11/23 Crowds at Universal IoA-First Time Going

[wiltsan]

Hi Friends - Feels blasphemous to be asking about UIOA when a WDW purist but we have an opportunity to visit UIOA the day before Thanksgiving 11/23 Weds. this year and since my DD is a huge HP fan (as am I), we want to give it a go. The folks that we are visiting think that it will be too crowded and want to go to Disney Springs for the day but I feel like we need to take this opportunity as when we are usually down in Orlando, we stay at Disney and don't venture off. So, how crowded will it be the day before Thanksgiving. I can handle hour waits but I have heard some posters say that that week is about an hour just to get in and then double or triple those times for the attractions. Any insight you can provide would be great. Thank you!

[Pirate Granny]

Not sure about the crowds....but we get in LINE, not arrive, but at the gate at least 30 minutes before the park even opens...and go directly to Gringotts, ride twice, then take the train to the other park and ride those HP rides....it's expensive, but you can get an express pass....Park to Patk is already $147 and then add on the express pass, it'll be over $200 a person for one day.

[wiltsan]

Thanks Pirate Granny. It is super expensive (we are a party of 3). If you could only do one HP park, Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, which would you do?

[MNNHFLTX]

If I had to choose (and I would hate that), I would go for Islands of Adventure. Forbidden Journey is an amazing ride and Hogsmeade a fun experience to walk through. Diagon Alley is also but is super-crowded under normal circumstances; I imagine it would only be worse during Thaksgiving weekend.

[wiltsan]

Thanks for the reply. How about the Wednesday before Thanksgiving?

[MNNHFLTX]

I've never been there Thanksgiving week, so I can't tell you how busy it will be from personal experience. All the crowd predictors online have it trending at full capacity for pretty much the whole week. That said, if you can get there 30-60 minutes before opening, as Pirate Granny stated, you would probably be able to get on the HP rides a couple of times before the lines become unmanageable. As far as the Express Pass, if Harry Potter is what you primarily want to experience, it wouldn't do you any good to have the Express Pass, since you can't use it for Forbidden Journey, Gringott's or Hogwart's Express (which you would need a park-to-park pass for anyway.

If you can swing one night at one of the top-tiered hotels at Universal (Hard Rock, Portofino or Royal Beach) you can get an unlimited express pass free for the other attractions for the two days you are there and you can get in early at Islands of Adventure with access to the WWoHP attractions. I have even heard that they sometimes open both parks for early entry during peak holiday periods. It might be something to consider, if there are any rooms left in the hotels.

[MNNHFLTX]

Woops! Meant Royal Pacific! I have no idea why I typed in Royal Beach!