Wizarding World - Diagon Alley Discussion - Part 2

[martymcflyy85]

If someone was NOT interested in Potter, but wanted to see the rest of the park during that first week....what will the lines be like at the other rides? Also, what will the traffic be like just driving into the resort?

 

[USO92]

^^Honestly I wouldn't touch the parks as soon as this thing has its grand opening for a loooong time…Ill be home from school all summer but Im gonna go my first week back and if I catch it I catch it…If not I don't mind waiting until December just to avoid the mass chaos…if you thought phase 1 crowds were bad, something tells me this will be the lowest pit of hell when it comes to overcrowding.

 

[MrRoamer]

I don't know why but I feel like the crowds are going to be somewhat spread with the primary lines being for the Hogwarts Express on each side. On the other side, is < 2 months really enough time for most people to book a vacation?

 

[JungleSkip]

If someone was NOT interested in Potter, but wanted to see the rest of the park during that first week....what will the lines be like at the other rides? Also, what will the traffic be like just driving into the resort?

It's going to be crazy around the resort the entire summer.

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I don't know why but I feel like the crowds are going to be somewhat spread with the primary lines being for the Hogwarts Express on each side. On the other side, is < 2 months really enough time for most people to book a vacation?

They only had an extra month last time. Opening date wasn't set until March. Did you see the crowds that day?

 

[USO92]

I don't know why but I feel like the crowds are going to be somewhat spread with the primary lines being for the Hogwarts Express on each side. On the other side, is < 2 months really enough time for most people to book a vacation?

You'd be surprised. The general public has been aware that something is coming although they may have been clueless about what…Even if 2 months wasn't enough, Im sure if they're vacationing in Orlando to Disney, Universal may have squeezed into their list of to-do's due to the recent marketing push.

 

[IzzyB]

You also have to realize that the base starting attendance is MUCH higher than it was when Phase 1 opened. So any increase in attendance is going to make it insane. The good news is they do have more rides with more capacity, however if they get a large number of people who are only their for HP it could be a huge mess. I am hoping them having return tickets from day one will make things be much smoother. However, the other areas will now be more packed because if people get a 3 PM return time, they aren't going back to their hotel room, they are going to ride Transformers and other rides. Or they head over to IOA which I have a feeling is also going to have return times for Hogsmeade during this summer period.

 

[Felipe]

If someone was NOT interested in Potter, but wanted to see the rest of the park during that first week....what will the lines be like at the other rides? Also, what will the traffic be like just driving into the resort?

I think that will depend on how they manage the "admission" into Diagon Alley. If they have a big queue all around the park, then the rest of the rides should see lower wait times, but if they hand out return tickets (which makes the most sense), then the wait times should be higher around the park since all those crowds will be going on the rest of the rides until their return time for Diagon Alley.

 

[maxairmike]

If, by some miracle, TMs can still get $50 rooms the night before, I may go that route so I can avoid doing the parking garage thing at 3am like I did with Phase I. However, I'm not counting on it, and I fully expect to be at the toll plaza at 3am like I was in 2010. Actually, I may want to check today, and definitely before Friday when they likely announce the opening date.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Here's a great article from Parkscope, http://www.parkscope.net/2014/04/diagon-alley-opening-summer-2014-crowd.html

I'm going to get a room at Hard Rock for the night before, and going to get into City Walk/entrance to USF as early as possible.

Thanks for the kind words. Those are simply my thoughts and ideas, nothing official from UOR. Once we hear more I will update the post.

 

[DragonSlayer]

Saw the latest teaser trailer in the cinema here in the UK the other night, ahead of Amazing Spider-Man 2. I thought that was pretty cool.

Talk of opening day is so exciting, even with the knowledge I'll be nowhere near it haha.

 

[Porkchop]

How should late September be? Taking my brother for his bachelor party Sept 25-28. Hoping with school in session and months passing since opening, that it shouldnt be chaos.

