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

[dmkrc5]

After a long week of waiting my friend and I got in again.I cant believe how fast the line goes for FJ, we rode twice first in the regular line than second in singles. Surpisingly the single riders line moves pretty qiuckly and even when the line was almost to the start, and a minor breakdown, the wait was just over 30 min. I dont think it went down for an extended period of time all day!

 

[Teebin]

After a long week of waiting my friend and I got in again.I cant believe how fast the line goes for FJ, we rode twice first in the regular line than second in singles. Surpisingly the single riders line moves pretty qiuckly and even when the line was almost to the start, and a minor breakdown, the wait was just over 30 min. I dont think it went down for an extended period of time all day!

This magic carpet and movement forward is killing me. Uni is nailing this almost too well.

 

[dreamcat]

ok so Im kindof tired and dont feel like backtracking to put those quote thingys on so... Ill just say aww! i was missed (or at least noticed to have been gone). Sorry I have been MIA recently, I didnt have a chance to get on. I actually skiped quite a few pages in which I will now go back and read.

So does that road closed sign mean that the celebrities will be in citiwalk at 10ish or before 9? I dont understand why the road will be closed for only three or four hours.

 

[dmkrc5]

Universal if your reading this post I BEG YOU to please take down the tent in the beginning of the Dragons Challenge queue, and bring back the window panes! They were my favorite part of the queue and im sure they can find a way to incorperate them into the Dragons Challenge story line. A tent inside a castle? It doesnt make sense to me and that area of the queue is lacking in theme, I hate to say it but it looks kind of cheap.

 

[TSSD]

^
In the movies they go in a tent and wait to fight the dragons. So yes, it does make sense.

 

[dmkrc5]

^
In the movies they go in a tent and wait to fight the dragons. So yes, it does make sense.

I know but the "tent" in the load area with the projected dragons, could serve as the champions tent as well.

 

[TSSD]

True True True.

 

[avadakedavra]

I went on a whim today and ended up having six hours of bliss in the Wizarding World. I rode FJ twice, Hippogriff twice, and each dragon as the only rider in the back row. After FJ closed, it opened shortly after as castle tours and I was the first inside, trailed several feet by a mob. It was like a private tour for a whole five minutes. I made it into Ollivander's twice with very little wait and on my second visit, I at twenty-three, was selected rather than a child. Needless to say, I bought the wand that chose me as I thought it was rarely, if EVER supposed to be someone my age. The show is wonderful. FJ is astounding and by far my favorite ride ever - certainly out of the Orlando parks. It trumps Spidey for me, but it may be slightly because of content. Butterbeer is great and I can't wait to try it frozen. My AP discount was accepted but was told AAA would be accepted as well everywhere except the carts. Thanks to Riker, I think it was, I couldn't wait to buy my pygmy puff and when I finally did, it was a great experience and while I carried it around, so many cast members asked me its name, one man - who lead me into the castle for the tours - even jokingly warned me to get it a cage. I highly suggest them as they really made my day that much better. The employees were really top notch - even for a theme park - and I rarely saw them break character. From the girl warning little kids not to say "Voldemort" in the wand shop to the man in Zonko's showing a little girl where he "hid" his extendable ears after warning him to drink only butterbeer until he was old enough to drink "real" beer - they all were phenomenal. They seem to love their jobs and I only hope they keep that love. It really is what makes the land experience come together. To those who laughed months ago at the idea of spending an entire day in WWOHP, I spent six and a half happy hours in that small space today and I wish I could have stayed longer. For those who are fans of park and franchise, you'll have no problem enjoying it at all. Just don't expect the world like some have and you'll be enamored.

PS. Fun fact - I was told by a team member today that people who looked too much like one of the movie characters weren't able to be hired into the world. She mentioned that she knew of one person who looked too much like Draco Malfoy who didn't get hired simply because of his appearance. It was fun to look around and realize how true it was after I'd learned about it. Just shows how above and beyond they're going to keep characters out of the park (aside from FJ) and honestly? It's better that way.

 

[mantaguy]

All I can say is WOW. The island is just incredible. Nearly flawless.

We got there at 9:30 and turn the corner to see the gates wide open! :dance: I nearly RUN to FJ. Did singles first time with about a 15 minute wait. Second time was in stand-by and was posted at 75, but it was really about 40. I love the moving portraits and the sorting hat.

Browsed all the stores. Great merchandise. It's true they're crowded, but not totally unbearable today at least. Got a Ravenclaw t-shirt. :happy:

Lunch at 3-B was great. Loved all the little details. They could do away with the husk on the corn. Definetely not your normal theme park fare. The patio is a great getaway from the crowds.

Do not underestimate the Owlery, and its relaxing qualities!

FotH was 5 minutes, DC a walk on. Did both dragons. HUGE downgrade in the queue department. However, the Hippo queue is a massive improvement. Rode twice. Gotta love Hagrid's Hut and Buck, I mean Witherwings.

Pumpkin Juice is ok, but frozen butterbeer is very tasty and very refreshing on this sweltering day. Reasonably priced. Still have to try regular butterbeer.

