The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade (Orlando): Part 2

[atigeg]

Best way is to come back later and enjoy non-existent lines on the other things in the meantime. I love having an AP and being able to rack up rides on the Rockit while everyone is busy visiting Harry...then do FJ as much as I want after they've bailed for the evening.

 

[soyouthinkyouknow]

Sorry for not following recently and therefore not knowing the answer to this question... Is there an available image of the ground plan of, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey? If so, can someone provide me with the link.

Thanks

To reduce douchebaggery...

Scott, there was a hand drawn map posted on here a few times that was pretty accurate, from what I recall. If you have that or someone else has it, I'd be happy to tell you what is correct and what isn't there. i did a quick search for it, but didn't find it.

 

[avadakedavra1]

I wonder if Universal would ever make a twilight park..

 

[gannonsmovieworld]

I wonder if Universal would ever make a twilight park..

Oh please no! I hope they don't. Besides I think Uni likes to build attractions based on movies that are fit for all audiences. Twilight is definitley not a favored among basically everybody in the world like HP or Jaws.

 

[avadakedavra1]

check this link out. http://www.examiner.com/x-4908-Twil...ext-step-for-the-Twilight-series-a-theme-park

 

[Captainwalker42]

check this link out. http://www.examiner.com/x-4908-Twil...ext-step-for-the-Twilight-series-a-theme-park

No. No no no no no no. This is a bad idea for many reasons, notwithstanding my hatred for this book series. I simply don't see a way to make a theme park out of a book series that focuses mainly on the romantic aspects of the protagonists rather than elaborate and detail the great basic ideas that Stephanie Meyer has in Twilight. Vampires and werewolves fighting should be absolutely amazing and should immediately inspire a theme park. Yet the locales and events in the Twilight Saga do not interest me as much as the sight of Hogwarts Castle and Hogsmeade Village. I recently saw Eclipse (my girlfriend took me against my will) and was immediately struck by the great universe that this story lives in: the backstory about the vampires and Native American spirit wolves was surprisingly entertaining. There were also two characters in this film whose backstories immediately made me wonder, "WHY AREN'T I WATCHING THAT?!?!?!!"

Which brings me back to my main point: while the story of Twilight is put into a potentially great universe...here we are stuck with the story of Bella, Edward, and Jacob, the stupidest love story ever committed to page (that might be an exaggeration, but you can understand that it's not far off). I won't get into how bad Twilight is (I could go on for a while), but I think we can all agree here that Twilight as a theme park wouldn't work. There isn't enough to do with the story itself to make one, let alone several attractions. I could totally see a detailed and beautiful recreation of the Cullen house, the reservation, and other iconic points in the book series.

What makes WWOHP work so well is that there is not only a beautiful universe that can be visually brought together in a theme park, but also a beautiful and fulfilling story that can supply the attraction designers with hundreds of ideas for rides. I can name a bunch of great ride ideas off the top of my head that would have been well received at WWOHP if money and land were not an issue: Ford Anglia Flying Car Ride; Broomstick Lessons; Diagon Alley; Hagrid's Motorcycle (actually, Sirius Black's Motorcycle); wizard duels in the streets of Hogsmeade. But when I think of Twilight, I honestly can't think of anything that could possibly make a good ride or attraction. A ride on a werewolf, maybe?

Sorry if I went on a bit of a rant there, but I seriously hope that no one makes a Twilight theme park...ever. If anything, why don't we focus on making a Lord of the Rings park instead?

 

[TheDecemberists]

I agree with captainwalker. very well said.


Ok. Now I have a question for anyone willing to answer. I'm about 99% sure I've read this on here: if you stay on site at Universal, you still get to use express on the last day, even after you check out.

Am I right? And if so, how exactly does that work? Do they just let you keep your card?

 

[Miki1010]

TheDecemberists the express card works on the day of ur check out and they let u keep it. I was just there last weekend and we stayed two nights and was able to use it the day we checked out.

 

[Clive]

So when arriving at the park..if there is a line to get into WW what is the best way to get in to it...mostly to ride FJ I can wait til later to eat all the good food

This weekend, which was fourth of july weekend, there was absolutely no wait to enter the area at any time. I don't think it's really going to be a common issue anymore...

 

[Voidfish]

So, any word on when/if they plan on restocking merchandise? Namely the wands?

 

[BTT_Racheal]

Has anyone noticed the Dragon inside FJ isn't working? Apparently hasn'y worked for a while.. Sad to see that effects already aren't working! Click here to read more on the Dragon not working.

 

[The_Bled]

So, any word on when/if they plan on restocking merchandise? Namely the wands?

I believe they said something around August.

 

[Voidfish]

Is that for everything? Or just a select number of items?

This is from a user on another website I frequent who visited yesterday.

Yes, this independence weekend, they sold out of everything but draco and hermione wands and were telling people to order them off the website, Slytherin ties were out in dervish and banges but they had some in one of the stores by the front gates, Forbidden journey was breaking down alot (the ride system is incredible but im sure it must be incredibly difficult to maintain) i got stuck on it twice throughout the day but it started back up quick. Other times it had gotten stuck to the point of evacuating people. um... what else... oh and the park website says that the park was going to open at 9 and that it opens at 8 for resort guests but we went in with the resort guests as 8 just that the resort guests are allowed to skip through seuss landing while everyone else has to go the long way around. The other rides were also running and were open so to anyone planning on going, if you want to avoid lines in the stores and forbidden journey, it is VERY worth it to go early. Dragon challenge got to the highest waiting time of about 15 minutes so do forbidden journey and ollivanders first thing. Oh and ollivanders show is age based (we were told) so if you're hoping to get picked for the wand fitting you might be out of luck unless you look 10.

