The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hollywood

[Wesker69]

I still love that they let a few of us re-ride Hippo without having to get off the ride if there was nobody waiting for that particular row because the ride had pretty much no wait at all towards the end of the day. And if someone was waiting, but there was an empty row, you could just move to that one. Not having to circle back around repeatedly was great.

 

[Rideguy70]

^ I agree, that happened to me as well at the end of the park day.  it's really nice!  But I was really wondering if the FotH single rider is a regular thing or not.  Anyone else try it?


I have also been noticing that the crowds are generally increasing, and that during the days (even these off season weekdays!), the wait generally seems to get to 60 minutes or more for a large part of the day.  The waits also decrease to more manageable levels in the final hours of the park day, which makes sense.  But even then, the area feels pretty crowded, and it's been like this for the last few weeks.  Is this a sign that the summer crowds may be pretty high, and they may need to dust off those entry pass kiosks after all?

 

[12th Man]

Yeah, they really need to open those self-serve kiosks during busier times or keep them open all day. When I was there around a week ago, mid day, there was a huge line for the ticket booths and all of the kiosks had a cover over them. Not good planning, and at least they would leave a few of them open or have a TM who could take the cover off. 

 

[Wesker69]

*insert Darth Vader Noooooo from me here*


I don't want the park crowded, I like being able to hangout in WWOHP for an hour riding FJ & Hippo repeatedly without having to wait  Then venturing back over to there later on & doing more multiple rides on each...

 

[Rideguy70]

^Believe me, I'm with you.  But with the exception of the last few hours of the park day, haven't you noticed it being considerably more crowded than it was that first month it was open?  At least, it seems that way to me.


IMO, the only area that seems a total bust to me is the photo opp.  Even on the most crowded days, I never see anyone lined up for that.  They either need to lower the price, give it more visibility, or put something else there.


A while ago, I thought it was said on this board that they were looking into places to put more interactive wand stations.  There's definitely space there, among other places.

 

[Wesker69]

More crowded? No. Not really. When FJ is only at about roughly 30+ minute waittime (or less) all day... Nah, I'd say it is less crowded. I'd actually say it was more crowded when I went in April than it was last week. -shrugs-


As for the Hogwarts Express cabin photo-op... it looked cooler in the video from Japan... I was underwhelmed. And then the fact that it uses a green screen to put a terrible Hogwarts Castle image in the window. Oh and "NO MUGGLE PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED"... yea, it really is a waste of space unfortunately.


I still want Butterbeer with Rum... it needs to happen lol

 

[smoaT]

I think increasing crowds were bound to happen since a lot of people will be coming out of school in the upcoming weeks. That being said, seeing the park crowded doesn't mean WWOHP was a success. I say this because USH got crowded in the summer even without WWOHP. If you had visited the park in the recent 3 years you can say that the park gets packed in the summer. Only if the park gets to the point of using the additional parking and filling that and making the park close the gates regularly to stop people from going in, then I think the land was a success. Don't get me wrong, I am speaking success in the terms of the terrible calculations on AP's that Uni made. We know that Uni thought that an Armageddon was coming and that WWOHP would be a game changer that would forever change the park. It hasn't been that. I haven't been to the park yet but the general consensus is that the park is way too expensive for what it is. I am a teacher and several of my students became Uni fans because of me. Went with several of them in several trips to Uni because the annual passes were such a good deal that we kept planning weekends to make the long trip. Now, some have bought the Costco pass because there is the chance that they might go again sometime in the future, but it's not like it used to be that we would actively be planning several trips in the summer. I always went with them because I had the Premium Star Pass with free parking and the 15% dicscount. We would eat there and buy stuff. Now, we just plan to go once and eat outside. I might go in the summer but I am waiting to see if I can get a better AP. 

 

[Allia]

More crowded? No. Not really. When FJ is only at about roughly 30+ minute waittime (or less) all day... Nah, I'd say it is less crowded. I'd actually say it was more crowded when I went in April than it was last week. -shrugs-


As for the Hogwarts Express cabin photo-op... it looked cooler in the video from Japan... I was underwhelmed. And then the fact that it uses a green screen to put a terrible Hogwarts Castle image in the window. Oh and "NO MUGGLE PHOTOGRAPHY ALLOWED"... yea, it really is a waste of space unfortunately.


