Q re: "one park" tickets, HP & upgrading tickets...

[Dsnygirl]

I am COMPLETELY unfamiliar with Universal... never have been, never gave it a second thought until HP arrived. Still was wondering if we'd end up giving it a pass, as my youngest read the books years ago (she's 11) and my eldest (14) never did, showed no interest except in the movies, and even those she only just "enjoyed"... no major interest. They are Disney kids through & through, and although I figured my DH and I would get a kick out of HP at Univ, it certainly never seemed worth the cost, all things considered.

Well, in the last months that has DRASTICALLY changed... for whatever reason, our DD14 decided to read the books, and has fallen madly, crazily and completely in love with them... every aspect. It has thus renewed our younger DD's interest, and the two of them talk of nothing else, are re-watching the movies... they joined some Potterville website, spent part of today naming off all the characters they could remember off the top of their head, watch YouTube videos dedicated to different characters and are just generally crazy obsessed right now.

So! We are thinking it might be the perfect time after all to spend a day there while we're visiting my MiL in Florida in Feb... yes, during mid-winter break... :crazy:... and with that in mind, are wondering if we should consider the upgraded passes for quicker access. Not crazy that the pass only allows you to do that once per ride, though...

I've been on the website and looked at the other rides at US... we'd only be doing the one park, so only the rides there... and really, not sure how many of them my girls would go on. My DD11 is the adventurous one, so my DH would probably ride the crazier ones with her... but my DD14 is not as much that way, and would probably rather spend most of her time wandering the streets of the HP area. ;)

So - any ideas/advice? We'd like to give the girls their tickets for Christmas and break up the cost a bit... they think it's not an option at this point, so that'd be fun... just wondering if it's do-able in one day, with or without the upgraded passes, and most especially, during what I know will be a CROWDED time there.

:thanks: for any help!

[DizneyFreak2002]

What are you looking to upgrade your tickets to? Do you have the one park/one day tickets currently?

Honestly, if you are only going to visit IOA and not USO, then I'd stick with the one park/one day tickets... HP does not have Express Pass so you'd have to wait on the line, which is not a bad thing cause the line does go fast plus the queue is one of the best I have seen...

I am honestly not familiar with any Universal ticket that gives you quicker access as I only ever purchased day tickets.. Well, I did have an AP once but didn't renew (I should have renewed it as I am going to be spending a lot more time in Universal)... But, if you are thinking about buying Express Pass, Potter doesn't utilize it...

[Pirate Granny]

You can purchase head of the line passes. They are supposed to only be good once each ride. The forbidden journey ride is not part of that pass...my recommendation, stick to one day pass, and be in line by 8:30 (when the park opens at 9)' and be ready to briskly walk to HP Land...which is to the right...most people will head that way anyway. You probably can ride FJ three times before the line gets Long. It is actually a better ride than anything disney has. There is the old dueling dragon roller coaster, which has great theming for the tri-wizard cup, even if you don't want to ride, then there is a very mild hippogriff roller coaster ride...and shops...a wand shop, if you want to see the show, it's a long line and short show...you can go into the wand store without the show...and the best is the restaurant...good food. I've been twice arriving at 8:30 and on my way back to Disney by 3pm...I'm not into amusement parks as such, and outside of HP Land it's mostly roller coasters and water rides...Jaurrasic Park ride was nice wet,wet,wet! It's worth a day trip. When it first opened I took my adult draughts and we had three day passes and stayed on site, which allowed us front of the line anyway. We were bored after 1-1/2 days.

[VWL Mom]

We went over for the day in August and agree with the other posters. My boys wanted to go see HP and I finally took them. We were there at 830A and back to the resort by 3P.

I would look at the rides your family wants to go on and see if the ExPass is worth it. For us it wasn't since HP was why we were there.

[bruin1344]

I went last year in a non busy time plus I stayed on-site hotel and was able to get IOA done by 2pm. I enjoyed IOA and its worth a visit. It is my favorite non-Disney park. Since it will be crowded time and I think there is more to IOA besides HP, I would get the express pass. Not waiting in long lines made the IOA experience so much better.