Ollivander's is great, my wandkeeper was very good. I was standing right next to the kid who got picked, so close! :'( but the show is worth the wait. Saw a new effect where you flick the wand at flowers and instead of watering them they die. At the end where the keeper picked the b-day matching wand, he forgot the kid's b-day, so he asked again, ad the kid said that he already asked!

DC test seats are in the WWoHP.

I can saw so much more but it would be way too much. there's so much detail I can't possibly have seen it all today. Everything was top notch in the island and in the park. This is an incredible addition to Islands of Adventure!

 

[Nightmare]

Don't trust the outside seats. TWO times I was green lighted on them, only to be turned away at the inside test seats. I only got one of the required three clicks, and the restraint was having problems in my shoulder area. I asked the attendant there to push down for me, and they said they could not.

Was this before they installed the actual ride seats outside?? The seats they had outside last week were not the actual ride seats, I believe they were DD seats. The seats outside are now exactly the same as those in the ride. I'm a little concerned getting the tM who won't push on the harness. I did get 2 clicks last week inside so I am either ok or very close right now.

 

[miaballaa]

hello everyone, as a viewer of this thread now for months, and three years of dreaming of going to wwohp, i have officially booked my tickets to go with my brother for june 28-30. the universal rep said to me that after GO, she expects the park will have to close to capacity as early as ten in the morning, so get there early. As a florida resident they make u pick up your tickets at ticketbooth. i want to go the day before and get the tickets so i dont get stuck doing that my first day at parks. Does anyone know what time the ticket booths are usually open till every night. Your answer is appreciated.

Anybody else going then from here

 

[mantaguy]

Has anyone tried to throw their name into the Goblet?

 

[Claire-Bear]

We'll be there on 28th although that's our last UO day so we'll be splitting it between both parks (starting with IOA).

People keep talking about the park "reaching capacity very early in the day", but I don't know what that relates to queue and crowd-wise. It's difficult to say at the mo; if FJ can handle 6 hours of queueing, that's a lot of IOA attendance right there, coupled with the usual 1hr+ waits for the popular rides during the summer, is that "capacity"?

 

[Tbad556]

People keep talking about the park "reaching capacity very early in the day", but I don't know what that relates to queue and crowd-wise. It's difficult to say at the mo; if FJ can handle 6 hours of queueing, that's a lot of IOA attendance right there, coupled with the usual 1hr+ waits for the popular rides during the summer, is that "capacity"?

From what I've heard/read, the island has a total capacity of 9,000 guests. I would assume that includes the rides as well.

 

[OldBlueEyes]

Don't know if this has been posted before, so excuse me if it has, but here's an intersting article about the future of
Harry Potter and themeparks:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...versal-potter-060710-20100606,0,1195634.story

OBE

 

[psion]

Don't know if this has been posted before, so excuse me if it has, but here's an intersting article about the future of
Harry Potter and themeparks:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...versal-potter-060710-20100606,0,1195634.story

OBE

cool, thats funny that a professor PREDICTS the expansion of Potterland in Lost Continent,
THAT WHAT WE here, all been talking about for the last 6 month.

Predicct~~~my balls
hehehe, WE, the people here, predict.
That professor and I am sure many other media people, read our threads here report it as their own hehe.

but anyways, that article is kind of DUH!!!!!
we all know that, and want that, and probably happen.

Get ready for Wizard Battles at Poseidon and Sinbad!!! WAHAHAHA

 

[honeybee8200]

I found this part of that article interesting

"Some additions to Wizarding World are inevitable: Universal's deal with Rowling and Warner Bros. requires the resort to incorporate elements from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series, which is to be split into two movies for release later this year and sometime next."

It made me start thinking about all the movies and what they have from them. Just a few things I've thought of.

SS- Ollivander's Experience, Mirror of Erised
CoS- Ford Anglia, Myrtle
PoA- Sirius Wanted Posters, FotH, Honeydukes and Hogsmead
GoF- Dragon Challenge
OotP- Hog's Head
HBP- Three Broomsticks
DH- The only thing I can think of off the top of my head that's there is the Hog's Head and of course Hogwarts.

 

[Cody F.]

What is the latest time you can get there and still get into wwohp?

 

[The_Bled]

Walls are down.

justinj2

Walls are down!! [HASHTAG]#potterwatch[/HASHTAG] http://tweetphoto.com/26841432

 

[Teebin]

Though if I was ordering a Kevlar vest it would actually be Navy Blue. An old Navy SEAL once told me to wear Navy Blue instead of black if I wanted to blend into the darkness better.

Hmmm... I hadn't realized that kevlar bullet proof vests also came in navy blue. The only "vests" I have seen for this purpose have always been black. And one of those that has "fitted" many with these "vests" for an army very much in topic suggested they only came in black". Perhaps with so many divisions making up the army and so many supporting troops, there were different colors used for various "assignments" in the field of battle. Interesting.

Walls are down.

Once again here is something that thwarts what I would have believed to be logic and common sense. I was positive that these walls would remain until the 19th for crowd control during the upcoming events. I guess Teebin better just throw common sense and logic into the trashcan when it comes to the WW project.