I still want Butterbeer with Rum... it needs to happen lol

I get a butterbeer and firewhisky and drink them together, it's delicious! (They have a rule against pouring it into the butterbeer).

 

[ItsAtrap]

How strongly do they enforce that rule?

 

[Lori]

I have noticed the wait time getting longer each day. I'm looking online now and FJ is 90 minutes. .. on a Monday. .... I think summer is going to be busy!

 

[Allia]

How strongly do they enforce that rule?

In Orlando they said if I got the firewhisky I'd have to take the shot in front of them unless I got it over ice haha. When I asked why they said to prevent us from spiking the butterbeer. I assume it's the same here but I haven't tried. 

 

[Wesker69]

I have noticed the wait time getting longer each day. I'm looking online now and FJ is 90 minutes. .. on a Monday. .... I think summer is going to be busy!

I'm curious to know how accurate those waittimes are online to actually being there in person. Because as I said, when I was there the other week, it was pretty slow. I think it was busier in the park itself, but all of the waittimes were very low (like 30mins or less.... mostly less).


Fun Fact: I don't remember which ride it was, might've been Simpsons.. but when I asked if it was really 25mins.. and they told me that included ride time. So yea.

 

[Rideguy70]

I'm curious to know how accurate those waittimes are online to actually being there in person. Because as I said, when I was there the other week, it was pretty slow. I think it was busier in the park itself, but all of the waittimes were very low (like 30mins or less.... mostly less).


Fun Fact: I don't remember which ride it was, might've been Simpsons.. but when I asked if it was really 25mins.. and they told me that included ride time. So yea.

To be honest, I don't think they're very accurate.  Often, I've found anything listed as a 30 minute wait for FJ is generally much, much less.  Based on my few observations, if it's listed at about 45 minutes or above, they're often using the outdoor queue (though not always, admittedly).


But that said, I still stand by my totally unscientific observation that crowds in general, are increasing at WWOHP.  It can be hard to tell from the wait times for FJ and FotH, but seeing the waits at Ollivanders, and occasional queues just to get into the stores, as well as the outdoor queue being used for 3 Broomsticks seem to indicate to me it's getting more crowded.  I never saw that during the soft openings, or in the weeks immediately following the grand opening.

 

[12th Man]

Here's USH's newest promo video for the Forbidden Journey!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/UKuSQsiXsSw?feature=oembed


And of course, there is a ride vehicle in front of a green screen. Classic Universal

I really wish they didn't just show the parts with the SCREENZ but more of the physical props. People will automatically see it and go, "Ugh, not another 3-D simulator."

 

[Wesker69]

^the best part about that whole thing is.... THEY'RE NOT EVEN FACING WHAT IS ON THE SCREEN! Nice going Universal marketing..

 

[Jon Fu]

Here's a video we took of Universal's fireworks rehearsal that took place before the land's official grand opening:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EM_HUBeNxK0?feature=oembed

 

[k_peek_2000]

In Orlando they said if I got the firewhisky I'd have to take the shot in front of them unless I got it over ice haha. When I asked why they said to prevent us from spiking the butterbeer. I assume it's the same here but I haven't tried. 

I was able to spike my butterbeer once. I think it was with Rum. Might have been the best thing i've ever experienced.

 

[Rideguy70]

^the best part about that whole thing is.... THEY'RE NOT EVEN FACING WHAT IS ON THE SCREEN! Nice going Universal marketing..

Well, there does have to be some artistic license.  I think we're being a bit too literal here.  This is so the public can get an idea of how the ride operates, so of course they'd want to see both what you'd see as a rider, and the car you sit in. 


The intended audience are people who have not yet been on the ride, and want to get an idea of what it's about.  Nothing more, nothing less, and in that sense, it generally succeeds. 

 

[Wesker69]

Well, there does have to be some artistic license.  I think we're being a bit too literal here.  This is so the public can get an idea of how the ride operates, so of course they'd want to see both what you'd see as a rider, and the car you sit in. 


The intended audience are people who have not yet been on the ride, and want to get an idea of what it's about.  Nothing more, nothing less, and in that sense, it generally succeeds. 

Well yea, that is all kind of obvious. You kinda missed the joke regarding Universal's latest marketing trend of using green screens for everything.. It was not meant to be taken seriously.

 

[12th Man]

This is what Wesker is talking about:

(From @TheTFReview)