Harry Potter Crowd Report Thread...

[knieriem]

I think it will die down quite a bit. We recently got an AP flyer in the mail stating we can get AP rates at the onsite hotels between now and mid-August. That wouldn't be offered if they were all sold out.

I've been looking at rates for July 12-13 and it's cheaper to not use the AP rate and just reserve a room without it. Not sure why but it's like 300 something with ap and only 249 without!


I'm driving over to IOA on the 3rd to see what the line is like...if it's too long I'll just go to Disney!! Then I'll be back on the 10th to see Rob Thomas at Universal and then back on the 12-13 of july to take a friend from out of town.

Hopefully the wait for WWOHP will be down all of those days! If not I might just wait and see it for the first time with my friend.

 

[devores]

We went on Sunday, Jun 20th. Got to the park at 0830 and was in line for WWOHP by 0900, back by Spiderman. A TM was handing out tickets and informing people that without the ticket, you would not be let into WWOHP. You had to be in line to get a ticket. No holding a spot and getting tickets for your whole party, they all had to be there and all had to hold thier own ticket. We were in WWOHP by 1000. We were informed that once we left WWOHP, we would not be allowed back in unless we waited in line again. Wait times for FJ was 90 mins when we got in so jumped in that line first. There was an announcement about the ride being broke, but the line kept moving so we stayed.

The whole land was wall to wall people. lines everywhere. About a 2 hour wait for Olivanders. We opted to buy wands at the cart just outside the Owlery. Waited about 30 min for the three broomsticks, but we lucked out. They were looking for people to sit on the patio and allowed us to cut a whole gob of others if we sat outside. Regular line was around an hour at 1300. The candy store line was long, but only took us about 15 min. The registers for the joke shop can ring up anything from the two adjoining stores, there was no line for this regsiter but a HUGE line for the one in the candy store. We just took our stuff to the joke shop registers and bypassed the line.

We walked onto popeyes and headed to Ripsaw when the heavens opened up and they shut everything down. We headed to Spiderman, like everyone else, and waited 20 min. Since it was still pouring after spiderman, we hopped to US and walked onto everything there. Longest wait was 15 min for Shrek.

Went back to IOA around 1900 and walked on Hulk and ripsaw then back to WWOHP. Wait times for FJ was over 120 min at this point and still wall to wall people. We walked right into the land though, no line to get in. We got some more butterbeer (wait just for butterbeer in the am was about 15 min but they did have some waitresses selling from a tray they brought out- cash only. Wait for butter beer in the afternoon was about 5 min). Decided to get into the magic shop, wait time in the AM was about an hour, afternoon was about 15 min (and much cooler). There was no line for the candy shop and three broom sticks was closed by this time (30 min prior to park closing).

I would suggest waiting till after noon to do WWOHP as the lines die down quite a bit.

BTW- I found out that if you can find a snack cart open close to park closing you can get some good deals. We got churros by one get one free and pretzles by one get on free and slushies half off.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm just glad that we weren't there on opening day. Disappearing lines, confused TM's and way too many people! I'm happy to hear that things are apparently settling down.

 

[diskids2]

Me too...We're going the end of July...but I got an AP just in case we need to go back

 

[Ltl Mermaid]

I am going early December and am also hoping the corwds are manageable! I only spending 1 day there and am really mostly going for HP, though if we can do Marvel area and RRR/Jaws/MIB I will be happy...but not sure with only one day!

So I am confused about the little wand "show"....I was under the impression anyone can have a wand "choose" them. But now that sounds incorrect. What exactly heppens if you are not the special one chosen for the ceremony? You just pick your own wand? I may have to rethink buying if that is the case, I was really excited about the whole wand picking the wizard thing!

Either way I'm soooo excited to go and can't wait to try Butterbeer!

 

[LMO429]

Frankly I dont mind waiting an hour or two to ride FJ but waiting to JUST get into the park is a bit much...

I agree with you. I would not mind waiting an hour or so for the line. But to just get to the specific area is ridiculous.

We are going the week first of Oct for a day trip from disney I hope it's a good idea at this point. We shall see

Great idea for a thread OP

 

[dalownerx3]

Just a data point - Monday 6/21. Arrived at IOA around 11:30am to check the WWHOP line. At Seuss, a TM said the line into WWHOP was through Toon Lagoon and the line was about two hours long.

During Sunday brunch, a lady at the next table recommended visiting WWHOP about an hour or two before closing to avoid lines.

My guess is that the lines are longest in the morning and early afternoon. All those who really want to see WWHOP will get in line then.

