Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 3

[natespf]

I'm staying at Cabana Bay July 31st-August 4th. Your post confused me a little. I thought hotel guests were let in only an hour early (so 8am). Is this not the case? Thanks!

The park hours fluctuate, they have been opening at 8AM recently with early admission at 7AM.

 

[UNC2014]

The park hours fluctuate, they have been opening at 8AM recently with early admission at 7AM.

Okay, that must be what's confusing me. Starting in August, the Studios opens at 9am. I see that it's been opening at 8am in July.

- - - Updated - - -

Another question: is only Diagon Alley opening early for hotel guests or also Hogsmeade?

If this is the wrong place to ask these questions, I apologize. If so, could someone direct me to the appropriate forum? Thanks everyone!

 

[mmb334]

Hope I'm asking this in the right place: We are planning a trip for next month and will be staying at an onsite resort to take advantage of early admission. We are trying to plan the best strategy to get to Diagon Alley in the morning - is it possible to take Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade and enter that way? Thanks!

 

[Skipper Justin]

The best thing to do is get to the gates by 6am. You can't ride the Hogwarta express to it.

 

[NashvilleTrio]

Hope I'm asking this in the right place: We are planning a trip for next month and will be staying at an onsite resort to take advantage of early admission. We are trying to plan the best strategy to get to Diagon Alley in the morning - is it possible to take Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade and enter that way? Thanks!

You won't get ahead of the crowds that way. When you exit King's Cross you'd still have to get in the queue for Diagon Alley.

We arrived at the Uni gates 1 hour before early entry and were in the first 125 people into Diagon Alley and onto the ride.

 

[brianlo]

I've been unable to access the site for about the last month or so (unfortunately it's blocked in a lot of foreign countries!) so forgive me as I'm sure this has been extensively discussed somewhere. Plus I'm trying to basically not over spoil it anymore than I have already so avoiding basically any photos that aren't the dragon.

Anyways...

I'm really pleasantly surprised that HE has such great wait times already, seems like it should be a virtual walk on once the intense crowds let up. So since we speculated about it heavily before and it seemed like this was going to be the problem attraction capacity wise, what changed?

Seth mentioned on Touring Plans that capacity was not as bad as earlier speculated... how so and what was miscalculated exactly?

Are people not particularly interested with the attraction... not riding it both ways... not buying park-hoppers... spending all day stuck in Gringott's? What's up?

Thanks for the insight!

 

[sjago13]

Yesterday I rode from hogsmeade to london at 11ish with a walk on wait and they didnt even fill the train. Around 8ish we rode the reverse and we just had to wait for the second train. The tm at the front of the line said the line didnt go above 20-30 mins all day and they were averaging 4minute load/unloads. Seems kinda funny that a month ago we were worried about long lines and 1 way ride limits for this.

 

[Mad Dog]

I've been unable to access the site for about the last month or so (unfortunately it's blocked in a lot of foreign countries!) so forgive me as I'm sure this has been extensively discussed somewhere. Plus I'm trying to basically not over spoil it anymore than I have already so avoiding basically any photos that aren't the dragon.

Anyways...

I'm really pleasantly surprised that HE has such great wait times already, seems like it should be a virtual walk on once the intense crowds let up. So since we speculated about it heavily before and it seemed like this was going to be the problem attraction capacity wise, what changed?

Seth mentioned on Touring Plans that capacity was not as bad as earlier speculated... how so and what was miscalculated exactly?

Are people not particularly interested with the attraction... not riding it both ways... not buying park-hoppers... spending all day stuck in Gringott's? What's up?

Thanks for the insight!

It was always my contention that the concern over HE's wait times was being overblown primarily because people were looking at it as two separate attractions with 1200 to 1500 people per hour capacity, when in reality it is only one attraction that has two entrances that add up to a "huge" 2400 to 3000 capacity. And not everyone wants to take a trip over to the other park. A few of us were arguing for that outcome before it opened up and I'm glad I was "finally" (LOL) right on an issue. Sounds like a great high quality iconic attraction and I can't wait till my September trip to ride it repeatedly.

 

[cheeseheadwi]

(1) Higher than expected capacity

(2) Location of the stations. They are in the middle of the "loops" in both parks; if you want to do all rides, then ride HE and switch parks, you'd usually have to double-back from an entrance to get to a station.

(3) Lack of interest in re-rides, probably due to the ride not being very exciting.

(4) IMO, lower than expected attendance increase as a result of DA (HP isn't as popular as it once was).

 

[anihilnation]

On average, what is the wait time for Hogwards Express?

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

On average, what is the wait time for Hogwards Express?

Yesterday when I went on it from USF around noon it was a 10 minute wait but all I had to wait for was the train to arrive. Hogsmeade was 10 mins as well.

 

[adjjb]

I think the HE lines may go up when you don't still have to get in the queue for Diagon Alley. You get on the HE now and you can't back into Diagon without hours in line or a return ticket. When you can just hop on HE and go back and forth without that, I think the line time will rise.

 

[TylerDurden]

(4) IMO, lower than expected attendance increase as a result of DA (HP isn't as popular as it once was).

Im glad Im not the only one who's noticed this...

 

[sjago13]

I think the HE lines may go up when you don't still have to get in the queue for Diagon Alley. You get on the HE now and you can't back into Diagon without hours in line or a return ticket. When you can just hop on HE and go back and forth without that, I think the line time will rise.

Yesterday there was no queue for diagon from 11am on through the rest of the day. Got off the express and walked right in.

Another funny story from yesterday, as we were leaving london some lady walked out behind us and the asked the guy where harry potter was and he had to explain to her that you have to go through the bricks.

 

[anihilnation]

Yesterday when I went on it from USF around noon it was a 10 minute wait but all I had to wait for was the train to arrive. Hogsmeade was 10 mins as well.

Thanks! Probably once the power pass block out is over I'll go and check it all out, hopefully I can do gringotts as well then

 

[Skipper Justin]

HP is not going to be suddenly unpopular. One reason could be the blackout dates. I think it is very stupid that Florida resident rates are all blacked out for the summer. I had a friend come in to go the park and he had to buy the regular ticket.

 

[Frogki]

The only pass with block out dates is the power pass. Even under the florida resident rate, my Preffered Pass doesn't have block out dates. That's the only real reason I bought it, the people I was going with could only go on certain days which fell under the blackout dates. So I don't think the block out dates are an issue for most FL residents...

 

[Skipper Justin]

The only pass with block out dates is the power pass. Even under the florida resident rate, my Preffered Pass doesn't have block out dates. That's the only real reason I bought it, the people I was going with could only go on certain days which fell under the blackout dates. So I don't think the block out dates are an issue for most FL residents...

The Florida resident tickets have blackout dates this summer. I am not talking about annual passes.

 

[DeputyAuror]

last night I was in DA from roughly 5-8pm and did not observe the dragon roaring/breathing fire. Does anyone know if the effect hasn't worked like this before? I've been a couple of times and this is the first visit I did not observe the dragon going off on its regular every 12-15 minute schedule.

I know sometimes if the weather's rough it won't go off, but yesterday was a pretty clear day

 

[sjago13]

last night I was in DA from roughly 5-8pm and did not observe the dragon roaring/breathing fire. Does anyone know if the effect hasn't worked like this before? I've been a couple of times and this is the first visit I did not observe the dragon going off on its regular every 12-15 minute schedule.

I know sometimes if the weather's rough it won't go off, but yesterday was a pretty clear day

Well it was going off around noon yesterday. So something must have haooened after that.