Wizarding World of Harry Potter Opens!

[Pagan]

These characters have touched many generations and the books/movies will be passed on, and I really think Harry Potter is here to stay for a while yet.

In all honesty, I don't think we've seen the last of those characters. I have this gut feeling Rowling will write another book eventually.

[princessgirls]

Disney is good at being Disney, if that makes any sense...a leader in customer service and running a very well run corporate theme park/resort/entertainment mega structure!

Universal has more thrill rides, and for those of you with teenagers, you are going to want to go!!!

I will say this, my husband tried to book a Universal vacation package and was NOT happy. They don't offer the nice wrapped up package that Disney does with the Magic express, and dining. We didn't end up booking one and decided that on our trip to WDW next year, we would just go over to Universal for a day or two while staying at Disney.
Competition is good, because it almost forces Disney to be innovative and create new attractions to keep the faithful coming back!
Julie

[Tekneek]

After more reflection, I can tell why I am not that excited about it. What I enjoy most at WDW are the attractions that are not tied to movie properties. The things that are unique to the parks, that offer their own experience, are what I like most. That's why things like the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, or tying Nemo to The Living Seas, don't inspire me too much.

What used to be so great about Epcot was that it had nothing connected to the movie properties (aside from characters that might be around, although rarely front and center). It was a unique vision and experience. I just don't get too excited about the "Come see what you saw in the movie" kinda stuff.

It even applies to Universal. My favorite area at Islands of Adventure was Seuss Landing. Yes, you have that in books, but it isn't just taking something from a movie and rebuilding the set. There is some imagination in there, in my opinion.

[Rhetoric2000]

I'm heading to Orlando in December and really looking forward to experiencing the new Harry Potter attractions.

I have said on here in the past that my last trip convinved me that a combined US/SW/Busch ticket now supercedes an overall Disney package. And that was before HP has opened.

A family group of 6 is going at Xmas and off their own bat have booked at US and not Disney. This follows two others of my family groups who have followed up an exclusive Disney visit with an exclusive US one. These are groups spending two weeks there. They are also groups who up until recently would have been repeat WDW customers.

I do appreciate that there are still areas that Disney caters for that US doesn't (such as exclusively older groups), but that certainly doesn't include a young family group. Any vague validity that might once have applied to Universal that it is "thrill rides for teens" has now been reduced to a nonsense.

As has been mentioned already rides such as The Mummy, Terminator, Spiderman, Simpsons, ET, MIB, SuessLand in general have as deep a level of theming and "magic" as Disney attractions.

And attractions such as Disaster!, Blues Brothers and the Makeup show have a close level interaction "magic" with employees that Disney once had (most notably in old Future World) and no longer has outside of AK (where it tends to go unappreciated).

That for me is what Disney "magic" was/is - deep theming and close level intaction. And Universal has matched - at in the case of the latter - surpassed it.

And I say all this as a lifelong Disney fan and someone who still considers AK as his favourite theme park anywhere.

[merlinmagic4]

Interesting thread! I have one question: how much time do we need to fully experience Harry Potter World? We only have 6 park days on our next vacation (April 2011). I was thinking 4 Disney days and 2 Universal days. What do you think? My daughter is a HUGE Harry Potter fan and wants to see/do it all! I should mention that it is the week before Easter (bummer) so it will probably be very busy. Is 2 days enough?

[Tekneek]

I should mention that it is the week before Easter (bummer) so it will probably be very busy. Is 2 days enough?

If you expect that you are only interested in the Harry Potter section of the park, then 1 day is surely enough. If you are willing to give the rest of IOA and/or Universal Studios a chance, then 2 days should give you a decent chance to sample it.

[brownie]

Looking forward to our December trip. We'll be headed to Universal Orlando for a couple days for the first time, so we can experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I feel bad about taking a couple days away from Walt Disney World, but we really want to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We delayed this trip to be able to see it.

[Silver_Surfer]

Can someone give me the fastest route to Harry Potter? As I enter should I go left or right?

Thanks!!!!!!

[John]

Can someone give me the fastest route to Harry Potter? As I enter should I go left or right?

