This week saw a flurry of activity thanks to Universal’s latest announcement regarding the Hogwarts Express – first-ever details on its queue and ride experience, as well as a few other assorted facts, were all divulged.
Given all that we now know about guests being admitted to Platform 9 3/4 in small groupings and an approximately 200-passenger limit per train, it would seem that the ride capacity may not be enough to handle the crushing crowds, particularly during the insanity of the opening period, when lines can easily balloon to eight or nine hours – as happened with the first Wizarding World four years ago.
All of which begs the question: just how long would you be willing to wait for your first magical train ride with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and the menacing Dementors?
[wptouch target=”non-mobile”]
Note: you don’t have to sign into a social network to vote – that is just a feature offered. If you prefer to vote anonymously, click your selection in the poll and, when you see the pop-up, click “Keep vote anonymous.”
[/wptouch][wptouch target=”mobile”][socialpoll id=”2191778″]
Note: you don’t have to sign into a social network to vote – that is just a feature offered. If you prefer to vote anonymously, click your selection in the poll and, when you see the pop-up, click “Keep vote anonymous.”[/wptouch]
But, of course, the Hogwarts Express isn’t the only major headlining attraction at Diagon Alley – there’s also a little ride called Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, which looks to be every bit as revolutionary as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was back in the distant year of 2010. Would you be willing to wait any more or less for your first jaunt through Gringotts’s vaults, dodging Death Eaters and fending off trolls?
[wptouch target=”non-mobile”]
Note: you don’t have to sign into a social network to vote – that is just a feature offered. If you prefer to vote anonymously, click your selection in the poll and, when you see the pop-up, click “Keep vote anonymous.”
[/wptouch][wptouch target=”mobile”][socialpoll id=”2191780″]
Note: you don’t have to sign into a social network to vote – that is just a feature offered. If you prefer to vote anonymously, click your selection in the poll and, when you see the pop-up, click “Keep vote anonymous.”[/wptouch]
If you missed yesterday’s reveal of the exquisite Hogwarts Express details, you can catch up by reading this week’s Rumor SPOTLIGHT. Otherwise, learn all about the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter by visiting our Complete Guide to Diagon Alley.
Previous poll:
What is the best and worst land at Universal Orlando Resort?
The undisputed winner of the best land, with 367 out of 673 votes (55%), was Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure – no surprise, really. Marvel Super Hero Island came in at a distant second, with 86 votes (13%), while third place was a tie between Jurassic Park and World Expo at Universal Studios Florida (40 votes, 6%).
Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone at USF earned the dubious distinction of being the worst land at the resort, with 118 out of 430 votes (27%). The second place belonged to IOA’s Lost Continent, with 102 votes (24%). It’s important to note that IOA’s Toon Lagoon was accidentally left out as an option for voters, and from the comments we received, it might have actually beat KidZone to “win” this category.
Never more than an hour for anything. That’s why I’ll take full advantage of Early Admission as a guest of RPH. I only wish EP was offered right from the start for both attractions.
I never wait more than an hour for any ride… so I think I’ll wait until the hype has died down.
One would hope they learned something from the last opening but with 200 people being allowed on a platform I looks to be a 6hr wait if they draw half the numbers as 2010
I think Ollivanders was the longest we waited and that was just over 2 hours, luckily we wont be able to go again for a couple of years so hopefully it will have died down by then 🙂
i wont go near that place for at least a year or while schools are out not going to spend good money to standin line hours for this.if all of the rest of you want to knock your selvs out
I was waiting in that line in 2010 🙂 and I’d do it again.
An hour tops for both of them. Early Admission will be my friend. They should offer EP right from the start though, it’s a shame on site guests can use it on both rides
I would be willing to wait but…. We’re staying at the Hard Rock so we can make that hour early beeline to the rides.
I hope when we go in October the lines won’t be so long.
It’s best to let the moment die down. Why spend now like $140ish dollars to stand in line and ride a train or go on a roller coaster? That’s such a big chunk of your money unless you live there or nearby. It would be a waste.
For Gringotts? 4 hours.
Would never wait more than one hour for any ride!
I’ll wait to wait for Gringotts since I’m pregnant, so maybe after it’ll only be an hour or 2. :/
As long as it takes.
Stayed at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando and waited 7 1/2 to actually get into WWOHP and 2 hours to ride. Only to find out PBH had a letter for me at the desk for early access which they did not give to me, and when I requested it they said they had thrown it out! Was I disappointed? A little in Portofino Bay Staff as they were very star struck and didn’t treat others very well at all. But it was worth the wait I think. Will I go to the opening of Diagon Alley? ABSOLUTELY… Read more »
I don’t go to the opening of ANYTHING at ANY theme park. I’ll suck it up and wait an hour ish but that’s about it. But no way would I wait 7 hours just to enter the place and then another 2 or 3 to ride. NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN.
I would wait UP TO (but not including) 3 hours for Gringotts. So I selected 1-2 hours in the poll because no way on earth would I wait any more than 179 minutes for it!
It sounds like the opening of a Wizarding World is like Black Friday shopping. 🙂
Depends how hot it is !!
Not a fan but wait time will be like 200 minutes
I will never wait for this ride. I do not support harry potter as I feel he teaches kids about witches, warlocks and sorcery.
i wont b touching that place for AT LEAST a year or more… no sense in wasting my time in a park standing in a 3 hour line to ride a train………
haha…everybody else can stand in line, I’ll go around ’em and ride all the other stuff. A couple years ago, went over Christmas break and while the line to get in to the Harry Potter area was horrendous, we rode all the coasters over and over, about 5 times, without having to wait in any line at all each time.
The best part of being a Florida annual passholder is going all the time and getting on soft openings 😉
I know my daughter will be there this summer, waiting in line eagerly awaiting her turn to catch a ride on the Hogwarts express. For those who have not or will not read the books, for various reasons, the books are about the fight against evil, love triumphing above all else, and the friendships made along the way. It’s not a tool to promote evil and through these books, my daughter has made everlasting friendships and traveled all over the world, creating memories of a lifetime! And this past year she has won a $5000 art fellowship for her photography… Read more »
We’ll be there in November, staying onsite at CBBR for 4nts so hopefully not more than 30mins
We always stay on site because we love Universal however you want be able to express pass these rides. So, will just have to settle for early admission and hope the best!
I would wait till the over excitement of the people who want to be the first to do everything charmed. And go after any American or uk holidays as though out the quiet periods of the year the wait for most rides can be a max of only about 20mins. Also people still pay the same price to so y not hold off and not Que.?
It best be open by June 22nd….. because that’s when we arrive and I got 4 super excited kids travelling with me!!! Super excited I am!!!@
lol as does The Wizard of Oz, Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, etc. All TERRIBLE stories for children. lol
Jacqueline, don’t want to seem rude, but we stay at Portofino all the time and all the check in papers, folders, everything states that you get in one hour early to the theme park. The front desk has always explained this when they give us the front of the line passes as well. The one hour early benefit is even on the posters inside the resort.
Try it again now that you know the benefits. I can’t imagine how you would have a bad time.
Skylene, Great idea! Both are possible though. We left the Portofino one hour before early opening and were right at the front of the lines. Walking took about 10 minutes. We did WWOHP one morning and Olivanders the other. While everyone from early morning was behind us and heading for WWOHP or Olivanders we exited the attraction, got a butterbeer and shopped. by the time the masses poured in we were on our way to the rest of the park which was still empty. Didn’t even need our front of the line passes until around lunch time. What a great… Read more »