Harry Potter- Wizarding World FAQ

[georgina]

i thought that cabana bay and sapphire falls don't get early entry

i have to go check that again

They get EE but not express pass. I should modify my previous comment - EP will be good for Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff at Hogsmeade, just not Gringotts or Forbidden Journey or the train between the 2. Last few times I went the lines for Dragon Challenge were not very long and we didn't ride the Hippogriff.

 

[disneyholic family]

They get EE but not express pass. I should modify my previous comment - EP will be good for Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff at Hogsmeade, just not Gringotts or Forbidden Journey or the train between the 2. Last few times I went the lines for Dragon Challenge were not very long and we didn't ride the Hippogriff.

thanks!

 

[CaleCakes]

Yes, you can see all of both HP sections in one day, even if it is busy. The baby will be allowed on the train, in the Ollivander wand shop for the wand choosing ceremony, can watch any stage shows, can go to any meet-n-greets, and can go through the tour only portion of FJ. For everything else, you will need to either use single rider line or child swap.

I'd start in US and head all the way back to Diagon Alley first. Ride Gringotts either single rider (since you will have to ride alone anyway) or use child swap if you can get there early enough that the standby line isn't crazy.

Some other things you may want to do in DA is to go in the robe shop and try on outfits for fun picture ops, check out Knocturn Alley, visit the sweet shop, visit the animal shop, and get a wand so you can do spells. Also, be careful of the dragon who shoots real fire; don't want to scare the little one.

Then, I'd take the train over to IOA and do Hogsmeade. You can all do the tour only option of the castle as a family without even needing a locker or anything. Then you can do single rider or child swap for the FJ ride depending on crowd. You can send mail by owl post if you bring a letter and stamp at the owlery. You can then have lunch in the 3 Broomsticks.

There are also stage shows in both parks you may want to see.


If you have time left over, I'd check out the play areas in both parks for toddlers. They are really cute and very nice. One of them has a neat ball pit.

Wish I had seen this before we went on Saturday. We got the the park around 10am and started with the Dr Seuss stuff (which the one fish two fish ride was lame because the baby couldn't sit on our lap to reach the lever they made him sit on the seat) then went to Hogsmeade. We walked around and my husband got a butterbeer (let's be honest, it's cream soda with marshmallow foam) and we went into the candy shop for 30 seconds. FJ was down for maintenance so we were able to walk through and take lots of pictures. We saw the wand cart but didn't go into Ollivander. Then we took the train to London and besides the triple decker bus we didn't explore anything else. I thought the train ride was lame. I definately should have researched this more before we went because even though it was fun to see we sort of wasted $300 by not seeing enough. We ate lunch at Toothsomes. The milkshake was awesome but the food was tasteless.

 

[eventamy]

So, to clarify... we are doing our first Universal trip in February. We were just given the trip for Christmas. I am used to planning for Disney but have not been since my kids were really little and now 13 & 9 and we are (me) huge Harry Potter fans. We are staying at Cabana Bay to access early entry. I have looked at the early entry calendar for February and am confused... are the dates just not out yet or I is there no early entry? When would early entry be? 8:00 I assume but that is why I am asking.
Thanks!

 

[macraven]

Yes
EE is one hour prior to officiall park opening (9:00)

Not sure yet which park will be EE

Watch the website for that info

 

[Buzz415]

We are going to Universal in April. I've been reading about the Forbidden Journey ride - I know I will have to do the Castle Only portion due to motion sickness. My confusion is if I do that, can I take my bags through or do I still have to check them in the locker? Thanks.

 

[sandam1]

We are going to Universal in April. I've been reading about the Forbidden Journey ride - I know I will have to do the Castle Only portion due to motion sickness. My confusion is if I do that, can I take my bags through or do I still have to check them in the locker? Thanks.

You can take them with you. I've been both with a non-rider and the non-rider myself and it's never been a problem to skip the lockers. You will probably have to explain that you are a non-rider to a few friendly Universal team members along the way.

 

[Buzz415]

You can take them with you. I've been both with a non-rider and the non-rider myself and it's never been a problem to skip the lockers. You will probably have to explain that you are a non-rider to a few friendly Universal team members along the way.

Thanks for the info.