Ive never scene a HP movie or read a HP book but I was very impressed by HP Land. I like the attention of detail Universal put into HP Land. Forbidden Journey was a wonderful ride.

Some other rides I really enjoyed at IOA: Dudley Do Right (similar to Splash Mountain), Popeye (similar to Kali River Rapids), Jurassic Park, and Cat in the Hat (if you need a tamed attraction to relax with no wait).

[NJGIRL]

Blythe stay on site for two days and do both parks. I can almost guarantee that all of you will have a great time. Universal hotels IMO are nicer than Disney's and you can walk to both parks taking only 10 mins tops....No Buses! The Studio has some really great rides too, in fact I enjoy the Studio more. There are several rides that are similar to Disney attractions but they are better. If you stay on site the front of the line access is unlimited. Forbidden Journey at this time is excluded but you can get into the park an hour before other guest and probably ride it two times.

[NJGIRL]

You can purchase head of the line passes. They are supposed to only be good once each ride. The forbidden journey ride is not part of that pass...my recommendation, stick to one day pass, and be in line by 8:30 (when the park opens at 9)' and be ready to briskly walk to HP Land...which is to the right...most people will head that way anyway. You probably can ride FJ three times before the line gets Long. We were bored after 1-1/2 days.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this. She will be going in August and it will be crowded. They do not allow people not staying on site to enter before 9:00, at least in all the times we have been there. We have gone during early enterance (8:00) for hotel guests and have been able to get on two times tops before 9:00 and the huge mob getting into line.
I really don't think she will be able to ride 3 times by getting in line at 8:30.

IMO each Universal park is alot of fun. We do three days each visit and have never been bored.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this. She will be going in August and it will be crowded. They do not allow people not staying on site to enter before 9:00, at least in all the times we have been there. We have gone during early enterance (8:00) for hotel guests and have been able to get on two times tops before 9:00 and the huge mob getting into line.
I really don't think she will be able to ride 3 times by getting in line at 8:30.

IMO each Universal park is alot of fun. We do three days each visit and have never been bored.

Didn't Blythe say she was going in February? I don't think crowds are too bad in February to where an Express Pass is needed.... And I did 3 days last year and wish I did more... I had more fun at Universal than Disney to be honest...

[Melanie]

Blythe did say she is going in February, but yeah, even then I don't think the 3 times on FB before it gets crowded thing would be possible. Why do you think it will be so crowded in February Blythe?

We lived in FL for 3 years and didn't start going to Universal until the last year, something I now greatly regret! Both parks are great, and to be honest, like Rita, I enjoy Universal more than IOA.

I'd strongly suggest you guys going for 2 days. The 2 day pass isn't much more. :yes:

As for Wizarding World, highly recommend Three Broomsticks, and I see you mentioned going there. Food is good, and service is great as they make sure you have somewhere to sit. Forbidden Journey is a great ride, but I can only do once in a day. :sick:

[NJGIRL]

Sorry everyone I didn't read her post very well did I? I knew she was going in August and thought I had read during Feb she wasn't going to any of the parks. My mistake. :blush:

[Dsnygirl]

Why do you think it will be so crowded in February Blythe?


Winter break up here in the Northeast... all us snow-covered, freezing folks will be headed for some warmth... :snowball: :freeze: :snowball:

As much as I'd love to do two days, our schedule just won't allow it - we have more on our plate as it is than I think we'll be able to do. ;) Plus, we're only going to do the one park, and it seems most people were done mid-day... we plan to stay 'til closing, so hopefully, that will be good for our first trip. And seeing as we're staying with my MiL for free (and the fact that Universal knows it's winter break and has upped the price of their rooms CONSIDERABLY for that week... :() staying there just to get the FOTL pass, which we can't use for HP anyway, doesn't quite seem worth it. We'd considered it, but once I saw the prices... not so much. ;)

Thank you so much, though, for all the advice... I feel fairly confident we can do what we want to do the most easily if we get there at park opening, and if we miss out on a few other rides outside of HP, that's fine... my DD11 will want to venture out and explore them, but I'm almost certain my DD14 won't stray much past Hogsmeade. :D