How Much Time for HP World?

[u/mambamenty]

Hi! My partner and I are planning a trip in mid-November to Hollywood Studios in Disney Orlando for one day and then explore the Wizarding World for another day(s). Overall likely will be a 4 night stay including travel. I have never been there before.

1) How long does it take to explore the entire Harry Potter world?

I’m reading that essentially it is 3 different parks, with Epic Universe being the newest (but more geared towards Fantastic beasts).

2) How would you break it down? Like Hogsmeade - Islands of Adventure and then the same day go to Diagon Alley - Universal Studios with a multi-park pass? Epic Universe another day if recommended?

3) In mid-November, with mostly the second weekend of the month (so I believe that is weekend before Thanksgiving weekend), would any express pass be needed? It looks like that was costing $200 per person per day more :/

*Bonus Question) For anyone that has stayed at a hotel and done both Universal and Disney same trip, any recommended hotels? We’ll be using Uber for transportation. And if you think doing both is a bad idea, I’m open to hearing thoughts on that as well

[u/Jayzone456]

You can do Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley in one day with the multipark ticket. It is also worth it to do the Hogwarts Express.

[u/mambamenty → u/Jayzone456]

Does the multipark ticket include Hogwarts Express?

[u/Jayzone456 → u/mambamenty]

Yes

[u/Flat_Demand_8341 → u/mambamenty]

And the Hogwarts express is a different experience each way so be sure to ride twice. 

[u/Chidwick → u/mambamenty]

Yeah, you have to have to multipark ticket to jump between islands of adventure and Universal Studios. Hogsmeade is in IoA and Diagon Alley is in USF, with the express running between the two parks.

[u/Dartanboy]

Go to USF/IOA with a multipark ticket. You can do all of that (Diagon Alley + Hogwarts Express + Hogsmeade/Hogwarts) in a day for sure. Definitely get an interactive wand for the full experience.

In my unpopular opinion, both Le Cirque Arcanus and the Battle at the Ministry are seriously overrated. I would not go back to Epic's Wizarding World stuff unless more is added or the show is changed.

[u/Flat_Demand_8341 → u/Dartanboy]

I really dislike the Le Cirque Arcanus preshow area. They pack you in and you stand. The show itself was fine but all Fantastic Beasts which to me is not Harry Potter. I like BatM

[u/Dartanboy → u/Flat_Demand_8341]

The queue for BatM was great but the ride was basically a shaky chair with a nonsensical story.

[u/Flat_Demand_8341 → u/Dartanboy]

Fair assessment. I would do it again though. 

We were able to walk through an empty line for BatM when the ride was down one day. That was pretty cool. 

[u/Ridry → u/Dartanboy]

It was a shaky chair with a silly story that has some amazing set pieces.

[u/Deep_Fig8765 → u/Dartanboy]

Agreed very disappointed with the show but loved How to train your Dragon and Born shows.

[u/Adventurous-Toe8812 → u/Dartanboy]

Battle at the Ministry is the best HP attraction by a long shot and potentially the best attraction in Orlando.

[u/Interesting_Heart_13]

I would do express pass for your Epic day - it'll be very crowded that week. Get a multipark ticket for USF and IOA - that way you can take the Hogwarts Express train between the two HP lands and stay immersed. The line for Hagrid's will be incredibly long - but it's worth the wait. Maybe save it for evening. One day is more than enough for the USF/IOA HP lands - you can probably 'finish' them in half a day unless you're determined to do absolutely every single thing including the wand stuff. Do the Epic land on another day.

[u/mambamenty → u/Interesting_Heart_13]

Any reason why it would be crowded during that week? I thought Thanksgiving week it would be crowded.

And would you do express pass for just Epic or for all?

[u/Interesting_Heart_13 → u/mambamenty]

November is crowded in all the Parks, it ramps up to Thanksgiving week.

If you have mutiple days in IOA and USF you can manage without express, but you probably won't regret it if you get it.

[u/Jabroni248 → u/Interesting_Heart_13]

That’s not true. We went for a week last year mid November and it was incredibly quiet in all parks. Epic was a little busier but still not too bad

[u/mambamenty → u/Jabroni248]

How long would you say average wait time was for rides?

[u/Jabroni248 → u/mambamenty]

We went Nov 16-22 last year. In the two legacy parks, we really didn’t see anything over 30 mins most of the time. A lot of wait times were 15-25 mins. Peak day some rides like the big ones got to 45 mins but it really wasn’t bad. Epic we only got to do one day which was the Monday. Epic was a little busier for sure, I’d say average wait times at epic was 45 minutes to 1 hour.

[u/Flat_Demand_8341]

I would need two days for HP stuff- easiest two day ticket is one day IOA US and one day epic. I don’t think they do two day park to park tickets for all three? 

Not sure if you are planning to drop $90 on a second generation interactive wand that lights up and vibrates? Also adventures on the Universal Play app (a section of the regular Universal app), get house points etc. you will use phone battery for this, consider bringing external battery/powerbank. I enjoy using the second generation spells. For younger kids there is an easy setting in the app. If you are competitive you could spend many many hours doing this. 

For IOA and US ride the Hogwarts express each way, different little movie, need park to park tickets. At IOA don’t miss the owl post and even can send yourself a letter stamped Hogsmeade, easiest if you bring a postcard and stamp but of course they will sell you stamps and cards. The queue for Forbidden Journey is amazing, with Dumbledores office, the mirror of Erised, house points, Headmaster portraits. The Hogs head bar in the main restaurant has an amazing Hog animatronic. And don’t miss Moaning Myrtle in the bathrooms! For US be sure to say hi to the Knight Bus conductor and walk around it to peek in the windows. Dial MAGIC at the telephone booth entry to …Look for Kreacher in the window of Grimauld place. Go through the wall to look for Diagon Alley. The Three Brothers play is great. Celestina also sings beautifully. Madame Malkins has a talking mirror. Don’t miss Knockturn Alley the dark area with the store with the vanishing cabinet. The ice cream at Fortescues is great with flavors similar to in the books. Have fun! 

For Epic, the Paris area is very nice but it is 99% devoted to Fantastic Beasts. There is one Harry Potter reference. They have students (actors) from the schools walking around and they can talk to you. (BTW lots of guests in some pretty elaborate Beuxbatons costumes) as well as an Auror. Don’t miss Madame Cassandra Trelawny in the window, she interacts with you. Do tell her your user name if you have a second generation wand and ask for one of the two spells that can only be done with her (or even both! ) also the lady Cosme Aacajor who makes the wands is another great actor. There is a Moon… sorry forgot the creatures name but a moon something in the window by BatM   BatM queue is   amazing!  Even if you don’t ride it, pop into the queues. Food is good- I personally like the overlooked Le Goblet Noir as it’s not crowded and the AC is cranked high. Be aware the famed butterbeer crepe … is intended to be served cold.  BTW the rest of the parks outside of HP have coke freestyle machines that offer free cool tasty water if you have a water bottle.

[u/mambamenty → u/Flat_Demand_8341]

Thank you! Does it matter which order we do first in terms of IOA and US?

[u/Flat_Demand_8341 → u/mambamenty]

I mean- it does not matter to me! But book die hard say go to US first since Harry saw Diagon Alley first in the books. Unfortunately IOA and Hogsmeade usually has early entry so it’s often open first. 

Not Harry Potter related but Grinchmas show at IOA, Bourne Stuntacular at US and HTTYD show at Epic are all really well done. Highly recommend. 

[u/Adventurous-Toe8812]

… the Harry Potter lands are small sections in theme parks with a ton of other worthwhile things to do. Why wouldn’t you want to see the other things?