I’m planning a solo trip for November, with my main desire to be seeing WWOHP. It will be a quick trip, just 2 nights, and having just done Disney this year with my family I feel like I need a plan!
Ideally I would fly in on a Thursday morning, getting to the parks after lunch around 1:00pm (barring flight delays of course). I’d stay that day until closing, then do rope drop until close the next day, and on the last day do rope drop until late afternoon, before swinging back to the hotel for my luggage and heading to the airport for a late flight home.
Any tips to how to lay out this trip? I was thinking:
Day 1 - 1:00pm until close: focusing on the non Harry Potter rides at one of the parks,
Day 2 - rope drop until close: all Harry Potter
Day 3 - rope drop until early afternoon: non Harry Potter rides at the park I didn’t hit on Day 1
I’m considering staying at the new Surfside Inn just so I can take Universal transportation to and from the parks and get in early, but I haven’t decided if that’s really worth it yet!
I haven’t been to Universal in 15+ years so I’m sure nothing is the same as it was back then. Any tips and ideas are much appreciated!
You won’t need that much time for all of HP, so you an probably also tack on a few rides outside HP.
Although, I don’t know how to plan for the Hagrid coaster. But we did all of HP, both sides, and were done by 3:00 including hitting another ride on the way out, riding the HP rides more than one, no Express Pass.
Of course, if you want to just “soak it in” and look at every single little detail, you can try to fill the entire day.
BTW, my recommendation is arriving early at Universal Studios and do Diagon Alley first. Ride Gringott’s, then take the train over to Islands of Adventure to ride Forbidden Journey, Hagrid, and Flight of the Hippogryph.
After this, you have done all the rides before crowds are too huge and then you focus on the things to look at, the shops, the food. After done in Hogsmeade, take the train back to Universal side and then focus on the things to see on that side (Olivander’s, Knockturn Alley, etc). Then, with your remaining time, you can either repeat rides, or move along, etc.
Agreed… WWOHP is awesome, but not as large as you may imagine. I’ve done both WWOHP parks in the same day, RD until close, and still had time to ride a couple other things. To put it in WDW perspective, WWOHP is more like a “land” in the park - like Frontierland or Tomorrowland. Not as big as a whole new place, like Epcot or AK.
If you have any interest riding in Despicable Me it is one of the only rides open at USF other than WWOHP that is open during early park admission. The queue goes up all day. RD that with a short wait. Then walk over to Diagon Alley.
(The RD happens right outside DM and sometimes the attendants will let everyone on to that - not just early admission guests.).
Unless you are going Thanksgiving week or the week after the crowds are pretty low in November.
Have fun… WWOHP is great. I have extra days on tickets that don’t expire until June 30th. I’ve been debating zipping down solo just to do Hagrid!
I’m going to disagree with the above and say that if you truly love Harry Potter, you could easily take a day doing all of it. There is so much to see, multiple shows, a couple rides, plus a brand new ride. If you really take your time, and add in casting spells and exploring every little nook, you should be prepared that you could take the entire day. I’m not saying that you definitely will, but it’s a possibility. I have done it before.
I stated that if you RD it can take the majority of the day doing both parks to completion. Afterwards you might have time to do something else on the way to the exit.
Now… could I spend multiple days just wondering around and soaking all in? ABSOULTELY! I have before. But if I was on a short trip like the OP and wanted to see some of USF / IOA too then I’d only spend one day at WWOHP.
Ahhhh!!! I read this part and thought you were saying you wouldn’t need a whole day. I just always like to chime in that I can easily take all day. No real disagreement!
No worries! We’re both just passionate fans that love to help! I’ve been a TP subscriber for a few years, but only found the forums this year. So glad it’s here. I love helping others + it really passes the time at my boring office job! =P
BTW - I just noticed that your profile pic is with Snape. I was “friends” with Harry Potter when I worked Entertainment at Warner Bros. MovieWorld - Gold Coast, Australia (I did their version of the WDW college program from mid-2001 - early 2003). They had what I’d call an early version of WWOHP. It was an indoor “movie experience tour” that had a The Hogwarts Express outside, went through The Weasley’s home / a long Diagon Alley with real owl exhibits from the AU Zoo, Hagrid’s house and a Forbidden Forrest + Mr. Weasley’s car finale / exit.) Plus, Harry & I would be in the afternoon parade.
(I got verbally slapped hard by a WDW CM once for not saying “friends” & etc… with my relationship to characters. It has always stuck with me!!)
Not bragging… just thought you’d like to know since we post in the same forums quite often.