 

[crazyidea]

So the line for FJ is not bad in the evening?...I have a friend who's going for the first time and I'm scared that we're going to have to haul a$$ over to FJ and then everything else in the park won't seem as cool. I want him to see Spiderman before FJ but am afraid that that will result in us not being able to go on Fj at all that day.

 

[atigeg]

The line for FJ is non-existent at night. Singles is usually walk on and standy is either short or walk on in the last hour or two, or at least it has been every time I've been there at night. I wouldn't go to WWoHP any other time of day unless it was the offseason.

 

[The_Bled]

Is that for everything? Or just a select number of items?

Pygmy Puffs and Wands.

 

[mantaguy]

The line for FJ is non-existent at night. Singles is usually walk on and standy is either short or walk on in the last hour or two, or at least it has been every time I've been there at night. I wouldn't go to WWoHP any other time of day unless it was the offseason.

That's completely untrue from my personal experience. Last Saturday night at 9 PM, FJ was 75 minutes, and the singles line was visible from the lockers. Lines were long for Olly's but the stores were line-less. D&B was still crowded though.

Nighttime is still the way to go though for now. It's much more bearable, but still not like the rest of the islands by far. It is getting better as the days pass though.

--- Update ---

This is from a user on another website I frequent who visited yesterday.

About the Olly's age thing, I've heard reports of people much older than 10 or 11 getting picked. You just have to look excited to be there. Maybe they changed this, though. :shrug:

 

[Frogki]

Yes, this independence weekend, they sold out of everything but draco and hermione wands and were telling people to order them off the website, Slytherin ties were out in dervish and banges but they had some in one of the stores by the front gates, Forbidden journey was breaking down alot (the ride system is incredible but im sure it must be incredibly difficult to maintain) i got stuck on it twice throughout the day but it started back up quick. Other times it had gotten stuck to the point of evacuating people. um... what else... oh and the park website says that the park was going to open at 9 and that it opens at 8 for resort guests but we went in with the resort guests as 8 just that the resort guests are allowed to skip through seuss landing while everyone else has to go the long way around. The other rides were also running and were open so to anyone planning on going, if you want to avoid lines in the stores and forbidden journey, it is VERY worth it to go early. Dragon challenge got to the highest waiting time of about 15 minutes so do forbidden journey and ollivanders first thing. Oh and ollivanders show is age based (we were told) so if you're hoping to get picked for the wand fitting you might be out of luck unless you look 10.

Ummm... Actually, have you seen the picture with an older (not very old ) person, an adult, getting chosen with the words under it "Proof that even the bitg kids can experience the magic of the wizarding world of Harry Potter". I don't think it's age based. Yes you see a lot of children getting picked, however, act excited enough and look the part (heck, dress up in robes if you really want it) and it doesn't matter how old you are, just how excited.

--- Update ---

That's completely untrue from my personal experience. Last Saturday night at 9 PM, FJ was 75 minutes, and the singles line was visible from the lockers. Lines were long for Olly's but the stores were line-less. D&B was still crowded though.

Nighttime is still the way to go though for now. It's much more bearable, but still not like the rest of the islands by far. It is getting better as the days pass though.

--- Update ---



About the Olly's age thing, I've heard reports of people much older than 10 or 11 getting picked. You just have to look excited to be there. Maybe they changed this, though. :shrug:

I highly doubt this. Not only would it disappoint (and make people less likely to come back) regular people, but there are Harry Potter fans who are WAYYYY older than 10. And the place was made for them. Yes it was made for everyone's enjoyment, but they wouldn't have themed it after Harry Potter if they weren't going to try and please those fans first and foremost.

 

[atigeg]

That's completely untrue from my personal experience. Last Saturday night at 9 PM, FJ was 75 minutes, and the singles line was visible from the lockers. Lines were long for Olly's but the stores were line-less. D&B was still crowded though:

The novelty must be wearing off pretty quickly then because I've been there multiple nights over the past week (last night and Friday night were the two latest) and my experience is totally opposite of yours. FJ posted at 30 mins. but really a walk-on, stores nearly deserted (I walked right into Honeydukes, ordered treacle fudge, and was out in probably 3 mins.) and no lines for anything whatsoever but Ollivanders. I have pics. in one of my recent Examiner articles showing the stunning lack of lines/crowd. Not sure what was up on the Sat. you were there...you'd think this weekend would have been crowded due to the holiday but the crowds were totally absent at night.

 

[mantaguy]

The novelty must be wearing off pretty quickly then because I've been there multiple nights over the past week (last night and Friday night were the two latest) and my experience is totally opposite of yours. FJ posted at 30 mins. but really a walk-on, stores nearly deserted (I walked right into Honeydukes, ordered treacle fudge, and was out in probably 3 mins.) and no lines for anything whatsoever but Ollivanders. I have pics. in one of my recent Examiner articles showing the stunning lack of lines/crowd. Not sure what was up on the Sat. you were there...you'd think this weekend would have been crowded due to the holiday but the crowds were totally absent at night.

I guess everyone decided to go to the WWoHP on July 4th eve. DX