 

[pluto377]

I apologize if this has been discussed. I went back a few pages, but can't get through them all. What is the intensity of Gringott's like? Can you compare it to a Disney ride? More like Space Mountain or Everest or RnR? I'm going with my mom in Feb and we went a few years ago and she rode FJ and got really sick. Not sure if I should take her on Gringott's? We'll be with my 5yo also and not sure if it's too much for him?

 

[sherlockmiles]

If she had problems with FJ then I would not recommend gringotts.

 

[andrewilley]

I would say FJ is more disorienting than Gringotts. FJ throws you around more, lies you on your back, etc. Gringotts is a bit more like Spiderman crossed with some roller-coaster style elements (which are not too intense, certainly not Everest level).

Andre

 

[nighttowll]

FJ is more nauseating I think with the back and forth movements, but overall pretty smooth. Gringotts is more bumpy jerky shaky. Personally, I can ride FJ with motion sickness drugs in me, without them FJ makes me very nauseated. Gringotts is iffy depending on where I'm seated. It's never made me feel motion sick, but it can give me a headache at times. I really don't care for it, as it is mildly uncomfortable for me to ride at best and headache inducing at worst.

As far as Disney, Everest seems much smoother to me and RNR seems much more intense. I really can't think of any Disney rides it is similar to, maybe Dinosaur.

 

[schumigirl]

Gringotts is a much easier ride than FJ.

We haven't seen many folks mention any motion sickness from it at all since it opened. Unlike FJ.

We've seen little kids on it and much older people on it too........it kinda swooshes you around, certainly doesn't throw you around the way FJ does.

Nowhere near the intensity of the Disney rides you mentioned.

 

[Mjkre]

I get severe motion sickness. I was miserable for an hour after FJ, even though I closed my eyes after about 20 seconds. I had no problem on Gringots! I have now ridden it multiple times. I do however, now always take Bonine before I leave for the parks--just in case. I truly believe Gringotts is one of, if not the, best ride I have ever been on. Great fun. There is no Disney Comparison. It is not a roller coaster, but it's no Peter Pan either!

 

[mdsouth]

I get severe motion sickness. I was miserable for an hour after FJ, even though I closed my eyes after about 20 seconds. I had no problem on Gringots! I have now ridden it multiple times. I do however, now always take Bonine before I leave for the parks--just in case. I truly believe Gringotts is one of, if not the, best ride I have ever been on. Great fun. There is no Disney Comparison. It is not a roller coaster, but it's no Peter Pan either!

Thanks for your input. I get severe motion sickness too and I am trying to plan a trip to see and experience all the Potter stuff with my kids. My DD and I are huge Potter fans so I want to try as much as I can. Did you get sick with FJ even while taking the Bonine?

 

[Mjkre]

I haven't been brave enough try it. When I got so sick, I was not taking Bonine but I did have a transdermal motion sickness patch on. It did nothing to help me on FJ but it helped on everything else. I don't like those because I cannot read with the patch on. For some reason, that medication messes with my vision which for me stinks because I love to read. My kids who don't usually get motion sickness were effected as well. My one die hard HP fan won't let that stop her and can handle it. So she repeatedly goes through the single rider line while we do the castle tour or watch a show on the stage outside the castle.

 

[kim31kim]

We are going to the parks next week primarily for the Harry Potter stuff. I have major problems with motion sickness but my love for HP has won out and I've promised myself I'm going to ride all the hp rides at least once.

I've had good experiences (cruise with rough waters) in the past if I start taking meclizine a few days before the trip. Hoping that will help me here too. I've had friends that don't get sick ever say that FJ is really nausea inducing. Eek! They suggested I try it at the end of the night rather than first thing but I don't think I can wait that long.

 

[macraven]

When I do FJ, I have to look down at my feet when I start to get the queasy feeling
I have no issues once the ride goes inside the castle

It's the first minute or until the game portion of the ride that hits me being queasy

 

[kim31kim]

When I do FJ, I have to look down at my feet when I start to get the queasy feeling
I have no issues once the ride goes inside the castle

It's the first minute or until the game portion of the ride that hits me being queasy

That's a good idea about looking down at your feet. I'll try to remember that if I start feeling green.

 

[ELSA711]

We are very excited to see the HP areas of Universal, my question is can you spend a good portion of the day in the area for ambience or is it ride or die type of thinking?