 

[truck1]

We're pretty much fed up at this point and decided just to walk as close to the Hogsmeade area as we can to at least see the castle from afar. We're stopped in Jurassic Park by a line of security people SCREAMING that no one can go past this point. We try to tell them what happened to us, and all they will say is that we can't go any further, that our issues aren't a security problem, they have to hold this line. We try to ask where the security people were or even TMs, for the further-back sections of the line, because there were no signs, no ropes, nothing, and people were cutting left and right. All they could say was that we had to go back.


One guy in our Guest Services line actually told the Universal rep, "I understand this was a lot of people, but Disney manages capacity crowds every July 4th and Christmas...just hire them to do your big opening days from now on and you can avoid these problems." I was like

Hold the line? Were they at war? OMG

Though somehow I am not surprised at the response.

When I got home I was talking to my mom and we were reminiscing about when US first opened.

I should have realised that there was a problem that day when they were giving out free tickets to come back when ever you chose.Nothing worked.King Kong was epileptic, and lethargic, Jaws was on strike,Earthquake was a disaster, and the only thing that worked was ET. But he was phoning home looking for a ride out.

Apparently no one at US head office learned anything from that day.


One guy in our Guest Services line actually told the Universal rep, "I understand this was a lot of people, but Disney manages capacity crowds every July 4th and Christmas...just hire them to do your big opening days from now on and you can avoid these problems." I was like :rotfl2:


I would have loved to have heard that one.Ill have to remember it.I sent US an email and havent heard back yet. Then again when I hit send on teh website nothing happened.Wouldnt be surprised if my email never got there.

 

[Whitneyface]

Thank you, dalownerx3! I'll be going to Islands of Adventure on Wednesday, so I'll pop in and update this thread with the wait times I experience if I get a chance. I'm pretty forgetful, but I'll try to write things down to keep you all updated because this board and everyone who's posted in this part of the forums has been so helpful in my planning. So there's that.

I am so excited! Ahhhhhhh!!!!!

 

[disneydee6]

So from what I am gathering, the shortest wait times are later in the day.

Should we attempt to go in the morning, or wait until the evening before entering the park? Trying to figure a game plan

 

[truck1]

So from what I am gathering, the shortest wait times are later in the day.

Should we attempt to go in the morning, or wait until the evening before entering the park? Trying to figure a game plan

The question is are you going strictly for HP or do you plan on doing other things in IOA?

If you are going strictly for HP, then later in the day would probably be better,until either US gets a clue or the crowds diminish.

If you are going to stay in the park, then you can go in fairly early,do the rest of the park, and HP last.At least as it stands now and from what is being reported.

 

[glocon]

It really seems like the best way to get in and get on the FJ is to stay onsite and get to the gates 1/2 hour before park opens for onsite guests. That does sound like the way to avoid the worst of the crowds.

 

[Disney_Lover06]

The best way to beat the crowd is doing the single riders lane. Though you don't see any of the castle(just the gryffindor common room and the sorting hat), it is walk right on. They were actually encouraging people on the 18th to use the single riders lane. My friend and I rode it 20 times before noon on the 19th!

 

[hpfan100]

parked car around 8:30, in line for potter world by 8:45, in world by 10:15, rode forbidden journey first time through whole castle with my mouth slack and eyes jumping out my head, took about 1 hour total but most of it was in air conditioning, rode second time through single rider line and walked on in 2 minutes, waited 30 minutes at three broomsticks bar (not the outside wagon) for butterbeer and ale, took drinks and waited 30 minutes to get into Honeydukes/Zonkos, bought candy and browsed, super crowded but just excuse me and smiled most people were very kind after potter time went to rest of IofA and US, rode all rides that I was interested in and looked at a few things, was back in my car by 7:00 all in all not that bad in the waiting department


By the way...Forbidden Journey blew my mind, I had soooooo much fun riding that one!!!

Will be back on Wednesday and maybe Friday am I'll post tiems for those days as well. Good luck all my fellow potter peeps

 

[tamimouse]

We are planning on going tomorrow. Are we supposed to go through Suess landing or another way around? Ty! We are trying to decide what time to get there. Tomorrow is our only chance...

 

[Disney_Lover06]

We are planning on going tomorrow. Are we supposed to go through Suess landing or another way around? Ty! We are trying to decide what time to get there. Tomorrow is our only chance...

On-site people go through Suess Landing. Off-site people go the other way through Jurassic park.

 

[tamimouse]

Thank you!

 

[Mcbruns]

We will be attempting IoA this Wednesday (gulp). Can't decide whether to go way early or way late. I am leaning towards early. I will be post an update Wednesday night or Thursday (unless we end up in the disappearing line).

 

[tamimouse]

I think we will go early if I can get everyone ready by then. I will try to post my experiences tomorrow night also. Wish us luck!

 

[CaptMarge]

Devores...thank you for your post, esp the tips on purchases made from all three stores in any store. (You know what I mean) Best tip I've read all day! IMHO