Power Pass Blackout lifted?

[doc brown]

I overheard that the power pass holders are able to get in to usf now is that true

 

[MrRoamer]

Yes blackout dates have been lifted.

 

[doc brown]

Thanks

 

[anihilnation]

Yes, I had an email from Universal that confirmed this.
Yay! Taking my daughter to experience Gringotts on Monday. If we head to Gringotts immediately when the park opens at 8, how long do you expect the wait to be?

 

[sjago13]

Yes, I had an email from Universal that confirmed this.
Yay! Taking my daughter to experience Gringotts on Monday. If we head to Gringotts immediately when the park opens at 8, how long do you expect the wait to be?

Prolly 3-4 hours. I would say hold of til 3ish or later if you could though. It seems to have consistently gone down in the afternoons. Hotel people get in an hour early and then add in the other regular guests bumrushing diagon makes for a large influx of people there.

EDIT: I am also curious how dropping blackout dates will affect attendance from locals that have been hyped up and waiting to go. Because the blackout dates also applied to Florida resident rates on tickets.

 

[anihilnation]

Well I would be rushing to Gringotts as well and I'd make sure I am there early so that I can be one of the first at the turnstiles.

I just noticed though that USF's opening time is scaled back to 9AM again, whereas IOA is still 8AM. So how does this work for the Hogwards' Express? If I was to go to IOA when it opens at 8 and head for the Hogwards' Express, would I be able to board it to go to 'London' and then wait there until USF goes open?

 

[Mad Dog]

Well I would be rushing to Gringotts as well and I'd make sure I am there early so that I can be one of the first at the turnstiles.

I just noticed though that USF's opening time is scaled back to 9AM again, whereas IOA is still 8AM. So how does this work for the Hogwards' Express? If I was to go to IOA when it opens at 8 and head for the Hogwards' Express, would I be able to board it to go to 'London' and then wait there until USF goes open?

Universal guest services is saying that Early Park Entrance Arrivals at IOA will be able to board the Hogwart's Express from apx. 7:30 AM to go from IOA to USF. Then they can queue in line for Diagon at USF. 2 way Hogwart's Express service for early arrivals will start at apx. 8:00 AM. That's what they're saying. Whether it works that fluid, I guess we'll see.

 

[martymcflyy85]

Hopefully someone can try this and update us on if its quicker to go to IOA first.

 

[sjago13]

I would guess it would be the best way in as long as you could be on the first train. I'm curious when theyou would let non early park guests ride the express. Since they can get into ioa at 8 and the express will be open so they could potentially get into usf early with the hotel guests unless they are checking keys carefully at the train station.

On a side note. How carefully do they check the hotel keys? Because I have kept all my old keys and I'm curious if a quick flash would work or do they look at the date carefully. I'm talking with respect to early park admission.

 

[Kevin38]

I would guess it would be the best way in as long as you could be on the first train. I'm curious when theyou would let non early park guests ride the express. Since they can get into ioa at 8 and the express will be open so they could potentially get into usf early with the hotel guests unless they are checking keys carefully at the train station.

On a side note. How carefully do they check the hotel keys? Because I have kept all my old keys and I'm curious if a quick flash would work or do they look at the date carefully. I'm talking with respect to early park admission.

Stayed @ Cabana Bay no one got close enough to read the date on my keys.Do not know how often they change key designs though
Went though the turnstyle at 6:45 (8:00 AM opening) did not flash key till we went though barrier set up between far end of Shrek and Despicable Me.

 

[kimlovesfl]

Here is how EPA works: EVERYONE goes through the turnstiles at the parks (both parks). In USF, we set up a sorting line by Despicable Me; at IOA, it is on the POE side of the Seuss bridge. Room keys, UPRV tickets, Virgin Holidays, photo express passes, and VIP express plus are checked at this point. If you are entitled to EPA, you are allowed through, if not, you wait around either in Hollywood, or in POE.

By the time we go full park at USF, the wait for Gringott's is already about 3-4 hours, at least it was yesterday. Not sure how the HE is working with IOA opening an hour earlier. Not really sure who set the hours for August, but USF really needs to still open at 8. Our attendance hasn't decreased at all from July to August; they only difference is that weekends are slower than weekdays.

 

[UNIrd]

Here is how EPA works: EVERYONE goes through the turnstiles at the parks (both parks). In USF, we set up a sorting line by Despicable Me; at IOA, it is on the POE side of the Seuss bridge. Room keys, UPRV tickets, Virgin Holidays, photo express passes, and VIP express plus are checked at this point. If you are entitled to EPA, you are allowed through, if not, you wait around either in Hollywood, or in POE.

By the time we go full park at USF, the wait for Gringott's is already about 3-4 hours, at least it was yesterday. Not sure how the HE is working with IOA opening an hour earlier. Not really sure who set the hours for August, but USF really needs to still open at 8. Our attendance hasn't decreased at all from July to August; they only difference is that weekends are slower than weekdays.

I've noticed that Sunday is the slowest day of the week this Summer, and then packed again on Monday and Tuesday. :huh:

 

[MrRoamer]

Yesterday was pretty slow a good chunk of the day while I was there. I think that if it hadn't been for all the breakdowns, it would have been less than 2 hours to ride Gringotts.

 

[JokerMan0925]

Thought this was funny. From the Orlando Parks News Twitter:

The effect of the lifting of the blockout dates...

 

[anihilnation]

Went yesterday and did IOA first, they check keys at Hogward' Express and regular guests don't get on 'till just before 9. By the time I got in USF it was waiting about 20 minutes to get into DA and then 3 hours and 15 for Gringotts.