Thanks!!!!!!

If you mean upon entering IOA - you will have only one choice - the way universal employees guide you. Most likely that will be to the left where the queue will start somewhere around the jurrasic park area.

In theory, if there were no one in the park and no one is telling you which way to go, you go to the right to get there quickest thru Seuss Landing, on past Posidens Fury and Sinbad into the Wizarding World.

If you are talking at the attraction itself - simple. Do single rider and cut an hour or more off your wait.

Enjoy.

[Silver_Surfer]

If you mean upon entering IOA - you will have only one choice - the way universal employees guide you. Most likely that will be to the left where the queue will start somewhere around the jurrasic park area.

In theory, if there were no one in the park and no one is telling you which way to go, you go to the right to get there quickest thru Seuss Landing, on past Posidens Fury and Sinbad into the Wizarding World.

If you are talking at the attraction itself - simple. Do single rider and cut an hour or more off your wait.

Enjoy.

You were reading my mind. I was planing my assault from the website maps. I had planned to go right as you said but was looking for the best route because I have read that people was b-lining it to the Harry Potter attraction as soon as the park gates open.

Thank You!

[JabberJaws]

Personally I'd advise coming to the park about 30 minutes or so after it opens and NOT dealing w/ the crazy people pushing and shoving their way to HP. Yeah, you may have to wait a little longer, but it isn't worth the madness.

That being said, a good way to do it IMO is to use the "touring" line to check out the castle, take pics, etc. This is a line that just goes through the castle up to the sorting hat, but not into the loading area. You can stop and take pics all you want and not have to worry about people getting fussy. Then, when you want to ride the ride, do the single rider line.

But absolutely do not miss out on the full castle queue. I think that it is worth it to do it the first time by waiting in line w/ everyone else, just to experience the queue. Then if you want to ride again, single rider.

[Silver_Surfer]

Personally I'd advise coming to the park about 30 minutes or so after it opens and NOT dealing w/ the crazy people pushing and shoving their way to HP. Yeah, you may have to wait a little longer, but it isn't worth the madness.

That being said, a good way to do it IMO is to use the "touring" line to check out the castle, take pics, etc. This is a line that just goes through the castle up to the sorting hat, but not into the loading area. You can stop and take pics all you want and not have to worry about people getting fussy. Then, when you want to ride the ride, do the single rider line.

But absolutely do not miss out on the full castle queue. I think that it is worth it to do it the first time by waiting in line w/ everyone else, just to experience the queue. Then if you want to ride again, single rider.

Thanks for the tips I'll keep both in mind if the fam does not want to go again.

[luvdiznee]

We will be there in September, will it still be massively overcrowded.

[pianobabe]

We will be there in September, will it still be massively overcrowded.

We were there about 3 weeks ago and we waited for Forbidden Journey for less than 5 minutes. It took us longer to walk through the queue than it did to actually get on the ride itself. I was surprised. There was a longer line to get into Olivander's than I saw in any other area at WWOHP.

[Silver_Surfer]

Tip, if you have to rent a locker the lockers at HP is a mad house!

[texas211]

After more reflection, I can tell why I am not that excited about it. What I enjoy most at WDW are the attractions that are not tied to movie properties. The things that are unique to the parks, that offer their own experience, are what I like most. That's why things like the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, or tying Nemo to The Living Seas, don't inspire me too much.

What used to be so great about Epcot was that it had nothing connected to the movie properties (aside from characters that might be around, although rarely front and center). It was a unique vision and experience. I just don't get too excited about the "Come see what you saw in the movie" kinda stuff.

It even applies to Universal. My favorite area at Islands of Adventure was Seuss Landing. Yes, you have that in books, but it isn't just taking something from a movie and rebuilding the set. There is some imagination in there, in my opinion.

I do really enjoy the movie theme. Like the Jaws, Jurassic Park areas, or Star Tours, etc. However, that being said, there is something for the pure environmental factors like EPCOT or Adventureland/Frontierland.

[caryrae]

Looking forward to seeing WWoHP this June. I was watching some video on youtube of when it newly opened almost 2 years ago and man the people.