I have a feeling HP will be busy, but the rest of the parks will be ok.

 

[IzzyB]

The rest of the park should be fine, but HP will still be a little crowded. Not as bad as summer crowded, but it won't be dead like some of the other parts of the park will feel. I know I went to HP in January after opening of phase one and expecting it to be dead and the wait for FJ was still 40 minutes and there was a line to get into the stores. I wanted a chocolate cauldron, but decided to skip it since the line was too long. I only went in to ride FJ since I couldn't when I was pregnant, but only had like 2 hours to get in and get out due to my hectic schedule at the time.

 

[kingcooger]

How should late September be? Taking my brother for his bachelor party Sept 25-28. Hoping with school in session and months passing since opening, that it shouldnt be chaos.

I have a feeling HP will be busy, but the rest of the parks will be ok.

The rest of the park should be fine, but HP will still be a little crowded. Not as bad as summer crowded, but it won't be dead like some of the other parts of the park will feel. I know I went to HP in January after opening of phase one and expecting it to be dead and the wait for FJ was still 40 minutes and there was a line to get into the stores. I wanted a chocolate cauldron, but decided to skip it since the line was too long. I only went in to ride FJ since I couldn't when I was pregnant, but only had like 2 hours to get in and get out due to my hectic schedule at the time.

To add to this, I was there the first weekend in October after Phase one opened and FJ had about an hour long line, the shops were bearable for a quick look around, The Three Broomsticks was at about a 45 minute wait at 1pm, and the Ollivander's line was an hour (that got skipped). The rest of the park was pretty dead but that area was hopping.
I would say it was due to HHN, but most of the guests in the HP area were from the UK and Ireland. Do expect some extra crowds due to HHN and shorter park hours on your trip.

 

[freediverdude]

I'm really torn on what to do. I'd like to book a couple nights at the Hard Rock to see this, but do I book in early June hoping for a soft opening? Or book like late June after the opening, and just make sure I'm at the gate for early entrance for the hotel guests and hope for the best, lol.

 

[The_Bled]

I'm really torn on what to do. I'd like to book a couple nights at the Hard Rock to see this, but do I book in early June hoping for a soft opening? Or book like late June after the opening, and just make sure I'm at the gate for early entrance for the hotel guests and hope for the best, lol.

It should already be soft opened in early June.

 

[Porkchop]

To add to this, I was there the first weekend in October after Phase one opened and FJ had about an hour long line, the shops were bearable for a quick look around, The Three Broomsticks was at about a 45 minute wait at 1pm, and the Ollivander's line was an hour (that got skipped). The rest of the park was pretty dead but that area was hopping.
I would say it was due to HHN, but most of the guests in the HP area were from the UK and Ireland. Do expect some extra crowds due to HHN and shorter park hours on your trip.

Thank you both for your replys. We will have no children, so everything will be more relaxed, and bearable. Plus my wife and I were just in Uni in November, so my brother may wanna rush and see things, but we'll sit and take it all in and enjoy it. We should def be able to do everything with 2 PTP tickets, staying at Cabanas.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It should already be soft opened in early June.

Rumors state that training starts next week (or very shortly after), with possible soft openings in early June. Opening June 18th.

 

[Skubersky]

What twitter accounts and hash tags should I follow to know when soft openings are going on? I know they won't happen for a while still but I would like to preemptively start tracking it now. Thanks!

@skubersky
@touringplans
#potterwatch
;-)

 

[Gambit]

Orlando Informer posted an article today with some good information and some things I haven't seen mentioned here yet. Things like how Kreacher will be in one of the windows on Grimmauld Place and occasionally peak his little head out from behind the curtains. Or how the Cabman’s Shelters will be serving “sausage-focused” food items.

http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2014/rru-special-edition-how-diagon-alley-will-improve-hogsmeade-wizarding-formula/

 

[mbrou24]

@skubersky
@touringplans
#potterwatch
;-)

Shameless self promotion lol