think it is possible if only doing HP things. Will they ride all the rides (Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Dueling Dragons, and Escape from Gringotts), what about a wand and spells- is just buying one okay or will the child want to do Ollivanders and see if picked first? It looks like the parks are open until 10pm in August, I would think you could do plenty of HP stuff from 1pm-10pm, a lot of it is just looking around at the amazing details.

yes, she will want to do the Ollivanders. That there is 2 of them and go to the one maybe in IOA because the process is shorter and there are 2 rooms. But I could have that wrong. If you are an expert in this. What I am confused about is I went to the touring plans and copied the Wizarding world One-day part 1 and part 2 plans. But these Hogwarts express things are on there 2 on both plans. Can you explain this train thing? I thought they would do Universal than take a train to the IOA. But apparently it is not that easy on the plans?

Ollivanders in Diagon Alley/Universal Studios has many rooms and the line will move much quicker (plus it is covered which will be important in the August heat). Ollivanders in Hogsmeade/IOA is much smaller, the line moves very slowly, and it is outside in the sun. Definitely go to Ollivanders in Universal.
I don’t use the premade plans, but make my own so not sure how they are set up. They should go to Universal first, do all of Diagon Alley including Ollivanders and the spells there (and have ice cream at Fortesque’s), then board the train to IOA. At the end of the evening if there is time take the train back to Universal Studios (the Hogwarts Express is different each direction). The ride lines will be the hardest- both Forbidden Journey and Escape to Gringotts will be long. How old is your daughter? Is she old enough to do single rider? That would make those 2 ride lines quite a bit shorter.

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Thank you so much. I was trying to use the pre-made plan,etc. because they are only going for half/day and I wanted them to get it all in. I am the mom and trying to plan for them, but who knows they could throw it away and do there own thing:slight_smile: I really like your plan, give me all your ideas of what you would do if willing. daughter is 12 yrs old so yes she can single rider if maybe it is there second time around and maybe get to ride the Escape to Gringotts ride again when they get back to USF.

Also, where do you recommend eating for dinner ?

Either 3 Broomsticks in Hogsmeade or Leaky Caldron in Diagon Alley. If they are going for an entire day of HP, they might as well eat there too!

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No. the plan is start about 12:00ish and spend all they can from Universal Studios Florida and eat somewhere and go to IOA and do all HP stuff there. If they have time before it closes could do something back at USF. Just need to eat dinner somewhere as they will only have 1/2 day to do everything.

Here is what I would do: Arrive at Universal and head to Diagon Alley. Watch the dragon spew fire. Have ice cream or Butterbeer. Ride Escape from Gringotts. Explore the shops. Go to Ollivanders and get a wand. Do all the spells in Diagon Alley and don’t miss Knockturn Alley. Leave Diagon Alley and visit the Knight Bus (it is outside Diagon Alley). Take the train to IOA. Once in IOA: ride Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, and Dueling Dragons. Do the spells (there are less here than Diagon Alley), visit the stores, have dinner at 3 Broomsticks. Make sure to visit the bathrooms to hear Moaning Myrtle. Take the Hogwarts Express back to Diagon Alley and ride Gringots again with single rider. Finish with another butterbeer.

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3 Broomsticks fits better in the plan due to timing.

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Thank you so very much. If you are familiar with all the WDW parks, maybe i can ask questions later about those too? You really have been very helpful and thank you for answering all my questions. My stress level is going down some.

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You are welcome. We go to both Universal and WDW a lot, so I am more than happy to help.

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If you are going to be getting there around noon or 1, I, personally, would skip Gringotts at that point, follow the rest of @Wahoohokie’s plan and then do Gringotts when you come back later at night. The line will be MUCH shorter and you may be able to ride twice in a row in less time than you would spend waiting in line at noon during the summer. If, however, you think you won’t have enough time to make it back to USF before you have to leave, definitely ride it earlier. You don’t want to miss it!

And feel free to keep asking questions. We love to help out with this kind of stuff! :wink:

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This is the only reason I suggested riding it when I did, I am afraid they won’t make it back to Diagon Alley that night. We have never done anything Harry Potter mid-day, only during early entry or later in the evening. But they only have half a day, and if HP is all they are going to do, then they will just have to wait in longer lines, unfortunately. I personally would ride both EFG and FJ in the single rider line to save time.

Based on everything you both have mentioned. I know that perhaps they are getting there at 1pm, start time but it seems that they can do everything you mentioned and maybe make it back to USF and ride the EFG. As they are staying until 10pm. I think it will be very doable right?

I think so, but hard to say for sure. Depends on how crowded it is, how long each line is, and how long they want to spend doing spells and looking in the shops. Should be doable though! What’s the actual date they will be there?

will be visiting the first week of Aug.

Just an idea. If Harry Potter is a stronger priority for your Potter loving kiddo, could you flip the day? Have them go to universal first and meet up at DHS later in the day? It might take the pressure off trying to fit it all in one afternoon, and with some strategic Fastpass choices for the two spending half the day at universal, they could still make sure they get the DHS highlights in if they run a little late making it back to WDW. I just know that I’m currently planning and my biggest concern is schedule at universal because we don’t get any benefits of being resort guests like we do at WDW - no Fastpass bookings, no EMH, etc