Anyone been to Islands recently?

[EeyoresBestFriend]

We'll be there in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone has been to IOA in the last few days/week? Can you walk through/see anything of Harry Potter land? Are any food stations open or gift shops? I'm remaining hopeful that we will see something . . .

[StillSimbaGirl]

We were there in January and you could see quite a bit over the wall...let's put it this way, I turned my ticket in for an annual pass and am going back in September. You could see enough to tantalize!

[sagitarius]

I was there last weekend (opening weekend). You can go into the HP land BUT, there are huge wait times just to get in the HP section of IOA. We waited about 4 hours to get in. From that point everything else has a wait. When I say everything, I mean everything. If you want to go in to a store... 45 minute wait, butterbeer... 45 minute wait, Olivander's wand shop... 2 hour wait.

Hopefully, by the time you get down here, the crowds will have thinned out to the point where it becomes enjoyable. Good Luck!!

[MaryBelle]

I just booked a trip to Orlando & will be going to IOA specifically for Potter on either the 13th, 14th, or 15th...but now I'm getting scared that the lines will be so long that it won't be worth it. Four hours just to get IN??? Did I make a mistake?

[John]

I went on the first weekend it opened at night and walked right into the "land" itself. The forbidden journey on the other hand was a 75 minute wait.

[Mammabruski]

From everything I've read on the web about WWoHP, if you don't want to wait in a line to get into the area and want much shorter waits for the shops and restaurants, go in the evening. Apparently TM's (team member's ~ Universal's version of Cast Members) were even telling people (actually shouting it into bullhorns) in the lines waiting to get into WWoHP in the mornings to come back in the evenings if they didn't want to wait. From what I understand not many people left the line! Oh well, to each their own.

Also, if you're staying onsite with Universal, they've been letting guests in about 1 hour earlier than the general public. If that's your situation, the word on the street is to head to Ollivander's first, then get in line for the Forbidden Journey.

Hope this helps!