Hi! I have an AP and have gone frequently this year. (I’ll be there the week after you too!)
This is the best part! It’s soooo much smaller. It’s on the scale of Disneyland than WDW. You can get around so much easier. Plus, UOR transportation is a million times better!
There is plenty to do other than coasters at UOR! Although they have the reputation for being the “grown-up” park they offer a variety of attractions. If Harry Potter is your passion I highly suggest doing a single day visiting both sections of WWOHP. The Hogwarts Express is a fun way to get back & forth and it’s a different experience each way!
I rarely use Express - especially in Jan. / Feb. unless it’s a holiday weekend! The WWOHP get filled first in each park. First, it’s because they are the main attractions during EPA and the thing most people run to in the morning.
If you plan a whole day of WWOHP you can “live” there and do it all a few times. Then use the other 3 days to see the rest and repeat a couple WWOHP things, you’ll be able to avoid crowds. With IOA being the EPA park I like to go to USF first at least one day. It will feel like a empty place for the first hour or so! Everyone is at Hagrid’s and VelociCoaster!
You can do so much if you go to USF first - including Diagon Alley. However, use this time to ride everything until close to 11am. That’s when the shows start! You can go see Bourne (a MUST-DO!!!) or Animal Actors.
Depending on the heat and my traveling partners, we take a midday break around 12:30pm. We grab something to eat in CityWalk and go back to the hotel to shower / nap. I’m typically leaving my hotel by 3:30pm to be back all the way inside the parks by 4:15pm.
If I’m solo and the weather is cooler I can go all day.
Basically, my advice is understand that Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade are going to be the busiest areas. Use the app to monitor wait times and make sure to use the App’s wait time notification alerts for those areas so you’ll know when those rides wait time is at the time you like.
If I’m not planning on taking the Hogwart’s Express to park hop, I like to walk all the way to the back of each park and work my way to the front. Then walk through CityWalk, about 5 minutes, to the other park’s entrance and go back to front.
Check out the shows and street entertainment! There’s so much and it’s so great! I arrange a lot of day around those show times!
No… I see the same thing the week I’m there. I really think it’s a weird glitch. I could be wrong. However, I’ve been there before this time of year. Unless a school group or something is coming I don’t understand why it is so high either once each week
I’d set an alert with the App. Anytime it’s around 60 minutes you should head over there. It doesn’t dip below that often. I’d even consider a notification at 70 minutes. If you don’t know how to use the app’s wait time notifications, let me know. I’ll walk you through it.
If you don’t have EPA, don’t go in the morning. The wait will “level” off after the park has been open for a couple hours.
The water is heated to 80°F. It’s nice in the water, but cool if windy. You just grin and bear it! I’ll be there and I know my teeth will be chattering
For me it depends on the heat. Since you are traveling with a DD10 I’d suggest it no matter what. Mostly because it’s so quick & easy to get on a bus and be back in your hotel room in less than 30 minutes!